DEI has generally been considered an initiative under the Purpose umbrella, and squarely in the PR domain, but the rise of the Chief Diversity Officer in many organizations has largely usurped that critical company mandate and challenge. New research from The Institute for Public Relations (IPR), through its IPR Center for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, explores how key communication and diversity executives collaborate to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and foster inclusive cultures within their organizations.
The new research report, Collaborators for Change: Research on the Relationship between Communications and Diversity Executives, based on a small-scale but intensive set of in-depth interviews with 20 Chief Diversity Officers (CDOs) and 20 Chief Communications Officers (CCOs) takes a deep dive into the current DEI landscape from both sides of those functions.
Key findings from the research include:
The new report, sponsored by the Omnicom Group, also uncovers valuable insights into the strategies, challenges, and best practices to empower leaders to drive positive change within their organizations by providing actionable insights and practical recommendations.
“Given the ever-changing landscape of DEI over the last year, this report comes at a critical time as organizations across industries grapple with the shifting sentiments regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion,” said Anetra Henry, senior director of strategic initiatives at the Institute for Public Relations and the report author, in a news release. “What sets it apart is the deep dive into the relationship between CCOs and CDOs and how they collaborate in shaping the cultures in which they work.”
Download the full report here.
The interviews for this report were conducted from March to August 2023.
