THE NEW CEO ACTIVISTSemployees, the media, and other stakeholders about the hot- button
topics of day.
We believe CEOs need a playbook in this new world. To eff ec-
tively engage in CEO activism, they should select issues carefully,
refl ect on the best times and approaches to get involved, consider
the potential for backlash, and measure results. By following these
guidelines, CEO activists can be more eff ective on the issues they
care about most.
Further Reading
- “Why Apple’s Tim Cook and Other CEOs Are Speaking Out on Police
Shootings,” Aaron K. Chatterji, Fortune, July 16, 2016 - “Do CEO Activists Make a Diff erence? Evidence from a Quasi- Field
Experiment,” Aaron K. Chatterji and Michael W. Toff el, working paper,
July 2017 - “Starbucks’ ‘Race Together’ Campaign and the Upside of CEO Activ-
ism,” Aaron K. Chatterji and Michael W. Toff el, Harvard Business Review ,
March 24, 2015 - “The Power of C.E.O. Activism,” Aaron K. Chatterji and Michael W.
Toff el, New York Times, April 1, 2016 - “Is It Safe for CEOs to Voice Strong Political Opinions?” Leslie Gaines-
Ross, Harvard Business Review , June 23, 2016 - “Business & Politics: Do They Mix?” Global Strategy Group, annual
studies, 2013–2016 - “The Dawn of CEO Activism,” Weber Shandwick, with KRC Research, 2016
Originally published in January– February 2018. Reprint R1801E