How to implement DE&I and do it authentically
Written by Emma King
Over the last few years, diversity and inclusion awareness has become more of a focal point for a lot of brands and businesses due to their understanding of the benefit of championing change.
This article has been assigned the following categories: Accessibility, Inclusivity and diversity, Branding, Sustainability, Tips,
Championing change
Unfortunately, some brands release a one-time campaign or advert to jump on the bandwagon to make them seem diverse and inclusive and stay “on trend”. This may appeal to a wider demographic, but it doesn’t have substance and could be their ultimate downfall.
The problem with one-off campaigns is that there is no continuous follow-up, supporting everything they supposedly represent. This means they don’t actively implement change and effectively don’t support their wider target audience.
Committing to change doesn’t just mean in your marketing – it means in every department of your business, from manufacturing to design and admin. In return, this then appeals to potential new employees. Who you recruit is also a big factor in showing leadership and driving inclusion in your workforce.
“57% of consumers surveyed say they are more loyal to brands that demonstrate commitment to addressing social inequities in all their actions” — Deloitte
Marketing principles
Below are crucial principles of marketing that need to be embraced and acknowledged to make a brand more inclusive.
- Establish process mechanisms for ensuring that marketing decision-making accounts for DE&I (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) goals and criteria
- Ensure your content reflects a variety of identities and backgrounds. This includes race, ethnicity, gender identity, age, religion, and disability which demonstrates diversity and inclusion at every brand touchpoint
- Provide equal opportunities for everyone and eliminate barriers that may prevent certain individuals from accessing these opportunities by following up with fair processes
- Consider different accessibility needs, such as ensuring content is readable by screen readers or providing alternative formats such as ALT text and pascal casing. To find out more info on this you can read our article
- Design and build accessible websites which contain keyboard navigation and scalable text
Inclusion is about being fair, respectful, and collaborative in your environment. Thanks to the current digital marketing and social landscape, brands can be a driving force for change. You want long-term relationships with your customers and including Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DE&I) in your marketing could help be your gateway to your success. But it must come with authenticity.
Monica Beckles made a great point on our podcast:
Testimonials
“There are people who are recruiting who probably genuinely don't appreciate that they are being biased in the way that they're approaching their recruitment and therefore, they naturally are building a workforce that isn't particularly diverse. So, it's really about recognising and having that self-awareness of where our biases may be and the commitment to do something about it.”
Monica Beckles
If you want to work with an agency that helps you change the narrative, improve your DE&I and deliver winning campaigns that make a difference call or email us on [email protected] or call 020 3371 3295
