🔥Hot Tip: You cannot package “purpose.” Period.

Even Communications Wizards Have Our Limits.

Companies and “Thought Leaders” bombard us all day with vapid buzzwords, jargon, white papers, data, campaigns. Their ESG statements: B.S. Their CSR: an oxymoron. How could Corporate Social Responsibility ever be achieved if the Corporation has to scale fast, burn hot, & make a quick exit to an IPO? (Hot Tip: They can’t.)

Communications can shine light on the heart of a business; instead, corporate communications is used to hide ALL their sins.

Corporations and government agencies are takers, just like “The Powers That Be.” They take it all, Our time, designs, language, ideas-all stolen from marginalized innovators, grassroots community organizers, and outside-the-box thinkers.

They take indigenous solutions to problems indigenous people did not create, and say, “Voila, problem solved.” They repurpose it all to benefit The Market. In fact, “they” own 89% of stocks. We don’t need empty promises to do “business for good.” Empty bank accounts need money now.

Most organizations are branding the evolution of “business” when we really need a revolution.

This is why accountability (legislation and financial requirements) is so important. Otherwise it’s all empty statements. Do you know how to spot the Purpose-Packaged Do-Gooders? Here are three ways to see through their posturing.

Most organizations are branding the evolution of “business” when we really need a revolution.

1. Show us the money, honey.

This may mean they audited their global workforce and yup, 3rd year in a row without pay equity. Shucks. This may also mean they pay fairly soon, within their full net-45 and often late. It might mean they are so fair that they even pay you for your work! Imagine that?!

Whatever we are paid, and especially if we negotiate for more, we’re expected to be grateful, to fall over ourselves—gracious for the opportunity. To The Powers That Be, negotiating is a sign of ingratitude. We are being greedy or miserly. Could anything be a better example of gaslighting?

We are trying to pay bills and pay our people early. We are working to not become a statistic: one of 75% of small businesses who can’t make it past the first year. We’re trying to break the million dollar mark in revenue: only 2% of women-owned businesses do; we’d settle for breaking even.

If only SBA certifications came with protection, opportunity, or actual money.

Somehow we need to cover the cost of becoming a “certified women-owned business” for the Federal government, including the predatory costs from 3rd party certifiers and the hundreds of hours of labor we “bootstrapped.” If only SBA certifications came with protection, opportunity, or actual money.

Federal funded projects are in the millions but we beg for a $2k increase for a year-long budget and we’re gumming up the works? The reality is, if they believed in doing good, they wouldn’t make us negotiate at all. They would offer generously and be fully transparent with their budgets. They would pay us what the Big 3 get ($1,000/hour). We don’t have the runway that comes with that kind of revenue which is why we need prompt payments.

When we work, it’s a DEI program instead of just hiring the best firm for the Future of Work…so we are considered less than. We are the best and they get us for a song. It is not charity to hire us. Plus, we all work overtime.

2. Follow the money. Do the math.

Be wary of the media from Corporations, Big 3 and Big 4 Consultancies, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

In kind services or a free corporate–sponsored program is not a redistribution of wealth. Unless accompanied by measurable action, and actual dollars, this is simply PR, not an investment. They would share receipts if they had any. What they share instead is PR to distract us from the continued damage being done and the growing wealth and wage gaps.

Here are a few examples of “benevolent” CSR programs that “give back” and “increase” wealth in black communities.

$150M to teach algebra to Latina and Black youth is nothing if you can make a few Billion when the market goes up on Tuesday.

$100M to train Black women in STEM after firing the head Black woman ethicist, and anyone else who reported the dangers with AI is not the smoke screen they (rhymes with shmoogle) think it is.

$6.5B in VC money for women is not impressive; VCs invested $330B-360B total in 2020.

This is what “Purpose” looks like when packaged by the Fortune 100s. Do not buy into their “We changed the purpose of a corporation” Business Roundtable bull shirt. They haven’t changed a g.d. thing.

The government is just as bad. The way money flows is not to the ones in need. We saw that with PPP. More money goes into research and reporting (and not to diverse research firms or think tanks) than it does into people’s bank accounts. Even the tiniest progress is targeted by conservatives under layers of slick communications.

$10k college debt relief is good, but far from good enough. The fact that GOP are fighting all the way to the Supreme Court to undo this small but necessary support is racist, period. This is funded by lobbyist and big corporations pay them. Meaning, corporate greed has plenty of influence over the lack of federal support too.

Example: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce wants to keep our economy humming. If you saw their website you’d never know they were not for the little guys but actually the biggest lobbying group in the country and the reason the push to “open up” during the pandemic and stop federally-paid vaccines. They represent Wall Streets’ C-suite, not main street American businesses. (Bonus: They are also responsible for all of the push back on any attempts to legislate protections for the climate.)

3. Put your money where your mouth is and invest in better workplaces. Period.

What is your business actually doing differently?

How are you addressing pay and wealth gaps? Hiring and attrition? Are you tracking the demography of your vendors and contractors? How do you set compensation? Do you share budgets?

People work to get paid.

How are you moving from reactive & extractive to intentional & regenerative?

Do you have a Code of Conduct? Have you ever revisited it or had to enforce it?

People deserve a safe work environment and clear options if something happens.

How will you change from top down, C-Suite led to community & people led? When was the last time you shared the financials with your staff? Do you have a strategic plan?

People deserve transparency.

What have you done to model flexibility or time offline? When and how do you schedule meetings? Do you stick to your schedule only, but ignore (disrespect) the teams’ time?

People deserve agency.

Do you support caregivers? How much unpaid labor is happening outside the office? Do you track hours or outcomes? Do you have a vacation planned and model disconnecting?

People deserve a break.

Is your procurement process fair? How long are your net-payment terms? When was the last time your vendors had to bug you for an update? Do you pay above market rates? Do you have reparations baked in?

People deserve compensation.

It’s really not complicated. Treat everyone like adults. Give referrals and reviews. Hire us first. Pay up.

Our labor is not a damn favor.