Social movements, diversity, and corporate short-termism

Abstract

Social movements like #MeToo and #BlackLivesMatter, powered by social media, have given rise to heightened corporate activism on social issues. They have also drawn attention to the importance of addressing diversity issues for the workforce rather than simply at the board or management level. This Article argues that the focus on such social issues is desirable, and indeed necessary; however, myopic responses to social media pressures can be counterproductive. Instead, this Article proposes that corporate decisions and actions should be geared towards addressing issues that help the companies' stakeholders in the long term. Further, it argues that long-term policies that improve corporate culture will ultimately bear results because employees cannot be won over by mere virtue-signalling or short-term policies.