The impact of public relations professionals is far reaching. Their voices are critical in bringing about change and leading essential conversations on diversity, equity and inclusion.
Thanks to the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), these professionals are getting the support and tools they need to lead this effort within their own organizations as well as the industry. PRSA Tampa Bay Diversity & Inclusion Chair Kecia Carroll developed a plan to support them on both fronts.
- Start. Get started and go slow. Diversity and inclusion is a journey and needs to be thoughtful and intentional to be impactful. 2021 will expand on the previous year which focused on listening and learning.
- Govern. Diversity and inclusion is everyone’s responsibility, but the commitment starts at the top. We worked with leadership to get buy-in and support as well as participation in unconscious bias training. We also made organizational adjustments that were more consistent with the organization’s culture.
- Listen and Learn. PRSA Tampa Bay conducted three Courageous Conversations events where members shared diverse life experiences and expectations. This valuable feedback was built into future programming and initiatives.
- Engage. We informed, motivated and engaged members through a robust awareness campaign and a range of programming.
- Measure. We established a diversity benchmark through quantitative research and gathered member experiences and perceptions through an annual poll. Both metrics will be measured annually. Additionally, we compared local PR membership data with overall regional data and national industry information.