CEOs decide their political views matter

Chief executives from some of America’s biggest companies met via Zoom this week to discuss the impacts of the coronavirus. The talk between the executives quickly morphed into a broader discussion about racial relations, social justice and what role business leaders have (or not) to play in issues of political importance. “There are few decisions we make that aren’t political — whether it’s access to restrooms, whether it’s what candidate we might support in a particular stand that we’re going to take on an environmental issue — so, frankly, I think that comes with the territory,” said Johnson & Johnson CEO Alex Gorsky. Former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi said her company faced boycotts after she made comments interpreted as being critical of Donald Trump. Ms. Nooyi said about one-third of the company’s employees applauded her statements, another third sent negative emails and the rest stayed silent. “So you could interpret it as two-thirds are on your side, or two-thirds are against you,” she said.