A strong and accountable democracy, good governance practices, and clear standards in accountability are essential for a vibrant and inclusive entrepreneurial economy where stakeholders have a voice. Effective governance ensures that organizations prioritize stakeholder interests and align their strategies with long-term value creation.
Our work prioritizes five key areas:
Effective governance ensures that organizations prioritize stakeholder interests and align their strategies with long-term value creation.
Our work prioritizes five key areas:
Strengthening Stakeholder-Centric Governance
A vibrant entrepreneurial economy requires governance models that prioritize stakeholders over shareholders and short-term profits. By advancing transparency, accountability, and pro-stakeholder business practices, organizations can align strategies with long-term value creation, benefiting communities, consumers, and the environment alike.
Protecting Democracy as Economic Foundation
Democracy is vital for fostering an inclusive economy where all voices matter. Strong legal frameworks, accurate information systems, and advocacy for fair governance ensure that businesses operate in a just, transparent, and free market, empowering both individuals and communities.
By prioritizing economic inclusivity, we can create opportunities and ensure a future where businesses work for the benefit of all communities, not just a select few.
Protecting the Freedom to Associate, Assess & Invest
A vibrant business landscape and thriving economy is only viable long-term if it prioritizes sustainability and justice-informed access to resources, capital, and opportunity for all. Assessing resource depletion and environmental impacts (“E”), analyzing social effects – like worker treatment, diversity, consumer safety, and community impacts (“S”), and adopting corporate governance that supports positive outcomes (“G”) are common-sense considerations for responsible business and investing practices and decisions. Businesses and investors should have the freedom to consider ESG and other risk factors when making their decisions.
On August 29, 2024, the American Sustainable Business Council (ASBC), ASBN’s affiliate, acting on behalf of members including Etho Capital and Sphere, sued Texas for violating the free speech and association rights protected under the First and Fourteenth Amendments of the United States Constitution through the implementation of SB-13—a law that penalizes private companies that choose not to make risky investments in fossil fuel companies. The law has both a negative impact on businesses that use ESG metrics and on everyday Texans. The lawsuit highlights the substantial financial harms SB-13 has had on Texas taxpayers, workers, business owners, and pensioners.
Business for Democracy (Past Initiative)
Prior to 2025, the Business for Democracy working group was active from 2021 through the end of 2024 and was dedicated to rallying business community support for democratic ideals and electoral policies, and to providing a platform for members to engage in the effort to strengthen and protect these founding American principles.
A collaboration of business organizations and individual companies who understand that a strong democracy is essential for a vibrant entrepreneurial economy and that sliding into autocracy would have drastic negative economic consequences, the project harnessed the trusted voice of small business to:
Today, democracy is more important than ever before, and the work continues. Though the working group has been put on hold, our advocacy efforts to strengthen democracy and give voice to business is growing.
Protecting the Freedom to Associate, Assess & Invest
A vibrant business landscape and thriving economy is only viable long-term if it prioritizes sustainability and justice-informed access to resources, capital, and opportunity for all. Assessing resource depletion and environmental impacts (“E”), analyzing social effects – like worker treatment, diversity, consumer safety, and community impacts (“S”), and adopting corporate governance that supports positive outcomes (“G”) are common-sense considerations for responsible business and investing practices and decisions. Businesses and investors should have the freedom to consider ESG and other risk factors when making their decisions.
On August 29, 2024, the American Sustainable Business Council (ASBC), ASBN’s affiliate, acting on behalf of members including Etho Capital and Sphere, sued Texas for violating the free speech and association rights protected under the First and Fourteenth Amendments of the United States Constitution through the implementation of SB-13—a law that penalizes private companies that choose not to make risky investments in fossil fuel companies. The law has both a negative impact on businesses that use ESG metrics and on everyday Texans. The lawsuit highlights the substantial financial harms SB-13 has had on Texas taxpayers, workers, business owners, and pensioners.
Business for Democracy (Past Initiative)
Prior to 2025, the Business for Democracy working group was active from 2021 through the end of 2024 and was dedicated to rallying business community support for democratic ideals and electoral policies, and to providing a platform for members to engage in the effort to strengthen and protect these founding American principles.
A collaboration of business organizations and individual companies who understand that a strong democracy is essential for a vibrant entrepreneurial economy and that sliding into autocracy would have drastic negative economic consequences, the project harnessed the trusted voice of small business to:
Today, democracy is more important than ever before, and the work continues. Though the working group has been put on hold, our advocacy efforts to strengthen democracy and give voice to business is growing.
ASBC, acting on behalf of members, sued Texas for violating the free speech and association rights protected under the First and Fourteenth Amendments of the United States Constitution through the implementation of SB-13.
The Business for Democracy working group sponsored projects in eight states to educate voters about which candidates had demonstrated a commitment to protecting democracy by supporting the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, the Freedom to Vote Act, and the Electoral Count Reform Act.
The Business for Democracy working group partnered with Rank The Vote – a national grassroots organization advocating for ranked-choice voting in federal, state, and local elections – to make this democratically preferable voting system a reality at the state and local levels.
ASBN created the Business for Democracy working group.
ASBN actively engaged in mobilizing businesses to protect voting rights, organizing a sign-on campaign with over 200 letters to policymakers in support of the For the People Act.
ASBN was the first business group to call for the Senate to amend the filibuster rule to allow debate on federal voting rights legislation.
As a member, you’ll gain a powerful platform to share your vision, drive impactful policy changes, and connect with a network of passionate, like-minded leaders.
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