As the Israel-Hamas war intensifies, you have probably seen statements and comments about it from large companies like Amazon right down to your local coffee shop.
Which businesses do we need to hear from, and which should refrain from wading into international issues?
Sandy Lish, principal and co-founder of The Castle Group, said it's complicated. First, companies should consider why they are putting out a statement, and whether it's because the issue impacts stakeholders or simply because everyone else is doing it.
Kelley Chunn, principal of Kelley Chunn and Associates, said statements should reflect an organization's values or provide logistical information if, for example, they do business in the affected area or with affected people. "It runs the gamut and it does start with the why," Chunn said.
She added that faith-based organizations can provide a calming and comforting presence during a crisis, and serve the community well by commenting.
Lish said for many organizations, it is not their responsibility to comment about a war that is complicated and nuanced, as they can be left with a mess.
"The bottom line is, stay in your lane. What is your lane? What is your reason... don't try to bleed out into someone else's lane because that's when it really does become challenging," Lish said.
Just because a business commented on other large event such as January 6 or the war in Ukraine, doesn't mean they have to do it every time, Chunn said. "The messaging requires attention to the moment and not to what you might have done in an earlier scenario."
