10 Businesses Against Flying Confederate Flag at Statehouses

In the midst of the controversy over the Confederate flag, several businesses are pressuring governors and politicians to remove the symbol from state grounds.

This is not the first time the private sector has made an influence on states’ decisions. When Indiana and Arkansas received backlash from companies over “religious freedom” laws.

The Confederate flag controversy comes after Dylann Roof shot and killed nine African-Americans in a church on June 17, 2015.

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Originally, South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley defended having the Confederate flag flying outside the statehouse. She said CEOs invested in the state had not brought up the issue. However, since the shootings, pressure built to remove it, and less than a week later, Haley ordered its removal.

Here are some of the companies now throwing out their support for the removal of the Confederate flag:

1. Apple. Following the outbreak of protests, Apple CEO Tim Cook threw his support into the ring on the removal of the flag on Twitter.

My thoughts are with the victim's families in SC.Let us honor their lives by eradicating racism & removing the symbols & words that feed it.

— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) June 21, 2015

2. Salesforce. CEO Marc Benioff tweeted in support of former Gov. Mitt Romney’s call to “Take down the Confederate flag at the South Carolina Capitol. To many, it is a symbol of racial hatred. Remove it now to honor Charleston victims.”

I agree @MittRomney: Take down the #ConfederateFlag at the SC Capitol. To many, it is a symbol of racial hatred. Remove to honor victims.

— Marc Benioff (@Benioff) June 20, 2015

3. NASCAR. The organization supported Haley's decision to remove the Confederate flag in a statement that read, "As our industry works collectively to ensure that all fans are welcome at our races, NASCAR will continue our long-standing policy to disallow the use of the Confederate Flag symbol in any official NASCAR capacity. While NASCAR recognizes that freedom of expression is an inherent right of all citizens, we will continue to strive for an inclusive environment at our events."

4. Microsoft. CEO Satya Nadella posted his support on Twitter for removing the Confederate flag.

My hope is that together we can convert hate & racism to peace & understanding around the globe. https://t.co/eaFa3jwuAV

— Satya Nadella (@satyanadella) June 21, 2015

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5 and 6. Twitter and Airbnb. Twitter’s Jack Dorsey and Airbnb founder Brian Chesky retweeted Romney’s message.

7-10. Michelin, BMW, Boeing, and Volvo. These businesses made calls to South Carolina state leadership in an effort for the battle banner to be removed from the capital’s property.

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