Corporate America's silence on gun control is raising eyebrows. The latest mass school shooting in Nashville has left the nation searching for answers and voices of support from its largest corporations. But where are they?
Once, it was the norm for CEOs to join elected officials and politicians in Washington, DC, to discuss issues ranging from geopolitics to policy and social concerns. In 2017, major CEOs came together to oppose a North Carolina law that allowed transgender individuals to use public restrooms based on their gender identity. The next year, they spoke out against abortion bans, calling them "bad for business."
The trend continued with the deadly attack on the US Capitol in January 2021. Corporate America's biggest names denounced the rioters and vowed to halt their political giving. And then there was the recent mass shooting in Parkland, Florida, which led Dick's Sporting Goods to stop selling semi-automatic rifles and Citigroup to put new restrictions on gun sales.
Yet, following another devastating school shooting in Nashville, corporate America is noticeably quiet. It's a stark contrast to their vocal stances in the past, particularly when it comes to issues like climate change and immigration reform.
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, a Yale professor who has direct lines to major CEOs worldwide, says that top executives are feeling frustrated. They've joined causes with valor and nobility but can't just be taking on cause after cause without others joining them. He notes that corporate social responsibility initiatives have been effective in pushing the needle on certain issues, but more needs to happen.
Sonnenfeld attributes the silence of CEOs to a broader societal issue – the lack of collective action from civil society. "We're ready for others to now do something," he says. Social capital is as valuable as financial capital, and CEOs need the rest of us to join them in advocating for change.
However, despite their vocal stances on various issues, it's essential to note that CEOs have historically held significant influence through campaign contributions. Since 2020, big business has donated less to politicians. The recent run on the Capitol led to a moratorium on certain businesses giving to politicians, and many now give mere pennies.
Tesla's latest sales numbers reflect this trend. Despite price cuts and strong demand for its lower-priced vehicles, the company still produced more cars than it sold in the first quarter of this year – a phenomenon that mirrors the production vs. sales gap seen at Tesla factories in Texas and Germany.
It seems that even CEOs' promises of strong demand are not backed up by reality. As one executive noted, "Early this year, we had a price adjustment... And as Elon said, as long as you offer a product with value at affordable price, you don't have to worry about demand."
Once, it was the norm for CEOs to join elected officials and politicians in Washington, DC, to discuss issues ranging from geopolitics to policy and social concerns. In 2017, major CEOs came together to oppose a North Carolina law that allowed transgender individuals to use public restrooms based on their gender identity. The next year, they spoke out against abortion bans, calling them "bad for business."
The trend continued with the deadly attack on the US Capitol in January 2021. Corporate America's biggest names denounced the rioters and vowed to halt their political giving. And then there was the recent mass shooting in Parkland, Florida, which led Dick's Sporting Goods to stop selling semi-automatic rifles and Citigroup to put new restrictions on gun sales.
Yet, following another devastating school shooting in Nashville, corporate America is noticeably quiet. It's a stark contrast to their vocal stances in the past, particularly when it comes to issues like climate change and immigration reform.
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, a Yale professor who has direct lines to major CEOs worldwide, says that top executives are feeling frustrated. They've joined causes with valor and nobility but can't just be taking on cause after cause without others joining them. He notes that corporate social responsibility initiatives have been effective in pushing the needle on certain issues, but more needs to happen.
Sonnenfeld attributes the silence of CEOs to a broader societal issue – the lack of collective action from civil society. "We're ready for others to now do something," he says. Social capital is as valuable as financial capital, and CEOs need the rest of us to join them in advocating for change.
However, despite their vocal stances on various issues, it's essential to note that CEOs have historically held significant influence through campaign contributions. Since 2020, big business has donated less to politicians. The recent run on the Capitol led to a moratorium on certain businesses giving to politicians, and many now give mere pennies.
Tesla's latest sales numbers reflect this trend. Despite price cuts and strong demand for its lower-priced vehicles, the company still produced more cars than it sold in the first quarter of this year – a phenomenon that mirrors the production vs. sales gap seen at Tesla factories in Texas and Germany.
It seems that even CEOs' promises of strong demand are not backed up by reality. As one executive noted, "Early this year, we had a price adjustment... And as Elon said, as long as you offer a product with value at affordable price, you don't have to worry about demand."
. I get that they've spoken out on other issues in the past, but this one feels different. It's like they're just waiting for someone else to take the lead. And honestly, it's a bit worrying that they're relying on social capital instead of just doing their own thing 
.
. And let's not forget that they've got a lot of influence behind the scenes through campaign contributions 
. But at the same time, I get why Elon Musk would say that if he's trying to keep his prices competitive 
. It just feels like there's a bigger issue here with corporate America not taking more action on gun control 
.
i mean yeah they were all over climate change and immigration reform but gun control? suddenly it's like "oh no we're not sure what to do" 
meanwhile elon musk is over here making bank off his company's production numbers while literally saying that if you price your product right everyone will buy it 
Elon Musk is just trying to keep the hype going with his "affordable" cars. It's all about making a profit, not actually doing anything meaningful. 
like wut happened in Nashville?! corporate america is supposed 2 be on the case but like its super quiet rn 
i mean we had them speaking out against all sorts of stuff back in the day - trans rights, abortion, climate change... but now they're just chillin 
it feels like they only care about making money 
i mean we gotta hold them accountable too, not just take their word 4 it 
they only care when it's convenient 4 them. after the parkland shooting dick's stopped selling semi-autos but that was just PR stunt 2 make themselves look good 
corporate america's all about brand image not actually doing anythin' meaningful. and now they're just quiet 4 a school shooting? that's just great 
.
but i think that's a pretty weak excuse. if they really cared about change, they'd be leading the charge 
instead of waiting for everyone else to get on board 
now it's like crickets 
or maybe just a bunch of CEOs trying not to rock the boat in fear of losing sales 
. I wish more people would be talking about this stuff and finding solutions that work for everyone 
.
this is so frustrating 
or if they just wanna save face after being called out on it before 
it's like they forgot they joined the cause last time around in florida 
remember when dick's sporting goods stopped selling semi-autos and citigroup restricted gun sales? now it's all silent 
maybe it's because ceos are feeling frustrated but I think it's cos we ain't joining them on this one 
. It's all about corporate social responsibility, but what about actual action? The CEOs need our voices too! They're not just cashing out of politics, they're trying to make a difference. And let's be real, their influence is huge 
!