Should CEOs speak out on war?

Axios Eleanor Hawkins touches on a topic in her most recent newsletter that's been on my mind, and kept coming up among #PR practitioners the past few days at Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) ICON in Nashville: How can - and should - communicators navigate the complexity of geopolitical messaging amidst Hamas' attacks in #Israel? In this newsletter, fellow #communicator Matt King advises "unless the conflict impacts your business or you have something meaningful to say, don't put out a public statement. Focus instead on employees and speak to your people about what you can do for them in these moments." I can't stress enough the importance of CEOs leading clear, ongoing communication within organizations during times of #crisis. So far, the most impactful #brand response on the Israel-Hamas war that I've seen came from Pfizer. Albert Bourla got it right, and he's putting action behind that public statement. #Publicrelations #Crisiscommunications #CorporateCommunications https://lnkd.in/gzzhKbgX

It's crucial for CEOs and business leaders to address human rights issues and conflicts. As the Israel-Hamas war persists, these leaders now must prioritize the well-being of their employees. View this article from Fortune for more on the impact of speaking out: https://bit.ly/493DLRk

Major global companies have so far been generally reluctant to wade into the fray when it comes to the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel and the ensuing retaliation against Hamas. We spoke with employees at Nike, Procter & Gamble, Instacart, Bayer and others critical of corporate leaders who haven't spoken up quickly enough. Crisis communication pro Davia Temin explains why: “If you say something, it’s about what you say. But equally you are at risk if you say nothing, because silence is a statement, so silence is controversial, as well.”

Just out on Bloomberg, the story includes my take on corporate statements in general, and on the most recent atrocities committed in specific: "CEOs are all asking the same question,” said?Davia Temin, founder of New York crisis consultancy Temin and Company. “If you say something, it’s about what you say. But equally you are at risk if you say nothing, because silence is a statement, so silence is controversial, as well.” Each company is figuring this out for themselves...but truthfully, some are much, much better at it than others... https://lnkd.in/eR9vVBr6

Silence = acceptance.... as good corporate citizens of the world, companies need to speak out against terrorism and antisemitism!

Business leaders are facing increasing pressure to speak up on a conflict where the human cost is rising by the hour. Crisis communications experts say their phones have been vibrating out of their pockets as CEOs seek help calibrating their messages both inside and outside their companies. With third-quarter earnings season ramping up, many companies won’t have a choice but to face investors, employees and other stakeholders who have come to expect their corporate leaders to weigh in on global events. Major global companies have so far been generally reluctant to wade into the fray, with only about a fifth of the 100 largest companies in the S&P 500 issuing formal statements about the conflict as of Oct. 17. Nearly all of them, by contrast, released public statements on the Russia-Ukraine war. So what to do? “If you say something, it’s about what you say," PR consultant Davia Temin said. "But equally you are at risk if you say nothing, because silence is a statement, so silence is controversial, as well.” Great reporting here from Deena Shanker, Daniela Sirtori-Cortina, Jeff Green, Natalie Lung and others at Bloomberg News. #ceos #business #leaders #pr #crisis #communications #war #conflict #publicrelations #internalcommunications #workers

All civilians engulfed by war deserve what the ones from Ukraine received. The diasporas that have connections to these places deserve to grieve and demand for accountability — publicly.

Major global companies have so far been generally reluctant to publicly weigh in on the Israel-Hamas war, with only about a fifth of the 100 largest companies in the S&P 500 issuing formal statements about the conflict as of Oct. 17. Nearly all of them, by contrast, released public statements on the Russia-Ukraine war. That, in turn, has led to criticism from some employees that their corporate leaders haven’t spoken up quickly enough. Read dispatches from my colleagues and I about conversations happening within Nike, Instacart, P&G and with Airbnb hosts as earnings season puts CEOs in front of investors, employees and other stakeholders who have come to expect their corporate leaders to weigh in. (gift link ?? ) Deena Shanker Daniela Sirtori-Cortina Jeff Green Tim Loh Diana Li Kelsey Butler Matthew Boyle Leslie Patton Nabila Ahmed

Speaking out during a war is hard. Perhaps it’s better to listen ?? When CEOs put out statements about a pressing challenge facing the world, their stakeholders listen, carefully. So what should business leaders say, or do, now that the Hamas terror attacks are leading to a full-blown war? One common starting point is to condemn terrorism and antisemitism. Jewish American business leaders I spoke to strongly oppose staying silent. “You have to have one message: I stand for humanity,” Richard Edelman of the namesake PR firm told me. “This was a terrorist act, and it’s not consistent with humanity.” As the conflict that began with an atrocious attack on innocent civilians has escalated, hundreds of thousands of Palestinian civilians are on the run as the Israeli military moves to crush Hamas. Jews around the world have experienced a surge in antisemitism, and Muslims are being targeted, too. Should business leaders’ responses evolve as the conflict grows? “Business leaders should have spoken out immediately, and some of them did,” Bill George, former CEO of Medtronic, told me. “Now, they need to focus on the needs of their employees, wherever they are.” But for some non-American business leaders I spoke to, the best response is not to make any public statement. “I would advise leaders not to put [out] any positional statements because they are most surely going to offend someone, and at the very least ring empty and untrue for those who are truly suffering,” a communications executive at a U.S.-based international organization told me. Originally from the Middle East, she preferred not to disclose her identity. It was a common theme as I spoke to people who did not support the mainstream American corporate approach, for fear of reprisal. A South Asian-American ESG director at an American company I spoke to made the connection to the ongoing controversy over the Israel-Hamas war on U.S. college campuses. “CEOs should not try to limit free speech…That has been a horrible mistake similar to McCarthyism.” One thing everyone I spoke with agreed on was the need to stay out of politics. “Business is not going to solve the Middle East conflict,” Edelman said. “It needs to frame the situation in human terms, and human suffering.” Still, it seems impossible to meet every stakeholder’s expectations. Many younger and international employees reached out to me criticizing their companies’ responses for including what one described as “unintentional political comments.” “Because our leadership is so U.S.-centric, even our seemingly neutral responses are political,” a Europe-based DEI director at an American multinational said. So perhaps the best approach is to shift gears. “I would rather listen than talk,” the communications executive said. That is “super powerful.” https://lnkd.in/eNKhAmd6

Strong coverage today from Axios about how CEOs are responding to the attacks in the Middle East. The bottom line? "Complex, weighty moments like this highlight the true need for corporate affairs and communication functions." YES!! My personal top three considerations? Align with your brand & values, know your employees and your customers, and make sure you are willing to take action behind your statement (don't just check the box). OK, one more - don't rush. Think before you hit send. Read the article - it also has a great link to Yale School of Management's List of Companies That Have Condemned Hamas's Terrorist Attack on Israel. #strategiccommunications #corporatecommunications #publicrelations Fionix Consulting LLC