Growing List of Business Leaders Make Public Pledge to Fight For Employees’ Birth Control

Warby Parker, Birchbox, Squarespace, Levi's, Rent the Runway, New Relic, and Bumble join leading businesses across industries in being a part of Planned Parenthood’s #BusinessForBC campaign

Washington, D.C.— A growing number of business leaders are making a public pledge to stand up for their employees’ birth control coverage as a part of Planned Parenthood’s #BusinessForBC campaign. The pledges started after the Trump administration issued a new rule last month that eliminated the guarantee that birth control would be covered in every insurance plan — instead leaving whether or not employees could access birth control completely up to employers’ discretion. As a result, the health care coverage for birth control that 62 million women had access to is directly at risk.

#BusinessForBC was first introduced by Cecile Richards at the 2017 Business for Social Responsibility Conference, where she called on business leaders to step up and protect women’s health care amidst attacks from the administration. So far, 22 national businesses have publicly committed to be a #BusinessForBC.

“Today, more women graduate, lead, and innovate than at any other point in our history, and that’s true in large part for one very important reason: access to birth control. I want to applaud the companies that recognize that access to birth control is vital for the progress women have made, and that pledge to protect that coverage,” said Cecile Richards, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. “But now our basic health care — and all that progress — is threatened by an administration bent on taking us backwards. Business leaders can take a stand by publicly committing to protect birth control and reproductive health care coverage, making sure women have equal opportunities to succeed, and making the fight for gender equity their fight. Business leaders must stand up for their employees’ health care not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because women are the key to the economic future of this country and of the world.”

The growing list of leaders in the corporate sector who have so far publicly committed to ensuring access to contraception for their employees includes: Jennifer Hyman of Rent the Runway; Anthony Casalena of Squarespace; Melody McCloskey of StyleSeat; General Assembly; CREDO Mobile, fashion designers and brands Rachel Comey and Mara Hoffman; Katia Beauchamp of Birchbox; Neil Blumenthal of Warby Parker; Jordan Levin of AwesomenessTV; Lucian Grainge of Universal Music Group; Warner Music Group, New Relic; Uber; and Levi’s.

Between now and January 2018 — when many businesses will start their new health insurance plans and decide whether or not they will continue to offer employees coverage for birth control — Planned Parenthood is urging more businesses to become a #BusinessForBC and stand for the nearly nine out of 10 women of reproductive age who use birth control. Employees around the country are also mobilizing to take action and work with their employers to publicly commit to protecting this basic health care.

"Rent the Runway is proud to be a Business For BC and will continue covering birth control for our employees, as we always have," said Jennifer Hyman, co-founder and CEO of Rent the Runway. "If we hope to live in a society that is truly equal — where at least 50 percent of leaders and 50 percent of the workplace are women — women must be given the opportunity to plan the timing of their families. Access to birth control is critical to their ability to do this."

“Providing access to contraception is critical to supporting our employees, necessary for women's full participation in the workforce, and essential to any successful company and strong economy," said Jacqui Brady, vice president of people at General Assembly.

“Access to birth control coverage is a fundamental right, and it's disappointing that this notion can still be considered controversial today. Women make up half of the population and workforce, and should be treated equally,” said Anthony Casalena, Founder and CEO of Squarespace. “I am proud that Squarespace provides full birth control coverage for our employees, and hope that Planned Parenthood's campaign will inspire other business leaders to speak up for what is right.”

“At Warby Parker, we’re committed to offering our 1,300+ employees comprehensive health care benefits, which includes access to no-copay birth control. This is about women’s rights – plain and simple. We're proud to support Planned Parenthood in their effort to get business leaders to step up and protect women’s health,” said Neil Blumenthal, co-CEO and co-founder of Warby Parker.

More and more businesses understand that access to birth control is fundamental — not only to a company’s success, but for everyone’s well-being. Birth control has played an important role in ensuring our nation’s economic development and workforce. Fully one-third of the wage gains women have made since the 1960s are the result of access to oral contraceptives. And it’s smart business practice. A 2015 study from Cone Communications shows that nine in 10 millennials would switch brands to one associated with a cause that was important to them.

Visit the #BusinessForBC website to learn how your company can take a stand for women’s health.

Background: Birth control access has been a game-changer for women building strong companies, a strong economy, and strong families.

• Access to birth control lets women decide when they want to start a family — setting them up for success in their careers and as parents, if that’s what they choose.

• Birth control has opened up educational and career opportunities for women in addition to opening the door for more management roles.

• The Small Business Majority found that women small business owners overwhelmingly support coverage of birth control for their employees, and cite birth control access as an important factor in their own ability to advance their careers.

• Birth control has been attributed to narrowing the gender pay gap — though women of color still earn much less than white women.

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Planned Parenthood is the nation’s leading provider and advocate of high-quality, affordable health care for women, men, and young people, as well as the nation’s largest provider of sex education. With more than 600 health centers across the country, Planned Parenthood affiliates serve all patients with care and compassion, with respect and without judgment. Through health centers, programs in schools and communities, and online resources, Planned Parenthood is a trusted source of reliable health information that allows people to make informed health decisions. We do all this because we care passionately about helping people lead healthier lives.