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CEO activism

AC
VH

  Amelia Costigan  &  Venessa Hughes

Executive summary

What Is CEO activism?

CEO activism occurs when senior leaders speak out on social issues that are not directly related to their company’s bottom line but may impact corporate reputation as well as public, employee, and other stakeholders’ impressions.1 It can be an element in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and, more recently, Environmental Social Governance (ESG) programs,2 and is generally directly aligned with business goals and strategy.3

While CEO activism is increasingly common in the United States, there is also pressure on European and global CEOs to take similar action.4

This research examines the unique insights CEOs bring to public conversations, how CEO activism is driven by employee and customer expectations, questions for organizations to consider when taking a stand, and descriptions of selected CEO workplace pledges, including the Catalyst CEO Champions For Change.

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