This summer, I was at a gathering in the weeks after the Supreme Court decision striking down Roe v. Wade. A senior executive from one of the country’s largest corporations was asked about his company’s reproductive rights benefits. As is befitting of his company’s size and stature, he sketched out, with some pride, its top-of-the-line health care benefits. He went on to describe how pleased — and relieved — his senior leadership team was when they confirmed that their health insurance already covered travel for medical procedures. This means that it covers travel from states that restrict reproductive rights to those that provide abortions.

He was pleased because the travel provisions were in place, yes. He was also pleased because it meant his company did not have to take any action in those immediately post-Roe days. Instead of having to “make a statement,” they could keep their proverbial corporate head down and not risk “becoming part of the story.”

Crisis averted. Sigh of relief.

Except maybe not. Because sometimes remaining silent is not a bullet dodged, but rather a cost postponed. And the cost, in this case, can be many of the women who work for — and buy from, and invest in — these companies.

I wrote this and more in a note to business leaders for Fortune magazine this week. Read it at the link below. (And then maybe send it to your boss.)