Genesys is a special place to work because we are an extraordinarily diverse and inclusive company. We have more than 5,000 employees in more than 50 countries, and many of our employees within the United States are immigrants or the children or grandchildren of immigrants. Regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, gender or sexual orientation, we respect the differences among people and value diversity. We believe differences in backgrounds and perspectives foster an open and rich environment that results in happier, more engaged employees and creates more successful business relationships.

About 20 percent of Genesys employees call Indiana home. However, Indiana is one of only five states in the United States without some form of bias crime law that allows additional sentencing consideration for crimes motivated by hate. As one team and one community, we do not tolerate hate at Genesys. And we want the communities in which we live, work, and do business to protect our employees, customers, partners, and other community members against bigotry.

This is why I am proud to put the full support of Genesys behind a statement by the Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce that calls on the State General Assembly to send strong and unambiguous bias crimes legislation to Governor Holcomb during the 2019 legislative session. I invite all of our Hoosier employees and members of the Indiana technology industry to raise their voices in unison with other local business leaders in asking citizens and community organizations to petition their representatives to pass a bill quickly, with open debate.

Genesys recently sponsored a survey with MIT Technology Review that looks at the key characteristics of iconic companies. While there are many unique attributes, one thing these companies share is clarity of the personal values of their leadership team. It’s important to know what you stand for — and against. The Genesys leadership team stands for equality, diversity, and inclusion. They are part of the fabric of this company, this country, and the civilized world. And we stand against intolerance.

It’s as straightforward as this – the spirit of this initiative for new legislation aligns with Genesys core values and our emphasis on diversity and respect for others. We’re proud to be a part of the Indiana community and will do our part to make it a place where our employees feel safe, valued and at home, no matter what their backgrounds are. That’s why we support this call to action by the Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce. It’s just the right thing to do.

If you’re interested in making your voice heard, contact your legislative representative.

An abbreviated version of this blog was originally published on the TechPoint Index.