Defending and strengthening our democracy requires year-round engagement. The fault strains in our democratic system aren’t simply round electoral cycles–they’re each day {that a} state legislature works to roll again voting rights or the judiciary allows anti-democratic gerrymandering. As we method the 2024 election, enterprise leaders have a essential function to play in standing up for our democracy.
A well-functioning democracy is the cornerstone of a powerful economic system. Nonetheless, rising and well-documented threats to our democracy are actually making a enterprise setting marked by new dangers–together with restricted speech, retribution, and authorized confusion.
It’s clear that company leaders are invested in our democratic future. Analysis from the Enterprise & Democracy Initiative discovered that 96% of enterprise leaders say the existence of a well-functioning democracy is essential to a powerful economic system. Impartial judiciaries and clear authorized techniques present very important stability and predictability for companies, selling competitors and guaranteeing companies function on a stage taking part in subject. Freedom of speech and expression permits companies to problem the established order, leading to improvements that profit customers, drive financial progress, and promote job creation.
One other Jan. 6 should and will be prevented. Enterprise leaders have the facility to assist uphold our democracy heading into 2024–and there are concrete steps they’ll and may take. Our energy is grounded within the distinctive relationship of belief that we have now with workers, clients, communities, and the American folks at massive. In response to Edelman’s 2023 Belief Barometer, enterprise is the world’s most trusted sector, and Gallup just lately discovered that small enterprise is probably the most trusted sector in america.
As we method the 2024 elections, this belief makes enterprise a essential conduit for delivering reliable info to workers and customers. Enterprise leaders can elevate consciousness about election dangers with their workers and emphasize the significance of voting and civic engagement.
Staff have a powerful want to help democratic integrity. In response, it’s changing into the brand new norm to supply paid break day for workers to vote. Many firms are going past that essential step to permit workers time to work polling locations. And firms could also be rewarded for this stage of engagement, with almost half (48%) of customers saying they’re extra possible to purchase an excellent or service from a enterprise that permits workers to take break day from work to interact within the political course of.
We are able to additionally use our trusted voices to help pro-democracy laws on the state and federal ranges. Enterprise leaders have been a key a part of the coalition that got here collectively to help the Electoral Depend Reform Act, a key piece of laws that slammed the door on a vulnerability in our democratic system that was weaponized in an try to overturn the 2020 election. Heading into 2024, there are different pro-democracy legislative efforts to guard voting rights and safe election infrastructure that enterprise leaders can help, notably on the state stage.
Political giving is without doubt one of the strongest levers that enterprise leaders can use in supporting pro-democracy pursuits. In our electoral system, companies and their workers are the most important contributors to political candidates, PACs, and events–and so they should guarantee their contributions are flowing to campaigns and causes that align with pro-democracy values.
Lastly, enterprise leaders can help correct and open elections by offering assets and in-kind help for election administration and safety infrastructure, together with funding for election system stress checks, tech upgrades, and coaching.
The integrity of our democracy just isn’t a partisan challenge. A vibrant civil society and a well-functioning democracy guarantee a variety of views from throughout the political spectrum are robustly represented. By opposing efforts that undermine democracy, enterprise leaders might be standing for the rights of all folks, of any celebration.
We have now the duty and energy to guard democracy proper now. We have now instruments at our disposal to talk out towards efforts to undermine the 2024 elections and the proper to vote, help efforts to make sure free and truthful elections, and promote civic engagement and democratic participation inside our workforce. By doing so, we are able to be certain that our democracy stays robust–and our economic system continues to thrive.
Daniella Ballou-Aares is the founder and CEO of the Management Now Mission, a nationwide membership group of enterprise and thought leaders dedicated to fixing American democracy.
Rhett Buttle is the founding father of Public Non-public Methods (PPS), which creates alternatives the place the private and non-private sectors meet. Rhett additionally served as Nationwide Enterprise Advisor to President Joe Biden’s 2020 marketing campaign.
Samantha Tweedy is the CEO of The Black Financial Alliance (BEA), a nonpartisan group of Black enterprise leaders and aligned advocates working to increase the political and financial energy of the Black group.
The opinions expressed in Fortune.com commentary items are solely the views of their authors and don’t essentially mirror the opinions and beliefs of Fortune.
