VideoCorporate Political Responsibility Taskforce

How Companies Can Prepare Internally for CPR

Sarah Bonk & Richard Eidlin of Business for America

Video 2 of 3

 

On October 26, 2023, we spoke with Sarah Bonk and Richard Eidlin of Business for America to explore “CPR in Action: Addressing the Root Causes of Dysfunctional American Politics”

In the current tumultuous US political environment, business leaders are exploring ways to navigate heated debates and intensifying culture wars. When and how should they take action? How can they prepare internally? Are there ways business can help address the root causes of dysfunctional politics?

In this module, we explore:

  • What can companies do to prepare to deal with the cultural and political environment?
  • What are the challenges companies face in being proactive and anticipating risk?

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.

Sarah Bonk is the Founder and CEO of Business for America, a coalition of civic-minded business leaders and purpose-driven companies who are ready to take action and promote a government that works for all Americans. Bonk spent nearly 15 years at Apple, and has 20 years of experience in design, technology, and leadership at Fortune 500 companies. Richard Eidlin is BFA’s National Policy Director and a co-founder of the American Sustainable Business Council where he served as vice president for policy, directing state and national advocacy campaigns on the environment, tax, regulatory reform, campaign finance, and economic development.

The full transcript for this module is available here. 

Keywords: #CorporatePoliticalResponsibility #ESG #CivicEngagement #Polarization #CivicEngagement

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The authors argue that withholding corporate political spending from investors increases reputational and legal risks. They contend that transparency allows investors to make informed decisions, aligning their investments with their values and minimizing potential risks. 

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Informative look at what dark money is, how it came to be, and the influence it has on shaping our society. Provides both a report and a first-of-its-kind database shining a light on transactions happening in the dark.

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ArticleHarvard Business Review

This article outlines how businesses can manage modern political risks, which now stem from a broader range of sources, including social media, local officials, and cybercriminals. It emphasizes four core competencies—understanding, analyzing, mitigating risks, and responding to crises—and provides practical questions and case studies to help companies strengthen their ability to handle political disruptions.

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ReportCECP’s Strategic Investor Initiative (SII) and KKS Advisors

Investors showed clear market interest in long-term plans—particularly those with specific, forward-looking disclosures on strategy, trends, and financials—while vague or missing information on governance and ESG weakened impact, highlighting the need for more accountable, investor-relevant corporate communication to counter short-term market focus.

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ArticleHBR

This article outlines CEO activism and its influence, risks, and rewards. Authors reference research to assert that CEOs must strategically decide when and how to engage with social and political issues. The included playbook provides insight on how to go about engagement for positive impact. By raising awareness and leveraging economic power, CEOs can embrace transparency and accountability to their company values.

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Outlines a structured framework for CEOs to disclose 3–5 year strategic plans—financial and non-financial—to long-term investors, helping align sustainability, purpose, and market-facing strategy while demonstrating material impact on stock performance and investor confidence.

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Article PwC Strategy + Business

This article examines how current economic and political upheavals reflect an ongoing misalignment between business and economies and acceptable societal outcomes. Encourages re-examination of long-held assumptions. 

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BookCommittee for Economic Development

This report provides historical context on how business–government dynamics have contributed to rising inequality and public distrust, and invites business leaders to rethink their role in helping restore trust and shape a more inclusive, sustainable capitalism.

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WebsiteGlobal Reporting Initiative

Summary of voluntary standard on reporting public policy management approach, including political contribution disclosures as is certified by the Global Reporting Initiative.

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This report from the New America Foundation’s political reform program advocates for a voluntary public database that tracks the political positions and papers of advocacy groups, making it easier to track who is advocating for what when it comes to critical policy debates, demystifying the lobbying process. 

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ToolUnited Nations Global Compact

Seeks to advance the rule of law by engaging responsible business to support the building and strengthening of legal frameworks and accountable institutions – serving as a complement to, not substitute for, government action. 

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ArticleBrookings Institution

This article advocates for and examines the role of managers in weighing corporate political responsibility with traditional shareholder primacy when lobbying. Builds a strong case and suggests that companies consider whether the public is informed or has the necessary expertise.

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ReportFCLT

Dominic Barton, Mark Wiseman, Laurence Fink, Richard Edelman, Henry M. Paulson Jr., Lynn Forester de Rothschild, Nicholas Carr, Nitin Nohria, Paul Polman, Whitney MacMillan, Greg Page, Chanda Kochhar, Kathleen McLaughlin, Doug McMillon, Adrian Orr, John D. Rogers, Lim Chow Kiat, Euan Munro, Charles Tilley, Lei Zhang, Michael Sabia, James P. Gorman, David Walker, Angel Gurría, Ronald P. O’Hanley, Donald Kaberuka, Julie Hembrock Daum, Edward Speed, Angelien Kemna


This report compiles insights from CEOs, investors, and regulators emphasizing how quarterly earnings pressure and misaligned incentives restrict long-term strategic thinking, and it proposes governance reforms to realign business purpose with sustainable, multi-stakeholder value creation.

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Lays out core principles—transparency, integrity, accountability, and effectiveness—with practical examples to help professionals and organizations engage in ethical and responsible lobbying. 

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ArticleOxford

This chapter introduces a “market failures” approach to business ethics, arguing that while profit is a core obligation, businesses also have a duty to avoid exploiting legal or structural gaps in the market in order to preserve trust, fair competition, and long-term legitimacy.

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ToolUN Global Compact

This 60-page report elaborates on the “how” of engaging in meaningful climate policy engagement. Illustrative examples spanning the globe are grounded by five core elements of responsible policy engagement and three key actions to put said elements into practice. 

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BookHarvard University Press

Advances the argument that American CEOs, seemingly more powerful today than ever, have abrogated the key leadership role they once played in addressing national challenges, with grave consequences for American society. 

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ReportUN

Widely accepted multi-sector framework outlining expectations for companies to evaluate and disclose their commitment to human rights, identify salient issues, identifying processes for responding to claims, conducting due diligence and identifying strategies to prevent, mitigate or remediate adverse impacts on individuals and communities. Supports corporate political responsibility by outlining political rights as human rights, and providing established processes to draw on. 

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ReportHeritage Foundation

This article outlines how crony capitalism distorts the market, violates the principles of free markets, and risks value creation for all, as reflected in the Heritage Foundation's Index of Economic Freedom.

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