In 2018, the United States was rocked by a mass shooting at a high school in Florida.
The tragedy prompted corporate America to strengthen gun safety policies.
For example, Dick’s Sporting Goods ceased the sale of semi-automatic, assault-style rifles at stores.
Citigroup placed restrictions on gun sales by business customers.
In 2022, El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, were struck with mass shootings that prompted Walmart to stop handgun ammunition sales.
However, corporate America’s actions with guns have shifted.
Following the recent Nashville shooting, most companies didn’t speak out as most of corporate America grew silent on guns.
A change in policies
Not many prominent companies changed their gun-related policies in the past few years.
Any effort to curb gun violence often received aggressive pushback from Republican lawmakers who oppose gun restrictions and corporations taking a stand.
Gun safety advocates said businesses are responsible for safeguarding employees and customers from gun violence.
They have urged retailers to remove firearms from their stories and instead invest in communities affected by gun violence.
Furthermore, advocates are calling for businesses to conclude political donations to lawmakers with NRA ties.
Advocates urged banks to halt transactions with gun or ammunition manufacturers.
Some companies, including gun manufacturers, have cited financial reasons for going against gun restrictions.
Meanwhile, other businesses don’t believe it is their responsibility or role to weigh in on the gun debate.
Others are opting to stay on the sidelines, afraid of political blowback and spurring the wrath of gun rights supporters.
Julien Zelizer, a history and public affairs professor from Princeton University and CNN political analyst, noted that guns are the hottest issue.
“In a polarized era, most companies still prefer to avoid these sorts of questions,” he said.
However, even if executives sympathize with the need for gun control, Zelizer said they don’t want to be involved in an issue that could trigger a customer backlash.
Backfire
Businesses have been targeted for their roles in gun safety measures.
For example, banks and financial institutions that attempted to cut ties to the firearms industry were pressured by Republican leaders.
In 2021, Texas passed a law that required banks to underwrite the state’s municipal bond market, certifying they wouldn’t turn away from firearms clients.
Additionally, more than 50 House Republicans drafted a bill in 2022 that fights back against ‘boardroom gun control,’ keeping businesses that receive federal funding from turning away firearm businesses.
In March, Visa, Mastercard, and Discover halted plans to implement a new merchant category code for US gun retailers due to political pressure from Republicans.
The measure was meant to flag potential mass shooters and gun traffickers.
However, two dozen Republican attorneys general warned the companies that they shouldn’t push through with the plans.
The officials said adopting the sales code for gun stores would harm the constitutional rights of gun owners, potentially violating consumer protection and antitrust laws.
Furthermore, state lawmakers raised legislation that prevents companies from using the new code.
