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Last month, Harvard finally rectified its public statement, releasing a “Report on Institutional Voice on Campus” and promising not to issue sympathy statements on matters “unrelated to the university’s core functions.”
American companies should learn from Harvard and do the same.
If the move goes ahead, Harvard will no longer make public comments, as it has done in the past, on issues ranging from racial inequality and the overturning of Roe v. Wade to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the October 7 Hamas attack in Israel.
If Harvard follows its new policy, it will no longer make public comments on issues ranging from racial inequality to overturning Roe v. Wade to Hamas attacks on Israel. (Michael Fine/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The reason is simple: “Harvard is not a government,” Noah Feldman, a Harvard Law professor and co-chair of the committee that wrote the recommendations, explained in an interview. “It shouldn’t have a foreign policy or a domestic policy.”
Harvard University Announces New Restrictions on Speech on ‘Controversial Public Policy Issues’
Taking sides on contentious public policy issues has damaged the university’s reputation: Harvard’s favorability rating plummeted 15 points among U.S. adults following its mishandling of the Oct. 7 attacks. Early admissions applications for the Class of 2028 fell 17%, and overall applications fell 5%.
To reverse this trend, Harvard University will only comment on issues related to its mission of pursuing the truth through “open inquiry, debate, and consideration of the evidence.”
Attacks on academic free speech may provoke a response from Harvard, but it is unlikely to happen in the next international conflict. If activists demand a response, Harvard now has a clear plan to respond, or not to respond. Harvard’s silence is no longer a political statement, it is a policy.
Israeli and American flags vandalized at Harvard University
Many companies have experienced similar reputational and customer losses after becoming embroiled in political controversy. Disney’s net favorability rating dropped more than 40 points after it clashed with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis over Florida’s parental rights in education law. Bud Light’s sales have yet to recover after sponsoring controversial transgender activist Dylan Mulvaney. Hims & Hers shares fell $210 million the day after its CEO said the company was “open to” hiring anti-Israel protesters.
None of these companies have made any explicit commitments not to take positions on issues that are not relevant to their mission. They continue to listen to so-called experts such as McKinsey and BlackRock who say companies must gain “social license” by pleasing many stakeholders. This includes taking positions on issues ranging from climate change to immigration policy to police tactics, even if the company’s mission is to sell soap.
Times are changing. A recent Gallup poll found that only 41% of Americans think companies should make statements about current events. What about the Gen Z demographic that many companies are trying to reach? That number rises to just 53%. Why would companies try to alienate nearly half of their future talent pool and customer base?
Welcome to Harvard, where you can spend $317,800 to learn about “queering the world” and threesome dating apps
Cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase shows how Harvard’s work can be applied to the corporate world. Brian Armstrong declared Coinbase The company has demanded that it become a “mission-driven” company after employees threatened to strike following the company’s refusal to publicly support the Black Lives Matter movement.
In a letter to employees, he said the company is “focused on being the best company and moving forward to achieve our mission, rather than broader societal issues.” Coinbase will continue to comment on cryptocurrency issues. It does not comment on civil unrest.
Many criticized the letter. Some employees quit. Coinbase thrived. It is now the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the U.S. and has weathered the collapse of politically distracted competitors like FTX.
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Even Google, the Silicon Valley tech giant known for its open speech and generally left-leaning stance, is waking up to the risks of unchecked activism, when in a stunning reversal of policy it fired a pro-Palestinian employee who protested its deal with Israel.
But importantly, they went further, explaining their company’s actions and policies in a memo to all employees: “We are a workplace and our policies and expectations are clear. This is a business and not the place to confuse or unsettle colleagues, to try to use the company as a personal platform, to fight over disruptive issues, or to discuss politics.”
Who would have thought that within a few months, the company that has been so committed to DEI and refused to portray the white founding fathers would be the first to say, “No more of that?”
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environment More companies make pledges Staying true to the mission and staying out of current events is more important than ever. There was little criticism of the Harvard statement, and there will likely be even less criticism of Fortune 500 companies. But there will likely be strong lines adopted on the next current events.
It’s time to take another lesson from Harvard.
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