NPR

Blue And Red Companies: How CEO Activism Is Reshaping Workforce Politics

More workers are demanding their leaders take stands on hot-button issues, and some CEOs don't shy away from the controversy. But they also must navigate the risks and benefits for their workforce.

An era of a new kind of CEO activism appears to be in full swing. Think of Nike CEO Mike Parker's decision to feature ads with Colin Kaepernick, the former NFL quarterback turned racial justice activist. Or Dick's Sporting Goods CEO Ed Stack, who in February pulled assault-style weapons from store shelves and raised the minimum age to buy guns to 21.

Corporate leaders, who historically stayed silent on policy are increasingly speaking out. Their statements are directed at consumers, but employees are also responding and it is

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR3 min read
Decades-old Law Limits Access To Wegovy For Medicaid Beneficiaries
New medications like Wegovy are changing the way people lose weight and manage obesity, but many Medicaid beneficiaries can't get them.
NPR3 min readAmerican Government
Bid To Oust Speaker Johnson Fails But GOP Turmoil Remains
The House voted overwhelmingly to set aside a motion by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., to remove Johnson as speaker
NPR3 min readWorld
The Eurovision Song Contest Kicked Off With Pop And Protests
Performers representing countries across Europe and beyond took the stage in the first of two Eurovision semifinals in the Swedish city of Malmo, against a backdrop of both parties and protests.

Related Books & Audiobooks