The pushback against purpose is real.
Nearly 1 in 2 leaders admit their business is dialling back on social & environmental issues in their external comms. Of those, the majority (86%) say the rollback goes deeper than just brand and comms.
And yet a rollback is not what leaders want.
Most leaders want their business to be vocal about this stuff. 86% believe their business has spoken out the right amount – or wish it had been more outspoken – when it comes to purpose issues.
From panic to pragmatismWhat now for leaders who believe in purpose – but find themselves under pressure to pull back? Should they duck for cover or stay in the fight?Drawing from our recent research and conversations, here are 5 practical steps leaders can take if the business finds itself in a tight spot when it comes to purpose…
1) Have the honest conversation
Start by having an honest conversation as a leadership. Because, right now, leaders are under pressure from every side. The economy, company’s finances, the socio-political climate. Decisions around social & environmental impact – what to do, and what to say – can’t be made in a vacuum.
2) Weigh up the risks on both sides
Much has been made of the risks facing businesses who speak out – particularly if the company has a strong US connection. But there are risks with going quiet too. From the reputation of the brand with customers, to buy-in from employees. Where is the business most exposed if it decided to dial back?
3) Sift through the messaging rubble
For many brands, the past few years have felt like ‘open season’ when it comes to talking purpose. Take a moment to pause and assess: What have we been vocal about? Can we stand by those claims? How relevant are they to our audience? Get an external perspective on where you stand - and where to go from here - with the help of our Purpose Messaging Untangler.
4) Decide: dial up, dial down or ditch?
Once you’ve done that assessment, it’s time to decide which purpose messaging you want to dial up (leaning in where the rewards outweigh the risks), which you want to dial down (where the opposite is true), and which you want to ditch (if they lack credibility or resonance with your audience).
5) Take the long-term view
Despite the current pushback, the expectation that companies will do right by people and planet isn't going anywhere. Employees and customers alike will continue to prefer brands of businesses that care, over those that don’t. Leaders know this, even if they can't be as vocal about it as they might like.
This isn’t the end of purpose. Businesses still need to do the walking – and the talking – of positive impact on their customers, employees, communities and planet.But maybe this is a chance for leaders to pause and ask themselves: How could we do this better?
