DIVERSITY & INCLUSION
LET’S TALK DE&I – COMMUNICATING WITH HUMILITY AND CREDIBILITY Demonstrating a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) is a necessity for any business. In the high profile, headline-grabbing world of sport, perhaps even more so. WORDS: Chris Harris, Director at Weber Shandwick
Scandals like those we’ve seen play out so publicly in cricket over the past few weeks only intensify the scrutiny that sport at all levels is under and make clear the need for DE&I to sit right at the heart of a sports organisation.
Talking a good game just isn’t enough. The moment DE&I is viewed simply as a communications issue, that organisation is getting it wrong. Communications is important, but without fully understanding and addressing the challenges an organisation faces, words are at best hollow and often do more harm than good. There must be a genuine desire for change from the top down. This desire and commitment provides a solid base to develop a long-term DE&I strategy that will ultimately improve an organisation’s reputation – but more importantly, will transform it for the better. It’s only at this point that an organisation can deploy a communications plan that tells their story with both credibility and humility. 12 | OTFF ISSUE 18 ★ DECEMBER 2021
The cost of communicating without substance is high. When organisations make DE&I announcements that don’t ring true or seem like a publicity stunt, they can quickly be exposed – either by the media that is well-versed in outing hypocrisy or “PR fluff”, or by disgruntled fans, players and employees who are happy to lift the lid on the realities that exist within an organisation. Importantly, this doesn’t mean
Having a robust DE&I strategy in place first is so important. It provides an organisation with a concrete vision and intent and enables its leaders to clearly explain where progress has been made and where there’s still room for improvement. The responsibility then lies with those leaders to consistently hold themselves and their organisations to account – publicly. Doing so will demonstrate true commitment
“Having a robust DE&I strategy in place first is so important. It provides an organisation with a concrete vision and intent and enables its leaders to clearly explain where progress has been made and where there's still room for improvement.” the business has to be “perfect” or even have all of the answers before it communicates publicly. In fact, this isn’t what people expect to hear. They’re looking for progress over perfection. This means communicating with authenticity, transparency, and acknowledging shortcomings, as well as mapping out clearly the road ahead.
and provide the reputational equity that allows organisations to change course when something isn’t working or goes wrong. Successfully communicating about a strategy and reflecting on when and why things might have gone wrong in the past requires a careful tone. It must strike a balance between conviction and
