Salesforce is consistently a leader. Whether it be the CRM market, the hybrid work shift, or social issues like this new law in Texas, the San Francisco-based company is regularly making noise and changing the way business is done across the world. Now, with this latest announcement, Salesforce could be setting a unique precedent that would put more power in the hands of employees. Despite not being reachable for comment immediately after news broke, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff tweeted out the original article from CNBC on Friday with a message of support for his “family.”
— Marc Benioff (@Benioff) September 11, 2021 With 2,000 employees in its Dallas office and 60 other offices around the world, it’s safe to say Salesforce is serious about relocating employees that want to leave Texas. But what is the rest of the tech industry doing? Ride sharing giants Uber and Lyft have both taken a stance too, stating that the companies would cover any and all legal costs for drivers who are sued for transporting women to clinics across the state. Additionally, dating app companies have been adamant supporters of women in Texas, with the CEO of the company that owns Match.com, Tinder, and OKCupid starting a fund for Texas-based employees seeking reproductive health care out of state. In 2015, Salesforce began the process of “dramatically reducing its investments” in Indiana, as the state passed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. According to Benioff, employees and customers alike were concerned that the law would allow businesses to deny service to LGBTQ+ people. Eventually though, Indiana changed the law, and Salesforce didn’t go through with the plans, even expanding in Indianapolis a year later, which just goes to show the power that big business has in influencing how the world works.
