After the US Chapter riot, Twitter Inc. banned President Trump’s social media account. Editor Simon & Schuster canceled the publication of a book by Senator Josh Hawley (R., Mo), which led to a challenge to the results of the Electoral College’s presidential race, and Airbnb Inc. said it would block the reservation of those involved in the violence. rooms. Stripe Inc. stopped processing direct payments on the Trump campaign website.
Companies from Marriott International Inc. to Walmart Inc. they interrupted donations to dozens of Republican lawmakers who voted against certifying the Electoral College’s votes, others demanding reimbursements.
“Words alone are not enough. We are committed to action, ”wrote the CEO of Dow Inc. Jim Fitterling in a note telling employees that the chemical maker is ceasing to grant politics to any Republican who opposes certifying the election of President-elect Joe Biden for an election cycle – two years for House members and up to six for senators.
It was far from the days when companies struggled to look apolitical, embodying – if not always up to par – the opinion of the late economist Milton Friedman that “business is business.”
“We see a convergence of social issues that were outside the realm of what business executives could comment on,” said Judy Samuelson, founder and CEO of the Aspen Institute’s Business and Society Program, a think tank and author of “The six new business rules” that address such changes. “The general rule was that if there is no direct link back to our business model or something we love, it is practical to stay away from politics.”