Many have viewed corporate political activity with skepticism, if not suspicion. In 2021, companies faced a combination of surprises and scrutiny that made their political activity exponentially more difficult . . . and 2022 promises to be equally, if not more, challenging.

In this podcast, Paul Washington, Executive Director of the ESG Center, speaks with experts, Adie Olsen and Jason Abel, Partners at Steptoe and Johnson, and Bruce Freed, President of the Center for Political Accountability, to address some of the myths and misunderstandings about corporate political activity, the challenges corporate PACs, company political contributions, and lobbying faced last year, as well as what to expect in the mid-term election year of 2022.

Listen in to find out how this era of heightened scrutiny may provide an opportunity for fresh thinking about corporate political activity.

Additional Resources:

From the Conference Board

• Under a Microscope: A New Era of Scrutiny for Corporate Political Activity
• Shareholder Voting Dashboard
• Many Orgs Say 2022 Will Be Harder for Political Activity (Survey)
• Corporate Political Activity Proposals

From Steptoe and Johnson

• Adie J. Olson - Partner | Steptoe & Johnson LLP
• Jason Abel - Partner | Steptoe & Johnson LLP
• DOJ Seeks Comments on Changes to the Foreign Agents Registration Act Regulations | Steptoe & Johnson LLP

From the Center of Political Accountability

• 2021 CPA-Zicklin Index of Corporate Political Disclosure and Accountability
• Conflicted Consequences
• CPA-Wharton Zicklin Model Code of Conduct for Corporate Political Spending