Ursula Burns Says CEOs Must Speak Out on Race, Gender, Policy

Chief executive officers should feel obligated to speak out on serious national, social issues, like racial equality and gender parity, even if it costs them their jobs, former Xerox Corp. CEO Ursula Burns said June 21.

As examples, she pointed to the CEOs who stood up to President Donald Trump earlier this year over racist comments, along with top executives who promise to uncover — and, importantly, close — their gender pay gaps, said Burns, who is now a senior adviser at Teneo Holdings. Burns spoke with David Westin at the Bloomberg Breakaway CEO Summit in New York.

“We’re talking ...