The discussion below is interesting. A full discussion of the topic probably needs to distinguish between private or closely-held companies, on one hand, and widely-held companies on the other. In the latter case, the CEO most clearly isn’t the embodiment of the company. He or she works for the company, and needs to think about the interests of various stakeholders — most including obviously shareholders — before speaking out. >>>
LINK: Should business leaders speak out more on public issues? (by Crane & Matten)
Business leaders are among the most powerful people on the planet. At the helm of huge corporations, with billions of dollars of assets to leverage, their decisions have a profound influence on all of us. At the same time, however, those very same business leaders only very rarely seem to speak out on many of the public issues that actually affect us….
What do you think?
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Business Ethics Highlights 
As Richard Branson has discovered, speaking out but not following through on commitments can bring its own reputational risk. There may also be justifiable doubts about whether one leader or CEO on his own can change the long-term course of his or her company.