MIDLAND, MI -- Officials at the Dow Chemical Co., the Midland-based chemical giant that supported the challenge to gay marriage bans, are applauding today's U.S. Supreme Court decision that makes same-sex marriage legal.
The high court in a 5-4 decision on Friday, June 26, upheld the right for same-sex couples across the nation to marry.
"A society that strives to foster inclusion, celebrate differences, and respect and welcome everyone enables its citizens and families to thrive, businesses to prosper and economies to grow," said Howard Ungerleider, the chief financial officer at Dow and the executive sponsor of GLAD, or Gays, Lesbians and Allies at Dow.
"As a matter of equality and human rights, and also a critical business imperative that plays a fundamental role in attracting and retaining the best and brightest team, it is quite simply the right thing to do."
Dow Chemical Co. applauded the U.S. Supreme Court decision to strike down the ban on same-sex marriages.
The Supreme Court decision strikes down the Michigan law passed by voters in 2004 that limited marriage to heterosexual couples.
Dow in March joined 379 businesses and organizations in signing on to an amicus brief filed in the case, Obergefell v. Hodges.
Dow officials in a press release noted that the company "has offered best-in-class policies and practices for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) inclusion in the workplace including equal benefits to same-sex partners for everything from health, dental and life insurance to bereavement leave, relocation and dual career assistance."
Last year, Dow had annual sales of more than $58 billion and employed about 53,000 people worldwide. The company's more than 6,000 product families are manufactured at 201 sites in 35 countries.
-- Andy Hoag covers courts for MLive/The Saginaw News. Email him at ahoag@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter @awhoag