Speaking Out on the Issues That Define a Company's Values

摘要

THE SILENT GENERATION OF CHIEF EXECUTIVES IS FASTbecoming history. Increasingly, business leaders are expected to speak out on politics and sensitive social issues when events conflict with their companies' stated missions and values."CEOs are stepping up in a powerful way on a number of issues today," says Daryl Brewster, CEO of CECP: The CEO Force for Good. "Historically, they kept quiet, ran their businesses, and focused mostly on short-term financials. But today, employees are saying, 'We want to understand what your values are. Don't just talk-do something.' And companies are responding."Given the combination of a low unemployment rate and a high demand for highly skilled workers, a company's image and brand-immediately searchable and shareable, from anywhere and at any time-count more today than ever before.Employees, in fact, have driven this trend, according to Brewster. And corporations have not only taken notice, but also stepped up their efforts to be proactive on the relevant social issues on today's global stage. At CECP's 2018 CEO Board of Boards, 30% of CEOs agreed that "the most effective bold move I can take towards sustainable business leadership is speaking publicly in my own voice."