From Silicon Valley to Wall Street, CEOs are leading a chorus of voices advocating for a peaceful transition
US corporate leaders are speaking out against the riots that swept through the US Capitol on Wednesday. The protests began after President Donald Trump called on supporters to oppose the counting of electoral votes that would name Democrat Joe Biden the new US president.
From Silicon Valley to Wall Street, CEOs led a chorus of voices advocating for the peaceful transition of power at the White House.
Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai called the protests the “antithesis of democracy”.
“Holding free and safe elections and resolving our differences peacefully are foundational to the functioning of democracy,” Pichai wrote in a memo to employees.
“The lawlessness and violence occurring on Capitol Hill today is the antithesis of democracy and we strongly condemn it.”
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Pichai also urged employees to “lean on your Google community” for support, and added managers will be checking in on staff.
“We’re monitoring the situation and will keep affected employees updated if we take any extra precautionary steps that impact offices or buildings,” the CEO said.
‘Sad and shameful chapter’
Apple CEO Tim Cook called the events a “sad and shameful chapter” in US history.
“Those responsible for this insurrection should be held to account, and we must complete the transition to President-elect Biden’s administration. It’s especially when they are challenged that our ideals matter most,” Cook posted on Twitter.
Today marks a sad and shameful chapter in our nation’s history. Those responsible for this insurrection should be held to account, and we must complete the transition to President-elect Biden’s administration. It’s especially when they are challenged that our ideals matter most.
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) January 7, 2021
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‘Reinvesting in democracy’
Other CEOs are looking to the future with a message of hope and resilience.
Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon said: “We have to begin reinvesting in our democracy and rebuilding the institutions that have made America an exceptional nation.”
Meanwhile, Visa CEO Alfred Kelly Jr said the company “stands 100% behind the results of the election” and the “collective voices” of Americans.
“In this time of intense anxiety for our country and the world, I continue to have tremendous faith in the resilience of our United States institutions,” Kelly said.
Employees taking part in protests
Some business leaders are also dealing with the fallout from employees who allegedly took part in the riots.
An associate general counsel for Texas-based Goosehead Insurance reportedly parted ways with the company after he claimed he was “peacefully protesting” at the US Capitol, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Goosehead Insurance CEO Mark Jones later informed staff that the company was “surprised and dismayed” to find an employee had joined a “violent demonstration” at the capital “without our knowledge or support”.
Meanwhile, an employee for a marketing company was purportedly “terminated for cause” after a photo of him participating in the demonstration surfaced on Twitter.
