AMERICAN LEFT HISTORY

This space is dedicated to the proposition that we need to know the history of the struggles on the left and of earlier progressive movements here and world-wide. If we can learn from the mistakes made in the past (as well as what went right) we can move forward in the future to create a more just and equitable society. We will be reviewing books, CDs, and movies we believe everyone needs to read, hear and look at as well as making commentary from time to time. Greg Green, site manager

Thursday, May 30, 2019

New survey of corporate leaders shows Wendy’s WAY behind the curve on social responsibility… Coalition of Immokalee Workers

Coalition of Immokalee Workers<workers@ciw-online.org>

9:45 AM

To alfredjohnson34@comcast.net

New survey of corporate leaders shows Wendy’s WAY behind the curve on social responsibility…

A graphic from the new report “Leading with Purpose in an Age Defined by It” captures several of the lessons drawn from an extensive survey of business leaders on the role of corporations in addressing social problems from inequality to climate change.

Elizabeth Ricardo, Peet’s Coffee: “We’re at a tipping point because of the extreme landscape of conversations around social issues. We’re doubling down on what our values are.”

First, a quick recap: Readers of this site will remember that, earlier this month, Wendy’s was caught in a social media maelstrom that left more than a bit of egg on the fast-food giant’s face. Not only did the episode – sparked by an Instagram post by comedian Amy Schumer calling on her millions of followers to boycott Wendy’s for its refusal to join the Fair Food Program – serve to spread the news of the Wendy’s Boycott to millions of consumers who most likely had not heard of it before, but it provided observers from the world of corporate public relations a powerful case study of how not to manage a communications crisis.

As we mentioned at the time, author and business consultant Blake Morgan, author of the book “The Customer Of The Future: 10 Guiding Principles To Winning Tomorrow’s Business,” published an editorial in Forbes.com titled “Three Reasons Why Wendy’s Missed The Mark By Not Responding To Customers,” on just this point. The editorial recounted the history of the social media dust-up and concluded:

… A brand’s reputation depends on how it responds to and interacts with customers. Wendy’s missed the mark by choosing to only respond to positive press. It’s a move that could seriously hurt its image and add fire to the protests.

Now, just weeks after Wendy’s painful public relations failure, comes fresh feedback from the world of corporate communications on the importance of listening to consumers, particularly when it comes to issues of social responsibility and the role of corporations in addressing longstanding social problems like sexual harassment and other abuses at work. And the report, titled “Leading with Purpose in an Age Defined by It,” makes one thing abundantly clear: Corporations, like Wendy’s, that choose to ignore consumers’ demands for real social accountability do so at their own peril.

The report – a survey of 254 “management and C-suite leaders across industries and geographies” carried out by the business-to-business group Quartz Insights, in collaboration with the award-winning corporate communications company WE – starts from the following premise:

We’ve reached an inflection point for defining the role of business in society. It’s no longer sufficient for brands and corporations to focus on maximizing profits at the expense of social good. The public is increasingly looking to the private sector – brands, companies, and organizations – to respond to issues like inequality, climate change, and immigration reform. These issues are simply too big, and their ramifications too massive, for businesses to dismiss. The idea that companies can and should have a broader social impact is transforming how and by whom society’s greatest issues are addressed.

The report goes on to share a number of significant statistics and conclusions drawn from its survey, all of which support the report’s central finding – that “there is an unmatched urgency around purpose leadership,” which the authors define as “how brands can effect change in light of some of the most pressing issues facing our society...”

Check out the highlights from the Quartz Insights report on social responsibility!

Coalition of Immokalee Workers

(239) 657 8311 | workers@ciw-online.org | www.ciw-online.org

A copy of the CIW's official registration and financial information may be obtained from the Florida Division of Consumer Services by calling toll-free 1-800-HELP-FLA (435-7352). Registration does not imply endorsement, approval, or recommendation by the state. The website for the Florida Division of Consumer Services is https://www.freshfromflorida.com