Never have I ever… The Xec graduates shine the spotlight on PR’s diversity problem with new game The Diversity Card
Never have I ever… The Xec graduates shine the spotlight on PR’s diversity problem with new game The Diversity Card
The PR industry faces a diversity crisis, with white workers making up 79% of the industry
London – 20th July 2022: Today, graduates from BME PR Pros’ inaugural Xec. Leadership Scheme, the programme created to establish the next generation of Black, Asian, mixed race and ethnic minority PR leaders, launched a new game – The Diversity Card – to highlight the alarming lack of diversity in the PR industry today. Aimed to be played in a group, the cards ask industry professionals about their own experiences and encourage thought, conversation, and action in the industry.
Across EMEA, 79% of PR professionals identify as being white (PRovoke Media, 2021). When it comes to pay, 26% of men and 46% of women earn less than €35,000, but this rockets to 64% for Black women and 66% for Black men.
PR professionals are encouraged to download their cards here, to play the game with colleagues and industry peers, and to share their reactions and reflections on social media using the hashtag #TheDiversityCard.
“It’s high time the PR industry does more than talk about diversity issues and takes real action to address them,” said Whitney Simon, Account Director, Missive. “The cards are a playful way to help people talk about the very serious challenges and issues facing our industry today. We hope that people will use the cards to stimulate open and honest discussion, to hear employees’ experiences, and to underpin real action to drive change.”
In The Diversity Card, players take turns picking a card and answering the question on it – this might be for example, “Never have I ever… been managed by a BME manager?” They are then encouraged to share their feelings and reflections on this, while reading out loud the industry data points that are on the back of each card. There is no winner or loser in this game – it exists as a route into opening up about diversity.
“As an industry, we have to do better on diversity – it is not representative of the population and we are not consistently creating authentic and meaningful comms campaigns as a result,” said Avril Lee, Head of Healthcare Europe, Zeno Group and Chair CIPR’s Diversity & Inclusion Network. “Those companies who take this seriously – who commit and reinvent structure, process, and culture to address diversity – are the ones who will do the best work, drive the best results, and lead our sector into a stronger future. I encourage you to play The Diversity Card and ask yourself if you’re doing enough to drive change.”
“Representation in the PR industry remains desperately poor and it’s long overdue for agency and in-house teams to make real change,” said Elizabeth Bananuka, founder of BME PR Pros and founder/CEO of Blueprinted. “Change often starts with uncomfortable, open, and empathetic conversation – exactly what the inaugural cohort from the Xec. is driving with the Diversity Card. I implore my industry peers to try the cards out – you might be surprised at the feelings and discussions that come from it.”
Please download the cards here.
Media contacts:
Whitney Simon
whitneyk.simon@gmail.com
