Drop the ‘woke’ posing and stick to your day job, companies told Businesses should avoid wading in on political and social issues, almost half of Britons believe, according to new study

[ChristinaXYZ]

Something for Sainsbury's Barclays and John Lewis to chew on - LGBT rights least popular:

twitter.com/psychojography/status/1411802854936002563

"Meanwhile, respondents were asked to pick their top four of 16 accusations that would give them the least favourable impression of a company. The most commonly picked accusation was that a company “pays its workers poorly even as top executives receive extravagant bonuses”, which was selected by 44 per cent of respondents. Only 13 per cent said that a company “remain[ing] silent on key social issues” was among the top least favourable accusations.

Dr Luntz also asked respondents which of 13 issues they wanted businesses in Britain to take more of a leadership role on. The most popular of which was climate change, with the “future of work” coming second and “economic inequality” third.

The issue selected by the fewest people as an issue on which companies should take a lead was LGBTQ rights, which was chosen by 8 per cent of people, including 11 per cent of Labour voters and 5 per cent of Conservative voters. Stonewall, the equalities charity, has faced controversy over its “diversity champions” programme, which includes guidance for companies and public bodies on gender-neutral spaces and the use of pronouns."

I don't think it is because of a rise in homophobia that LGBT rights is the least popular but because of the hectoring and lecturing and lack of actually making any serious points about issues that need genuine help in the UK (like young people perhaps being forced out of the family home when they come out); or hypocrisy like lecturing people in the UK which is a pretty tolerant place, on use of pronouns and doing nothing at all about trading in places where homosexuality is still illegal.

The Times has an article about this:

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/0cb40be8-dd03-11eb-ab4e-c25eb6444929?shareToken=50e3b3ed374fb7ee71c569763cfd4d9d

wow. 1.5K comments and rapidly growing.

A lot of them saying that there is no such thing as a culture war. I just skimmed them though.

Have you put the right Twitter reference OP? That one takes me to a load of of photographs of somewhat brutal architecture.

@RedDogsBeg

Have you put the right Twitter reference OP? That one takes me to a load of of photographs of somewhat brutal architecture.

Whoops

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/07/04/drop-woke-posing-stick-day-job-companies-told

@ChristinaXYZ

Something for Sainsbury's Barclays and John Lewis to chew on - LGBT rights least popular:

twitter.com/psychojography/status/1411802854936002563

"Meanwhile, respondents were asked to pick their top four of 16 accusations that would give them the least favourable impression of a company. The most commonly picked accusation was that a company “pays its workers poorly even as top executives receive extravagant bonuses”, which was selected by 44 per cent of respondents. Only 13 per cent said that a company “remain[ing] silent on key social issues” was among the top least favourable accusations.

Dr Luntz also asked respondents which of 13 issues they wanted businesses in Britain to take more of a leadership role on. The most popular of which was climate change, with the “future of work” coming second and “economic inequality” third.

The issue selected by the fewest people as an issue on which companies should take a lead was LGBTQ rights, which was chosen by 8 per cent of people, including 11 per cent of Labour voters and 5 per cent of Conservative voters. Stonewall, the equalities charity, has faced controversy over its “diversity champions” programme, which includes guidance for companies and public bodies on gender-neutral spaces and the use of pronouns."

I don't think it is because of a rise in homophobia that LGBT rights is the least popular but because of the hectoring and lecturing and lack of actually making any serious points about issues that need genuine help in the UK (like young people perhaps being forced out of the family home when they come out); or hypocrisy like lecturing people in the UK which is a pretty tolerant place, on use of pronouns and doing nothing at all about trading in places where homosexuality is still illegal.

The right link:

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/07/04/drop-woke-posing-stick-day-job-companies-told

Thanks ChristinaXYZ, I was a tad confused.

I think the results are predictable. I would wager most people roll their eyes when they walk into their local Sainsbury's or wherever and see rainbow flags everywhere.

Mariella Frostrup is doing a piece on this in her programme today. I think she's interviewing Frank Luntz, the guy who did the research. It will be on from 1.00pm Times Radio. You should be able to catch up later. I will have to catch up so can't help you with what time the interview will start

It's a bit worrying that the narrative appears to be that:

woke = left wing = labour voter = caring about people's rights

And

non-woke = not believing your country is institutionally racist or biased = not caring about people's rights = right wing = Conservative voter

Whereas actually, for example, GC does not = not caring about racism and discrimination and does not = being right wing.

Since when does being anti-sexism and pro women's rights make one right wing?!

well said Lazy I agree. The majority of the population are likely to be on the GC side, so that means we're all right wing religious zealots. Pity that because it might indicate that Labour wont ever get into government again

Can they tell the royal college of nursing too? Although I think they always have the flag up.

I have noticed fewer shops doing the whole thing this year - but more ‘big business’ (construction industry, property management for some reason).

I won’t be visiting the 4th plinth in trafalgar sq any time soon either.

There is a rise in homophobia. It's a toxic combination of the old fashioned kind that you still see overtly in Russia etc, and backlash kind that is stoked up by corporate rainbow washing yoking LGB people who only ever wanted simple parity of rights, with a lobby that threatens safeguarding of children and vulnerable people, fairness in sport, free speech and privacy, and will attempt to economically or physically punish you if you object.

I'm slowly becoming convinced that Stonewall decided, after the end of section 28, and the gain of equal marriage, that keeping anti-gay sentiment alive was important to maintain a revenue stream. Because all the relentless focus on the QT has done is make people angry with the LGB. Unreasonably, yes. But that's cold fucking comfort while Hunt sits in her ivory palace and the rest of us have to endure a resurgence of 'This is what happens when you give them rights...'

I'm slowly becoming convinced that Stonewall decided, after the end of section 28, and the gain of equal marriage, that keeping anti-gay sentiment alive was important to maintain a revenue stream.

You're not the only one. That's occurred to me too.

It became an amazing money spinner. They also got into bed with lawyers and big business. It’s not about rights anymore - it’s about £££

I was invited to send in some feedback for a product I have liked very much but recently found rather tiresome with their virtue signalling. So that's pretty much what I said, great product and lots about it I like, but don't assume we have the same values on every issue and I am a customer wanting to buy a product, not an audience to be lectured at or told off..

I don't really care what the campaign is - having every single company doing the same flag-waving is fucking weird and creepy.

It's weird with them doing it with rainbow flags and BLM stuff, and it would be just as weird and creepy if they were all flying "I heart JKR" and "Woman - Adult Human Female" banners.

Just stop it. Whatever it is.

It’s creepy because it’s almost always so shamelessly self promoting and bandwagon jumping. Like the Pepsi ad a few years back with a supermodel handing out drinks cans to a crowd of protesters - it got absolutely slated and removed in days.

I think many of these companies do have decent corporate social responsibility plans which often partner with small local groups but when CSR gets bastardised by the marketing strategy it all gets ridiculous.