Patagonia Calls on Businesses To Protect Voting Rights
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a public letter from CEO Ryan Gellert on Tuesday, Patagonia called on fellow business leaders to take tangible actions to protect voting rights. Following the passage of Georgia’s major voter suppression law Senate Bill 202, and a letter last week penned by over 70 Black CEOs and corporate leaders, Patagonia asked other corporations to join it in taking three key steps to defend voting rights:
- Donate to voting rights activists and organizations working to reverse this legislation.
- Urge the companies’ senators to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the For the People Act.
- Reach out to business partners and community stakeholders to organize whole communities in the fight to protect the vote.
Gellert emphasized the importance of free and fair access to the ballot for employees and consumers alike, and made clear that their eyes were on companies to take a stand against voter suppression. “Opting to stay silent while the constitutional rights of voters in Georgia and across our country are being threatened is tantamount to supporting these unjust laws,” Gellert wrote. “Our colleagues, clients and customers won’t forget what we do in this moment.”