
FOR CORPORATIONS, A DECISION ABOUT RUSSIA IS A REPUTATIONAL ISSUE THAT DEMANDS A HOLISTIC APPROACH
In a world where public opinion has become increasingly complex, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine is the latest proving ground for companies walking the PR tightrope and trying to balance business and reputation.
In the early days of the invasion, many Western companies, such as Starbucks Corp., The Coca-Cola Co. and McDonald's Corp., withdrew from Russia in protest. For them, the decision was simple: continuing to offer their consumer goods in Russia amounted to supporting the regime and undermining their humanitarian values. Suspending operations in the country was an easy enough solution to protect a hard-earned reputation that has survived the global COVID-19 pandemic and political unrest – two issues that have defined the decade thus far.
However, for countless other companies of all sizes and across all industries, the decision about whether to withdraw from Russia is not as easy and has hinged on several complex factors.