• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
TechWorld's Most Admired Companies

Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff Battles Georgia Over Gay Rights

By
Jonathan Vanian
Jonathan Vanian
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Jonathan Vanian
Jonathan Vanian
Down Arrow Button Icon
February 26, 2016, 8:54 PM ET
Photograph by Noah Berger — Bloomberg via Getty Images

Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff is playing hardball with the state of Georgia over gay rights.

Benioff on Friday asked his followers via Twitter whether his business technology company should move some its operations from the Peach State because of a proposed religious freedom bill that would let businesses decline to provide services for same-sex couples.

The cloud software company is slated to host a technology conference in Atlanta in May for 15,000 people, but Benioff hinted that the company may relocate it because of the legislation.

Should Salesforce move https://t.co/rlf9D7UkcF if @JoshMcKoon's anti gay bill 757 passes the Georgia legislator?

— Marc Benioff (@Benioff) February 26, 2016

Last week, Georgia’s senate passed an amended version of the bill that upset critics who said it sanctioned discrimination against gays and lesbians. The bill next goes to the House, which must agree to the changes before it can be passed.

The legislation would also let religious officials refuse to perform same-sex marriages. Critics have argued that the bill’s language could lead to people to refuse services based on their religious beliefs to same-sex couples, as in the case of last year when a Michigan doctor declined to treat a child with two mothers.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

“Nobody wants a discrimination law in America today,” Benioff told The Huffington Post. “But there are still bigots out there fighting for people to be discriminated against.”

Benioff said that that Salesforce would bring “economic sanctions” against Georgia if the bill becomes law, according to The Huffington Post.

Georgia State Sen. Joshua McKoon, a supporter of the bill, fought back against Benioff with his own tweets, in which he claimed it was hypocritical that Salesforce would threaten to pull out of Georgia despite operating in countries like India that have anti-gay laws.

Argument is your company falsely rejects FADA as "anti-gay" while cashing in countries where law is in fact anti-gay https://t.co/ipOngOvSoG

— Josh McKoon 🇺🇸 🇹🇼 🇮🇱 (@JoshMcKoon) February 27, 2016

For more on Salesforce, check out our video:

During an appearance on CNBC earlier this week, Benioff was asked about the recent legal battle between Apple (AAPL) and the U.S. Justice Department over a disputed iPhone used by a shooter in San Bernardino. Benioff instead responded that Apple CEO Tim Cook should go to Georgia to talk to government officials about the controversial bill.

In March, Benioff threatened to boycott the state of Indiana for a similar religious freedom bill that would allow businesses and religious officials to deny marriages and services to same-sex couples.

Today we are canceling all programs that require our customers/employees to travel to Indiana to face discrimination. http://t.co/SvTwyCHxvE

— Marc Benioff (@Benioff) March 26, 2015

Benioff said Salesforce cancelled all company programs that would have required employees to travel to Indiana. Ultimately, Indiana passed the law, but also included a follow-up measure that reduced much of its impact to appease critics.

About the Author
By Jonathan Vanian
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Jonathan Vanian is a former Fortune reporter. He covered business technology, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, data privacy, and other topics.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
Fortune Secondary Logo
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

daron acemoglu
AILayoffs
The Nobel laureate who co-wrote ‘Why Nations Fail’ warns U.S. democracy won’t survive unless these two things change
By Jake AngeloFebruary 22, 2026
5 hours ago
jesse
CommentaryDEI
A decade ago, I had a front row seat as Jesse Jackson held big tech firms accountable for being overwhelmingly white and male
By Brennan Nevada JohnsonFebruary 22, 2026
5 hours ago
Man wearing a suit awkwardly takes a video call on a laptop
Future of WorkInterview
Recruiter reveals broken Zoom interview etiquette: bathrobes, yoga, and outsourcing thinking to AI
By Nick LichtenbergFebruary 22, 2026
6 hours ago
werfel
CommentaryTaxes
Former IRS Commissioner: Here’s how we used AI to create immediate value when taxpayers scrutinized every dollar
By Danny WerfelFebruary 22, 2026
7 hours ago
LawMedia
DOJ probes Netflix’s power over filmmakers in Warner deal review
By Josh Sisco and BloombergFebruary 21, 2026
18 hours ago
Big TechTech
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella says Bill Gates told him his big bet on OpenAI would be a flop: ‘Yeah, you’re going to burn this billion dollars’
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezFebruary 21, 2026
1 day ago

Most Popular

placeholder alt text
Innovation
The U.S. spent $30 billion to ditch textbooks for laptops and tablets: The result is the first generation less cognitively capable than their parents
By Sasha RogelbergFebruary 21, 2026
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Big Tech
Peter Thiel and other tech billionaires are publicly shielding their children from the products that made them rich
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezFebruary 21, 2026
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Startups & Venture
'I have a chip on my shoulder.' Phoebe Gates wants her $185 million AI startup Phia to succeed with 'no ties to my privilege or my last name'
By Sydney LakeFebruary 21, 2026
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Success
40% of Stanford undergrads receive disability accommodations—but it's become a college-wide phenomenon as Gen Z try to succeed in the current climate
By Preston ForeFebruary 21, 2026
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Success
Mark Cuban says AI won’t take your job anytime soon because it still acts like a hungover college intern—with a $100K price tag to show for it
By Preston ForeFebruary 20, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Politics
Trump's plan B to impose new tariffs is also illegal because a balance-of-payments deficit doesn't exist, trade experts say
By Jason MaFebruary 21, 2026
24 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.