The JUST Report

Jennifer Tonti, our Managing Director of Survey Research, summarizes here what went wrong (and what went right) with this election cycle’s political polling, and how JUST’s approach differs.

Public and private sectors are locked in a constant struggle, with the pendulum swinging between regulation and taxation on the one side, and free enterprise and profits on the other. For the good of the country, this has to change.

As I write this, the outcome of the Presidential election is still on a razor’s edge. Whoever emerges victorious will face a divided Congress and a country riven by political discord and scarred by an electoral process that has pushed us to the limit.

With Election Day less than a week away, we built upon our recent polling and asked Americans what role they think companies and corporate leaders should play in upholding and protecting democracy.

Last year, before COVID-19 rocked our world, we looked at three myths of sustainable – or “just” – investing. Myth #3 was that raising wages will kill share price and destroy value for investors (spoiler alert: this is not true).

This week saw the release of our new annual rankings of America’s Most JUST Companies and our celebration with Forbes of the new JUST 100 list.The event did not disappoint.

Investing in workers is a strategic investment to your bottom line, and a down payment on future growth.

Whether they are working from home full time or part time, or are on the frontline, they have to – in an unprecedented way – find a balance between supporting their families and ensuring their kids are learning.

As we head into Labor Day, six months into a pandemic that has caused us to revisit our assumptions about what it means to be a resilient business, its time to discuss the most important business stakeholders in our society – workers.

Two events this week highlighted the extremes of worker empowerment in America today. Once again, the defining social issues of 2020 – COVID-19 and racial equity – were the catalyst. 

Providing hazard pay is stakeholder capitalism in action

If one thing has become clear this year, it’s that corporate stakeholder performance claims – on COVID-19, racial equity, and other “S” issues – must be backed by real action.

Americans want a “Great Reset”, but corporate actions to protect worker health, extend hazard pay and protect jobs are faltering.

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