With the longest government shutdown in U.S. history leaving many federal employees without a salary and a nationwide mess in its wake, now is a prime opportunity for all companies—large and small, public and private—to band together in the name of helping others, uniting toward a greater good.

But if you need an incentive, here it is: A 2017 study by public relations firm Cone Communications found that 78 percent of 1,000 U.S. citizens surveyed believe companies have an obligation to stand up for social justice issues, and 87 percent said they will purchase a product from a company that advocated for an issue they care about.

Jaclyn Jaeger is a freelance contributor to Compliance Week after working for the company for 15 years. She writes on a wide variety of topics, including ethics and compliance, risk management, legal,...