How to define your brand's stance on social issues

Consumers and employees increasingly expect brands to take a stand on social and environmental issues. In a world where trust in governments and the media is waning, businesses must step up to the plate with credible information without necessarily having the capacity to do so.

The challenge for businesses to even figure out which of these issues they need to address, and how, can feel like an impossible task. This checklist guides brands through the process of positioning themselves on key societal issues. It’s a companion piece to the Social Issue Positioning Handbook, also available on our website.

1. Exercise duty of care

• Before making public statements, a firm should always prioritize the health and wellbeing of its stakeholders. It’s the right thing to do.

• Is anyone at risk? Does the issue personally impact your employees or other stakeholders? How strongly do they feel about it?

2. Know your audience

• Statements should be based on a solid understanding of audiences and what they care about. A lack of granular data on their needs, views and values might lead to alienating crucial audience groups. 

• Who will see your message(s), and how do you predict they’ll react? What information do you have to back this up? Would you be antagonizing key stakeholders by speaking up? Are you willing to take the heat?

3. Conduct due diligence

• Social issue positioning should align with organizational values, internal culture, brand and existing CSR or other social purpose strategies. Before crafting their positioning, companies should consult multiple stakeholders across hierarchies – including employee representatives – for different perspectives.

• Is the issue or cause in your brand DNA? What decisions have you previously made that support or weaken your message? Would speaking up reinforce your credibility, or expose you to criticism?

4. Do your research

• Companies that speak out on issues they don’t fully understand will come across as uninformed and lacking credibility. When in doubt, seek feedback from trusted audience members, and hire consultants for help.

• Do you fully understand the issue and what’s at stake? Are you clear on the facts? Is the situation still unfolding and if so, are you closely monitoring it? Are you ready to address criticism with specific talking points?

5. Examine your options

• Take some time to assess whether or not you should express your views, and how. Individual statements attract more attention to the brand but also more criticism. Joining forces with other companies increases impact and reduces risk but takes more time to craft and draws attention away from your brand. Remaining silent can also be an option–until a failure to speak up becomes the message itself.

• Is your brand strong enough to withstand the attention? Could you have more impact with collective action? Can it wait? (Should it?) What’s the cost of not speaking out?

6. Define your positioning

• Blanket statements don’t stand out and can appear performative and opportunistic. Define your unique positioning on the issue by narrowing down why it matters to your organization and why you’re going public about it now. 

• How is the issue connected to your organization’s larger purpose? What change are you hoping to make by speaking out? What are you adding to the conversation?

7. Craft your statement

• Use your regular brand voice for consistency (unless the statement is authored by the CEO, in which case the tone of voice should feel more personal. Reserve CEO statements for issues of the highest importance.) Demonstrate your knowledge of the topic and its alignment with organizational values. Explain how you’re taking action. [Insert link to longer guidance on crafting statements]

• Would this content seem out of place in your regular channels? If so, would this ultimately serve the issue or come across as misplaced? Do you believe in every word included in the statement?

8. Take action

• Statements must always be matched with actions. Options range from donations to selected nonprofits, to internal programs for employees, and in some cases, reorienting product or marketing strategies. Those decisions should be made in consultation with stakeholders.

• What steps is your organization taking to address the issue? Are you willing to commit over the long term? What’s the risk of not doing anything?

9. Reflect and course-correct

• Ultimately, social issue positioning results from an ongoing conversation between the organization and its stakeholders. Continue monitoring the situation, gauging customer sentiment, and reviewing metrics. Repeat and adapt as needed.

• What does the response from stakeholder groups tell you about your relationship with them? Can you spot changes in behaviours and attitudes? Is there something you could have done differently?

10. Strategize

• Social issue positioning is not a strategy. The world is changing, and your organization needs to consider its role in it. The next step in the process is to strategize how your organization can take the long-term view.

• Have you noticed a misalignment between business goals, organizational values and stakeholder priorities? Do you find that the competing needs of customers, employees, board members and investors make it hard to speak from a united voice? Do you struggle to find causes and issues that your organization can get fully behind?

Want to dig deeper into the process?

The Social Issue Positioning Handbook combines practical advice, real-world examples and insights from academic research to offer a clear methodology for crafting messages that resonate.