Policy Exchange’s Politicising Business project will document and explore the role and influence of social and ideological considerations on contemporary business, particularly the extent to which business has been captured by special interest groups. Policy Exchange will methodically document how this is occurring.

As part of this project we are launching a Call for Evidence asking corporations, employees, and citizens to share their personal experiences and concerns about the ways in which modern companies are being politicised. We are also publishing a Compendium drawing together a range of recent developments and changes in companies, centred on instances in which modern companies have been influenced by political pressure.

Exclusive polling conducted for Policy Exchange has found that:

• 50% of people agree that businesses have become too concerned with taking political positions on contested issues. Only 14% disagree.
• 75% of people believe that companies should prioritise hiring on merit, regardless of race or gender, rather than hiring to create a diverse team.
•  61% of people would rather work for a company that is ‘passionately committed to delivering excellent customer service’ while only 28% of people would choose a company that would ‘always prioritise creating a diverse and inclusive space for everyone’.