The term “diversity” is popping up more and more in in the news and within our organizations. Why? Diversity is great for business—it’s a key driver of innovation, and it’s crucial for companies that want to attract top talent. Diversity and inclusion (D&I) is no longer just “training” that your employer requires you to complete—it’s a crucial factor in the culture of successful organizations. Read this case history about how Sodexo used D&I to improve employee engagement and foster creativity.

Have you ever wondered how D&I affects your brand?Read full post...

Diversity can be a huge recruitment differentiator.

Hospitals and healthcare systems that promote rewarding team-oriented work environments surely get their fair share of physician candidates. But those who champion inclusion and diversity in their workplaces often fare even better.Read full post...

Tara Moore received her post graduate certification in Diversity Studies.

BLOOMSBURG, PA—Tara Moore of Aloysius Butler & Clark has added “diversity specialist” to her qualifications. The account executive recently earned a post-graduate certificate in diversity studies with an emphasis on workplace and healthcare diversity. This certification comes in addition to a master’s degree in human relations.Read full post...

Tara Moore received her postgraduate certification in diversity studies.

It’s no secret why organizations that focus on having a diverse workplace solve problems with a unique perspective and develop cultural competencies that help them with their bottom line. Diversity and inclusion messaging targeted at specific groups is being seen more and more in advertising and employee recruitment messaging.

Our own Tara Moore realizes how important it is to offer expertise in this area. With a master’s in human relations and postgraduate certification in diversity studies, she’s our go-to when it comes to the benefits of a diversity and inclusion strategy.Read full post...

Big brands have woken up to the realization … that young Americans across the board value diversity.

To steal a line from one of the best songs ever written, it’s been a long time coming — but a change has finally come to advertising. While the country generally has grown more socially liberal, advertising has lagged behind. According to a recent Ad Age article, advertising has proved to be the last frontier when it comes to reflecting societal changes. Let’s face it — pop culture typically sets the trends; advertisers follow. Why are we afraid to take a risk? It’s pretty simple — no one wants to hear negative feedback about a campaign. Speaking to where the public already is rather than leading them in a different direction has been the norm.

Until recently, that is.Read full post...

No longer just for boys and girls

On February 13, social media giant Facebook took a courageous step forward by improving its gender identity feature. Previously it only offered “male” or “female” as a user’s choices. It now lists over 50 possibilities, along with pronouns the user can choose to let friends know how they would like to be referred to publicly. Facebook’s message is forward thinking and clear—it wants its users to know that it recognizes the large spectrum of gender identity. It also wants users to feel comfortable and included, no matter where they identify on that spectrum.

There were many reactions to this change, from positive to ambivalent to negative; but the LGBTQ community certainly has reason to celebrate. Surely there will be people for whom this change means nothing—but for the users this does impact, it could mean everything.Read full post...

Popular? Maybe. Appalling? Absolutely!

Lack of diversity affects our lives personally and professionally. In this country, equality for everyone — minority, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender — seems like a simple concept. Sadly, I struggle every day to understand why it is not.

Challenges such as marriage equality and feeling safe in the workplace (Employment Non-Discrimination Act) are joined by a multitude of other forms of inequality, such as sexism, racial profiling and gender bias. These issues appear in abundance on the Internet and social media, and on sites you might not expect.

Recently Adweek published an article entitled “Powerful Ads Use Real Google Searches to Show the Scope of Sexism Worldwide.” The campaign, created by UN Women, uses Google’s autocomplete search feature to show how gender inequality is a worldwide epidemic. The study used search qualifiers like “women shouldn’t,” “women need to,” and “women cannot.” Read full post...

From a branding perspective, the HRC’s social media initiative linked to its logo speaks volumes about the importance of brand awareness — for any company.

On Tuesday, March 26, social media experienced a huge surge from Facebook page owners across the globe. In reaction to the Supreme Court’s discussion of DOMA (The Defense of Marriage Act) and California’s Proposition 8, which recognizes only opposite-sex marriages, The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) asked its followers to change their Facebook profile pictures to a red equal sign, to signify love.

This simple request caused a massive spike in user profile picture changes, as an estimated 2.7 million Facebook users responded to the HRC’s appeal. (Did you, or any of your friends?) It amounted to a 120% increase in Facebook profile picture changes from the week before, with many people even developing their own creative version of the symbol. Read full post...