It certainly didn’t used to be that way – that is, companies were far more rigorous in enforcing a “no-politics or alignment with causes” stance (see this). What changed? …

Here are a few of those reasons that come to mind: (a) the generation that is often in charge these days was educated, steeped, and marinated in leftist social activism as an absolute good and perhaps a required good (b) these woke campaigns are included in the general heading of historically less controversial anti-discrimination – in this case, in ascending order of presentation in time, anti-racism, anti-homophobia, and anti-transphobia (3) human resources departments have become completely dedicated to these things, as well; and (4) the companies are afraid of threats and boycotts by the left if they don’t toe the leftist line.

[A good observation succinctly made. I’d guess it’s more (a) than anything else, but all four are factors. The people who are now rising to strategic decision-making positions in corporations came out of Academia bubbles where they never had to deal with a contradicting argument, or maybe even know one existed. They’re getting a rude awakening in the marketplace now, and so are their shareholders. — Ed]