Diversity is an important part of the new workforce and society as a whole. The upsurge in the need for corporate social responsibility is undeniable. Consumers, as well as employees, are becoming more choosy about who they do business with, preferring an ethical company to one of greed. People in both categories are also thinking more critically about diversity. They see through organizations that embrace diversity solely for sake of public image rather than a true desire to adopt is as the culture.

Internationally, businesses are realizing that a lack of diversity is a problem. Clearly, the solution is to encourage a diverse workforce, encourage diversity in the community, and create an inclusive culture all around. Nike has recently taken an aggressive stance on this issue by working towards that new goal citing in a statement published in FootWearNews.com, “In the current climate, many experts have suggested that an effective remedy for corporate reform — which sees women and other minorities treated more fairly at work — is to create more diversity in the upper ranks of companies.” 

Recently in St. Louis, Missouri, the city christened a newly renovated national park surrounding the Arch.  There was a grand opening, complete with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. A subsequent photo taken of the ceremony was as homogenous as a gallon of milk. After Internet backlash brought attention to this issue, organizers of the events publicly apologized and staged a new photo with leaders from around the community. the revision more appropriately represents a more diverse cross-section of St. Louisans. This initial misstep quickly became a PR crisis. Officials around the city realized that it’s not enough to say that you have a diverse community, workforce or organization, but you actually have to walk the walk. Actions speak so much louder than words!

Adversely, I want to recognize an organization that has taken a deliberate and very progressive stance towards diversity and inclusion. Woven into the fabric of the Public Relations Society of America is a drive for being more inclusive and diverse within the workplace and multiple workplaces. PRSA encourages businesses to be more diverse,  and individuals in the field of communication to promote diversity and create an environment of inclusivity. The organization provides resources, tips, tricks and tools to use in order to make that goal of D&I a possibility.

In the month of August PRSA celebrates organizations in all industries that have high ratings of diversity in inclusion. The organization also celebrates leaders in the field of PR and communication that have taken the initiative to move that purpose forward.

Diversity benefits business. According to Fortune contributor, Ellen McGirt data indicates businesses that do diversity best have profited from it This data supports the idea that not only does it do your business good,  it is just good business to be diverse. To be a Fortune 100 company, you really have to be head and neck above your competition.

One of the companies mentioned in the article above is Johnson & Johnson, whose entire mission and vision statement is built around the cultural benefit of having a diverse workforce, from their website, “Inclusion at Johnson & Johnson is about creating a deep sense of belonging. It’s about a culture where you are valued, your ideas are heard and you advance this culture for everyone.”

In the spirit of transparency,  Chemistry PR and Multimedia realized there was an issue of diversity during our most recent growth period. It was a challenge to overcome due to the historically homogenous nature of the field of public relations. A large majority of the field is straight white women, with straight white men being the second largest group. All the other demographics share a small piece of that population pie. The firm chose to deliberately seek out individuals from different backgrounds to develop a more progressive workplace. The results of that effort have been highly positive.

When a business embrace diversity and inclusion, they empower new experiences and perspectives. Because of these differences, there is an opportunity to bring new and fresh ideas to the boardroom. These interesting perspectives enhance solutions to a broad range of issues and how to communicate those solutions across the organization and its audiences. You also get the benefit of original personality and dynamics through this new workspace.