Practical Talk: Social Justice and the Role of Companies – Where Do We Go From Here?
Companies are facing enormous social, cultural, and political issues, from the reversal of Roe v. Wade and a focus on LGBTQ laws to the recent massacre in Buffalo, racial and social justice issues are once again at the forefront.
Facing pressure from communities and employees to take a stand and from shareholders and politicians to remain neutral can be extremely hard for companies to navigate.
Moderators Darrell Gay and Jay Jamrog were joined by Andrea Hagelgans, Managing Director, Social Issues Engagement, Edelma; Todd Jacobson, Head of Social Responsibility, NBA; Kurt Fischer, Board i4cp and David Grosso, Partner, Government Relation, ArentFox Schiff. For questions, contact Darrell Gay.
The panel discussion included tackling the hard question, such as:
- What are the challenges and risks to companies in addressing social justice issues?
- What should companies ask themselves before they take a stand?
- When should companies speak out?
- Should companies be agents for change in driving diversity initiatives, and if so, what can they do?