Active Listening, Authentic Storytelling are Keys to Effect Social Change

In the year following George Floyd's murder, hate speech, including anti-Asian discrimination and violence against trans people in the U.S., is at an all-time high. Subsequently, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives have risen in importance at some businesses and are of major concern for PR pros.
Sidestepping Social Justice is Bad for Business
Staying silent on equality, social justice and inclusion can have serious business consequences. A May 2021 Porter Novelli survey of 1,000 U.S. residents found that 59 percent of Americans believe it is “no longer acceptable for companies to be silent on social justice issues.” More than half of those surveyed say companies could normalize social justice issues through their marketing and communication.

And 43 percent of employees say they're considering finding a new job “because their company is not doing enough to address social justice issues externally.”

Yet, communicating cultural shifts that promote social justice, inclusion and equity within and outside of organizations remains a challenge, with many recent attempts falling flat.

To shed light on how PR can promote cultural change inside and outside of organizations, we gathered some of this year’s Top Women in PR for a virtual roundtable.