News & Press

Business for America is mobilizing companies to sign a letter urging Congress to pass comprehensive bipartisan civics education legislation in 2022. The letter is open to the business community who will join a growing and diverse list of signatories including Allstate Insurance Company, American Sustainable Business Network, Aspen Skiing Company, Hannon Armstrong, Naturepedic, REI Co-op, Salesforce, and the San Francisco 49ers.

“Continued neglect of civics education will further weaken both our democratic institutions and our economic competitiveness,” said Sarah Bonk, founder of Business for America. “An investment in civics education produces a more informed and engaged citizenry, which leads to a more educated workforce, greater market stability, and better economic outcomes.”

More than 60 businesses across Pennsylvania signed a letter to legislative leaders, calling on them to focus on improving the economic climate and abandon efforts making it harder for people to vote.

The movement is a part of a larger trend toward civic engagement and protecting our democracy… Sarah Bonk started the civic organization Business for America after realizing that business engagement would be essential to overcoming political partisanship.

"Research shows that companies with more women in leadership have better financial performance, more innovation, and less risk. When our public servants more closely resemble America’s diverse voices, our democracy will work better, too. It’s an honor every day to work with women from across the country fighting to make our democracy truly representative." —Sarah Bonk, Business for America

"Our business members and partners agree that a competitive economy functions best in a representative democracy backed by the rule of law and adherence to norms. The assault on democracy in Ukraine is a stark reminder that we must also protect our democratic institutions here at home."

Business for America, whose members include PayPal and Warby Parker, said it was not enough for employers to issue statements and encourage staff to vote. “We urge all companies to ensure their future donations go to those supporting free, fair, accessible, and secure elections that represent the will of the people,” it said.

While everyone acknowledges our division and the social and cultural isolation at its core, doing something about it takes effort. Be of good cheer. There are those dedicated to doing just that, including organizations such as Business for America…

“Many companies watched what the Georgia legislature threatened to do with Delta, or boycott Coca-Cola, and said, ‘The risk is too great,’ ” said Richard Eidlin, national policy director for Business for America, a nonprofit coalition that promotes democratic engagement by corporations. Instead, he said, they are taking the posture, “We’re just going to sign a letter about the principles of fair elections and voter access, but avoid for now getting into the specifics of particular legislation.”

“Businesses are understanding these issues better than ever before. They’re understanding the costs and the risks for their business when they don’t have election laws that support their employees,” Bonk said on Y’all-itics. “And so, their attitude towards democracy has changed.”

A corporate leader might get lost in the debates. Sarah Bonk, the CEO of Business for America, a coalition of tech executives and investors promoting civic engagement, told me that her organization is in an educational phase for corporate leaders because businesses are reluctant to step into issues like this until they “really understand it.”

Moved by the spectacle of people queuing during the primaries — and by a sense that “democracy was fraying” — corporations stepped up, said Richard Eidlin, national policy director of Business for America, which organized corporate help for election officials in 28 states.

As the health and resilience of our democracy takes center stage, more groups like Business for America are emerging to mobilize the business community in ensuring safe and secure elections. Whether your company decides to join as a member or engage ad hoc, these groups are providing useful resources to help you plan.

But corporate America’s frustrations with Washington predate Mr Trump, Ms Bonk adds: “If they didn’t have to think about the political climate because it was stable, because problems were being solved, because we have predictability in our markets, they would be thrilled. But we’ve seen a failure of government to solve big problems for decades.”

The Coca-Cola Company is officially supporting several nonpartisan campaigns to encourage Americans to register and cast a ballot… From producing state-by-state voting guides for all U.S. employees to developing voter education resources, the company is committed to making sure everyone is informed about the election process and able to vote. Business for America’s Operation Vote Safe is working with Coca-Cola and the business community in Georgia.

We wrapped up the 3BL Virtual Forum by speaking to leaders from both the private and nonprofit sectors to weigh in on why it’s so important to them that anyone eligible to vote in the U.S. does so. "We’re not going to make progress on climate, on racial equity, on protection of essential workers without having government policies that are aligned with those outcomes.” —Sarah Bonk, founder and CEO of Business For America

Washington Secretary of State Kim Wyman said groups such as Business for America and the American Bar Association have also been on the ground this year advertising the need for poll workers. “[They’ve been] really trying to get their people to mobilize and support states…"

[Coca-Cola] has also joined Business for America’s Operation Vote Safe, a coalition working to safeguard and secure the 2020 election by providing assistance and resources to election administrators and polling centers.

Standing up for voting rights is no longer a niche cause. During the 2018 midterm elections, some companies stepped up, yet they were the usual politically active suspects, such as Patagonia. Not this year. Groups such as Business For America are galvanizing companies to ensure all citizens have the right to vote, and they are approaching this challenge from a nonpartisan perspective.

GaVotingWorks has partnered with Business for America and its Operation Vote Safe effort. Sarah Bonk said when she first had the idea to launch BFA a few years ago, it was challenging to get businesses involved. But she said their interest has grown more recently.

Retailers once limited their acknowledgment of an election cycle to “Vote” merch—if they addressed it at all. Now, a growing number of businesses are entering the conversation by encouraging higher voter turnout among their workers. Those efforts could build trust with employees, said Sarah Bonk, founder and CEO of Business for America, a corporate civic responsibility organization affiliated with Time to Vote.

"As business leaders, it's our responsibility to ensure our employees are able to exercise their right to express their preference in who leads their local community, their state and our country," wrote co-founders and co-CEOs Neil Blumenthal and Dave Gilboa, along with Business for America founder Sarah Bonk.

In the midst of this maneuvering for private gain, we’re glad to see a segment of the U.S. business community speak for the public interest, with a call for Congress to provide the “necessary funding for safe voting upgrades.” But more private sector voices are needed join this chorus, with the full weight of their lobbying capacity and political muscle.

Patagonia is a leading example of a company that has been very vocal about voting rights… The company is also partnering with Business for America, a nonprofit group that is pressuring the U.S. Congress to reform federal voting laws and secure the funds necessary so elections can run smoothly across the country.