DEI and social justice communications is a new and required skill set for communicators. The key to success is to embed them in your processes from the very beginning. We must acknowledge unconscious bias and learn to think and act beyond ourselves and our own limited experiences.
Once upon a time, companies stayed out of social justice and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) situations. Today, customers and employees expect to be seen, heard, and valued. They expect businesses and their leaders to be transparent about DEI efforts, take a stand on social justice issues, and demonstrate how they’re making the world a better place. Misalignment between what a company says and what it actually does destroys credibility and leads to a host of other consequences, including brand reputation damage, high attrition, difficulty attracting talent, lawsuits, boycotts, loss of market share, and more.
This book helps organizations answer the why, what, when, and how to communicate DEI and social justice subjects. In the book, Stovall and Clark introduce the DEPTH model, a framework and practical tool to help companies craft DEI and social justice and communications aligned with their mission, vision, and values – consistently, proactively, and in ways that are powerful rather than performative.
DEI touches every part of the organization beyond communications, from marketing to sales, human resources to technology. Social justice is no longer something that happens ‘out there, somewhere.’ In this groundbreaking book, Stovall and Clark lay out the elements of a DEI and social justice communications strategy and a roadmap that will help your organization effectively use a DEI lens to inform all of its work and interactions. The business world has the best potential to usher in change that’s long overdue – and now is the time to do it.
This is the book that's missing from the conversation about equity and inclusivity in the workplace. The need for it is so great that I thought about writing it myself! Thank goodness Janet Stovall and Kim Clark have done the work, based on years of experience and expertise. This book will help a lot of people and a lot of companies.
Communications can bring people together or tear them apart, build societies up or burn them down. With so much at stake, we have to move beyond the performative to do the transformative. This book shows us how.
Communicating clearly under ordinary circumstances is challenging enough in today's world of short attention spans and hyper-divided perspectives. When the subject matter is prickly, the task is even more daunting. Business leaders need more than positive intent, we need DEPTH. This book provides relevant and practical communications guidance with a business value proposition. It is a must-read for leaders who understand the power of their platform and want to use it for good.