DeepSummary
The podcast episode discusses how reproductive health is a business issue that impacts organizations' bottom lines. It highlights how many companies are taking actions to support abortion access for their employees in response to the potential overturning of Roe v. Wade. The episode provides insights into the legal, economic, and diversity implications of restricting reproductive rights.
Adrienne Lawrence and Sylvia Ghazarian, Executive Director of the Women's Reproductive Rights Assistance Project (WRRAP), explain how limiting abortion access can lead to significant financial losses, talent recruitment challenges, and diversity and inclusion setbacks for companies. They emphasize the importance of companies updating their healthcare policies, offering travel assistance, and using their voices to advocate for reproductive rights.
The discussion covers various aspects of the reproductive rights debate, including mental health impacts, racial inequities, and the need for companies to align their actions with their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) commitments. The speakers encourage companies to take a stand and support their employees by providing comprehensive reproductive healthcare coverage and resources.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Restricting reproductive rights, particularly abortion access, is a business issue that can negatively impact companies' bottom lines, talent recruitment, and diversity and inclusion efforts.
- Companies should update their healthcare policies to provide comprehensive reproductive healthcare coverage, including abortion services and travel assistance.
- Companies need to actively support reproductive rights by using their voices, advocating for policies, and aligning their actions with their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) commitments.
- Limiting abortion access can lead to severe mental health consequences, financial hardships, and potential setbacks in career trajectories for employees.
- Reproductive rights disproportionately impact women, particularly women of color and lower-income workers, exacerbating existing inequalities and undermining diversity efforts.
- Companies should reevaluate their political contributions, lobbying efforts, and corporate social responsibility initiatives to ensure alignment with their stated DEI values and support for reproductive rights.
- Remaining silent on reproductive rights issues can be perceived as a lack of support by employees and undermine companies' DEI efforts and employee loyalty.
- Reproductive rights should be viewed as a healthcare issue rather than a political or moral issue, and companies should approach it from a healthcare perspective.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “And when I look at the analysis and the data out there, most of the workforce is women, you know, however, those in the C suite or on boards are mainly men. And we need more of these male allies to come forth and to stand for those who need our support, you know? And you must have a voice in what's going on.“ by Adrienne Lawrence
- “We hear every day from clinics that support patients, that they have individuals who are going through pretty traumatic factors in terms of their care, meaning they don't know, like people are deciding whether to pay rent versus having abortion care. People are in a state of mind where they're considering, unfortunately, suicide, and we're there to help them immediately and get them the support that they need.“ by Sylvia Ghazarian
- “You can't compromise that at all. Because again, that silence sends the wrong message, and it sends the wrong message to those employees because again, they don't feel supported.“ by Adrienne Lawrence
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Episode Information
The Will To Change: Uncovering True Stories of Diversity & Inclusion
Jennifer Brown
5/20/22
This episode was originally recorded as an Advocacy in Action session and features a conversation between Women’s Reproductive Rights Assistance Project (WRRAP) Executive Director Sylvia Ghazarian and JBC Vice President Adrienne Lawrence. Discover how reproductive health is a business issue that will impact an organization’s bottom line, how a number of organizations are approaching this issue in the current climate, and what tools are available to inclusively support women and birthing people in the workplace.