The latest Marcum-Hofstra University CEO Survey provides compelling insight into the evolving mindset of middle-market CEOs across a range of industries, revealing a broadly optimistic view of the business landscape and the importance of companies supporting social and political causes.
The survey, which continues to track CEO sentiment over time, revealed a noticeable uptick in optimism. Compared to April, 12.4% of respondents rated their outlook as “very positive,” up from 9.8%. More than a third – 39.6% – placed themselves in the high range of optimism, an increase from 37.6%.
The largest gains in optimism came in the construction, professional services, and technology sectors. However, the healthcare and retail sectors saw a dip in CEO optimism, indicating the nuanced industry dynamics at play in the current business environment.
In a world where social activism increasingly intersects with business, 71.6% of CEOs felt it was important for companies to actively support political or social causes. About a third – 33.6% – said that embracing environmental, social and governance causes is a central focus in their business planning and actions.
Nearly a quarter of CEOs said supporting social and political causes actively contributed to achieving their business outcomes, and 45.6% said they believe it is the right thing to do regardless of the impact on their bottom line.
“The embrace of environmental, social and governance (ESG) is, quite literally, a generational change driven by young people who make decisions about what they buy and where they work based on a company’s ethical impact,” said Janet Lenaghan, dean of the Frank G. Zarb School of Business. “We focus on ESG at Zarb in many ways and across all disciplines – in the curriculum, with experiential learning opportunities like our student-managed sustainability fund, and through an interdisciplinary graduate dual-degree program.”
The Marcum-Hofstra CEO Survey is a periodic gauge of mid-market…
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