Issue No. 5 | July 28, 2025

Leadership and the Threat of Authoritarianism: Now is the Moment to Work Together

Authoritarianism is on the rise around the world, but we have the collective power to write a different future by working together across sectors. 

The stakes could not be higher as authoritarianism threatens our global economy, civil and human rights, and, in the U.S., fundamental rights like free speech, due process, and equal protection. We all have a critical role to play in what the future holds. For business leaders, a heads-down approach may feel safer than speaking up or taking action, but history tells a different story. 

Global examples, from Brazil to South Africa, teach us that business leadership is a powerful defense against the destruction of democratic norms and institutions that are foundational to a stable economy, healthy workplaces, and thriving communities. When the business community gives in or stays silent, neither democracy nor businesses fare well in the long run. Some businesses may experience short-term gains by staying quiet or striking deals, but history tells us this emboldens greater erosion of civil and human rights, undermines public trust, weakens economic growth, and does not offer lasting protection. 

Courageous leadership, foresight, and collective action are the only way forward. Effective action will require a mix of behind the scenes work and bold public efforts that bridge divides. Our recent efforts to organize a business amicus brief—uplifting the voices of 28 employers and trade associations from a wide array of industries to protect fair workplaces and our Constitution—makes clear that there is demand for collective business action. 

Now is the moment to work together and do even more. Read on to learn how you can join us in that work, access essential resources to fortify yourselves and your teams, and support businesses in standing up for fair workplaces and our Constitution.

If you believe in fair workplaces, leading with purpose, and running your business with integrity, you are not alone. Twenty-eight businesses and trade associations have already taken a stand by signing an amicus brief to protect the rights of employers to freely continue their critical and lawful diversity, equity, and inclusion work. 

They stand alongside 18 states and numerous civil society organizations to defend not just their own rights—but yours as well. Learn more about how you can join them by signing on or helping to spread the word.

Finger on the Pulse

The latest news, tools, and resources to support your efforts. For more, check out our Just and Fair Business Resource Hub.

• The recent passage of the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBA) will have varied impacts on business. Check out this overview for which industries and workers stand to gain from the legislation and which are likely to be worse off.  
   
• Authoritarianism is on the rise in the U.S. Check out this explainer to better understand what is happening; refer to this brief on the role of business in recognizing and countering authoritarian threats to democracy; and read the private sector section of this playbook for corporate best practices to defend our constitutional democracy. 
   
• Despite backlash, thoughtful diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility efforts are popular and continue to deliver with minimal need for adjustment. Shareholders are overwhelmingly voting down anti-DEI proposals. And most U.S. business leaders think their companies should maintain or expand their programs given the correlation with key business outcomes and higher reputation scores. 
   
• The evolving legal landscape presents a complex set of risks in both advancing and retreating from diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. Refer to this guidance from former Equal Employment Opportunity Commissioners and Department of Labor officials for a clear roadmap to lawful and effective diversity, equity, and inclusion practices. And check out this new data revealing the significant risks of retreat—including talent, financial, legal, and reputational risks—with practical recommendations for maintaining commitments in the face of headwinds.

A Tribute to a Giant

On June 22nd, 2025, we lost a true visionary. Andrew Kassoy, co-founder of B Lab, and our cherished friend and colleague, passed away after a courageous battle with cancer.

Andrew’s legacy is woven into the very fabric of our work. He is now one of the revered ancestors on whose shoulders we stand—a guiding light who challenged us to reimagine the role of business in society. Through his unwavering commitment, Andrew helped ignite a global shift: transforming business into a force for good and championing the principle that every enterprise bears a profound duty of care to people, communities, and the planet.

We invite you to watch this moving tribute to hear firsthand what fueled his tireless dedication, and to join us in carrying forward his call to rebuild our economic system on the foundation of care.

Share your CRE Alliance Impact Story

We continue to hear powerful stories of how our resources are supporting efforts to build fair workplaces, educate the next generation of business leaders, and advance an equitable economy. This is a call for more stories of positive impact: How are our resources helping you navigate the current environment? Whether you are leveraging our curated briefings to support internal alignment or referencing the draft Business Standards for 21st Century Leadership to advance your work, we would love to hear how you leverage our tools to further your work!

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Doing the Work

Tools and guidance for implementing best practices that achieve meaningful outcomes. 

This month we’re spotlighting actionable resources to support delivering essential benefits for workers from our draft Job Quality Standard which is one of fourteen Business Standards for 21st Century Leadership.

Offering essential benefits that are accessible and affordable is vital both to companies and their workers—especially now, with the OBBA’s deep cuts to social safety net benefits. While employee benefits make up about 30% of the average worker’s paycheck and are essential to overall well-being, millions of workers continue to lack access to adequate benefits. At the same time, employees who use and have positive experiences with their benefits are 1.8x more likely to trust their employer’s leadership and quality employee benefits contribute to increased worker engagement, productivity, retention, and the overall positive financial performance of companies. 

• Just getting started: Refer to this Quality Jobs Framework to understand comprehensive benefits as a key component of quality jobs and this Job Quality Outcomes Map to see how business outcomes map to specific benefits and job design decisions. And check out this survey data for a list of benefits that employees value most. 
   
• Build your toolkit: Refer to section 6.2 in our draft Job Quality standard (beginning on p.10) for guidelines to establish a comprehensive, inclusive, and affordable health and wellness benefits package. Use this Benefits Scorecard to understand the role that a wide range of public and private benefit offerings play in supporting the financial security of workers and ways to improve your offerings. Refer to the IRS’s Minimum Value and Affordability guidance for designing benefits that are accessible to workers. 
   
• Case studies: Check out this brief outlining the key steps for taking a data-driven approach to understanding employee needs and designing benefits programs that increase equity, with several examples of companies putting the steps into practice. Take care to ensure your data collection practices are consistent with data privacy rules and best practices. 
   
• Ready to level-up: Explore options for increasing benefits transparency, given the documented impact of transparency on pay equity. And refer to the Responsible Contracting Standard for guidance on how to extend family-sustaining pay and benefits commitments to indirect workers (written for tech companies but more broadly applicable to companies that rely on a contracted workforce).

Keep in Touch and Stay Up to Date

Learn more about the Corporate Racial Equity Alliance founding partners: FSG, JUST Capital, and PolicyLink.