A new five-part series of guides launched today by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations’ (CIPR) Diversity and Inclusion Network.
They’ve been designed to improve the understanding of equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) across the public relations profession.
The first guide is available now and is an introductory guide to EDI Basics.
CIPR state: “Diversity is an all-encompassing term acknowledging differences such as gender, ethnicity, sexuality, socio-economic background, disability, religion/faith, and age. The CIPR measures diversity within the public relations industry and produces research and reports as we look to raise awareness of diversity issues and develop an inclusive culture across the PR profession. Readers are encouraged to use this new guide as an onboarding tool for new employees, as a foundation to build inclusive processes and systems, and to ensure their organisation’s work aligns with the core values of EDI.”
What’s in the guide?
It includes definitions of equality, diversity, and inclusion and associated terms, explains how these apply in practice, and outlines ways to create an equitable future within the PR industry.
The guide can be used as an onboarding tool for new employees, as a foundation to build inclusive processes and systems, as part of an exit interview or as a guide to make sure your organisation’s inclusion work aligns with the core values of EDI within the CIPR.
The guides have been written by Sara Thornhurst Chart.PR, MCIPR and Vickie Cox MCIPR with input from Avril Lee MCIPR and Cornelius Alexander Dip CIPR, FCIPR, Found. Chart. PR.
I welcome this publication and thank the authors for their hard work.
Throughout 2023 the CIPR Diversity and Inclusion Network will be launching the following resources;
- Inclusive Language (May 2023)
- Inclusive Communications (June 2023)
- Inclusive Events (September 2023)
- Advocacy and Allyship (December 2023)
Avril Lee MCIPR, Chair of the CIPR Diversity and Inclusion Forum says: “Equity, diversity and inclusion are not just buzzwords. They are business imperatives that often are considered too late and disappointingly, sometimes never actively addressed.
“This new series of guides looks at this rapidly evolving landscape with the aim of inspiring and supporting readers through their EDI journey, at whatever stage they are with it. This introductory guide is a vital resource for the industry and a practical toolkit that can be used to help advise clients and organisations as they seek to create more inclusive and equitable workplaces and communications strategies. Many thanks to Sara and Vickie for their commitment and time, and for sharing their expertise in helping to create these guides.”
Further reading and resources mentioned in the guide
Further reading via All Things IC
- How to write about equity, diversity and belonging
- Have we made progress on diversity in PR?
- How Asda is building a diverse and inclusive culture – published 2016
- A Candid conversation about inclusion with Keith Riley – Candid Comms podcast episode 2021
- A Candid conversation with Amrit Nijjar, Inclusion & Belonging Manager – Candid Comms podcast episode 2021
- Ask yourself about diversity – published 2015
- Black History Month: a comms and inclusion case study – by Lia Crooks
- How to start a conversation about racism and unconscious bias – by Gihan Hyde
- Guidance from the Chartered Institute of Public Relations
- How to create a sense of belonging – Candid Comms podcast episode 2021
- How to create a sense of belonging for hybrid workers – written by Helen Deverell for my blog.
Post author: Rachel Miller
First published on the All Things IC website 29 March 2023.
