Consumer Activism Increasing and Companies Now Better Off Taking Controversial Stances on Issues Rather Than No Stance at All
New studies from Global Strategy Group and APCO Worldwide confirm that consumer activism is on the rise — so much so that companies are better off taking controversial stances on issues rather than doing nothing at all, reports The Holmes Report, which added that ““There is a new standard for corporations today. Americans expect companies to stand up for what they believe, even if it’s controversial,” said Julie Hootkin, partner and co-lead of GSG’s corporate impact practice. “It’s no longer safe for corporations to sit on the sidelines.”
“GSG’s 5th annual business and politics report, Call to Action in the Age of Trump, found 76% of US consumers believe companies should stand up for what they believe in regardless of how it plays. That number is up from 70% in 2016.
“On top of that, half the study’s respondents, which included a mixed group of 807 adults and 303 Washington insiders, said they expect corporations to mobilize by taking action within 24-hours of an issue or event.
“The research also found consumers are increasingly backing corporations taking stands on a wide range of issues such as equal pay for women (89%), improving race relations (83%), LGBTQ equality (67%) and immigration reform (66%).
“And a growing number of Americans are paying attention, according to the study. Today, 32% of Americans (a 10-point increase), 42% of millennials (an 11-point increase) and 57% of influential Washingtonians actively seek information on corporate values and positions.”
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