The Changing Language of DEI
Language continuously evolves. In English, many words have double meanings and terms evolve from acceptable to unacceptable over time. Or we have many words that mean the same thing. PR pros – do you say “media release” or “press release”?
When you use the word “diversity”, what do you think of? When diversity initiatives hit the workplace, that’s a key part of the starting definition. Today, diversity refers to a variety of factors that are differences between individuals.
In most organizations, the term “diversity” is now included as part of corporate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs. According to Global Research and Consulting Group Insights, diversity training emerged in the workplace during the mid-1960s but the attention on it has increased (and decreased) over the years. Diversity education, programs, and communication strategies have expanded in time with practitioners adding “inclusion” education in the 1990s and more recently “belonging” to important parts of transformative efforts and the diversity lexicon.
In recent years, DEI has been vaulted back to the top of awareness with the recent social unrest. The conversations and work being done in this space have progressed over time. For instance, when I worked at a large company in their D&I department, our focus was primarily on showing how diversity was a business imperative. Today, organizations tend to focus on how to appreciate differences, right inequitable organizational wrongs and foster a sense of belonging with stakeholders.
Organizations of all types are realizing they have to go deeper than observances or platitudes and look at the systemic policies and practices that lead to inequities inside and outside of their companies. PR pros, many without official DEI training, have responsibilities in these DEI areas since they are seen as natural communicators and guides through tough issues.
This caught the attention of the Institute for Public Relations’ Center for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and The Wakeman Agency. They launched a report on the current state of diversity-related language in the PR industry, “The Language of Diversity.”
The report examines how nearly 400 communications pros perceive how language can reinforce, advance, or impede creating authentic DEI programs. From the report, they then created definitions that were reviewed by rhetorical and linguistic scholars.
I was surprised to learn some of the results and how we have much to learn as PR pros before we can effectively communicate in this area. If we don’t understand, or fail to educate ourselves in the evolution of DEI, we are doing everyone a disservice.
Report highlights:
Communicators noted that their organizations were more likely to publicly express a commitment to DEI (76%) than to take action – either internally (70%) or in society (59%).
20% of respondents reported they did not recognize the difference between the terms “diversity” and “inclusion.”
A quarter failed to recognize “equity” and “equality” as distinct terms.
Only 23% saw “inclusion” and “belonging” as separate terms.
97% of communicators agreed that language or words could influence or reinforce power dynamics in the workplace.
A significant majority (87%) said it is important for workplace discussions to focus on how language can evolve to be more equitable or inclusive. However, one-third of respondents said they thought the terms “diversity, equity, and inclusion” were overused.
Two-thirds of communicators agreed that the public relations industry needs to develop standard definitions relating to DEI, and only 13% disagreed.
Less than half of respondents felt that organizations were adequately explaining why DEI language was important.
Resources to Learn More:
Here is a flyer with foundational definitions of what DEI is, according the IPR Center for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. These definitions are a great starting point or reminder for your stakeholders so everyone is speaking from the same viewpoint.
Visit the IPR Center for DEI to learn more about research and insights related to DEI
We help organizations with DEI strategy and communication. Let us know if you need help as you work on change-related causes.