If you’re the CEO of a big company or you work closely with one, you know the role of Head Honcho is incredibly complex and demanding. Among the CEO’s critical responsibilities is the need to report consistently to key stakeholders like investors, shareholders, regulators, Indigenous and community partners, employees, and customers. It doesn’t leave much time to educate the public on the company’s contribution to building a just, prosperous, productive society.

That said, well-timed, meaningful communication from the CEO to broad public audiences is vital on a number of levels. Here are a few reasons why, from practical to transcendent:

• It profiles the CEO and enhances their stature, likability and credibility. This lends validity to their image as an effective leader of the company, community and country, and allows the CEO to expand their sphere of influence.
• It supports the company’s reputation as a good corporate citizen. This fosters public trust and strengthens the firm’s license to operate.
• It shows companies can have compassion in their hearts and dollar signs in their eyes. That is, it vividly demonstrates that caring and profiting are not mutually exclusive and that, in fact, the two are maximized when combined and leveraged.
• It inspires individuals to act and communities to come together. It builds the nation and fortifies the future for generations to come. It expands our capacity to imagine and create a better world.

Therefore, the bottom line is that the bottom line isn’t. The CEO needs to speak powerfully and genuinely to matters of consequence on a routine basis, and they need to lead by example. When there is a vacuum of perspective and leadership from CEOs, it is filled by those who believe corporate Canada doesn’t care – and if it goes on long enough, they make a worthy point.