This paper examines the recent trend in corporate sociopolitical activism in which firms engage in public collective action in support of progressive causes. In particular, it focuses on firm participation in letter campaigns related to social and environmental causes. Unlike other forms of corporate political activity, this activism is collectively coordinated, similar to social movements among citizens, and is not directly linked to companies’ core functions. We theorize that this phenomenon reflects the ideological views of both the top management teams as well as those of general employees. Our findings indicate that participation in progressive activism is a result of alignment between these two groups’ political ideologies. The paper concludes with a discussion of implications for our understanding of corporate progressive activism and nonmarket strategy.
