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corporate civic playbook
We encourage you to leverage the best practices included in the Playbook within your organization, share them with others, and join our community of more than 1,250 leading companies who are committed to civic engagement. Together, we are building a future where everyone participates in shaping our country, and where every company empowers employees and customers to be active and engaged in civic life.
Cor•po•rate Civ•ic En•gage•ment:
’kôrp(ə)rət ’sivik in’gājmənt
(noun)
How a company empowers people to participate in shaping the affairs of their community and nation through the democratic process. These company policies, practices, and communications—whether for employees or external audiences, and whether to encourage education or action—are conducted without regard to political party, platform, candidate, or outcome.
understanding corporate civic engagement
Civic engagement efforts connect values, purpose, and mission to your stakeholders and support business strategy. They impact the bottom line by:
supporting culture
supporting company culture and enhancing business financials
deepening engagement
deepening employee engagement and a sense of purpose
increasing loyalty
increasing consumer loyalty and enhancing brand perception
building equitable communities
creating more prosperous stakeholders and building equitable communities
Companies are activating on these opportunities, while supporting democracy by:
encouraging
encouraging employees, customers, and communities to vote
recruiting
recruiting poll workers and supporting election officials
participating
participating in joint statements on democratic principles
“Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco”
- Joe Madden, Old NFL
“At Old Navy, inclusivity and opportunity have always been part of our DNA. With 50,000 employees in our stores across the country, we sow an opportunity, and a responsibility to help. That’s why we are emplowering our employees to get involved this Election Day, without the concern of missing a paycheck.”
- Nancy Green CEO, Old Navy
dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.- Nancy Green CEO, Old Navy
case studies
Old Navy provides employees time to power the polls
“At Old Navy, inclusivity and opportunity have always been part of our DNA. With 50,000 employees in our stores across the country, we saw an opportunity, and a responsibility to help. That’s why we are empowering our employees to get involved this Election Day, without the concern of missing a paycheck.”
- Nancy Green CEO, Old Navy
the challenge
A lack of poll workers due to the COVID-19 pandemic threatened to close polling places and increase wait times, making voting less accessible.
the solution
Old Navy proactively recruited poll workers from its 50,000 employee base, providing eight hours of paid time if an employee was selected to work as a poll worker. The company also provided up to three paid hours to vote and established a "no meetings" day to increase scheduling flexibility on Election Day in 2020. Old Navy also invited customers to volunteer as poll workers through their website, recruiting hundreds of individuals across the country.
the impact
Thousands of hours of poll support resulted from this effort, and Old Navy's election program was awarded Employee Benefit of the Year by HR Dive. Old Navy's parent company, Gap Inc., expanded the program across all of its brands to further increase the positive momentum. The initiative resulted in more than 2 billion earned media impressions, and the highest social media buzz the brand had ever received in a single day.
Under Armour seeks to educate and encourage voter turnout
“There’s no doubt that public policy impacts business in terms of tax, trade and social issues. But we also have an opportunity to help our people become comfortable, confident and passionate about ways to engage on social issues that are personally important.”
- Hun Quach, Senior Director, Government Relations, Under Armour
the challenge
Based in Baltimore, which historically has one of the lowest voter turnout rates of any metropolitan area in the United States. Under Armour launched its initial ‘Run to Vote’ program to make election-related information more accessible and encourage voter participation.
the solution
Under Armour equipped teammates and its community with the information and resources needed to vote through a publicly available website. To extend the reach of their efforts, the company partnered with local nonprofit organizations and provided paid time off for their employees to vote, reducing a barrier to voter turnout for thousands of employees in Baltimore and around the country.
the impact
With Under Armour's support, one community partner produced 10,000 "Party at the Mailbox" voter education kits tailored for elections in Baltimore and other markets. In Maryland 2020 voter turnout increased by 4.1% over the 2016 elections.
Salesforce sees civic engagement as a competitive advantage
"Employee civic engagement has long been a priority for Salesforce, but we knew employees we looking for even more tools and educational opportunities. By expanding our Government Affairs Speaker Series with voting-related topics and expanding our employee communications around key opportunities to get involved like voter deadlines, we saw our highest level of employee engagement."
- Katie Meares, Manager, US State & Local Government Affairs, Midwest, Salesforce
the challenge
Salesforce, long a leader in leveraging civic engagement, sought a way to deepen inclusiveness for all its employees and to expand existing civic tools and resources for the benefit of consumers and corporate partners.
the solution
Bolstered by the support of senior leadership, Salesforce launched a new civic engagement program that included nonpartisan educational tools, candidate forums and Get Out the Vote efforts, including allowing employees to use volunteer hours to server as poll workers.
the impact
More than 2,000 employees registered for election reminders in 2020, an almost 100% increase in participation, while nearly 700 individuals signed up to serve as poll workers. Additionally, employees expanded these educational efforts to local high schools and colleges to recruit additional voters and poll workers.
Levis Strauss & Co. empowers employees and consumers to be active citizens
"We must use our voice and resources to support our people and communities, providing the support they need and taking stands on issues from gun violence to voter participation to racial justice to gender equity."
-Chip Bergh, President and CEO
the challenge
Levi Strauss & Co. has always lived by its values of originality, empathy, integrity and courage, and has a long history of employee volunteerism and philanthropic efforts. The company has consistently stood up in support of the social issues that have defined our times. But in a time when voting rights are under attack and voter turnout is low, and as employees and customers look to business leaders to take further action on social issues, LS&Co. responded with an ambitious plan to engage employees and customers in the democratic process through their vote.
the solution
Levi Strauss & Co. empowered employees to become active, informed and vocal citizens in their communities by encouraging voter registration, engaging them in get-out-the-vote efforts, recruiting poll workers, and leveraging its social media accounts to encourage civic discussion between customers, employees and thought leaders. Next they doubled down on philanthropic giving by supporting voter rights and engagement nonprofits, giving paid time off to volunteer and matching financial donations and volunteer time from employees.
the impact
Levi Strauss & Co.'s efforts drove strong civic engagement across its employees and customers by empowering 75 vote captains in their corporate, retail and distribution centers to encourage employees and people in their communities to vote, recruiting 200 poll workers to serve across the U.S. and connecting with more than 15 million individuals on social media about the importance of civic discussion.
Its efforts to create profit through principles paid off, activating employees to increase their own philanthripic giving efforts by a stunning 471% increase to civil rights, social action and advocacy causes. These efforts and many more earned Levi Strauss & Co. a spot on Fortune's World's Most Admired Companies in both 2020 and 2021.
Snap Inc. uses in-app tools to promote deeper civic engagement
"Snapchat reaches 90% of American 13-24 year olds. We hope launching the 'Run for Office Mini' changes the idea of who can be in office - that no matter who you are, where you come from, that you can make a difference in your local community by running for office based on the issues you care most about."
-Sofia Gross, Head of Policy Partnerships and Social Impact, Snap Inc.
the challenge
Young Americans face a host of barriers to participating in our democracy, from voting to seeking office. With a strong track record of engaging Snapchatters in the voting process, Snap Inc. set out to encourage more young people to consider running for local office.
the solution
In fall 2021, Snapchat launched the 'Run for Office Mini' to help shape the next generation of leaders and a more reflective and equitable democracy. Snapchatters can learn about elected positions in their community, nominate their friends to run, and connect with 10 diverse candidate recruitment organizations.
the impact
Within one week, Snapchat saw incredible levels of engagement, with over 2 million individuals using the 'Run for Office Mini.' More than 24,000 Snapchatters expressed interest in working with one of 10 partner candidate recruitment organizations. Additionally, more than 46,000 users nominated a friend to run. As a result, the company is helping to shape the next generation of American leadership.
MTV entertainment group convenes and inspires civic program
“Every rite of passage is celebrated in order to mark its importance and that is why we were proud to bring together over 2,700 world-class brands, NGOs and public officials to create a new national holiday to help voters celebrate and ritualize the act of voting early.”
- Chris McCarthy President of MTV and ViacomCBS Youth & Entertainment Brands
the challenge
Brands like MTV have a long history of driving their audiences and consumers to register to vote. When it comes to driving turnout, however, many brands wait until Election Day to encourage their communities to go vote. By then, it’s too late to get out the vote. Over the last decade, early voting and voting by mail have become increasingly popular but, unfortunately, rules vary by jurisdiction, so it’s hard for national companies to play a big role encouraging voters to cast their ballots before Election Day. What if we could help communities to vote early?
the solution
Identifying this opportunity, MTV Entertainment Group brought together a dozen leading civic engagement experts from across the nonprofit, philanthropic, and corporate community (e.g., Twitter, Snapchat, Democracy Works, Students Learn Students Votes, and more) to design a new civic holiday called Vote Early Day. Vote Early Day - first celebrated on October 24, 2020 - became a national movement of nonprofits, businesses, election administrators, and creatives working to ensure all Americans know their options to vote early. Like National Voter Registration Day or #GivingTuesday, it was designed to be an open-source and brand-agnostic holiday so partners have the freedom to celebrate in whatever way works best for them
the impact
The first Vote Early Day cultivated more than 2,700 partners from across the country – driving more than 3 million votes (the most ever on the Saturday, 10 days before Election Day). On social, celebrities with a combined following of more than 350 million called on people to vote early and #VoteEarlyDay trended on Twitter for more than 10 hours (hitting the #1 spot). The day had more than 120M impressions, more than 1.4M engagements, and 110,000+ unique authors on social media. From parades to BBQs, there were celebrations across the country – including MTV-funded public art in 20 cities across the country. Vote Early Day is now an annual holiday and you can join us at www.voteearlyday.org.
Over 94% of respondent companies offered time off to vote in 2020.
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The vast majority of respondents reported that they would offer similar time off to vote policies for future federal elections, even if they look a bit different.
Member companies offered time off on a specific day, flexible options, or a combination of both to support elections in 2020.
Respondents identified many ways their companies could support elections, with communications and flexible time to vote among the most frequently cited efforts.
“Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco”
- Joe Madden, Old NFL
“At Old Navy, inclusivity and opportunity have always been part of our DNA. With 50,000 employees in our stores across the country, we sow an opportunity, and a responsibility to help. That’s why we are emplowering our employees to get involved this Election Day, without the concern of missing a paycheck.”
- Nancy Green CEO, Old Navy
dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.- Nancy Green CEO, Old Navy
creating your action plan
Most organizations begin building a civic foundation by ensuring employees are informed, prepared, and able to vote in local and national elections, then extend their efforts to activate and connect with customers, partners, and investors.
1.
Have we ensured our employees have the time to vote, are aware of their upcoming elections and are able to access the polls?
2.
How can we leverage civic knowledge and participation to deepen employee engagement?
3.
What brand resources do we have that will engage our customers in authentic, nonpartisan civic efforts?
4.
How can civic engagement support or align with our strategic priorities?
level 01: support voting access
encourage employee voter registration and participation
Inform your employees about their elections with reliable, timely, nonpartisan reminders about local, state, and federal elections and voter registration deadlines.
Share digital voter tools with your employees to help them register to vote, know their upcoming elections, find their polling place, preview their ballot, and more.
create a voter-friendly-workplace
Work with your HR team to add voter registration prompts in your company’s new hire onboarding, employee orientation, and change-of-address process
Ensure employees have time and/or flexibility to vote by establishing and promoting time-off policies including paid time off, civic hours, shorter work days, or no meetings day.
level 02: educate + activate employees
educate employees about civics
Educate employees on how government systems work and the responsibilities elected officials hold, so they are better prepared to vote in elections and advocate for issues they believe in.
Create Employee Advisory Committees or engage Employee Resource Groups to advise on, and lead, civic engagement efforts.
encourage employees to participate in civic activities
Partner with nonpartisan, nonprofit organizations to increase voter registration and turnout in local communities.
Help employees identify ways to activate or areas of personal importance, including running for elected positions, becoming U.S. citizens, or contacting their representatives about causes they care about.
level 03: engage consumers
encourage civic participation among your consumers
Inform and inspire audiences to shape their communities through civic participation through your company's marketing, packaging, and external communications efforts.
Incorporate reminders for voter registration deadlines, early voting dates, and elections into consumer-facing emails, social media posts, mobile apps, receipts, packing slips, shipping boxes, and websites.
enlist your consumers to support your nonprofit partners
Donate proceeds from the sales of certain products or from sales on certain days to benefit civic nonprofit organizations and help engage your consumers in the cause.
Spotlight your nonprofit partners through your external marketing and communications efforts and draw a clear line between your company's values and their impact.
level 04: engage all stakeholders to build democracy
activate stakeholders for impact
Connect your company's values to your commitment to civic engagement, a strong democracy, and other relevant social issues.
Consider donating to civic and civil rights organizations that align with your company's culture and values.
lead through innovation
Recruit and encourage other business leaders to participate in civic engagement efforts.
Join state and local chambers of commerce to learn about community needs and identify ways to address those needs by offering available company resources.
about the Civic Alliance
We are the Civic Alliance, America’s premier nonpartisan coalition of businesses united by a commitment to our democracy, which we believe depends upon active participation in safe, accessible, and trusted elections. Founded by Democracy Works and the CAA Foundation, the Civic Alliance supports its member companies as they inspire their employees and consumers to engage in civic life and their communities.
Companies join the Civic Alliance by making a nonpartisan pledge to encourage their employees and/or consumers to vote and be civically active.
There is no financial requirement to become a member. In exchange for your commitment to civic engagement, we provide member companies with research-backed toolkits and programming to help you develop effect civic initiatives.
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