A timely survey from Golin conducted with IPSOS just came out about how Americans feel about CEOs speaking up about some of the latest hot button issues — impeachment, political spending, political violence and other societal issues. The results were released right before inauguration day. The findings are again a reminder that CEOs and business leaders must choose carefully when and what they want to speak up about. It must align with their corporate values and business since employees and customers will remember what action was taken when the next hot button issue arises. Here are some of the findings:

• Over one half (57%) of Americans feel it is appropriate for companies/brands and corporate leaders to comment on the Capitol insurrection. Violence under any circumstances is rarely condoned in business or politics.

• Four in 10 hold a favorable opinion (44%) or negative opinion (41%) when asked how they felt about companies stopping political donations to congress people who opposed Electoral College certification. 44% is a substantial number considering that most Americans were probably not even aware of or understood how PACS worked until January 6th.

• As seen below, Golin found that Black Americans feel more strongly than white Americans about the appropriateness for CEOs to speak up about the January 6th insurrection, the impeachment process underway and disputed election hearsay. Hispanics fall in-between. I think it is important to show these distinctions since it is quite a different talking point hearing that 43% say that CEOs should have a voice when it comes to commenting on the impeachment process vs. 60% of Black Americans thinking the same. As reported, many of the people who showed up at the Capitol were white supremacists and the Confederate flag was flown inside the building.

Since the inauguration, I have been asked if all this CEO activism and speaking up on highly charged issues is going to go away with a new administration. It’s a natural question to raise. However, I do not think it is going to change. I think that many CEOs —not all—now see themselves as first responders to global societal crises and defenders of what is right. So it may lessen over time but the world is too complex today for CEOs and business to be on the sidelines. I will be keeping a keen watch and writing down my thoughts here.