NEW YORK — Edelman has taken on PR duties for the Gun Safety Alliance, as the country reels from two more mass shootings, this time in Texas and Ohio.

The PR firm will handle the assignment on a pro-bono basis. The Gun Safety Alliance is a coalition of business leaders that are aiming to reduce gun deaths by 50% by 2025, enlisting business as a key partner in pushing for gun safety.

Companies involved in the initiative include Hertz, Avis, Budget, Lyft, Delta, L.L.Bean, Kroger, and Dick's Sporting Goods. The Gun Safety Alliance makes clear that it is calling for "gun safety" rather than "gun control" — noting that "many members of our group are gun owners, and some are members of the NRA."

In a post on Edelman's website, CEO Richard Edelman noted that "events of the past weekend have prompted me and my firm to make this commitment."

"For far too long government has failed to address the gun violence epidemic in this country," he said. "Now is the time for the private sector to take a stand and fill that leadership void."

"These violent acts and the continued daily gun violence in communities across this nation wholly undermine the promise of America: the derivation of inalienable rights including the preservation of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness," added Edelman. "These values are not in conflict with responsible gun ownership."

Edelman also thinks it is "good business" for companies to join the Gun Safety Alliance, pointing to findings from the Edelman Trust Barometer. 76% of respondents to the survey want CEOs to speak out and lead on issues of the day and not wait for government.

In addition, 80% of US employees trust their employers, because trust has become local, while two-thirds of customers say that they expect brands to stand up for them.