Corporate America is staying silent on Oct. 7 anniversary
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Hundreds of business leaders spoke out following the Hamas-led terrorist attack on Israel last October. However, as the one-year mark approaches, most plan to stay quiet.
Why it matters: The dynamics in the Middle East have grown more complex and polarizing, making business leaders more reticent to comment than a year ago.
State of play: Yale School of Management kept a running list of which companies spoke out after the attack, denounced antisemitism, or expressed support and solidarity with Israel.
- Big brands like Amazon, Apple, GE, Starbucks, JPMorgan and Walmart issued statements following the attacks.
- Now, internal messages focused on mental health benefits are all that's likely — if anything.
Zoom in: A recent pulse survey conducted by Gravity Research found that more than half of executives (61%) do not plan to acknowledge the anniversary of the attacks. Another 30% are unsure and still could be deciding.
- The remaining 9% plan to engage on the anniversary but only through internal statements or events.
- Notably, none plan to make external statements, emphasizing the desire to not engage publicly.
The big picture: Corporate America's tolerance for workplace activism reached a boiling point earlier this year, after Google fired 50 employees for pro-Palestinian protests that violated its workplace code of conduct.
What they're saying: "It's more straightforward to condemn a terrorist attack than it is to comment on a year-long war," says Joanna Piacenza, vice president of thought leadership at Gravity Research.
- "On top of that, we're also seeing corporations engage less in political, social, cultural issues than they had in the past four or five years, and brands are just being a little bit more intentional on if and when to weigh in on things. So, it makes sense that our data is really pointing to more minimal engagement on the anniversary."
Between the lines: While companies might not plan to speak to Oct. 7 directly, they are looking at pre-planned social media posts, marketing campaigns and internal messaging scheduled for next week.
- "The most important thing is to recognize the sensitivity of the day and how it might resonate with or impact all of your stakeholders," says Sandy Lish, principal and co-founder of The Castle Group.
What to watch: Given the heightened sensitivities around the ongoing conflict, employees are still likely to discuss it among themselves, across social media, and in company-wide resource groups, Slack channels and internal message boards.
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