Businesses react to passage of religious freedom bill

Major employers in Mississippi are reacting to a bill, passed by both houses of the state legislature, which would give businesses the right to deny services to members of the LGBT community based on religious beliefs:

Nissan Group of North America

Nissan spokesperson Parul Bajaj said the vehicle manufacturer opposes the bill based on its diversity policy, but when asked if the company would take action based on its opposition, the company declined further comment.

Nissan’s statement:

“Nissan is committed to providing our employees with an inclusive workplace environment that supports diversity.  It is Nissan’s policy to prohibit discrimination of any type, and we oppose any legislation that would allow discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals.”

Tyson Foods Inc.

Worth Sparkman, a spokesperson for Tyson, issued the following statement and said the company is reviewing the measure to decide whether to take further action:

“While we value religious freedom, we oppose legislation that allows discrimination. Our core values call on us to be respectful of each other and our policies prohibit unlawful harassment and discrimination in the workplace involving race, religion, color, age, national origin, veteran status, disability, genetics information, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or other protected status under federal, state, or local law.”

MGM Resorts International

The company released this statement:

“MGM Resorts does not support the “Freedom of Conscience” bill.  We respect the diversity of our employees, guests and people in our communities.  Laws that permit businesses to decline to provide services to individuals because of this diversity result in decreased tourism and hurt the local economy.”

Toyota

The company released this statement:

“Toyota does not condone discrimination in any form and believes that inclusive treatment of all people is good for the workplace, marketplace and society as a whole.  In our experience, the best ideas come when everyone is equally engaged and valued.”