Are You Ready to Take a Stand?
If you are like many corporate communicators you are navigating important conversations with your leadership about if, when, where and how you take a stand on important issues. Navigating these conversations among the myriad of responsibilities already on your plate can be challenging. To help, we’ve put together a few important questions to ask yourself and your leadership team when it comes to deciding if and how your organization joins crucial conversations.
Let’s start with the research about why taking a stand is critical for your organization:
According to research from the Edelman Trust Barometer, 54% of employees globally believe that CEOs should speak publicly on controversial political and social issues they care about. Similarly, 53% of consumers agree that every brand has a responsibility to get involved in at least one social issue that does not directly impact its business.
Given the challenging climate of 2021, we can expect that the new normal will continue in 2022 and companies will spend even more time addressing social topics.
Here are a few things you should consider when thinking about taking a stand:
Corporate Character: What kind of company are you? What is your unique, differentiating identity? Does your company have a defined mission, vision, purpose, values? These foundational items can help you lead your organization.
Alignment: If you know your company’s mission and values you can determine if there is alignment on the issue or not.
Impact: Can you meaningfully influence the issue? Does your company have the expertise and the resources to make a difference? Are you willing to put your money where your mouth is?
Effect: What effect will speaking out have on the various stakeholders across your organization? We’re not just talking about investors, we’re also talking about your employees. Who are all your stakeholders? What will they think, feel and do if you speak out?
Companies that are able to clearly define their purpose and values are well-positioned to navigate a changing climate and manage rising expectations of their customers and their communities.
A PR agency can help you answer these questions and formulate a strategic response plan and playbook to help you know what, when and how to respond to issues. If you’re ready to take a stand, we’re here to help you. Email us at info@84comms.com