Companies can't avoid politics - and shouldn't try to

Companies used to avoid political issues at almost any cost. But those still relying on a strategy of abstention and neutrality are quickly learning that it no longer works the way it once did. How can companies engage without alienating customers? The key lies in understanding the psychology that shapes responses to corporate political activities. When a company makes a statement on a political issue, the responses of stakeholders can be idiosyncratic, but some themes arise again and again. Here is what stakeholders look for: transparency; consistency; a business case for activism; and leadership.