Corporations and Politics

CEO and corporate activism–the practice of CEOs taking public positions on environmental, social, and political issues not directly related to their business–has become a hotly debated topic in corporate governance. Following the events of January 6 and the 2020 U.S. presidential election, many corporations reconsidered their approaches to political spending. As the country approaches midterm elections this November, the staying power of many of those policy changes will be tested. How should corporations get involved in political issues, if at all? How do they respond to the demands of various stakeholders (employees, investors, consumers)? This session looks at the past few decades of corporate political activity, including patterns of campaign financing, public political stances, and growing pressure for capitalists to protect democracy.