Letters as organizational rhetoric on environmental social and governance (ESG): the case of Larry Fink and BlackRock from 2018 to 2023

Gareth Thompson
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Abstract

PurposeThis paper is intended as an original contribution to researching ESG from a PR perspective, as well as offering a case study of the use of letters as a mode of corporate communication.Design/methodology/approachThe methodology is interdisciplinary but is centred on a critical discourse analysis of the organizational rhetoric on ESG in the annual letters of BlackRock CEO Larry Fink from 2018 to 2023. The article also considers the content of the BlackRock letters alongside the campaign rhetoric deployed by opponents to ESG over the same period.FindingsThe analysis of the letters showed up a difference in tempo and tone between the courteous, collaborative and somewhat “corporate” style of text in the Fink letters and the more urgent and confrontational tone of opponents that adopted a populist line of argumentation against ESG in general and Larry Fink and BlackRock in particular.Practical implicationsWhile advantages can accrue to CEOs and corporations for speaking out on issues, there are also perils awaiting in the contemporary environment for opinion. The findings suggest it is also important to gauge the intensity of cultural and political division in society when speaking out on contentious issues and make a judgement on whether to proceed based on that analysis. Moreover, in countries where the middle ground of public opinion has eroded, ideology and cultural affiliations can prevail instead of openness to argument and counter-argument on topics such as climate change.Originality/valueThe paper presents a fresh case study of a CEO who has been prominent in shaping the discourse on ESG, which has itself become is a matter of contemporary relevance to public relations. The findings offer original insights that are additive to existing guidance and criteria for CEOs deciding to speak out on issues on behalf of their organizations.
作为组织言论的环境、社会和治理(ESG)信函:2018 年至 2023 年拉里-芬克和贝莱德的案例
本文旨在为从公关角度研究 ESG 做出原创性贡献,并提供一个将信函作为企业沟通模式的案例研究。设计/方法/方法该方法是跨学科的,但其核心是对贝莱德首席执行官拉里-芬克(Larry Fink)从 2018 年到 2023 年的年度信函中有关 ESG 的组织修辞进行批判性话语分析。研究结果对信函的分析表明,芬克信函中礼貌、合作和略带 "企业 "风格的文字与反对者更为紧迫和对抗的语气之间,在节奏和语气上存在差异,后者采用民粹主义的论证路线来反对整个环境、社会和公司治理,尤其是拉里-芬克和贝莱德。实际意义虽然首席执行官和公司就问题发表意见会带来好处,但在当今的舆论环境中也有危险在等待着他们。研究结果表明,在就有争议的问题发表言论时,衡量社会中文化和政治分歧的激烈程度,并在此基础上判断是否继续发表言论也很重要。此外,在公众舆论的中间地带受到侵蚀的国家,意识形态和文化归属可能会占据上风,而不是在气候变化等问题上对争论和反驳持开放态度。 本文对一位首席执行官进行了全新的案例研究,这位首席执行官在引导 ESG 讨论方面表现突出,而 ESG 本身也已成为与公共关系相关的当代问题。研究结果提供了新颖的见解,为首席执行官决定代表其组织就相关问题发表意见提供了新的指导和标准。
本文章由计算机程序翻译,如有差异,请以英文原文为准。
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