The business sector against discrimination: following Discount's protest - voila! Of money

Discount and Microsoft.

Two of the largest organizations that mobilized for the protest (photo: image processing, shutterstock)

This time it was quick: Discount Bank decided to be the first large business body to stand up against what appears to be a political decision that will denigrate some of Israel's citizens - and almost the entire business sector, the one that is usually afraid of expressing an opinion on controversial issues, began to compete - who will further condemn the words of Knesset members from Siyot The Right will declare that not only will it not discriminate against potential customers on the basis of religion, race or gender, but it will also withhold its services from business entities that are complicit in such discrimination.

Among the first to side with Discount, after the bank's board of directors decided to adopt

's proposal not to give credit to entities that would discriminate, was the Altshuler Shaham investment house, which published: "We will not support discrimination of any kind."

The investment house also published: "Continuing to the public conversation about the amendment to the discrimination law, the Altshuler Shaham investment house emphasizes that it will continue to be an open house for all its millions of customers, regardless of race, religion, and gender. We undertake not to contract and/or invest with a body that has chosen to discriminate against customers, workers, or resort to any discrimination against any sector"

.

: "As a business entity that has an impact on the Israeli economy, we see an obligation in taking responsibility for the social climate inside and outside the investment house.

Altshuler Shaham, promotes values ​​of equality, diversity to all ends of the Israeli population, and as such does not allow discrimination of any kind.

We will continue to promote an open, egalitarian, inclusive and diverse discourse for the sake of our hundreds of thousands of employees and for the sake of our millions of customers and we will vote with our feet for a company that holds these values.

This is our hour as an institutional body not only to manage investments but to give expression to the values ​​that guide us and our employees, day by day, hour by hour."

Also in the financial sector, the insurance company AIG also hastened to announce: "We will stop insuring businesses and working with suppliers who will discriminate of any kind."

In a statement on behalf of the company it was said: "AIG Israel has decided following the uproar over the discrimination law and the calls for discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, religion and nationality in the political system, to stop for sure any business that discriminates of any kind. AIG has regretted its flag to promote the values ​​of equality, tolerance and human dignity and freedom, and will not accept Actions that erode these values ​​on the part of its policyholders and suppliers."

said: "The insurance company AIG has always prioritized the values ​​of tolerance, equality and acceptance of others.

We did not agree in the past and we will not agree now to accept statements and actions that harm different populations and sectors in Israeli society.

At the beginning of the year 2023, racist and discriminatory discourse is unacceptable.

I call on the heads of the economy to act decisively and denounce this improper phenomenon from the root."

The chairman of Discount, Shaul Kobrinsky. The first to identify (photo: Yehats)

If in the more conservative parts of the business sector, such as banks, insurance companies and investment houses, there is such a return, then the high-tech companies, some of which carry the banner of diversity and inclusion even in their days of correction, hastened to join the protest.

For example, the Pitango venture capital fund announced that it "commits to continued non-discrimination and action for inclusion and equal rights in Israel."

The company's statement reads: "Pitango reinforces its commitment to equality, and undertakes to work only with businesses and entities that do not discriminate for any reason, including, for reasons of race, religion , nationality, country of origin, gender, sexual orientation, outlook, party affiliation, age, personal status, parentage.

As Israelis, we believe in equal rights in the spirit of the Declaration of Independence for every person regardless of who he or she is.

As a venture capital fund, whose diversity, impact and ESG are engraved on its flag, we feel a moral obligation to come out with this call and call on our friends in the tech community to join it in total opposition to any manifestation of hatred, racism or discrimination that threatens democracy and the law in Israel."

: "We will not allow discrimination and failure to provide services on a discriminatory basis.

Jews, Arabs, LGBTQ people and all human beings, wherever they are, are entitled to full equality of rights before the law and before every person. High-tech was and still is the growth engine of the State of Israel, the contribution of the high-tech community to the Israeli economy is large and significant.

Pitango has been working for years to promote diversity, inclusion, and equality for all, in the ultra-Orthodox populations, the Arab minorities, the gay community and other populations.

This call is an integral part of our commitment for all of them, and we will continue to work for them, even more strongly.

We must all be committed to maintaining an egalitarian, inclusive and enabling society for the benefit of the future of the State of Israel.

" Their gender preferences. A partial list:

The

company published: "Hello Art is proud to serve and employ on a global level, hundreds of thousands of customers and employees of all religions and genders, regardless of their sex, origin or religious belief.

Accordingly, the company demands and informs all of its suppliers and subcontractors that a commitment to non-discrimination is a prerequisite for working for the company

.

announced in response that it opposes any law that encourages racism and discrimination.

The company clarified that "it will continue to respect its customers and employees regardless of their personal opinions, their beliefs, the background they come from or their gender orientation. The company encourages diversity and tolerance towards different opinions and does everything in its power to create a safe environment for every person regardless of who they are. To ensure that a variety of its customers receive the The best service, Semperis has been careful in the past and will continue in the future to contract with suppliers who provide a fair and non-discriminatory service, and to invest in creating collaborations with service providers from disadvantaged groups, as part of its concept of corporate responsibility."

Some companies, just like Microsoft, saw their mobilization for the struggle in Israel as a direct continuation of the policy they are committed to all over the world.

For example, Accenture - the largest technology consulting company in the world, which employs over 740,000 people worldwide:

"When the voices calling for the boycott of various groups in our society are heard in the background, I want to emphasize today Accenture's long-standing commitment to equality and justice for all, to inclusion, tolerance, diversity and equality - as well as zero tolerance for racism and hatred of any kind.

As someone who has enshrined the values ​​of equality The opportunities within the workplace and the way in which we do business, for Accenture believes in the power and power of each and every one of us to create positive change in any community.

This belief is also strengthened by the simple fact that social diversity is one of Accenture's major growth and success engines in Israel And in the world. At the end of the day, our strength as a community and as a society is measured in relation to the other, and in our ability to accept him. Let's try to be better and devote our efforts to reuniting and bringing hearts closer and not to hatred and a discourse full of debate."

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Ran Shaham, CEO of Altshuler Shaham: "Not only to manage investments but to give expression to the values ​​that guide us" (Photo: Sam Yitzhakov)

Yifat Reiter, CEO of AIG: "I call on the heads of the economy to act decisively" (Photo: Ohad Romano)

conspicuous by their absence

It is difficult to know whether this is a one-time event in which extreme statements by members of the Knesset from the incoming coalition succeeded in provoking such broad opposition, or whether it is the beginning of a new era in which some of the centenarians seek to have an opinion as well - and it will be interesting to see their reactions to social and political events in the future.

At the same time, it must be mentioned that among those rushing to side with the fight for equal rights, there are bodies that (for example) discriminate against women in their wages.

And what's more: the list arouses the admiration of large commercial entities that were quick to take a stand - in complete contrast to what is customary in business and public culture in Israel, it also highlights some names, or more precisely - branches, that were absent from it.

With all due respect to advanced financial services, there are very few extreme parties that need investment from venture capital funds, on the other hand - among the potential boycotters almost all shop at the supermarket.

For example, the voice of the retail chains, the food manufacturers, the credit companies or even the big banks, colleagues of the Discount Group, is not heard.

These bodies have daily business interaction with those who may be reluctant to adopt moral codes that protect individual rights - and it was important to understand whether their reluctance to respond stems from a lack of attention to the issue or a reluctance to find themselves in conflict with sectors on whose behalf, apparently, the Knesset members who made the statements are acting the outrageous

Retail chains and food manufacturers as an example of those who preferred to stay out of the fight (Photo: ShutterStock)

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