American companies are more cautious about political donations

In the United States, large corporations have decided to stop making political donations or promoting their activities. This is the result of a study by the American Center for Political Responsibility aimed at promoting responsible entrepreneurs in the business world.

The Capitol in Washington was attacked by supporters of former US President Donald Trump, but researchers point to recent protests against social injustice to reverse that trend. An important lever for many companies Would have been.

Risks

“These events have made it clear that they are political donations to many organizations, in particular The most polarizing political landscape In the United States, there are a number of significant risks, “the researchers point out.” That’s why companies often decide to stop or disclose their political contributions. “

“The American political landscape has been characterized by unrest and anger over the past two years,” the study notes.

That includes violent attacks on the Capitol in Washington earlier this year by supporters of Donald Trump who do not want to accept his rival Joe Biden’s election victory.

In addition, there were attempts and maneuvers to oust Donald Trump as president. Presidential election results To change.

“In times of explosion like this, companies are also forced to take action,” the researchers point out. “It also reflects their policy on political donations, where they try to avoid or minimize high risks.”

Dark money

By the beginning of this year, it was already clear that a significant number of companies had made the decision Stop political involvement To the politicians who opposed the recognition of Joe Biden as the new President of the United States.

At the same time, it is noteworthy that many companies, including Delta Airlines, have decided to speak more strongly on a number of social and political issues, including the right to vote.

A new study has found that 370 companies in the S&P 500 disclose full or part of their political spending or reject certain types of donations. This is 11.5% more than last year.

Over the past six years, many companies have changed their approach to what is called primarily, researchers said Dark money groups – Tax-free organizations influencing politics – Corrected.

“The number of organizations banning or disclosing donations to these organizations has nearly doubled since the middle of the last decade,” it said.

(LP)