NEW YORK — Responding to pressure on companies to up their activism, Porter Novelli has launched a new diagnostic tool designed to help executives know whether taking a stand on an issue is the right move.

The offering, called PN Stance, is a digital tool that guides organizations considering stepping up around an issue through a series of questions and, after weighing their responses,  recommends the best course of action — don’t engage, engage internally, engage externally or go all-in as a leader.  

“We are a firm believer that there has to be thought and alignment on these critical questions,” said Porter Novelli executive VP of purpose and CSR Alison DaSilva.  

The questions are designed to assess whether taking a stand on a particular issue is consistent with previous corporate behavior. They look at how taking a position on an issue would impact a company’s business and stakeholders, as well as larger company connections.

“The goal of this is to ensure that companies are taking a thoughtful approach, that it’s not (taking action) just based on the passion or emotions of one executive,” DaSilva said.

DaSilva said the platform was developed in response to consumers’ growing demand that companies take positions on issues, including divisive ones, which could backfire for companies that do so without first figuring out whether it makes sense for them.

“The implications of engaging or not engaging are pretty deep,” she said. “If your business practices are not aligned with positions on an issue, you shouldn’t be engaging...or people  will call you out on it.'

The launch of PN Stance is the latest move in Porter Novelli’s increased focus on purpose-driven offerings. In February, Porter Novelli created a purpose practice that harnesses the expertise of the agency and the CSR agency Cone Communications with which it merged.