BIC and The Holmes Report Explore Diversity and Inclusion

#PRDiversity2020: The Struggle is Real/Meeting Business Objectives with a 2020 Mindset examines the current and future states of DNI in public relations







On Wednesday, May 3rd, public relations professionals of all backgrounds and career levels gathered to attend a seminar centered around diversity and inclusion. Hosted by Angela Chitkara, PR Track Director at BIC, and The Holmes Report, #PRDiversity2020: The Struggle is Real/Meeting Business Objectives with a 2020 Mindset proved to be an eye-opening seminar that delved into the somewhat controversial topic of diversity and inclusion (DNI) in the communications industry. At a point in American history in which multiculturalism and diverse individuals is in a precarious state, conversations centered on DNI are more important than ever. 

Opening words were delivered by Nancy Tag, Program Director at BIC. Tag mused over the spectrum of diversity on the campus of City College. As one of the most diverse campuses in one of the most diverse cities in the world, Tag emphasized how crucial it is to recognize and accept the benefits of diverse workplaces. Her speech commenced with Chitkara’s introduction. Over the span of years, Chitkara conversed with the CEOs of renowned PR agencies in order to gain insight into how diversity in communications will look in the year 2020. Chitkara believes that the CEO must be the brand ambassador of his or her respective agency and must also set the tone for DNI. Public relations has historically attracted affluent white women in large numbers, yet high ranking agency executives tend to be white men. DNI must not only become tied to business objectives, but it must also meet client demands as target consumer bases become more multicultural.




Chitkara emphasized throughout her presentation the changing definitions of diversity and inclusion in the perspective of the CEO. Many CEOs cited diversity as having a diverse employee base, whereas inclusion is founded on having employees understand and respect each other. Phrases that often came up within these conversations included “people,” “talent,” “inclusive,” “research” and “initiatives.” So what are viable solutions for ensuring DNI in the workplace? Implicit Bias Training is becoming a trend within agencies. Instilling best business practices through proper measurement is also essential. As the is a lack of credible data in terms of measuring DNI among agencies, having sound metrics will become a huge determining factor in how well agencies ensure DNI in the workplace. 

The presentation concluded with a Q&A session with four CEOs from various agencies. The CEOs in attendance were Rob Flaherty of Ketchum, Brad MacAfee of Porter Novelli, Heidi Hovland  of DeVries Global and Peter Harris of Grayling USA. Each CEO agreed that DNI are of the utmost importance to their agencies and the industry as a whole. MacAfee particularly believed that there is a deep commitment and passion for driving DNI in agencies and believed that agencies must consul clients on how DNI can benefit in-house firms. Ultimately, much progress must be made in terms of diversity and inclusion in public relations, but with the support of agency CEOs, the future looks very promising. 





Speakers
Angela Chitkara, BIC Professor and PR Track Director
Nancy Tag, BIC Program Director
Rob Flaherty, CEO of Ketchum
Brad MacAfee, CEO of Porter Novelli
Heidi Hovland, CEO of DeVries Global
Peter Harris, CEO of Grayling USA


Key Takeaways
Diversity and inclusion (DNI) must be tied into an organization’s business objectives if true change is desired.

DNI has different meanings across the globe, but one truth remains: diversity must signify diversity of color, thought, culture and discipline. 

Agency CEOs must enforce and instill the importance of DNI throughout all aspects of their respective organizations. 


Best Quotes

"If you're not pushing the envelope, you may not be engaging in a way that's true to yourself"- Rob MacAfee

"We believe in diversity because when people who are not alike come together, they make something great" - Nancy Tag

“Every one of us has a story.” - Angela Chitkara





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