Poll: Most Americans don't care to hear companies' opinions on current events

By Daniel Miller
Published  August 13, 2024 2:23pm EDT
FOX 2 Detroit

FILE-Workers sit in cubicles at an office space. (Photo by Karen Warren/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)

The Brief

    • A recent Gallup poll shows that 38% of Americans want businesses to take a stance on current events.
    • The issues people want companies to speak out about are climate change, mental health, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.
    • Political endorsements by businesses could affect the number of consumers who buy their products.

null - When it comes to current events, everyone has their own views, and some are not afraid to share, which can spark spirited debates with others. 

And while individuals can have their own beliefs, one group that people would prefer not to hear from regarding societal issues are businesses, based on a recent poll.

What does the poll say?

In a new survey from Bentley University and Gallup, approximately 38% of Americans believe businesses should take public stances on topics.

Although some people prefer businesses not to speak out on issues, the poll shows that they are open to hearing from companies on certain topics. 

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A narrow majority of respondents to the poll said they want to hear from organizations on the issues of climate change (54%), mental health (53%), and diversity, equity, and inclusion (53%), free speech (48%) and healthcare issues (48%).

However, fewer adults in the survey expressed that they did not want companies to publicly discuss topics that are pertinent issues during the upcoming presidential election including gun laws (32%), immigration policy (31%), international conflicts (24%), abortion (20%), and the political candidates (17%). 

Where do political parties stand on businesses taking stances?

Meanwhile, the poll revealed that companies supporting a political candidate could impact their business with consumers who favor a different candidate. 

This sentiment was high among Democrats and Republicans (68% and 61%, respectively) who responded that they were less likely to buy goods or services from a company that endorsed a candidate from the opposing party.

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However, Democrats (34%) and Republicans (38%) say they would be more likely to buy products from a business that endorsed a political candidate from their own party, compared to at least six in 10 who say it would not affect their decisions. 

According to the poll, independents are more likely to avoid buying products from a company that endorsed a candidate that's a Democrat or Republican, compared to a smaller group in the political party, who say it wouldn’t affect their decision to purchase something from that business.

The Source

Information for this story is from a survey by Bentley-Gallup Business in Society Report conducted between April 29-May 6, 2024, with a nationally representative sample of 5,835 U.S. adults from the Gallup Panel.  This story was reported from Washington, D.C.