By Ben Williams Last year, we explored a relatively recent trend we’d been noticing: a shifting power dynamic within organizations from traditional centers of power – executives, senior staff, and management – toward employees. Our case stemmed from growing evidence of employee confidence in boldly calling out mismanagement, exposing toxic work cultures at senior levels, […]
By Nora Wahlbink As the Trump presidency dramatically intensified political polarization in the U.S., corporate activism became nearly a must-do. Many companies that had never taken a political stance before decided to speak out against extreme policies and in support of movements for racial justice and equity. During the 2020 presidential election, we suggested what the future […]
By Steve Weber and Ben Williams One of us recently got a COVID vaccine at the Oakland Coliseum in Northern California. It was a triumph of massive logistics on a scale that few Americans outside of the military ever get to see first-hand. A line of cars more than a mile long moved forward at […]
Photo by Sarah Dorweiler, Evano Community By: Jim Wyderko As our society begins to rebuild from the rubble of the pandemic, a myriad of complex societal issues loom on the horizon. Our world is diseased, and has been so for far longer than the onset of COVID-19. In times of crisis, we must focus on which […]
By Karianna Torres In a historic win, Democrats took control of the Senate through two unexpected elections in Georgia. To our collective surprise on the morning of January 6th, both John Osoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock were on track to win Senate seats. But why were these Democrats able to flip seats in traditionally red […]
By: Ben Williams Prior to the November election, I suggested corporations and leaders should to be prepared for a scenario in which consumers held them to a growing standard for corporate responsibility and activism. My argument centered around the impact the Trump administration’s unusual approach to governance, rhetoric, and social issues has had on our […]
There’s no denying the hype – whether for the themed food, half time show, QB standoff, your team in the game or the thrill of what ads will grace our screens this year. We’ve talked about corporate activism, what consumers expect from those with millions at their disposal. Attention is inevitably heightened following a year […]
By: Breakwater Staff Stay-at-home orders and quarantines provided us all a lot of time to fill in 2020. Between hours of Zoom calls, client projects and binge-watching TV, the Breakwater team found time to explore a broad array of excellent books this year. Here’s a list of 11 that made us think: The Decadent Society: […]
By Ben Williams, Associate Director With Election Day almost here, Americans across the country are anxious about the outcome and how it will influence our collective futures. Considering the impact leadership in Washington has on the regulatory and policy landscape, it is critical that businesses are prepared for any result. This cycle in particular, that preparation should […]
By: Lydie Neill and Jim Wyderko Throughout modern corporate history, society has benefited when corporations are strongly encouraged to act ethically and responsibly. This accountability requires corporations to recognize the responsibility they have to their consumers and stakeholders in order to uphold their reputations and continue business as usual. This is not a new concept, […]