Diversity

Enriching Our Profession

A more racially and ethnically diverse workforce is no longer an aspirational goal for the public relations industry; it is a moral and strategic imperative. Consider:

• David A. Thomas and Robin J. Ely, two thought leaders on race, gender and cultural diversity at the Harvard Business School, and co-authors of “Making Differences Matter: A New Paradigm for Managing Diversity,” stress that the benefits of a diverse workforce extend beyond “increased profitability” to “learning, creativity, flexibility, organizational and individual growth, and the ability of a company to adjust rapidly and successfully to market changes.”
• In their book, “Manager’s Guide to Excellence in Public Relations and Communication Management,” David Dozier and James and Larissa Grunig emphasize that “there must be at least as much variety — or diversity — inside the organization as outside for the organization to build effective relationships with all critical or strategic parts of the environment.”
• Ray Kotcher, a senior partner and the chief executive officer of Ketchum, feels strongly that, “The public relations profession should aspire to be representative of the communities served by our companies, clients and organizations across the nation.”

Population trends and the increasing buying power of minorities make the achievement of greater diversity mission-critical for the public relations industry. In this regard, the objectives of PRSA’s National Diversity Committee are twofold: (1) make PRSA a more inclusive and welcoming Society by reaching out to industry professionals of diverse racial backgrounds, ethnicities and sexual orientations, and (2) help to diversify the industry by supporting minority candidates who aspire to a career in public relations by helping them develop industry familiarity and knowledge, relevant skills and a network of professional contacts.

Diversity Resources

PRSA’s National Diversity Committee has assembled a variety of resources dedicated to furthering the cause of diversity within the public relations industry:

• PRSA Diversity Today Podcast Series — Listen in on thought-provoking discussions of diversity with industry experts.
• Diversity Intelligence — Read articles by diversity thought leaders and find relevant survey findings and other data.

For Our Chapters

PRSA also has a number of tools available to assist our Chapters in furthering the cause of diversity in their local areas:

• Diversity Tool Kit^® — Start a diversity program at your Chapter.
• PRSA Chapter Diversity Award — Gain recognition for your Chapter’s diversity efforts recognized at our International Conference.
• Case Studies — Learn from what other Chapters are doing in the area of diversity.

If you are interested in helping PRSA promote diversity in the public relations profession by volunteering to serve on our National Diversity Committee, send an e-mail to diversity@prsa.org.