Intuit Strongly Supports Abortion, Transgenderism and DEI

Intuit Inc., the financial software giant behind TurboTax, QuickBooks, Credit Karma, and Mailchimp, maintains strongly progressive positions on abortion, LGBTQ+, transgender, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) issues. The company has taken concrete financial and operational steps to support these causes, including providing travel benefits for abortion access, hosting transgender summits, donating significantly to transgender advocacy organizations, and implementing comprehensive DEI programs. These positions align with the company’s stated mission to “power prosperity around the world” but have drawn criticism from conservative shareholders and advocacy groups.

Intuit’s Abortion Stance

Intuit’s position on abortion has been a source of significant controversy, with the company taking both corporate financial positions and employee benefit stances that strongly support abortion access.

Intuit’s Historical Support for Planned Parenthood

According to the National Center for Public Policy Research, Intuit has been identified as one of only 38 companies that directly contribute funds to Planned Parenthood. In January 2019, CEO Sasan Goodarzi faced direct questioning from conservative investor Justin Danhof regarding the company’s donations to Planned Parenthood. When confronted about potentially alienating half of the company’s customer base (given that polling shows Americans are equally divided on abortion), Goodarzi largely evaded the questions but stated that the company would “adjust if we feel we’re not doing something right.”nationalcenter

Intuit’s Employee Abortion Travel Benefits

Following the Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson decision overturning Roe v. Wade in June 2022, Intuit joined the ranks of major corporations offering abortion travel benefits to employees. According to multiple news sources, Intuit announced it would cover employee travel expenses to obtain abortions if they live in states where the procedure is restricted or banned. The company stated: “We support our employees’ access to comprehensive health care — no matter where they live, and choose what is best for them”.nytimes+1

This benefit remains in place as of 2025, despite the change in presidential administration. Fortune magazine reports that these benefits are becoming a “mainstay at large employers,” with companies often emphasizing that employees should have “consistent healthcare coverage, regardless of where they live”.fortune

Intuit’s LGBTQ+ and Transgender Support

Intuit has positioned itself as a leader in LGBTQ+ and transgender workplace inclusion, implementing comprehensive programs and making substantial financial commitments to transgender advocacy.

Intuit’s Trans+ Summit and Employee Resource Groups

Intuit hosts an annual Trans+ Summit, which Forbes recognized as “the first of its kind for Silicon Valley”. The summit, which began in 2020 and is now in its fourth year, draws hundreds of participants from both inside and outside Intuit, including representatives from Adobe, Microsoft, Accenture, Starbucks, and other major corporations.intuit+2

CEO Sasan Goodarzi personally opens the annual Trans+ Summit, reinforcing the company’s commitment from the top level of leadership. During the 2023 event, Goodarzi shared with audiences that “Diversity is a fact, but inclusion is a choice”.intuit

The company’s Pride Employee Resource Group (ERG) plays a central role in these initiatives, with nearly 25% of Intuit’s employees globally participating in ERGs. The Pride Network has co-chairs in multiple locations and runs comprehensive ally programs designed to create “Safe Spaces” across all company campuses.intuit+1

Intuit’s Transgender Benefits and Healthcare

Intuit has implemented transgender-specific healthcare benefits aligned with the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) standards of care. These benefits were developed following input from transgender employees during a breakout session with Intuit executives at the first Trans+ Summit, where employees shared concerns about name changes, pronoun usage, and healthcare coverage challenges.intuit

The company has also established a Trans Advisory Board representing approximately 120 employees at Intuit who are transgender, nonbinary, or have trans-identifying family members. This board meets regularly with HR leaders to discuss healthcare coverage and other workplace inclusion issues.fortune

Intuit’s Financial Support for Transgender Organizations

Intuit has made substantial financial commitments to transgender advocacy. In 2022, the company donated $500,000 to the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE), one of the nation’s leading transgender rights organizations. Additionally, Intuit offered a 2:1 employee donation match for contributions to NCTE, Transgender Law Center, and Gender/Justice, raising nearly $19,000 more.digitalasset.intuit+1

The company has also partnered with organizations like Out and Equal, which the National Center for Public Policy Research describes as an “anti-religious advocacy organization” that works to “activate corporations to oppose religious freedom” legislation.nationalcenter

Intuit’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Initiatives

Intuit has embedded DEI as a core business strategy, with comprehensive programs and measurable goals overseen at the highest levels of the company.

Organizational Structure and Leadership

The company employs a Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer (CDEIO), Sheldon Cummings, who reports directly to senior leadership and works with the Board of Directors. DEI is described as “a business imperative for Intuit, not just a mindset or a grassroots effort”.intuit

Intuit has established a Racial Equity Advancement Leadership (REAL) Team, created initially in 2020 to understand the Black employee experience and later expanded to include Hispanic/Latinx, Native American, Native Alaskan, Native Hawaiian, and Asian employees.intuit

True North Goals and Metrics

The company sets annual “True North Goals” focused on increasing representation of women in technology roles and employees from underrepresented racial groups (URGs) in the U.S.. In FY22, Intuit met both goals, with technologists who are women reaching 33%, up 3 percentage points from the previous year.intuit

Training and Education Programs

Intuit implements comprehensive DEI-based employee training, including “Stronger Together: Unconscious Bias” training and “Stronger Together: Racial Equity” learning programs. These voluntary training programs are designed to create more inclusive environments and increase retention, particularly among underrepresented groups.intuit

Company Ownership and Leadership Structure

Chief Executive Officer and Board

Sasan Goodarzi serves as CEO, President, and Director of Intuit, having assumed the CEO role in January 2019. Under his leadership, the company has transformed from a tax and accounting platform to an AI-driven expert platform, with revenue growing from $7.7 billion to $16.3 billion, a 112% increase. Goodarzi’s total compensation in 2024 was $36.57 million, comprised of 3.3% salary and 96.7% bonuses, including company stock and options.investors.intuit+1

Founder and Major Shareholder

Scott Cook, Intuit’s founder, remains Chairman of the Board and is the company’s largest individual shareholder. According to recent SEC filings, Cook owns approximately 6.1 million shares, representing about 2.3% of the company. His stake is valued at over $4.7 billion, making him one of the wealthiest individuals associated with the company. Cook has been systematically reducing his holdings over time, selling over $1.3 billion worth of stock between 2001 and 2021.investors.intuit+2

C-Suite Executive Team

The current C-suite leadership includes:

• Sasan Goodarzi – CEO, President & Director

• Sandeep Aujla – Executive VP & CFO (joined 2023)simplywall

• Alex Balazs – Executive VP & CTOsimplywall

• Laura Fennell – Executive Officersimplywall

• Ashley Still – Executive VP & General Manager, Mid-Market Groupdigitaldefynd

• David Hahn – Executive VP & General Manager, Services Groupdigitaldefynd

Institutional Ownership

Intuit has significant institutional ownership, with 86% of shares held by institutional investors. The largest institutional shareholders include:simplywall

• Vanguard Group – 9.9% ownership (27.7 million shares)marketscreener

• BlackRock – 6.4% ownership (18.0 million shares)marketscreener

• State Street Corporation – 4.5% ownership (12.6 million shares)marketscreener

• T. Rowe Price – 3.2% ownership (9.0 million shares)marketscreener

Board of Directors

The board consists of 13 directors, including both internal leadership and external independent directors. Notable board members include founder Scott Cook as Chairman and CEO Sasan Goodarzi. The board has undergone significant refreshment in recent years, adding directors with expertise in AI, financial services, and technology to support the company’s strategic direction.investors.intuit

Political Contributions and Corporate Positioning

Campaign Contributions

According to OpenSecrets data, Intuit’s political contributions heavily favor Democratic candidates and causes. In recent election cycles, the company’s contributions were approximately 80% to Democrats and 20% to Republicans. Top recipients have included Kamala Harris ($198,997), the DNC Services Corp ($91,234), and various Democratic congressional candidates.opensecrets

Trump Administration Relationship

Despite the company’s progressive stances, Intuit made a $1 million donation to Donald Trump’s 2025 inauguration committee. The company described this as “part of our longstanding commitment to bipartisan advocacy,” though critics noted it coincided with the Trump administration’s decision to eliminate the IRS Direct File program, which competed with TurboTax.yahoo

Lobbying Activities

Intuit maintains an active lobbying presence in Washington, D.C., focusing primarily on tax policy issues that affect its core business. The company has lobbied against government tax preparation services that would compete with TurboTax, including the recently eliminated IRS Direct File program.propublica

Controversy and Opposition

Conservative Shareholder Activism

The company has faced direct challenges from conservative shareholders regarding its progressive positions. The 2019 shareholder meeting confrontation with the National Center for Public Policy Research highlighted tensions between the company’s social positions and some shareholders’ views. Conservative investor Justin Danhof specifically challenged the company’s support for Planned Parenthood and what he termed “anti-religious organizations.”nationalcenter

Religious Liberty Concerns

Critics have pointed to Intuit’s support for organizations like Out and Equal, which opposed religious freedom legislation in Georgia and North Carolina’s “bathroom bill”. These positions have led some faith-based investment groups to include Intuit on lists of companies that conflict with traditional religious values.nationalcenter

Corporate Response and Justification

Throughout various controversies, Intuit leadership has consistently framed the company’s positions as business imperatives rather than political statements. CEO Goodarzi has stated that the company believes “in doing what’s right” and measures success based on “how inclusive we are”. The company emphasizes that diversity drives innovation and that creating inclusive workplaces is essential for attracting and retaining top talent.intuit+1

Intuit’s leadership argues that these positions reflect the values of their workforce and customer base, particularly as the company seeks to attract younger, more diverse talent. The company’s 2022 DEI report emphasizes that “supporting diversity and inclusion is how we bring different voices to the table—all intent on solving our customers’ greatest challenges”.digitalasset.intuit

Conclusion

Intuit Inc. has established itself as a strongly progressive corporation on social issues, implementing comprehensive policies and making substantial financial commitments to support abortion access, LGBTQ+ rights, transgender equality, and diversity initiatives. While these positions align with the company’s stated mission and may appeal to its target workforce and customer demographics, they have also generated significant controversy among conservative shareholders and advocacy groups. The company’s leadership, particularly founder Scott Cook and CEO Sasan Goodarzi, continue to champion these positions as business imperatives essential for innovation and growth in the modern economy.