Following sweeping executive orders to rollback diversity, equity and inclusion programs, a gap has emerged between companies retreating from DEI and those standing firm in their commitment. However, in the public relations and communications industry, it’s not just about advising clients on navigating the future of their DEI programs. It’s about leading by example.
Yet, diversity statistics on the PR workforce show that the industry continues to be predominantly white, with women also constituting a significant portion of the workforce. Black individuals made up less than 9 percent of the industry, while Asian, American Indian, and other backgrounds made up even fewer.
Data show the future of public relations is stronger when it’s more diverse, and PR agencies must hold themselves accountable in upholding DEI commitments within their own walls and across the industry.
DEI at the Root of Driving PR Impact
Beyond just diversity, corporate social responsibility, ESG, and social good are all things that companies should be doubling down on right now. In reality, traction on these programs has slowed considerably in the last couple of years to shift focus to financial health. However, it shouldn't be one or the other.
Countless studies and research demonstrate that organizations with strong DEI efforts see benefits across the board in retention, recruitment, employee engagement and customer satisfaction. More than just contributing positively to business imperatives, you don’t need data to see that maintaining a diverse and inclusive environment fosters collaboration. Creativity and innovation are at the root of driving real impact in our industry, and the organizations that honor these values will no doubt prosper.
How Agencies Can Live Out DEI Values
As practitioners, we’re not only expected to communicate the value of DEI, but also to bring it to life. With inclusivity being a core value of so many agencies, leaders need to put their words into action. Agencies can lead real DEI progress by sparking early interest in communications careers, actively recruiting diverse talent at every level, building inclusive workplaces, and partnering with underrepresented communities to drive lasting change.
Similar to holding ourselves accountable for client programs, agencies must provide bias training, set clear DEI goals, and measure progress against them regularly. This includes tracking diversity statistics and surveying employees for feedback to ensure everyone has a voice, but that’s just the beginning. True growth in this area is a mind-shift change to embrace inclusivity in everything you do—from teams to ideas and more. By committing to the measurement of tangible results and accountability, agencies clearly understand where they stand in upholding DEI initiatives.
Proving Impact to Clients Beyond Numbers
When it comes to guiding clients, the biggest challenge is the quantification of DEI programs. Unlike traditional business metrics, linking DEI outcomes directly to effectiveness, return on investment, and short-term benefits can be challenging. However, the alternative—pulling back on DEI—will result in churn of employees, customers, partners and even reputation. See Target in 2025 for an example.
As an agency partner, our role isn’t to cast a shadow on business decisions. But what we can do is point them to the sunny spots and ask them to stand there for a while. We're doing this by providing audits of brands furthering their commitments and shedding light on how the market and their employees are responding. We're working with partners on executive communications and showcasing how they can tie back to their mission, vision, and values in ways that bring them back to the center. We're preparing campaigns and activations as part of employer brand initiatives that are responsive to the demand and passion for inclusivity coming from inside their walls.
Systemic Change Starts with Industry Collaboration
DEI has been a critical pillar of PR, shaping authentic and inclusive storytelling for diverse audiences. While I encourage every agency to invest in their commitments to DEI, one agency alone can only drive so much change. In our industry, there’s still so much untapped potential to catapult DEI to the forefront of our mission. A great example of this is the Foster the Future initiative led by the PRSA Foundation and a group of agencies all committed to expanding access and opportunities for BIPOC students. We need to create more opportunities to join forces and champion underrepresented voices to amplify our impact, drive lasting change and create a more equitable industry from the inside out.
Nikki Festa O’Brien is CEO at Greenough Communications.