A few weeks ago, I attended a monthly breakfast meeting at the posh Boston Harbor Hotel, with CEOs, Board of Directors, and their advisors. Their topic of the day was “What are the key issues for Board of Directors in 2012?”. There was a very thoughtful panel discussion and active questions from the audience. But, what struck me most about this event was that they spent over 30% of this time talking about the Occupy Movement. I was impressed by how serious they felt about the impact of this movement, new social media technology, and the rise of consumer activism. The panel stressed the importance of understanding the impact of their companies, and that they have responsibilities that go well beyond their shareholders to their customers, their employees, the environment and the communities they serve. If the Occupy Movement ever wonders if they are making a difference, I witnessed their impact first hand. This new social phenomena is changing the conversations, communication and sense of social responsibility at thoughtful companies.
Tom Wilson