Over the past two years, a series of tragedies have brought social justice issues and politics to the forefront of the national conversation.
The murder of George Floyd made headlines around the world. Since then, violence against Asian Americans has increased, fueled by baseless conspiracy theories. Last year, there were mass shootings of people of color at grocery stores and elementary schools.
“Whether it’s war, child labor, mass shootings, police brutality, or any other issue, social issues are commonplace, with employees and consumers concerned about which companies can take a public stand. There’s a lot going on,” Houria Jazayeri said. , Assistant Professor of Business Administration at Santa Clara University’s Leavey School of Business.
Although some organizations have issued statements addressing social issues, many remain hesitant to do so. A recent report by the New York City research group The Conference Board showed that most companies do not take public positions on these topics.
Organizations remain largely silent on women’s reproductive rights: Only 10% of companies have published or plan to publicly discuss abortion access in light of Supreme Court ruling overturned Roe vs. Wadefound in the report.
Advantages and disadvantages of taking a public position
Brian McCormack is the founder and CEO of Hummingbird Humanity, a diversity, equity, and inclusion consulting firm in New York City. He encourages business leaders to consider taking public positions on issues that their organizations feel strongly about.
“I think that’s always been important, but leadership today requires humanity, empathy and vulnerability,” he said.
Adopting this stance has the following benefits:
- Employees expect it too. According to consulting firm Edelman, nearly 60% of employees think CEOs should speak out publicly about controversial political and social issues they care about.
- so do consumers. Edelman’s previous research has shown that 53 percent of consumers believe every brand has a responsibility to be involved in at least one social issue that doesn’t directly impact their business.
- May be useful for recruitment activities. Organizations can expand their talent pool to include value-based future employees, such as Gen Z workers and people of color, and potentially gain more customers.
- silence can backfire. As Jazairi explained, companies that do not take public positions on social issues risk speculation as to why they remain silent.
In a 2021 survey by the Society for Human Resource Management, approximately 40% of human resources professionals agree that taking clear public positions on social, political, and environmental issues can support recruitment and retention efforts. I understand that. Employees of color were more likely to say they expected their companies to take public positions on these issues.
Ella Washington, a professor at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business, says, “When people believe that they share the values of the organization they work for, or that they are consumers of that organization, they bond with each other.” ” he says.
However, taking a public position can have the following consequences:
- Anger among some employees and stakeholders. Addressing public issues can also cast an organization in an unfavorable light by those who oppose it or who wish to remain silent about the issue.
- Assumptions about your organization. Depending on your response, your company could quickly be labeled “too liberal” or “too conservative.” Also, when companies focus on one side of an issue, it becomes difficult to convey the nuance of their message.
- “What about me?” phenomenon. People who represent or support other social issues may expect their organizations to speak out on issues they care about as well. This can create an unsustainable challenge of trying to respond to every social problem.
”[Taking a public stance] “It can be complex and it may not be feasible for certain companies to do this on a regular basis,” Jazairi added.
Best practices when taking public positions
Best practices for companies to consider when making statements on social or political issues include:
- Understand why you take the position you do. Clarifying a company’s intention to take a public position is an important first step. On a related note, what do you hope will happen for your business by taking such a public stance?
- Align your statement with your company’s values. When it comes to public positions, there can be a very “on-brand” (i.e., consistent with a company’s mission and values) angle, which is why companies take public positions. He said it could be a logical entry point.
- consider stakeholders. Stay informed about what your internal and external stakeholders want and believe on social issues. When taking public positions, companies must use language that is consistent with the company’s values and mission without alienating key stakeholders.
- Know that actions speak louder. Make sure your public positions on social issues are enacted values, not just words on your website or on flyers handed out at employee orientation. Your company should be able to provide examples of how it supports its positions.
Washington explained that organizations need to recognize that public statements are more than just lip service. If you take a stand publicly, you will be held accountable.
“If an organization fails to recognize its public position as a commitment, the value of its message will be discredited in the long run,” she says.