How to Take a Public Stance on Social Issues

In the past two years, a series of tragedies have brought social justice issues and politics to the forefront of the national debate.

The murder of George Floyd made headlines around the world. Then there was a surge in violence against Asian Americans, fueled by baseless conspiracy theories. Last year there were mass shootings of people of color in a grocery store and in an elementary school.

“Whether it’s war, child labor, mass shootings, police brutality, or some other issue, there are many social issues happening every day that concern employees and consumers that companies could publicly comment on,” said Hooria Jazaieri, an assistant professor of management at the Santa Clara University Leavey School of Business.

While some organizations have published statements on social issues, many are still reluctant to do so. A recent report by research group The Conference Board in New York City showed that most companies have not taken a public stand on such issues.

Organizations are largely silent on women’s reproductive rights: only 10 percent of companies have made or plan to make a public statement on access to abortion in the face of the overthrow of the Supreme Court Roe v. calffound the report.

Pros and cons of a public stance

Brian McComak is Founder and CEO of Hummingbird Humanity, a diversity, equity and inclusion consulting firm in New York City. He encourages business leaders to consider taking a public stand on issues organizations care about.

“Although I would say it has always been important, leadership today requires humanity, empathy and vulnerability,” he said.

Some advantages of such a posture are:

• employees expect it. According to consulting firm Edelman, nearly 60 percent of employees believe CEOs should speak publicly about controversial political and social issues that are close to their hearts.
• consumers too. Previous Edelman research found that 53 percent of consumers believe every brand has a responsibility to address at least one social issue that doesn’t directly impact their business.
• It might help with recruitment. Businesses can expand their talent pools to include value-driven prospects like Gen Z workers and people of color, and win customers at the same time.
• Silence could backfire. As Jazaieri explained, companies that do not speak out publicly on social issues could risk speculation about the reasons for the company’s silence.

A 2021 Society for Human Resource Management survey found that about 40 percent of HR professionals believe taking clear public positions on social, political, and environmental issues can support recruitment and retention efforts. Black employees were more likely to say they expect their company to take a public stand on these issues.

“When people believe they share values ​​with, or are consumers of, the organization they work for, that deepens the connection,” said Ella Washington, professor of practice at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business.

However, speaking out publicly can result in the following:

• Anger among some employees and stakeholders. Addressing public issues can also result in an unfavorable view of the organization by those who disagree or choose to remain silent on the issue.
• Assumptions about your organization. Because of your answer, your company could quickly be labeled as too “liberal” or “conservative”. It’s also difficult to communicate the nuances of your message once the company has picked one side of an issue.
• The “What about me?” phenomena. People who represent or support other social issues can expect their organization to also speak about issues that are important to them. This can present the unsustainable challenge of trying to respond to every social problem.

“[Taking a public stance] can be complex and it may or may not be feasible for certain companies to do this on a regular basis,” added Jazaieri.

Best practices when taking a public stance

Some best practices companies should consider when making a statement on social or political issues are:

• Understand why you are taking a stand. Gaining clarity about your company’s intentions to take a public stand is the first important step. What is your company hoping for based on this public attitude?
• Align the statement with your company’s values. There may be an angle on public stance that is very “on brand” (ie, consistent with the company’s mission and values) that could be a logical entry point for the company to take a public stance, Jazaieri said .
• Think of your stakeholders. Keep track of what internal and external stakeholders want or believe in relation to social issues. When making public statements, the company should use language that is consistent with the company’s values ​​and mission, without alienating key stakeholders.
• Know that actions speak loud. Make sure public stances on social issues are lived values ​​and not just words living on a website or on a flyer handed out at new hire inductions. Your company should be able to provide examples of how it supports the position it claims to represent.

Washington explained that organizations must recognize that a public statement is not just lip service. As soon as you take a public position, you also invite accountability.

“If organizations don’t take their public stance as an obligation, in the long run they will be discredited for the value of their messages,” she said.