Background

For many years, companies and their leaders have been actively involved in issues such as environmental protection and human rights. More recently, however, companies have also begun responding to political extremism and anti-democratic tendencies in society. By doing so, they take a stand and position themselves in public debates on controversial topics. This kind of corporate sociopolitical activism can bring both advantages and risks – and it raises ethical, political, and strategic questions for business.

Our research project addresses novel questions in this area that have so far received little scholarly attention. Specifically, it examines how companies deal with the resurgence of anti-democratic populism in Europe.

Aims and Scope of the Research Project

The project pursues two main goals: First, we empirically investigate the practices and strategies companies use to confront anti-democratic populism in Europe, and how different stakeholders perceive these activities. Second, we develop an analytical framework capable of capturing the ethical and political dimensions of corporate action in their complexity, in order to derive practical guidance for companies.

To achieve these goals, the project is structured into four modules:

• Module 1 provides a systematic overview of the specific practices companies use to position themselves against anti-democratic populism in Europe. A critical review of the relevant literature will help embed these practices into a broader theory of corporate political action.
• Module 2 surveys selected stakeholder groups of European companies to assess how they interpret and evaluate the practices identified in Module 1.
• Module 3 examines the influence of these practices on the political attitudes and opinions of selected citizens.
• Module 4 builds on these findings to develop concrete recommendations for practice.

Scientific and Societal Context

With this project, we contribute to the theory and practice of corporate responsibility in politically complex contexts. Given the current global situation, companies in Europe are also under pressure to take a stance. Our project seeks to identify how – and why – companies can do this most effectively. In doing so, we aim to promote a more differentiated approach to the ways in which businesses address major political challenges.

Keywords

Business Ethics, CSR, Populism, Democracy, Stakeholders