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As companies look at addressing their D&I issues, one place to start may be who should fill the shoes of those replaced. Particularly in media, no one can leave a prestigious editorial leadership position gaping for long, as news never stops. However, who and how you choose to replace can have a long-term impact on any organization.

Many employees have received or will receive statements from senior management detailing the company’s stance on supporting diversity and the Black Lives Matter protests. The PR community knows the power of communication and what words and messages represent. We look at how some companies and trade groups are shaping internal communication at this moment.

Porter Novelli SVP Dwayna Haley and Neil Foote, president of the National Black Public Relations Society, talk to PRNEWS Editor Seth Arenstein about diversity in communications.

The killing of George Floyd led the author to think of her father, an immigrant who poured his life into his children. He expected that providing his children with a strong education would help them succeed professionally and personally. Pure merit isn’t enough when structural racism and exclusionary practices exist. The status quo must go, the author argues. Stakeholder capitalism is here to stay.

Yet another example of police brutality was caught on video. This time it was against a white man, in Buffalo, NY. Complicating the issue is that police claim their response statement was crafted as they looked at a second video, as opposed to one that went viral and created a crisis. From a PR standpoint, the incident raises issues about honest communication and how long to wait before you respond to a crisis.

Occasionally a public figure or employee will take a stance that drifts from the overarching owner or employer. That’s when the brand goes into overtime assuring consumers and followers that the opposing message does not represent the entire organization. The NFL played it safe while Brees sat on the hot seat.

While many agencies and brands have voiced their support via social media posts and statements, real action needs to be taken in order to prove the support the industry claims for a more diverse workforce. 

Many companies and organizations are taking stands in support of recent events. More than a few of their statements fall flat. There are several things an organization should consider before it takes a stand. First, avoid empty statements, be sensitive, honest and, most important, say something real.

As communicators, we have a powerful opportunity to positively influence behavior change. Through messaging with strategic calls-to-action, brilliant creative and multichannel outreach, we can impact wide-spread sea change in any environment. Whether you’re operating from agency or brand, our shared purpose within this discipline is to do well by doing good.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced an 8:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. curfew on June 2, the city’s first such rule since 1945. The curfew, effected following consultation with local police and state government officials in hopes of preventing looting, extends to rideshare apps. While Uber and Lyft complied with the order, as well as Citibike—the bicycle share program owned by Lyft—the latter brand did not go down without a fight on social media.