Business & Tech

Poll: Should Companies Take Positions on Social Issues?

Thomson Reuters and General Mills are among the Minnesota companies taking a stand against the Minnesota marriage amendment. What do you think?

Should businesses stay out of politics, or should they feel perfectly comfortable taking stands on controversial issues?

That's the question a lot of Minnesotans are debating in the wake of last week's decision by Thomson Reuters, which operates a large legal-publishing division in Eagan, to oppose the constitutional marriage amendment on this fall's Minnesota ballot.

Thomson Reuters isn't the first company to take such a step. A similar annoucement by General Mills prompted talk of a boycott against the famed Golden Valley food company, as well as expressions of support from amendment opponents.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

Aside from debate over the amendment itself, there's the question of whether companies such as Thomson or General Mills have any business inserting themselves into political/social issues. Please let us know what you think, and explain your position in the comments below.

In related news from around the region:

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here