General Mills, the Golden-Valley-based Fortune 500 food company known for Cheerios and Green Giant brands, is actively opposing the proposed state constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage.
St. Jude Medical of Little Canada is the only other state Fortune 500 company publicly opposing the marriage amendment.
In a blog on the company's website Thursday, Ken Charles, General Mills' vice president of global diversity and inclusion, wrote:
"We do not believe the proposed constitutional amendment is in the best interests of our employees or our state economy – and as a Minnesota-based company we oppose it."
On Wednesday, General Mills CEO spoke to a group of 400 Twin Cities GLBT professionals and friends and "voiced our company’s opposition to the proposed marriage amendment, an initiative that makes our state less inclusive and reduces our company’s ability to attract and retain talent," Charles wrote.
Charles acknowledged that many don't agree with the company's stance:
"Obviously, there are strongly held views on both sides. We acknowledge those views, including those on religious grounds. We respect and defend the right of others to disagree. But we truly value diversity and inclusion — and that makes our choice clear."