J&J: CEO Gorsky Is a Follower, Not a Leader

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) chief executive officer Alex Gorsky was initially chastised last week for deciding to stay on President Trump’s manufacturing advisory council, before reversing course just as Trump announced the panel would be dissolved after a series of defections. 

 A trio of internal memos sent to J&J employees, reviewed by STAT, offer some insight into Gorsky’s reasoning. 

An exodus from the council began with Merck chief executive Ken Frazier, one of the most prominent African-American business leaders in the country, two days after Trump’s initial comments on Saturday, Aug. 12. 

Ver:

Kenneth C. Frazier (Ceo Merck) renuncia a la Presidencia de American Manufacturing Council

Originally, Gorsky planned to sit tight. In a memo distributed on Monday, Aug. 14, Gorsky essentially argued that J&J had an opportunity to influence the Trump administration: 

First Gorsky defended his decision to stay: “When we are a part of the conversation, we help ensure that healthcare remains the global priority it should be.” 

Simply put, there are shareholders to consider and Gorsky was willing to wait it out. 

Gorsky doubled down the next morning. In yet another memo on Tuesday, Aug. 15, he more explicitly reiterated his earlier argument that a seat at the table is better than no seat at all. And he did so even after acknowledging complaints from some employees and shareholders. 

“In the end, I have concluded that Johnson & Johnson has a responsibility to remain engaged, not as a way to support any specific political agenda, but as a way to represent the values of Our Credo as crucial public policy is discussed and developed. …if we aren’t there standing up for our belief in diversity and inclusion, or if we fail to speak out when the situation demands it, then we have abdicated our Credo responsibility. We must engage if we hope to change the world and those who lead it.” 

"We are responsible to the communities 

in which we live and work 

and to the world community as well. 

We must be good citizens – 

support good works 

and charities and bear 

our fair share of taxes. 

We must encourage 

civic improvements 

and better health and education."

The Credo, for those unaware, is a long-standing mission statement etched on the J&J headquarters building in New Brunswick, N.J., that makes a commitment to act responsibly to health care providers, employees, communities, and shareholders. . (Some will argue J&J breached its Credo for episodes of illegal marketing that generated big fines or poorly handled product recalls, but that’s another story. For more on that, read “How J&J's Alex Gorsky Tried to Negotiate a Smaller DOJ Fine”; http://bit.ly/1cjcp6s). 

His Tuesday memo would have appeared to end the episode, but then, Trump struck again. Later that same day, the president outraged and upset many people once more with off-the-cuff remarks that indicated he assigned equal blame to those who attended the Charlottesville, Va., rally organized by white supremacists and neo-Nazis, and to those who protested the march. On Wednesday, Aug. 16, Gorsky wrote a third memo to employees. 

“…the president’s remarks at his press conference yesterday — equating those who are motivated by race-based hate with those who stand up against hatred — were completely unacceptable. Therefore, I decided to resign from the White House Manufacturing Advisory Council. By working with other members of the manufacturing council on a united withdrawal, I realized we would make the most significant impact.”

Ver también:

Frazier Vs Trump: Frazier's (...)  / Y Gorsky también renuncia.

Trump showed his true colors with his initial remarks. Why wasn’t that enough to bail right then and there?

Ver también:
 USA:  Most Investors Respect The Merck CEO’s Decision To Resign From Trump’s Council

 Con notas que tomé "prestadas" de 
Pharmaguy:What the J&J CEO told employees about the Trump manufacturing council