DEI Commitment & Resources

The Communication Professionals’ Declaration for Diverse and Inclusive Impact

Scope

This declaration is by communication professionals who deliver oral, written, or visual messages that influence perception, build awareness, drive decisions, or affect behavior. Our collective commitment to intentionally supporting diversity and inclusion means acknowledging, seeking, learning about, celebrating, and embracing likenesses and differences, as well as building connections.

Current State

Communication professionals believe that we must proactively speak truth to power and take a “seat at the table.” Our world is shifting, and we must do more than just respond: We must be leaders. We find ourselves with an opportunity to chart the course in our profession and build a culture of respect for all people. This is the moment to proclaim that our field has the resources, networks, skills, and platforms—to make socially responsible decisions. After all, communicators are connectors. It is our responsibility to open dialogue, influence the groups we engage with, and nurture relationships with our members, peer organizations, company leaders, employees, and stakeholders.

Purpose

We must improve how marginalized groups are represented in marketing, news, and media; we must amplify the voices of our members, peer organizations, company leaders, employees, and stakeholders who are members of marginalized groups; and we must provide content that celebrates and supports diversity throughout the communication field.

Mission

We will constantly ask: What specific impact can we have in our organizations and circles of influence? How can we improve diversity and inclusion of race, age, socioeconomic status, disability, neurodiversity, faith, skin color, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or national origin? To lead change, we must be courageous and step outside of our comfort zones with intention, conviction, and action. We must use our skills, our compassion, our networks, and our resources to emphasize the decisions we recommend or make.

Vision

The communicator’s role will be a catalyst that encourages dialogue and demonstrates human dignity within our profession. We will: communicate hope, inspire, challenge outdated perceptions, and widen the door of opportunity and accessibility.

We, the undersigned organizations, promise to:

View the Declaration form to sign

Join us

Make a commitment to intentionally support diversity and inclusion.  

Take action 

Learn more from our resources

Business communicators and our workplaces will benefit from championing diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and belonging. Our collection of resources is not a comprehensive list. If you have any resources you'd like to recommend, please let us know.

The most important part of incorporating DEIAB into our everyday work is showing up with an open mind, an open heart, and a desire to listen and learn.

Resources for Understanding Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility & Belonging

OVERVIEW

Some key resources: 

International Association for Business Communicators

The Centre for Global Inclusion
Serves as a resource for research and education for individuals and organizations in their quest to improve diversity and inclusion practices around the world.

Creative Equity Toolkit
has links to hundreds of practical resources, inspiring case studies and important research on increasing diversity in the arts.

Diversity Action Alliance
Bringing together the world’s top leaders in Public Relations and Communication in pursuit of an urgent and critically essential goal: to achieve continuous improvement for people of color as measured by recruitment, retention, and representation in management.

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
The EEOC is responsible for enforcing federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate against a job applicant or an employee because of the person's race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, transgender status, and sexual orientation), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information.

Fairplay Talks
News stories and events across the wide diversity spectrum in both the public and private sectors worldwide.

Graduate School of Stanford Business DEI
We are committed to making positive change in the diversity, equity, and inclusion of our community, teaching, and research, now and into the future.

Harvard Implicit Association Test
Harvard University's Implicit Association Test (IAT) measures attitudes and beliefs that people may be unwilling or unable to report. The IAT may be especially interesting if it shows that you have an implicit attitude that you did not know about.

JustWorks Blog Posts

Nonprofit Quarterly
Not only has implications for nonprofit organizations. Content and thought leaders on:

Siemens - Belonging Transforms podcast series
Episode 1: The role of big business in driving diversity, equity and inclusion.
Episode 2: Creating places where we can all belong
Episode 3: How inclusive language creates belonging

Unmasking Microagressions
Educational Guide to Promoting Inclusive Conversations

 

ORGANIZATIONS LOCATED IN THE SOUTHWEST OHIO/NORTHERN KENTUCKY/SOUTHEAST INDIANA AREA WITH A FOCUS ON SERVING DIVERSE POPULATIONS. 

RESOURCES FOR BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF AND ACCOMMODATING PEOPLE LIVING WITH DISABILITIES.

RESOURCES FOR UNDERSTANDING ISSUES IMPACTING GENDER EQUALITY. 

RESOURCES FOR UNDERSTANDING GENERATIONAL BIAS

Why inclusive language matters

We all carry our own implicit biases with us every day, even as we attempt to make casual conversation. We cannot necessarily see the environments we swim in - or the assumptions we make or the things we take for granted.

This information is a starting point and a flexible framework for using language that is empowering and respectful. It is meant to help start consideration for best practices and general guidelines; it is by no means exhaustive or definitive.

As the Linguistic Society of America defines it, "Inclusive language acknowledges diversity, conveys respect to all people, is sensitive to differences, and promotes equal opportunities."

Terminology that refers to attributes or identities such as race, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, disability, religion, age, or immigration or veteran status can adversely overemphasize an identity, feed stereotypes, or be discriminatory.

Conversely, there are times when noting a person’s identity or attribute can be an important affirmation and recognition and needs to be included.

People have complex identities. Language should avoid boxing people into a specific identity.  

For example

  • Use: A baby with Down syndrome
    Avoid: A Down’s baby

  • Use: A person living on a subsistence-level income
    Avoid: Jane Doe is low-income

  • Use: A woman on our sales team
    A woman salesperson

Inclusive Language Resources

 

  • A Way with Words - a podcast - Are you in love with language? This podcast examines language through family, history, and culture. The focus is on an understanding that language and respect;  language and fairness; and language and justice are all tied together. Treating people with humanity is a part of really knowing how language works.


  • Word on the Street: How to Respect my Ethnic Name from an article by Anparasan Sivakumaran, also known as Anpu

 

As DEI communicator Kim Clark states, "We are still on unceded land. Oppression is not a thing of the past. Listen/Read Native voices on the history."

When we understand how we benefit from harm done long ago, and how, we can begin to see how we might be inclusive now -- and what benefits of belonging bring to all of us. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • National Congress of American Indians
    Tribal Nations and the United States: An Introduction
    A basic overview of the history and underlying principles of tribal governance. The guide also provides introductory information about tribal governments and American Indian and Alaska Native people today. The purpose of the guide is to ensure that policy decision makers at the local, state, and federal level understand their relationship to tribal governments as part of the American family of governments. Additionally, this guide provides the information necessary for members of the public at large to understand and engage effectively with contemporary Indian Nations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RESOURCES FOR IDENTIFYING AND UNDERSTANDING LGBTQ+ BIAS.

National Organizations

Articles, Research & Projects 

NBC News - LGBTQ History Month: The road to America's first gay pride march

RESOURCES FOR IDENTIFYING AND UNDERSTANDING BIAS AND DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RACE AND ETHNICITY 

  • Anti-Racism Daily - offers a free daily newsletter addressing a range of issues to build a more inclusive community including media & culture, politics, health, social justice, history, criminal justice, neighborhoods, environment, education, workplace

  • Association for the Study of American African Life and History (ASAHL)

  • Bringing Caste into the DEI Conversation - This Harvard Business Review article by Simran Jeet Singh and Aarti Shyamsunder addresses caste as a basis of discrimination. Caste is a system of social hierarchy in India that dates back over 3,000 years and assigns purity or status to specific groups of people. Caste is a form of social organization and identity in the South Asian context. It affects more than one billion people around the world — and 5.4 million in the United States. Companies should become more aware of caste as a factor in their own DEI efforts.

  • Capital B, a local-national nonprofit news organization that centers Black voices, audience needs and experiences, and partners with the communities it serves. 
  • Editors of Color database. Editors of Color can help you tap into a diverse and representative workforce, to create an exciting expansion of ideas, expertise, and perspectives. Our database highlights language and content editors, sensitivity readers, proofreaders, and other editorial professionals from underrepresented communities and cultures.

  • Equal Justice Initiative -  the past informs the future, which means examining the past, and the history of racial injustice in the United States.  
  • History Channel: Origins of Black History Month

  • White Tears/Brown Scars: How White Feminism Betrays Women of Color by Ruby Hamad

Black hair and professionalism

  • Race Forward, an organization focused on the systemic analysis and an innovative approach to complex race issues to help people take effective action toward racial equity.

  • raceAhead, a Fortune Magazine newsletter written by Ellen McGirt. 

  • The racist history of America’s highways...And how it’s still playing out today. Fast Company 

RESOURCES FOR IDENTIFYING AND OVERCOMING RELIGIOUS BIAS   

INFORMATION ABOUT AND RESOURCES FOR CONSIDERING NEURODIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE.   

"The word neurodiversity refers to the diversity of all people, but it is often used in the context of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), as well as other neurological or developmental conditions such as ADHD or learning disabilities. The neurodiversity movement emerged during the 1990s, aiming to increase acceptance and inclusion of all people while embracing neurological differences."

CBC News: Canada needs workers — so why aren't more companies hiring the neurodivergent?

Fast Company: Neurodiversity is critical for innovation in the workplace

Harvard Business Review: Neurodiversity as a Competitive Advantage: Why you should embrace it in your workforce

Harvard Business Review: Autism doesn't hold people back at work. Discrimination does.

Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School: What is neurodiversity?  

HR Brew: People with Autism seek allies in the workplace. Advocates say HR can help

HR Brew: New Microsoft program connects recruiters with neurodivergent talent

Hubspot's The Hustle Daily Newsletter, How To Manage and Accommodate ADHD at Work

Ologies Podcast episodes (includes other resources in the show notes):

Stanford Neurodiversity Project

Stanford University Research: Neurodiversity at Work

Website: Neurodiversity Celebration Week

World Autism Acceptance Day

MINORITY- AND WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES 

Greater Cincinnati Area Businesses

  • Calibrated Lens - helping organizations create  more inclusive environments, brands, and reputations
  • Lori Tingle Coaching & Training 
  • Olivetree Insights - equip brands with the right research and intelligence for a better return on investment
  • RRight Now Communications - communications advisor providing best in class solutions to complex communications problems
  • Spotted Yeti Media - smart video, telling your story and getting results 
  • The Marketing Collective - creates brand work that differentiates and resonates no matter the medium 
  • The Voice of Your Customer - Black-owned and minority-certified marketing consulting firm that uses research, secret shopping, outreach campaigns and our call center to engage hard-to-reach populations
  • Zumwald & Company, LLC - a woman-owned small business providing speechwriting, speech coaching, executive communications, brand messaging, corporate storytelling, and speaking and training.

10 women-owned U.S. moving companies

  • A Woman's Touch Moving, Inc. (Washington and Virginia areas)
  • American Moving and Hauling (North Carolina)
  • American Moving & Installation, Inc.
  • Little Joe Movers and Storage, LLC (Texas)
  • Move Solutions
  • NorthStar Moving (Los Angeles County, CA)
  • Perfect Moving (New York City, Hudson Valley, Southern Florida)
  • Piggy Back Moving (Florida)
  • Tital Relocation Services (Arizona)
  • Worldwide Moving Systems (Maryland)

WEIGHT BIAS / FATPHOBIA

Weight bias (also referred to as fatphobia) is prevalent across countries, including the US, Canada, and the UK. It’s still legal in much of the US to pass over an applicant based solely on their weight and size. 

In an article in the Journal of Eating Disorders, the authors define weight bias as “negative weight-related attitudes, beliefs, assumptions and judgments toward individuals who are overweight and obese.”

They note, "We extend this definition to include individuals of low as well as high weights. Weight-related issues include obesity and eating disorders, but importantly also include disordered eating and non- or sub-clinical variants or symptoms, such as overweight, body image dissatisfaction, restrained eating, disinhibited eating, emotional eating, and compensatory behaviors.

Some other resources for learning 

 

BIAS IN THE WORKPLACE

Articles and resources for thinking about and working with bias in the workplace.