It’s been more than 16 months since the summer of 2020. It was a brutal summer for the world, and it brought a lot of issues to the forefront of our minds. The murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless others forced us to have very direct conversations about race and its impact on our daily lives.
While we were having individual conversations, we were also looking for responses from corporations and entities of all sizes. People wanted to know if the local coffee shop they go to each morning cared about their Black life. C-suite executives wanted to know if it was a good time to mention their stance on diversity, whether they even had a stance on diversity, and how to effectively communicate whatever the answer was for their organization.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) had a “moment” in the collective consciousness, and companies were scrambling to put together teams, hire consultants, release statements, and post black squares. DE&I was trending.
In 2020, communications professionals who “understood the assignment” were working to make sure that companies were doing more than just paying lip service.
And that’s exactly what we should be doing. There is no one more suited than communicators to hold brands accountable and ensure they’re doing the work DE&I statements demand.
We can accomplish this through everything from the way we develop plans to how we gather insights on target audiences to the way we craft corporate messaging and advise the C-suite.
Now that it’s almost 2022 and DE&I, while always necessary and relevant, is trending less in public conversation, the time to stay engaged is more imperative than ever. Do your clients or companies have programs, policies, and procedures in place that infuse diversity, equity, and inclusion into the corporate DNA? Take the time now to ensure responses will never be reactionary or forced on these issues, that they are reflective of a true commitment to anti-racism.
This kind of communications work makes a difference beyond the business setting. It allows you to have the impact you dream of having with your expertise. And it’s available to you when you have a clear understanding of the strategic support you’re perfectly capable of offering companies so they see you as a trusted advisor (and not just their media person).
If you want to be able to have these kinds of conversations and lead companies in this way, but aren’t sure where to start, I’d love to speak with you. Let’s talk about what it means to break with trends and do meaningful, strategic work that guides clients in the right direction.