One of the biggest questions facing organizations and corporations today is how and when to get involved with prominent social issues. There’s a lot to unpack, and this can be a tricky subject for policy professionals and organizational leaders.
Your customers and supporters are paying attention to where you stand. On issues such as voting rights, reproductive rights, climate, racial justice, and many more, there’s no such thing as a neutral position. And with more and more attention being paid to things such as corporate political donations, people will find out where you have stood in the past. We spoke with Ashley Robinson of America Votes Georgia, and the former Director and Chief of Staff of the Georgia House Democratic Caucus, among many other distinguished roles. Ashley shared with us some of her experience working with corporations and organizations on how they can make a meaningful impact in the social justice space. Here are a few of our takeaways.
It’s No Longer a Matter of If You Get Involved, but How
Corporate and organizational leaders can be uncertain about engaging on hot button social issues. It may seem easier to “stay above the fray” or “just focus on our product and our customers.” Others may see engaging in activism as a distraction that would alienate consumers. While this “do no harm” approach may suffice in the very short term, more and more consumers are considering where brands stand on the issues they care about.
It’s impossible to escape the growing demand for action on social issues. For younger generations, most notably Gen Z and millennials, where their favorite brands stand on the issues they care about is becoming a top concern. Viral videos and social posts calling out brands to speak up are not a temporary trend.
The longer a corporation or organization stays silent on an issue that’s dominating people’s minds, the harder it can be to overcome the perception that you don’t care, or worse, are standing on the other side. It’s all the more important if your product or organization has a history of being aligned with and supported by groups with more dominant or privileged identities, or of benefitting from more marginalized groups without giving back.
And if you’re not taking a stand, one of your competitors certainly will.
It’s vital to remember that consumers are real people facing real issues in their community. Responding to those issues in a meaningful way can build more trust in your brand. This is also an incredible opportunity to show you are serious about living your values.
“Your silence is louder often, and you definitely risk your customer base, but you also risk the trust that you have developed in your customers as well. Staying at home and doing nothing doesn’t yield you anything.”
— Ashley Robinson, America Votes Georgia
“Customers are increasingly expecting corporations and organizations to act with social interests at heart. We want the companies we support to use their power to advance issues, whether it’s voting rights, climate, housing, or other issues affecting our lives.”
— Wintana Melekin, Plural
It’s important to take a long view and not be reactive to a noisy but ultimately temporary negative response.
The questions companies and organizations face are big. These are issues that can impact your company brand in a big way with bothan increasingly diverse consumer base, and also an increasingly diverse team of employees. That’s why to stay competitive, it’s vital to start having active, genuine, and even willingly vulnerable conversations about this now.
“You may lose some customers, and you may gain some. But…I think that’s what we’re starting to see—a lot more companies that aren’t afraid to do so.”
— Ashley Robinson
The Key is Engaging Effectively
Consider what issues are particularly relevant to your business or organization. Think deeply about where you may have room to put meaningful public policy action behind your support. Then talk to organizations doing work in that space. Have conversations, even if there isn’t 100% alignment on all areas of the topic, you are building a relationship with people who are experts in the topic and in the activism surrounding the issue.
Consumers and supporters expect that when a corporation or organization supports a social cause, they will do so in a meaningful and effective way. People will see through performative actions that make no real impact. Statements posted on social media are not enough. This is why relationship building with those who have hands-on experience is critical.
This work will involve frank conversations with activists, employees, and in some cases shareholders. Activist groups may demand far more than you’re able or willing to provide. But that’s okay — your goal is finding a place to begin.
However you end up engaging on an issue, actions are vital. Showing up in the community speaks volumes, and there’s always a way to engage. The benefits of doing so will pay dividends over time, and is worth the investment it requires to begin.
Effective action also requires thoughtful messaging to your consumers or supporters. Some consumers may resist while others rejoice. Remember, this is a process. It will take effort, but the time to start is now.
“There is something you can do that aligns with your mission and values, no matter what industry you’re in. “If you’re making shoes, there are communities of young people who need more athletic shoes, or they may need support for their teams. We can figure out a way to insert ourselves into the community.”
— Ashley Robinson
Learn More
Hear from The Pros
Want to know more about how organizations are building coalitions in a hybrid environment? Check out our webinar on “Building Coalitions that Work”.
Did you know….
Plural is policy tracking built with collaboration and coalition-building in its DNA?
