麻豆社

Just when should business get involved in social and political issues? The recent overturning of abortion rights in the United States prompted many companies to come out and make a stand, offering to help their staff meet the costs if they needed to travel out of state for an abortion. From LGBTQ rights, to race and diversity and climate change private businesses increasingly feel they have to have their say on the biggest issues of the day, but is it a risk to their profitability?

The online listing service Yelp has been one of the most vocal companies in the US, its Chief Diversity Officer Miriam Warren says that it's a question of human rights and the lens of history won't look favourably on those who don't speak out. However consultant to leading CEOs and Dartmouth University Professor Paul Argenti says speaking up needs to be carefully considered and sometimes silence is the best option.

In a world where politics is becoming increasingly divided business is an effective agent of change that has a responsibility to fill the vacuum, according to Daryl Brewster, who used to run Krispy Kreme Doughnuts and now, as the head of Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose, helps the world's biggest companies craft their messages.