CEOs are talking about race. Is this the tipping point for the corporate voice?

Keep the CEO’s name away from controversy. That’s been the long-time role of chief marketing and communications officers when social issues flare. Better to just talk about the business and stay on the sidelines when things get difficult. 

That line of thinking officially ended last week. 

If you were a chief executive in America and you weren’t weighing in on the most explosive topics — the killing of George Floyd and the protests over the deaths of Black and Brown people — you were out of step, and your silence was glaring. 

New research released Tuesday from Edelman confirms that what was once seen as “unsafe” territory for CEOs has become critical to address. The results of Edelman’s Trust Barometer flash poll, a survey of 2,000 people across the US, are “unequivocal,” says Richard Edelman, CEO of the global communications firm. “Americans want brands to step up and play a central role in addressing systemic racism. This is a mandate...because consumers will exercise brand democracy with their wallets.”

Some stats that jumped out at me from the research: 

• 60% of respondents say that brands should speak out on racism and racial injustice. Support is highest among people aged 18 to 34, at 78%.
• Four times as many respondents say that taking a stand on racial injustice gains brand trust versus losing it — this is true across the political spectrum. 
• 60% of Americans say that they will buy or boycott based on a brand’s response to the current protests. This is true across all races and ethnicities. 
• Democrats are twice as likely as Republicans to expect brands to take a stand and far more likely to buy or boycott.
• Nearly 60% say that brands need to use their marketing dollars to advocate for racial equality and to educate the public on these issues. This is especially true of respondents of color (70%). 

Taking a stand has a very clear meaning today. Response is action, not words. 

Not that we should dismiss the words. Seeing this volume of support for taking on systemic racism and racial injustice is a sea change. More than 90% of the Fortune 500 CEOs are white men. Just 37 women are on the list, and only four Black men. As recently as 2017’s violent protests in Charlottesville, Virginia -- let alone the 2013 protests in Ferguson, Missouri -- most of this group, as well as leaders of companies big and small, stayed quiet. Those who did address the issues predominantly chose vague language that only a lawyer could like. The priority at the time was to avoid alienating customers on any side of the situation. 

What’s changed? I believe the biggest new driver is coming from employees, not just fears of consumer flight. In Edelman’s latest research, 60% of respondents say “an inclusive work culture with a strong diversity program is critically important to attracting and retaining someone like me as an employee,” and an incredible 42% agree with the statement, “I would not work for an organization that fails to speak out publicly at this time to support the need to address racial inequality in this country.” 

Whether they are marching in protests or sending emails to their leaders, employees are making it clear that true leadership means speaking out — and taking action — against injustice. People don’t just want to work at places grounded in strong visions and values. They insist on it. 

I’ve looked at a wide range of leaders’ remarks in the past week, identifying three key elements that make the most powerful statements stand out. 

First, true leaders leave no doubt what they’re talking about. They directly address the situation, moving far beyond evasions like “today’s difficult circumstances” and “these challenging times.” Marriott CEO Arne Sorenson modeled this bluntness by speaking out against “a racist and senseless disregard of the rights and dignity of people of color in America, particularly African American men, that dates back far too long.” 

Second, the most credible leaders take action now -- and they make themselves publicly accountable. Citibank Chief Financial Officer Mark Mason disclosed his financial support for three organizations fighting injustice and told everyone reading his message: “I hope you will join us, too.”  

Finally, the standouts also commit to bigger changes down the road -- and make clear how they plan to get there. Many involve internal targets, such as greater workforce inclusivity. Others say they will press for national changes to policies that currently deepen inequality. Ben & Jerry’s caught a lot of attention for its call to “dismantle white supremacy.”

Here are excerpts from three leaders whose language demonstrated this kind of clarity, action, and commitment:  

• Yolanda Lee Conyers, chief diversity officer and president of the Lenovo Foundation wrote, “We will not check a box or make a simple gesture. We’re committed to carrying these actions out deliberately, over time, with measured accountability to our employees.” She called on the nation and the company’s business partners “to join us in a simple, daily call to action for change: show up, listen, and act.”
• Jennifer Hyman, CEO and co-founder of Rent the Runway, shared a list of immediate and long-term efforts the company was committing to, noting that there would be strategic goals and timelines attached. “For too long, the fashion industry has co-opted the style, inspiration and ideas of Black culture without ensuring that Black people are economically compensated for this,” she wrote. “The fashion industry must do better.” 
• Tapestry CEO and Chairman Jide Zeitlin committed to sharing specifics in the near term: “We are working through a plan that we look forward to sharing with you. We want to convene a number of social justice, legal, and corporate entities to formulate a longer-term plan for addressing systemic inequality.”

Meanwhile, the empty generalities that might have passed for a public response a few years ago are being dismissed -- or outright ridiculed -- as inadequate. Game critic Chris Franklin shared a template that points out the folly of offering only “a solemn, white-on-black JPEG that expresses vague solidarity with the Black movement, but will quietly elide the specifics of what is wrong…or in what ways we will do anything about it.”

Lexie Perez, Julian Cole, Stephanie Vitacca, and Davis Ballard put together a fantastic roundup of responses broken down by brand, message, action, and reaction. It’s well worth looking at. The “Ways in the Right Direction” slide is an excellent overview and roadmap as brands look ahead. 

Jess Weiner, CEO of Talk to Jess, a consulting firm that advises global brands on issues facing women and girls, put it well: “There is a difference between when a company or brand issues a reaction vs a response...Standing by someone is bare minimum. Donations help -- keep doing that -- but don’t throw money at this and then walk away. Listen. Think. Commit. Do the Work. Hire. Advance. Engage. Risk. Grow. Change. Repeat. You cannot powerpoint your way out of this one.”

In a note to employees Pearson CEO John Fallon wrote, “Addressing the issue and not being silent is an important first step. Doing more about it is the true test – and the measure against which we should be judged.”

The clock is ticking.

If you’re an executive who hasn’t weighed in yet, Lulu Cheng Meservey, COO of communications firm TrailRunner International, shared a few questions you can consider before you respond: 

• “Are our sentiments reflected in how we’ve been running this company?”
• “Are our words accompanied by any concrete actions or commitments?” 
• “Is now the right time to weigh in; did we already miss a window or, alternatively, do we need more facts?”

I’d love to hear from you. If there’s an executive whose statement resonated with you for how it spoke to personal or corporate responsibility, specific commitments, or just a nice shift away from “corporate speak,” leave it in the comments! We can all learn from it.