GSD&M, Preacher, Petermayer Supporting Reproductive Freedom

Although nothing has been set in stone just yet, the overturning of Roe v. Wade—the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision that ruled that the Constitution protects reproductive freedom—seems imminent, following a leaked draft opinion. Abortion is federally legal, but over the last few years some states have passed laws that increasingly restrict access to it, and in some cases have essentially eliminated legal and safe access altogether. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt signed a bill in late May that completely outlaws abortions with the exceptions of pregnancy as a result of rape or incest that has been reported to law enforcement, or if an abortion is necessary to save the life of the pregnant person. Per the Guttmacher Institute, there are 22 states with laws that "could be used to restrict the legal status of abortion." Of those 22 states, there are 13 states that are considered “trigger states” meaning that if the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, abortion will be outlawed immediately. There are 16 states, plus Washington D.C., that have codified the right to a safe abortion into law. Additionally, reports indicate that a few states will become "abortion safe havens" for those traveling from another state. As a result of government restrictions on abortion, the private sector has stepped up to support and assist employees who need an abortion. As Adweek first reported in early May, the Big 5 holding companies and a few large agencies have updated their company policies and released statements promising their commitment to supporting employees' reproductive rights and health care. Adweek also reached out to several independent agencies in states at the center of restrictions on abortion to gather their thoughts on policy changes in response to the impending Supreme Court decision. GSD&M Headquartered in Austin, Texas; more than 300 employees Indie creative agency GSD&M launched a bold campaign to raise awareness and encourage political action in response to the leaked decision. “Forced Mother's Day” featured three cards that all read “Happy Forced Mother's Day” on the front and had messages on the inside that said either, “To the mother with everything except the right to choose…,” “We know you wanted a choice, but we got you a card instead” and “At least you can still choose whether to celebrate…” On the back of each card was a call to action: “This could be the reality very soon. Fight back. ForcedMothersDay.com.” The site provides an easy-to-use tool to find local representatives’ contact information, links to a petition, the contact form for the Supreme Court and a list of national organizations fighting for reproductive freedom. https://twitter.com/GSDM/status/1522546583182659584 "After that draft decision was leaked, I challenged Jay Russell, our chief creative officer, to get with his teams and think about what we could say and speak out in favor of a person's right to choose, across the gender spectrum," Duff Stewart, president and CEO of GSD&M, said. "Creative directors Leigh Browne and Jon Williamson came up with the idea of the card, and we had people across the gender spectrum weighing in." Marci Rogers, GSD&M's chief people officer, emphasized that on the employee benefits side of things, the agency and its leadership has always made the health and wellness of their team a top priority. "We're committed to meeting the needs of our employees and also being an advocate within the Omnicom network to create greater change for further benefits," she said. "We're working internally to create a confidential process for which an employee can discreetly, protecting their privacy, reach out and find out what they need to do to [use] their full benefits that are available to them, should they need it." Preacher Based in Austin, Texas; 55 employees Independent agency Preacher supports paid medical leave for its employees without giving them the burden of probing questions and inquiries. It's been a company policy since before this tentative decision on Roe v. Wade. “Preacher believes in a woman’s unequivocal right to choose," Krystle Loyland, co-founder and CEO, said. She described living in Texas as being on the frontlines of the battle over access to reproductive health care. And, she added, the diminished protections are a harbinger of even more future restrictions on their basic human rights. "We also have to acknowledge as a company and an industry that, generally speaking, enjoys great privilege, that low-income families, women of color and the LGBTQ+ community will be disproportionately harmed by these abortion bans—and we want to collectively extend our support to them as well," Loyland continued. Preacher encourages employees to use paid leave to exercise voting rights, the right to protest and to dedicate time to advocate for marginalized and vulnerable communities. Loyland said the agency can reimburse expenses incurred from these activities. Petermayer Based in New Orleans, La.; 80 employees Louisiana is one of the 13 states with a trigger ban on abortion. Furthermore, the state's House of Representatives is preparing to vote on HB 813, known as the Abolition of Abortion in Louisiana Act of 2022, which would "ensure the right to life and equal protection of the laws to all unborn children from the moment of fertilization." Essentially, this bill would classify abortion as homicide, which could lead to criminal prosecution against people who have an abortion or perform or assist in one. HB 813 is particularly notable because if passed, it would go into effect even without the overturning of Roe v. Wade. In May, after the House Appropriations Committee advanced HB 813, Louisiana governor John Bel Edwards issued a statement declaring his opposition to the bill. “The overturning of Roe will trigger anti-abortion laws in 13 states, including my agency’s HQ state," said Michelle Edelman, CEO of Petermayer. She understands the impulse to react quickly to this grave situation. However, she also knows that a knee-jerk response would not be in her team’s best interest. "My top priority is a healthy, powerful staff, and right now balancing their needs with the unfolding news cycle is at best distressing and confusing," she said. "For now, I’m employing principles of human leadership: digging deep and just doing the right thing for our individuals as their needs present. Much like we did at the start of Covid-19 when there were no answers, the true answer is to act with integrity.”

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Chloé Harper Gold

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