Bentley University and the Massachusetts Business Roundtable brought together business leaders from across the Bay State for a dinner and discussion focused on this year’s results. Bentley-Gallup Business in Society Reportwhich reveals the extent to which Americans believe businesses have an impact on society.
The Boston event featured executives from Alkermes, American Tower Corporation, Berkshire Bank, Deloitte, Design Communications Ltd., EY, General Dynamic Mission System, Liberty Mutual, Orsted Offshore North America and TD Bank.
The conversation focused on the challenges businesses face during this time of technological change and political tension and explored questions such as: When should organizations speak out? How should they adopt AI? What should they be doing about diversity and inclusion? The 2024 Bentley-Gallup Business in Society Report, which surveyed 5,835 adults in the United States, sheds light on how the American public believes businesses can harness their potential to do good in our society.
The discussion covered current topics covered in the Bentley-Gallup investigation, such as:
Americans’ Positive View of Business
The 2024 survey finds that the majority of Americans (63%) view businesses as having a somewhat positive (41%) or extremely positive (22%) impact on people’s lives. That 63% is unchanged from 2023, but represents an improvement of eight percentage points from 2022, when 55% of Americans said the same.
Support for businesses speaking out is declining
Public support for companies that take public stands on current events and social issues continues to decline. In 2024, 38% of Americans believe companies should take a public stand, up from 41% in 2023 and 48% in 2022. Executives agree that it is important for companies to understand what issues are important to their stakeholders, including employees and customers. as they decide when and if to speak out.
DEI remains important despite the withdrawal of some companies
In 2024, the backlash from some companies against DEI continues, with Ford and John Deere announcing they are reviewing or withdrawing their DEI efforts and programs. But the Bentley-Gallup Business in Society report shows that the majority of Americans (59%) believe companies with a diverse workforce are more profitable and produce more innovative products. There was consensus among dinner attendees that DEI remains a priority regardless of climate.
Americans’ concerns about the use of artificial intelligence by businesses
The executives also discussed the impact of AI as it reshapes the professional landscape. The Bentley-Gallup survey reveals that a strong majority of Americans (77%) say they do not trust companies to use AI responsibly. However, 57% also say businesses could alleviate concerns about AI by being transparent about how they use it. Three-quarters of Americans also believe that AI will reduce the total number of jobs in the country over the next ten years.
For more information on the survey, please visit bentley.edu/Gallup.
