Why would a global company take a public stance on racial equality? Why would your favourite ice cream brand be vocal on climate change?
Lewis Nicholas is a PhD researcher in Lancaster University Management School, and he is here to talk to us about how and why businesses take a stand on contentious socio-political issues.
We find out how corporate political activism first emerged, what makes for a contentious issue, why and how businesses have switched from being the targets of protest to being on the side of protestors, and what companies do in support of their stances.
Lewis tells us why it can be just as risky for a company to try to sit in the middle on issues as it is to take a definitive position on one side or the other, tells us what the Colin Kaepernick example and his work with Nike and on racial equality show us, and considers how companies take messages beyond one day or one month of the year.
But are we cynical to think companies only act on an issue when it is specifically in their profit-making interests? Do they risk trivialising causes? Does the tech industry just look which way the political winds are blowing before taking a stance? And we consider whether this activism is all just woke capitalism, or whether conservative activism is a thing as well.
We get caught up in the bad puns that make up Ben and Jerry’s ice cream flavour names; discuss Michael Jordan’s views on whether politics and business should mix; consider whether it is normal for Jan to have a favourite company; and get lost among the Jenners and Kardashians.
Find out more about Lewis and his research here: https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/lums/people/lewis-nicholas
This is an example of corporate political activism from Absolute: https://www.absolut.com/en-us/leading-with-pride/
And here is another example from Ben & Jerry’s: https://www.benjerry.co.uk/values
Transforming Tomorrow
Sustainability is key for any business that wants to build a lasting legacy. From carbon footprints to biodiversity to modern slavery, seabeds to factory floors, everything matters.
On Transforming Tomorrow, we make the complex understandable, the theory practical, as we guide you through the ever-changing and often exciting world of sustainability in business.
Speaking to internationally renowned experts and business leaders, we uncover how to mainstream environmental, social and economic sustainability into purposeful business strategy and performance.
Whether you are leading transition in your business, want to build a corporation with a green heart or change your individual actions, or just want to know more about how space weather might affect your operations, Transforming Tomorrow is the show for you.
Hosts Jan and Paul bring insight, perspective, and not a little amount of disagreement, to all the subjects, helping you find the message among the madness.
Join us every Monday to uncover new insights and become a little more inspired that you can make a difference.
You can find transcripts for most episodes at: https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/pentland/resources-for-education-and-practice/transforming-tomorrow-podcast/transcripts/
Send your questions on any of the issues we discuss in Transforming Tomorrow to [email protected] or fill in our feedback form here: https://forms.office.com/e/7Bw4rDiRDt
Find out more about the Pentland Centre and its work here: https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/pentland/
Meet the Hosts
Professor Jan Bebbington is the Director of the Pentland Centre for Sustainability in Business at Lancaster University. Jan is an expert on accounting, benchmarking (to her co-host’s annoyance), and how business and sustainability intersect.
Jan loves nature and wants to protect it – and hopes she can change the world (ideally for the better). She is also motivated to address inequality wherever it is found and especially to eliminate forced, bonded or child labour. Transforming Tomorrow is one small step on that quest.
Paul Turner is a former sports journalist who now works promoting the research activities in Lancaster University Management School – a poacher turned gamekeeper as his former colleagues would have it.
Paul has always been interested in nature and the natural environment – it comes from growing up in Cumbria – and has been a vocal proponent of the work of the Pentland Centre since joining Lancaster University. He does not like rankings and benchmarking, and is not afraid to say so.