Donate NowCIS Researchers Simon Cowan and Emilie Dye discuss in detail the findings from their survey on public perception of corporate social and political activism.
When asked about the role of business, 72% of Australians believe that businesses should primarily focus on providing good service to customers and high returns to shareholders, staying out of public debate. Even among Gen Z, the generation most aware and supportive of corporate activism, nearly two-thirds said businesses should stick to business.
The findings reveal that even among employees and shareholders, less than 15% closely follow the activism at their own companies or at the companies where they hold shares.
Young people are the most engaged/supportive of corporate activism, however, they are also the most cynical. They were the generation least likely to “Personal convictions of business leaders” as a reason for why businesses engage in activism.
64% of Gen Z say businesses should stick to business.
Twice as many respondents said they were much more like to boycott a company because they disagreed with its activism than said they were much more likely to purchase from a company because they agreed with its activism. This indicates that businesses risk real losses by getting involved in the public debate, losses that the potential increase in sympathetic customers won’t outweigh.