This is what we need to talk about in Davos

“Responsive Leadership means recognizing the increasing frustration and discontent among those not experiencing economic development and social progress. … Responsive Leadership requires a deeper commitment to inclusive development and equitable growth, both nationally and globally.”

— Professor Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum

It’s that time of year again. Business, political and academic leaders of the world are in the mountains of Davos for the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting to discuss the current state of the world and how to improve it.

And there is much to talk about — particularly when considering recent developments in the advanced economies.

The acrid divisiveness of the US presidential campaign, the voting outcome and the post-election protests all indicate the importance of paying attention to both political messages and cultural divisiveness. At first, many seemed to think the vote was a referendum on cultural values. But instead, US voters delivered a clear message about an economy that had excluded them. Working-class America wanted someone to pay attention to the fact that their jobs have been dislocated by technology and by globalization. They want to work. They want the dignity that comes from that work. But the work has disappeared. They want someone to fix it. They need leaders to listen. And they voted accordingly.

While business wasn’t on the ballot, I found myself, as a representative of a multinational organization, looking in the mirror when I discussed the election outcome. Multinational organizations and businesses have all prospered through globalization and incredible advances in technology. While many innovations and improvements have come from these trends, they have also led to the perception that jobs were outsourced and manufacturing was moved to parts of the world capable of performing at lower costs. The resulting public realization is that we need long-term economic considerations to drive decisions that have widespread social consequences.

And this unrest is not limited to the US — there is increasing anxiety about Europe’s future as Brexit negotiations begin. National votes in Italy, France, the Netherlands and Germany will likely challenge the principles of openness and integration. And any resumption of large refugee inflows could present an existential threat to European unity.

The economic inequality message has been clear. And in the aftermath of 2016, we have societies pulling apart, finding it hard to resist trends toward nationalism and a rejection of those who are different. We need to listen. We need to act. We need to practice responsive leadership.

The first step in responsive leadership is to define the problem — and the advanced economies are beginning to identify three trends setting off warning signals across the political and economic landscape:

1. Diminished economic opportunities for the middle and working classes. Immigration and globalization are commonly viewed as the culprits, but chronic slow growth and innovation fueled by technology are at the heart of the challenge of economic inclusion.

2. A sense that urban elites — in government, the media and business — are distant and unable to solve problems. The issues facing many advanced economies today feel existential:

And these issues play out in people’s lives every day.

3. Social media and hyper-connectivity divide as much as they unite. Being provocative is essential to gaining visibility in today’s crowded media landscape, and this imperative promotes extreme points of view, polarization and alternative realities. This pressures policymakers to react — even though governments in representative democracies are designed to be deliberative and consensual.

What worries me is that the lure of less regulation and tax reform has blown oxygen into US markets. I hear business leaders expressing hope for economic growth. And while that is all good, I have to question whether that economic growth will simply repeat the mistakes of the last decade, when we experienced economic growth that was not inclusive.

An effective response to today’s political disruptions means addressing all forms of inequality. Incentives and priorities must be changed. We need to make responsible corporate citizenship central to how we run our businesses.

It is time to rethink corporate governance — the ecosystem of core values, norms and tensions and pressures that drive corporate behavior. Executives, boards and investors — all stakeholders, including governments — can help create a long-term, conscientious response to populist pressures on businesses by paying closer attention to the social and political implications of their actions.

Multinational organizations need to seriously consider how decisions about outsourcing operations, shifting profits and finding tax advantages overseas will be perceived. Will cutting employment and job-training programs land the company in the headlines? If technology creates great efficiencies that result in the elimination of jobs, what will cause the company to think about how to help those dislocated workers? What will motivate them to do so? What will allow and encourage workers to remain equipped to stay engaged in the workforce?

In a volatile and “post-factual” media environment, blaming government and ramping up lobbying and education efforts — insisting that globalization is good, for instance — are unlikely to be very effective. They are more likely to backfire.

Multinational organizations helped create the problem, and we should have a role to play in the solution by working with governments and listening to the public. It’s time for all of us to step up and:

Responsive leadership is what is required for multinational organizations to address the issues we face — leadership that is not a symptom of the problems but a solution to those challenges. Now is the time for multinational organizations to find common ground with governments and envision a new way forward. If we do so, we can help build a better and more inclusive working world in which we all can thrive.

I’m ever hopeful.

The views reflected in this article are the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the global EY organization or its member firms.