General Mills comes out against Minnesota's gay marriage ban

General Mills is against the gay marriage amendment, boasts VP Ken Charles

The company's Vice President of Global Diversity and Inclusion Ken Charles says the ban on gay marriage is a "business issue." Not only would the bill make Minnesota "less inclusive," it would reduce General Mills' ability to "attract and retain talent."

If defeated, Charles says, Minnesota voters would send a strong message about "our state's view of the importance of inclusiveness and diversity."

Charles testified before the United States Senate this week, throwing his and the company's support before the Employee Non-Discrimination Act. That bill would extend hiring, promotion and advancement protections to me the GLBT community.

Besides being a moral issue, Charles writes in a post titled "There is something we need to discuss" on his company blog, extending protections to gay workers would "help create a culture that fosters the creativity and innovation vital to business success."

General Mills joins a growing number of big businesses and public entities opposing Minnesota's marriage amendment.