Backlash at ‘woke’ businesses: Half of Brits say firms are too politically correct – as Kemi Badenoch tells them to focus on customers instead of diversity initiatives

Half of Brits believe businesses are too fixated on political correctness, a study found today.

A study found 50 per cent agree that firms are ‘too concerned with taking political positions on contested issues’ – compared to just 14 per cent who disagreed.

Research by Deltapoll for the Policy Exchange think-tank also indicated that 75 per cent think companies should hire on merit, regardless of race or gender and wider diversity.

Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch said it showed bosses should be focused on delivering for customers rather than ‘activism or political causes’.

Policy Exchange has launched a project to ‘methodically document and address the role and influence of social and ideological considerations on contemporary business’, particularly ‘at the expense of shareholder and wider society interests’.

Researchers highlighted examples such as the debanking row, ice cream brand Ben & Jerry’s criticism of the Government over asylum policies and coffee chain Costa‘s mural showing a transgender person with mastectomy scars sipping a drink on one of its express vans.

According to the poll, a third of Brits believe someone in their workplace had been hired or promoted to meet diversity and inclusion objectives, rather than in the best interests of the company. 

Some 43 per cent said they would be less likely to continue working for a company that asked them to wear pronoun badges. Only 7 per cent said would be more likely to want to work for a firm that made the request. 

Ms Badenoch said well-meaning ‘equality, diversity and inclusion’ initiatives could ‘divide, rather than unify’.

The Cabinet minister said: ‘Policy Exchange’s findings confirm what I know to be true from talking to people who run businesses, work in them, and buy from them.

‘The public want the focus of business to be on delivering great products and services, not activism or political causes – which repel as many people as they attract.

‘Overwhelmingly, people want companies to recruit on merit, selecting the best person for the job without regard to race or gender, rather than social engineering to create ‘diverse teams’.’

Earlier this year, an independent panel appointed by Ms Badenoch found businesses are implementing diversity and inclusion initiatives without an evidence base.

Ms Badenoch said: ‘As the recent Inclusion at Work Panel showed, many well-meaning ‘equality, diversity and inclusion’ initiatives divide rather than unify, and undermine organisational goals.

‘They are based on speculative and contested theories with limited evidence of impact.

‘Policy Exchange’s programme is a timely and welcome contribution to document the creeping – and counter-productive – politicisation of our business environment.

‘I am committed to working with businesses on effective ways to foster economic growth, and also on this Government’s Inclusive Britain goals – smarter ways to achieve true equality of opportunity.’

Policy Exchange senior research fellow Lara Brown said: ‘Customers do not believe that businesses need to demonstrate commitment to progressive principles and do not make spending decisions based on the political statements of retailers.

‘Employees are also negatively affected by the politicisation of business, with many sceptical about workplace schemes tailored towards equality, diversity and inclusion.’