Apple recently released a video on YouTube of thousands of their employees participating in a gay pride parade in San Fransisco. The company has set out to promote diversity and inclusion, which CEO Tim Cook says inspires innovation.
According to reports, the activism brought thousands of employees and their families from all around the globe to the event in San Fransisco. Cities they came from include Munich, Paris, even Hong Kong.
Under Cook's leadership, the company has set forth a change in its corporate culture and its committment to inclusion. Cook, according to sources, is a loud and proud advocate for gay rights. San Fransisco, in close proximity to Apple's home base of Cupertino, is recognized for its large LGBT community and the city's more accepting attitude toward them.
In the video, the Apple logo is painted in rainbow colors. They reportedly marched down Market Street with the logo placed on a large banner that employees carried. Cook also tweeted about the gay pride march the company took part in.
Apple and a number of other technology companies sent the U.S. Supreme Court a legal brief that stated that marriage equality was essential to "America's economic competitiveness." The letter went on to state that, specifically, U.S. tech companies "are competing domestically and internationally with companies inside and outside the United States in places where all couples, regardless of whether they are of the same sex, are afforded equal access to marriage."
Other companies made their pledge to gay rights and gay pride as well, including Burger King and Betty Crocker. None are likely as vocal as Apple and Cook. Minnesota companies like General Mills, who produces popular Cereal brands like Cheerios, have also showed their political support. Minneapolis is also known to have its own large community of LGBT, as well as gay pride festivals and parades that support equality for gay couples in Minnesota.
