The Price of Silence: Why Neutrality No Longer Protects Organizations
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.34630/tth.v6i1.7327Keywords:
Corporate Social Advocacy, Organizational Legitimacy, Positioning, Chief Communication Officer (CCO), Ideological Polarization, Institutional ObsolescenceAbstract
In an ecosystem defined by polarization and unprecedented demographic pressures, corporate neutrality has shifted from a strategic refuge to a critical reputational risk. This article examines the emergence of Corporate Social Advocacy (CSA) as a response to this new paradigm, exploring three fundamental pillars: the pressure from Generations Z and Alpha, the psychology of moral legitimacy, and the imperative of authenticity in leadership. It is considered that the Chief Communication Officer (CCO) must become an institutional coach since social positioning is now a crucial prerequisite for organizational survival. In the face of institutional obsolescence and the absence of the organization's social license to operate in a world that no longer accepts a vacuum of values, this role guarantees complete congruence between public rhetoric and practice.References
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