THE EVOLUTION

The fight for Diversity and Inclusivity is deeply rooted in history. Protests by those such as the Suffragette’s, LGBT and Transgender movements paved the way for the shift in culture seen today.

However, the trend Diversity and Inclusivity originated within the workplace where, historically minority groups such as women and the LGBTQ+ community were at a disadvantage and given limited opportunities in comparison to their white male heterosexual counterparts.

In response to this shift in culture, societies expectations have changed. People are now demanding transparency from brands in order to have a diverse and inclusive workplace. The most recent examples of this is US food chain, Chick-fil-A ceasing trading at its first UK outlet amid a row over donations to anti-LGBT groups (BBC, 2019). This is further evidenced by the current Pierce Morgan controversy where he expressed his right to identify as a ‘two-spirit penguin’. This is a prime example of how societies tolerance is limited when it comes to ignorance and slander against minority groups after a petition was sent to ITV demanding he be removed from Good Morning Britain (Pearce, 2019).

Furthermore, there is the beginning of a shift in culture emerging when it comes to Diversity and Inclusivity, where identity is no longer reduced to the gender you were born into. This is a future that brands will have to embrace as society enters a new phase, where greater diversity in mainstream brands is critical for good strategy (Walker, Buchanan, Stott, 2015).