Business Areas to Revitalize Democracy

Bill Shireman of In This Together & Madeleine Para of Citizens Climate Lobby

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On May 19, 2022, we spoke with Bill Shireman of Future500 and In This Together and Madeleine Para of Citizens Climate Lobby to explore “Radical Collaboration: Can Business Help Unleash America’s Middle 70% to Address Climate & Strengthen Democracy?”

Though it is rarely featured in the news, research shows that most Americans can collaborate on solutions to systemic threats such as climate change. Yet, many of these “solution citizens” feel isolated and discouraged in the current environment of toxic polarization and destructive conflict. To address this challenge, a community of social entrepreneurs has been emerging, working to enable conservatives and progressives to work together on clean energy, conservation and strengthening democracy.

In this module, we explore:

• How can democracy and more deliberation in business overcome barriers in advancing solutions? What role would people play?

The Corporate Political Responsibility Taskforce (CPRT)’s Expert Dialogues are in-depth, recorded conversations with academic experts, stakeholder advocates and business practitioners to provide our members and other CPR champions with the expertise and context they need to develop principled, proactive CPR strategies. We invite those interested in a constructive, non-partisan, principles-based discussion.

Bill Shireman is the President of Future 500 and co-chair of In This Together, which is mobilizing solution citizens and companies to tackle political polarization and revitalize democracy. He is known for bringing together capitalists, activists, conservatives, progressives, and other unusual bedfellows to overcome challenges that often divide them.

Madeleine Para is the Executive Director of Citizens Climate Lobby, a nonprofit, nonpartisan, grassroots advocacy climate change organization bringing a respectful, nonpartisan approach designed to create a broad, sustainable foundation for climate action across all geographic regions and political inclinations.

Keywords: #CorporatePoliticalResponsibility #ESG #Polarization #Inclusion #CPR_Trends #Climate #CivicInstitutions #CPRProcesses #CPR_Responsibility #Greenwashing