Carly Buxton, PhD

In an era of heightened social consciousness, companies face a critical decision: to speak out or remain silent on divisive issues. When should your company or organization offer a public stance on a social, political, or global affairs issue?

I have strong personal opinions about current events, such as the upcoming election, the war in Gaza, abortion laws, social media restrictions, and issues surrounding transgender rights. I do not post about these opinions on my company’s social platforms. Does this make me a coward?

I’ve faced this self-doubt several times over these past few years of roller coaster global unrest, climate disaster, and political division. I serve at the helm of a company that has a social media presence and does post occasionally (albeit begrudgingly), but our company mission hinges on helping parents cut through the noise of the internet—and public declarations of side-taking on social justice issues, no matter how clear-cut they may seem, would constitute contributing to that noise.

So I’m torn: is it my place to demand a ceasefire from my company’s public platform (socials, website, etc.)? How about Parentswarm declaring a public stance on an issue that is even more close to home for a company like mine that focuses on the birth space: should we have expressed our opinions when Roe v. Wade was overturned?

I struggle with this, with where to draw the line between my personal opinions and those of the company I’ve built (and am building).

Harvard recently announced that they will no longer speak out on political or social issues that don’t impact the institution’s “core function.” With this decision, public declarations such as those we saw expressing solidarity with Ukraine or “distress” at the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, “and many more Black Americans” will no longer be released by the institution. For a stretch of time there, it was expected that major companies and institutions like Harvard would state their support of—or opposition to—whatever issue was dominating the news cycle, because people look to these institutions as arbiters. And throughout this growing trend, we’ve been conditioned to think that staying silent on a major issue is inexcusable cowardice.

But how did this come to be the case? And if we want Harvard to do it, does that mean that the trendy coffee shop down the street needs to post their hot take on the war in Ukraine on their triangle chalkboard? Or is their silence, too, their complicity?

How should organizations know their place in expressing public statements on issues at all? And when is a public statement really just more virtue signaling and justice theatre, absent of any real action or concrete steps to “do the work” and make things better?

When trying to decide what’s right for your company, assuming you’re in charge of the branding and/or social media presence, there are a couple of nuances to parse.

The first is the difference between an individual’s opinion and speaking out on behalf of an entire business or organization. It is more straightforward for influencers like, say, Dr. Becky to make a public declaration or expression: they are their business. Although they may run a team of employees, a P&L, and a monthly payroll, these companies are their leader. Goop without Gwyneth is Goop, but Dr. Becky without Dr. Becky is nothing. Parentswarm without Carly is still Parentswarm. And so Parentswarm, I have decided, should not be a mouthpiece for Carly’s ideas and Carly’s alone.

The second nuance here is whether to declare your opinion—be it your personal one or on behalf of your organization—at all. And here’s what I’ve come up with: if either of the following is true, that’s a sign you might want to get your stance out there publicly:

(a) You/your team feel so strongly about an issue that you ACTUALLY are doing something about it. If that’s the case, stating your opinion is clearly more than lip service. I urge you to share about what it is that you’re doing. For example, instead of just rainbow-ifying your company’s logo on LinkedIn during Pride month, you could share something that your company does to support same-sex couples.

And/or

(b) Large numbers of people are looking to you or your organization as they gauge how they should act or feel about an issue; with a platform comes responsibility. If the topic or current event at hand is in your wheelhouse of expertise, brand, focus, or experience, your voice on this issue likely has the power to sway public opinion, to galvanize others to action who may otherwise have stayed immobile, or to see a side (or gravity) of an issue that they may not have considered before.

I believe that if neither of these applies to you or your organization, you should not be shamed or pressured into declaring a public position.

Talk is showmanship. Action is real evidence of conviction. Whether you’re a company, an influencer, or an individual human being, you cannot take action on every issue. And claiming to do so is inauthentic.

But you may have a responsibility to educate yourself and take action—especially if (b) applies to you. And then It becomes an issue of your character and your moral compass. Consider this your call to reflect on your own organization’s values and priorities, and take the time to develop an authentic, principled approach to corporate advocacy.

Be guided by this question: what matters enough to you and to your audience to put your money and/or time where your mouth is? That’s what you’re considered a potentially valuable voice, so go be one.