Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

In August 2019, Business Roundtable released a statement on the purpose of a corporation (see PRNEWS, September, 2019). More than 180 CEOs, some from America’s largest firms, committed their companies to

In honor of Pride Month, the Museum of PR held a forum where PR pros who are members of the LGBTQ+ community discussed how the industry has helped raise awareness around Pride. In addition, they spoke about their experiences being PR pros and members of the LGBTQ+ community.

As part of our series of interviews with senior PR pros in new positions, we spoke recently with Emily Graham, FleishmanHillard’s first chief diversity & inclusion officer. During her 15-year career, Graham says she’s seen no evidence that PR has made strides toward diversity. Actions not words are needed now, she says.

As Pride Month concludes tomorrow, the Museum of PR will convene a group of PR’s LGBTQ+ leaders for a discussion about the role of communication in the movement’s past, present and future. We offer perspectives on work and life of some of the scheduled panelists.

As Pride Month comes to a close, we offer this interview of Annise Parker, the first openly LGBTQ mayor of a major American city. Parker now heads Victory, a bipartisan group that recruits and helps elect LGBTQ+ candidates. She tell H+K Strategies’ Ed Patterson how communication is part of Victory’s work.

The PRNEWS staff comes across many examples of brand advertising and communications every day. We have compiled a weekly assessment, with staff members providing their choices of the most notable, good or bad. This week, we placed a special focus on Pride campaigns.

In honor of Pride Month, we offer the perspectives of several LGBTQ leaders in the PR and marketing community. Each of these executives will speak during a free Museum of PR event next week highlighting the social and professional experiences of members of PR’s LGBTQ community.

Many brands have said they support #BlackLivesMatter. Some have taken direct action to back up their words. It is possible LeBron James may ask them to support the effort to register black voters and fight voter suppression, a source of structural racism, James says.

A new survey from PRNEWS shows the industry upbeat about the future. In the survey of 200 PR pros last month, 88 percent told us PR and communication will come back as strong if not stronger after the pandemic. Still, there’s concern for the future and diversity & inclusion content is lacking in industry messaging.

After a Black employee quit over its dress code, supermarket chain Publix stated it will not allow workers to wear clothing featuring Black Lives Matter messaging. In response to what could be an emerging communications crisis for the brand, Publix spokesperson Maria Brous pointed to company policy. TheoryComms’ CEO Andrea Hamiton argues PR cannot stay on the sidelines in a moment of national turmoil and transformation.