“Microsoft is an iconic brand worldwide. Today, they have shown themselves to be strong enough to listen to stakeholders and begin reevaluating their PAC contributions,” stated Lane Hudson, Campaign Manager for Zero for Zeros. “Microsoft was the first company that engaged with Zero for Zeros in good faith. We discussed their concerns, they heard ours and their employees weighed in. We are thrilled that they have responded to our campaign. Their plan looks strong and may ultimately be a model for how other companies can ensure that politicians who undermine the values of a company and its employees do not receive the support of their corporate PACs. As Microsoft conducts its internal review process, we plan to continue our conversations with their leadership and request a permanent commitment not to support the worst of the worst anti-LGBT elected officials. For today, we are excited to say ‘thank you’ to Microsoft for taking this vital first step,” concluded Hudson.
You can view Microsoft’s statement here.
Two weeks ago the Zero for Zeros campaign launched to ask pro-LGBT companies that were supporting anti-LGBT politicians to stop their corporate pac contributions to those elected officials who scored a zero on the Human Rights Campaign’s Congressional Scorecard. Ten Representatives and 19 Senators have been identified by the Zero for Zeros campaign as the worst of the worst anti-LGBT legislators. The Zero for Zeros campaign has reached out to dozens of CEOs, and is in active conversations with a number of companies. Microsoft is the first company to issue a public statement halting their current giving and pledging to reevaluate PAC spending going forward.
