CECP Insights Blog

Few of today’s CEOs earned their jobs because they were socially responsible and spoke out on hot topics. Yet now more than ever, key stakeholders want to know where companies and CEOs stand on critical social issues. Speaking out is a 21st-century requirement for the leaders of major companies. Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose (CECP) […]

Anyone with the idea that CEOs and companies can now stand down with a new Administration has sorely underestimated corporations. They will still fill the role of CEO statespeople Yet, the role of a company will change when a little less rests on their shoulders alone. There is still plenty to do to meet the […]

As we all struggle through these unprecedented times, the need for strong purpose-focused leadership, and the world’s leading businesses’ critical role, has become increasingly clear. According to the 2020 Edelman Trust Barometer, “78% of respondents expect business to act to protect employees and the local community”, and that’s never been more true than now. And […]

During a recent CECP CEO Roundtable, current and former CEOs gathered virtually and shared insights from their perspectives on the business landscape. In these informative discussions, one executive noted that leadership, more so than having the right systems in place, is and will be integral as we navigate uncharted territory. Another executive shared an interview […]

Take a break from your day to scan how chief executives of the world’s largest companies are experiencing the pandemic. The wordsmiths below made us at times laugh, dread, empathize, cry, respect, applaud, and hope. Liverpool Football Club Manager Jürgen Klopp: “It’s not important what famous people say. I wear a baseball cap and have […]

We’re going to want to reach for the pitchforks as we watch baggage-charging, space-squeezing airlines get a chunk of taxpayers’ money as part of the Covid-19 stimulus package, with very few strings attached. Particularly so after a decade of airlines shipping cash out the door in share buy-backs at an extraordinary scale. As a result, […]

On November 7, 2019, Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose (CECP) and Edelman hosted a webinar titled Communicating Long-Term Plans: Best Practices and Examples from the Industry, which can be accessed here. The combined Strategic Investor Initiative and Edelman Long-Term Plan presentation is here and the underlying research on which the content guidance we provide to companies is found here. There […]

The text below are the remarks given by Xavier de Souza Briggs, Vice President, U.S. Programs, Ford Foundation at CECP’s Chairman’s Reception the night before the 14th Annual Board of Boards.    I want to begin by congratulating the members and leadership of CECP for 20 years of terrific accomplishment and growth. I’d also like […]

This article appeared first in the National Association of Corporate Directors’ blog, BoardTalk. Board members don’t need another tome outlining the uncertain times in which their companies find themselves. What they need is a road map to guide their companies in sustainable value creation, which, in a sense, future proofs their business strategies. Uneasy markets? […]

CEOs from institutional investor firms BlackRock and State Street released their annual guidance to companies on practices they “believe will drive sustainable, long-term growth, and profitability.” These letters were issued amidst widespread cynicism, both socially and economically, while anxious chatter continues about the role of business, capitalism, and strategic time horizons. The 2019 Edelman Trust […]

CECP has browsed hours of video and content found on the World Economic Forum (WEF) homepage to give you the short-and-sweet best of the WEF 2019. See below for our top picks. The Elevator Pitch Overview The prevailing sentiment of the three-day conversation in Davos, Switzerland was subdued, cautious, and apprehensive. The empty seats of […]

Photo: Stuart Parker, CEO of USAA, talks with a veteran at one of the homeless shelters that USAA supports The U.S. Department of Labor in October celebrated the continued improvement of the unemployment rate for veterans since with a 2.9 percent, down from 3.7 percent in 2017 (the non-veteran unemployment rate in comparison is 3.5 percent). This accomplishment […]

The Fortune 2018 Change the World list features 57 companies that are doing well by doing good. These businesses are trying to fix big problems and make money while doing it. That’s right, it’s not a list about charity (though many of these companies also have charitable efforts). It’s about how business—one of the most […]

The past two years have witnessed a bold shift in leadership from the C-Suite.  Now more than ever, CEOs and senior executives at the world’s leading companies are speaking out on social policy issues that conflict with the core values of their business. This phenomenon, dubbed “CEO activism”, is on the rise – and right […]

Few of today’s CEOs earned their job because they were socially responsible and spoke out on hot topics. Yet key stakeholders increasingly want to know where companies and CEOs stand on critical social issues. It might be argued that speaking out is becoming a 21st-century requirement for the leaders of major companies. Data confirms a […]