Business & Democracy
The Business & Democracy Commission is a practical initiative from Jericho, Ipsos and the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR), designed to help businesses navigate today’s volatile political and cultural landscape – and secure their licence to operate in the years ahead.
From global conflict and protest movements to the climate crisis, AI disruption and rising populism, businesses are under growing pressure to respond to social and political issues – often in real time, and with high stakes. The traditional boundaries between commerce and public life are blurring. Trust, legitimacy and long-term success increasingly depend on how organisations engage with the world around them.
Starting in the UK, the Commission is taking a two-stage approach. An interim report to set out the core challenges and a second report with a practical framework designed to help businesses navigate this socio-political environment and protect long-term resilience.
The Commission is Chaired by Sir Ian Cheshire, and we are fortunate to have a group of Commissioners who bring a wealth of expertise and experience to the table including Mete Coban, CEO, My Life My Say; Margaret Heffernan, Author & Entrepreneur; Robin Hodess, Strategy Lead, The B Team; Baroness Denise Kingsmill, Labour Peer and Member of the Board of Directors of Inditex; Alastair McCapra, Chief Executive, CIPR; Thomas Fife-Schaw, Managing Director, Ipsos Corporate Reputation; Ruth Yeoman, Fellow, Kellogg College, University of Oxford; and Anthony Zacharzewski, President, The Democratic Society.
For Further Information, please contact:
Becky Holloway, Programme Director
Recent Reports
Business & Democracy: What’s the Problem?
The first report from the Business and Democracy Commission, explores the key challenges in the evolving relationship between these two important pillars.
It outlines why business and democracy rely on each other, and sets out some of the key challenges and opportunities for business along with the potential risks of doing nothing.
Download the full report here.
Navigating Growing Political Pressures
Based on interviews with leading corporate figures and real-life case studies, the report outlines six risks for business leaders if the relationship between business and democracy breaks down. These include rising populism, unstable markets, unpredictable regulation, rapid political change and higher reputational exposure. It concludes with a practical framework designed to help businesses navigate this socio-political environment and protect long-term resilience.
Download the full report here.
Programme Updates
Further Reading
The Interim report, explores the key challenges in the evolving relationship between business and democracy. Download a copy of the report here.