Corporate America's Quiet Stance on Gun Regulation Sparks Frustration Among Executives.
It has become increasingly evident that large corporations in the United States are quietly tolerating gun violence and its effects, rather than using their collective influence to drive meaningful change. Following a deadly school shooting in Nashville, Tennessee, where multiple students were injured, the usual chorus of denouncements from corporate executives was noticeably absent.
According to Yale professor Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, who has close ties with major CEOs worldwide, many top executives have had enough of being seen as saviors on every topic. "We're turning to them to be our saviors on every topic," Sonnenfeld explained. "They've joined causes with valor and nobility but they can't just be taking cause after cause as if there's nobody else in society."
Sonnenfeld believes that social change has historically been driven by broader societal movements, not just CEOs advocating for individual issues. The professor stated, "We saw campuses alive and aroused... Where’s all the student activism?" It appears that many corporate executives feel that without other stakeholders taking action on gun control, their efforts may be seen as insufficient.
Sonnenfeld also emphasized that social capital is valuable to executives, including public trust. As he put it, "They understand that in their soul, they want there to be social capital." However, CEOs require the broader civil society to join them in advocating for change.
In fact, corporate America has been vocal on other issues such as voting rights and sustainability. However, when it comes to gun control, the silence is jarring, particularly in light of recent mass shootings across the country.
It's essential to note that CEOs do not have complete financial control over politics, according to Sonnenfeld. The common misconception that big business wields significant influence on campaign contributions has been debunked by research conducted since 2020, which found much less campaign funding from large corporations.
It has become increasingly evident that large corporations in the United States are quietly tolerating gun violence and its effects, rather than using their collective influence to drive meaningful change. Following a deadly school shooting in Nashville, Tennessee, where multiple students were injured, the usual chorus of denouncements from corporate executives was noticeably absent.
According to Yale professor Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, who has close ties with major CEOs worldwide, many top executives have had enough of being seen as saviors on every topic. "We're turning to them to be our saviors on every topic," Sonnenfeld explained. "They've joined causes with valor and nobility but they can't just be taking cause after cause as if there's nobody else in society."
Sonnenfeld believes that social change has historically been driven by broader societal movements, not just CEOs advocating for individual issues. The professor stated, "We saw campuses alive and aroused... Where’s all the student activism?" It appears that many corporate executives feel that without other stakeholders taking action on gun control, their efforts may be seen as insufficient.
Sonnenfeld also emphasized that social capital is valuable to executives, including public trust. As he put it, "They understand that in their soul, they want there to be social capital." However, CEOs require the broader civil society to join them in advocating for change.
In fact, corporate America has been vocal on other issues such as voting rights and sustainability. However, when it comes to gun control, the silence is jarring, particularly in light of recent mass shootings across the country.
It's essential to note that CEOs do not have complete financial control over politics, according to Sonnenfeld. The common misconception that big business wields significant influence on campaign contributions has been debunked by research conducted since 2020, which found much less campaign funding from large corporations.
. I mean, they're all about being socially responsible and stuff, but when it comes to something like gun control, suddenly they're just MIA 
. It's like they think someone else is gonna take the lead on this one? Newsflash: having a bunch of CEOs saying "oh, we care" isn't enough 
. We need some real action from them, you know? And yeah, I get it about social capital and all that... but can't they just join forces with other groups like student activists and whatnot to make some noise 
? It's not like they're the only ones who care about this issue 
.
it's like they're trying to wash their hands of the problem or something. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm all for social capital and public trust, but come on, guys! You've got a platform here that can actually make some noise about this issue. We need CEOs using their influence to drive real change, not just tweeting about it 
. Can we please see some concrete actions from them on this one? The silence is deafening 
I mean, we've seen them jump into social justice causes left and right, but suddenly they're MIA when it comes to something as critical as gun control 
It's like they think their PR teams will magically make all the problems disappear 
And let's be real, if corporations don't take a stand on this, who will? 
It's time for them to put their money (and influence) where their mouth is 
