Thomson Reuters comes out against gay marriage ban

One of the largest employers in the city of Eagan with nearly 8,000 people on its legal and business payroll, Thomson Reuters publicly took up a position against a proposed amendment to the Minnesota state constitution that would ban same-sex marriage. Company officials said the amendment, if passed, would limit its ability to recruit and retain employees. It also stood in contradiction to the company’s own policies regarding diversity and inclusiveness, Thomson Reuters said in a statement.

“As part of our Trust Principles, Thomson Reuters does not advocate political or religious positions, and we recognize and respect that people have differing viewpoints on the Minnesota Marriage Amendment,” it said. “Our perspective on the Amendment is an affirmation of what we believe as a business and is consistent with our Trust Principles and our values. Thomson Reuters is a better place when we have a rich variety of perspectives, talents, backgrounds, lifestyles and experiences in our workplace – diversity that we have created and foster on our Eagan campus and across our global business – and we believe diversity is critically important within the broader community from which we recruit. If adopted, we believe the Minnesota Marriage Amendment would limit our ability to recruit and retain top talent, a critical factor in our ability to serve our customers and be successful. For this reason, we do not believe that the Minnesota Marriage Amendment, if passed, would be good for Thomson Reuters or the business community in the state.”

Thomson Reuters said its perspective also reflected the policies and programmes it had long supported around diversity and fostering a diverse workforce, support and statements around gay rights and anti-bullying, and corporate policies around health benefits for same-sex couples.

“As a company, we believe in supporting an environment that is good for the business, our people and communities. Thomson Reuters is committed to a workplace that is diverse and provides equal opportunities for everyone, and strongly believes in the rights of individuals to express themselves and to be themselves.”

Other large employers in Minnesota have also publicly opposed the amendment. ■