The Myth of Business Neutrality
- A.R.
- May 1
- 4 min read
In today's society, marginalized communities continue to face discrimination created by systemic power imbalances. Women, racial minorities, people with disabilities, immigrants, and LGBTQ+ individuals regularly encounter policies that limit their rights and opportunities. These power dynamics extend into business interactions, where companies either challenge or reinforce these disparities through their practices and public positions. For marginalized groups, a business's willingness to openly support equality can mean the difference between feeling welcome or excluded.
Some might argue that businesses should remain "neutral" on social issues. However, this position fails to recognize that there is no truly neutral position. Not taking a stand is itself a choice that maintains the status quo, including systemic discrimination. When businesses choose "neutrality," they are effectively deciding that current power imbalances are acceptable. As Desmond Tutu powerfully stated: "If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor."¹ Businesses claiming to be value-neutral allow discrimination to continue unchallenged.
The Real Experience of Small Businesses
The challenge for small businesses is real. Many feel caught between conflicting customer expectations, especially in diverse communities with mixed political perspectives. As one business owner explained to the Our Values Are project: "Our town has a diverse community, and our customer base is likely an even mix of conservative and liberal shoppers. We feel that choosing to display the image might alienate conservative shoppers."
This concern reflects the genuine dilemma many small businesses face. However, this perspective overlooks something crucial: when businesses attempt to remain "neutral" by avoiding statements on human dignity and equality, they've still made a choice—one that preserves existing power imbalances.
The Our Values Are project isn't asking businesses to make a partisan political statement, but rather to affirm core principles of human dignity that should transcend political divides. When a business hesitates to publicly support these values out of concern for "neutrality," they inadvertently communicate to marginalized communities that their comfort and safety are negotiable. Large businesses are being impacted by their lack of commitment to human values. Major retailers like Target have faced significant consumer boycotts after rolling back their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Target saw foot traffic decline by 9% year-over-year in February 2025 following their January announcement to eliminate minority hiring goals and end their racial equity committee.⁵ This consumer response highlights how values alignment has become increasingly important to many shoppers who expect businesses to maintain their commitments to inclusion and equality.
The Strength of Taking a Stand
The business world is increasingly recognizing that neutrality is neither possible nor desirable. Companies that explicitly stand for values—especially values related to human dignity—often find that they attract customers and employees who share those commitments.
As one small business owner who displays the Our Values Are image explained: "After adding the image to our website footer, we felt good that customers would know our commitment and would choose to shop with us. These are the kind of customers we want to attract and serve. Look, we're open for business to everyone, but are their hearts open to anyone?"
This experience isn't unusual. Research from the Edelman Trust Barometer shows that 64% of consumers are belief-driven buyers who choose, switch, avoid, or boycott brands based on the brand's stand on societal issues.³
Why Displaying Inclusive Values Matters
In this context, initiatives like Our Values Are become particularly important. By displaying the Our Values Are image, small businesses with digital presence can:
Create Clarity: Clearly communicate their commitment to equality, respect, and kindness to potential customers without ambiguity.
Build Safe Spaces: Signal to marginalized communities that they will be treated with dignity and respect when engaging with the business.
Join a Community: Connect with a network of like-minded businesses committed to creating a more inclusive marketplace.
Counter Harmful Narratives: Provide a visible alternative to exclusionary business models that market discrimination as a value.
Live Authentic Values: Align external communications with internal commitments to treating all people with dignity and respect.
Research consistently shows that businesses benefit from inclusive practices. A 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer study found that 71% of consumers expect businesses to address social challenges, with 59% making purchasing decisions based on a company's stance on social issues.³ Meanwhile, diverse and inclusive companies consistently outperform their peers financially.⁴
Moving Beyond the Neutrality Myth
The idea that businesses can or should be "neutral" on matters of human dignity is increasingly outdated. In a divided society where fundamental rights are being questioned, silence is not neutrality—it's complicity with the status quo.
By displaying the Our Values Are image, small businesses don't need to make complex political statements. They simply affirm that all people deserve dignity, respect, and kindness—values that should transcend political divides.
In today's marketplace, values matter. Businesses that clearly communicate their commitment to universal human dignity aren't just doing the right thing—they're positioning themselves for success in a world where consumers increasingly expect the companies they support to stand for something meaningful.
Get the Our Values Are image → Display it on your website → Amplify your values!
References
¹ Desmond Tutu, quoted in Brown, R. M. (1984). Unexpected News: Reading the Bible with Third World Eyes. Westminster John Knox Press, p. 19.
² Edelman. (2022). 2022 Special Report: The New Cascade of Influence. Retrieved from https://www.edelman.com/trust/2022-trust-barometer/special-report-new-cascade-of-influence
³ Edelman. (2023). Edelman Trust Barometer 2023. Retrieved from https://www.edelman.com/trust/2023-trust-barometer
⁴ McKinsey & Company. (2023). Diversity Wins: How Inclusion Matters. Retrieved from https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/diversity-and-inclusion/diversity-wins-how-inclusion-matters
⁵ CNN. (2025, April 21). Target rolled back DEI efforts. A boycott ensued – and traffic dropped. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/21/business/target-boycott-jamal-bryant-minority-businesses/index.html