Values in Action: Should you take a stand on that issue?

By Charlie Arnot, CEO

Should a company or brand take a position on social issues?

At one time, the answer was an unequivocal no. Never discuss religion and politics – and keep your company profile as neutral as possible. After all, business is a game of addition, not division. Better to remain silent than to become a target.

The Ostrich strategy may no longer be viable.  It is now common – and often expected – for brands to take a position on a range of social issues.

So, what’s changed?

The proliferation of media channels has empowered voices across the spectrum of beliefs. It is no longer red or blue, conservative or liberal, but an endless array of perspectives and beliefs emboldened by like-minded others, with positions shaped by online influencers.

People want to connect with brands that share their values. The identity of many successful brands is driven, in part, by their clear values that appeal to specific consumer segments. Shoppers buy from Whole Foods or Hobby Lobby because those brands meet their needs and align with their personal values in some way.

But is it worth it?

While there are compelling reasons for a brand to engage, there are several reasons – and a few cautionary tales – not to.

For one, CivicScience research found a majority of Americans believe brands should not take stances on social issues.  Fatigue from a steady stream of controversial issues and a contentious election cycle is growing and an increasing number of consumers today just want to buy what they need without having to consider a company’s position on any topic. Consumers can also fully differentiate between a principled stand and a marketing campaign and are weary of the latter posing as the former.

Questions to consider

Before your organization takes a stand on social issues, ask these four critical questions:

1. Does this position align with your values?
   If the answer is not clear, you may need to spend time defining and articulating your values, or how this topic aligns. Taking a position just to appease activists or relieve short term pressure is risky. Companies that engage strategically with a position aligned with their values are more likely to sustain success than those who simply respond without values alignment.
2. Do you have domain expertise?
   My knowledge of computers is limited to operating the programs that best meet my needs, so making a recommendation on cloud-based servers would not only be ill-informed, it would also undermine my credibility. Do you, or should you, have domain expertise on the issue at hand? Taking a position on issues where you don’t have domain expertise may alienate key stakeholders and cause others to simply wonder why.
3. Is there alignment among your key stakeholders?
   In today’s fractured and polarized communication environment, consensus on any issue is not realistic. Assuring basic alignment among the stakeholders important to your business is essential. Research or evaluate positions of your employees, customers, communities, suppliers and others before taking a position. If you choose to take a position that is not aligned, share how it is consistent with your values and strategy to create shared understanding and limit potential damage.
4. What’s the risk of not engaging?
   Some issues will clearly align with your values on a topic where you have domain expertise, and your stakeholders expect you to engage.  You appear incompetent, uncaring or tone deaf if you fail to take a position on those issues. Work to identify those issues and take strategic positions before they become highly polarized. Having a strategic values-based position on these topics in advance of controversy will serve you well.

Look East has helped many organizations effectively engage on challenging issues over the last two decades. We’d be happy to help you do the same for you. Let’s talk.