Americans want CEOs to speak up, defend climate action
Despite a noisy political climate, people expect business leaders to speak out on certain social issues. The post Americans want CEOs to speak up, defend climate action appeared first on Trellis.
The current landscape of environmental rollbacks and economic uncertainty hasn’t stopped Americans from expecting their leaders to take a stand on social issues — at least not yet.
In a public opinion poll of more than 1,000 U.S. citizens, Trellis data partner GlobeScan found that despite political backlash against sustainability and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), the American public continues to expect principled leadership from business. A clear majority — 71 percent — say CEOs should speak out about the importance of addressing climate change, and 67 percent say CEOs should publicly defend DEI initiatives. What’s notable is that this support is broad-based: 56 percent of Republicans agree that CEOs should speak out on climate, while 50 percent support defending DEI. In terms of demographics, Democrats (83 percent) and Gen Z (78 percent) are the strongest supporters of CEOs speaking out on DEI initiatives, but a majority of Baby Boomers (56 percent) also back CEO leadership on this issue.
What this means
In today’s volatile environment, the temptation may be to stay silent or respond reactively to political pressure. But this is no time for CEO-hushing. Americans want something different. They want CEOs to speak up on issues that are at the core of their company’s values and are relevant to their mission and stakeholders. Courageous leadership doesn’t mean weighing in on every controversy; it means recognizing when an issue is critical to your brand and business, defining non-negotiables, drawing red lines and stepping forward with clarity and conviction.
Based on an online survey March 25-March 28, 2025.
The post Americans want CEOs to speak up, defend climate action appeared first on Trellis.
