Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

While some of the initial figures for Nike’s latest iteration of the Just Do It effort with Colin Kaepernick are mixed so far, the brand likely weighed potential costs and benefits before embarking on the campaign. Despite protests against the brand this week, Nike knew what it was doing when it entered the conversation on racial discrimination. It’s important to understand why.

This past Labor Day, Nike announced Colin Kaepernick as the main face for the 30th anniversary of its “Just Do It” campaign. Heaps of praise, and condemnation, were immediate. #BoycottNike continues to trend, as conservatives across the country destroy the Nike goods they paid good money for in protest, and Nike shares took a slight dip.

Communicators at colleges have had anything but a slow summer. None have had to work harder than those at Harvard, where the school is enmeshed in a lawsuit that claims it holds Asian-American applicants to a higher standard than those of other ethnic groups. The results of a trial, set for October, could reverberate around the country.

David Leonhardt of The New York Times called out himself and fellow journalists for failing to include enough women as sources in articles. How can communicators, who often are the journalist’s conduit to expert sources, turn around this situation? Dina Burns and Patrick George, directors at KP Public Affairs, offer suggestions.

A memo from Nike’s HR chief admitted the company has failed to promote enough women and people of color to VP offices and above. This prompted us to assemble a roundtable of communicators to discuss inclusion, diversity and communicators’ role in building a culture of inclusion.

As part of PR News’ Winter Awards luncheon, Dec. 6, at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., organizations and individuals notable for championing diversity in PR came together to be recognized for their efforts. The Diversity & Inclusion Awards highlighted various agencies, brands, nonprofits and individuals who are doing the important work of creating diverse and inclusive workplaces at all levels of the organization.

Winner: Teresa White, Aflac It was unlikely for a woman with Teresa White’s background to beat the odds. Having grown up in low-income housing and raised by a single parent, the statistics that haunt the… Continued

Winner: HP Inc. – Bringing HP’s Culture of Diversity and Innovation to Life Women, who will control two thirds of consumer wealth over the next decade, continue to face challenges around equality in the workforce—especially… Continued

Winner: Imprenta Communications Group – Plastic Pollution Awareness Campaign Communities of color make up a majority of California’s population, yet they remain largely unrepresented in the state’s mainstream environmental movement. The long-term strength of California’s environmental… Continued

Winner: Lubrizol Corporation – Rebrand Lubrizol Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) The Lubrizol Corporation is a technology-driven company that combines complex specialty chemicals to optimize the quality and value of its customers’ products while reducing their… Continued