“Should the communications industry be taking steps to increase the number of professionals from ethnic backgrounds? Or should it disregard ethnicity and hire purely on skills and talent?”

Each month, we ask two communications practitioners to debate an issue via an exchange of emails. Arguing that the industry should be trying to increase ethnic diversity is Bieneosa Ebite is MD of Bright Star Public Relations and the chair of Ignite, an organisation that promotes the benefits of cultural diversity in PR. Eb Adeyeri is digital PR director of Lewis PR and will be arguing that recruitment should focus on talent.

Hi Bieneosa,

It’s an issue that has raged for decades now and is often laced with strong emotion - positive discrimination or affirmation action as it’s referred to it the US.

However does the communications industry ‘loading the scales’ in favour of professionals from ethnic minority backgrounds really help the industry as a whole or merely dilute standards?

I would argue the latter. Communications by its very nature is about understanding the requirements, needs and emotions of an audience and adapting your message accordingly. The best communicators are able to do this irrespective of the cultural settings in which they find themselves.

Speaking from any agency perspective, the primary objective is to serve a client’s business. Surely the industry should take steps to educate new entrants on these fundamentals regardless of ethnic background? I believe to focus on ethnicity as a precursor to entry will create a negative effect on the perception of an individual’s skill or talent. And in some cases lead to questions from others who haven’t got preferential treatment causing resentment towards those that have, despite their talent.

Ultimately PR is about standing out from the crowd and this should be the only yardstick with which the industry recruits.

Regards, Eb

Dear Eb,

Your argument fails to take into account that the UK’s demographic profile has changed significantly over the past ten years, and will continue to do so into the future.

By 2011, Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) groups will make up 15% of the UK population, with spending power expected to exceed £300 billion. By 2051, one in five Britons will be from an ethnic minority, possessing a significant share of the working age population. With greater economic clout fuelled by a younger age profile, your clients will seek to tap into the spending power of BME consumers. However, with only 6.5% of the PR industry’s workforce made up of BME groups, we are failing to optimise our ability to engage with BME audiences.

Research conducted by Dr Lee Edwards and Business in the Community highlights multiple barriers when it comes to BME groups entering the PR profession. Surely you would agree that we need to have a level playing field when it comes to recruitment, so that everybody has an equal opportunity to “stand out from the crowd”?

As an industry we cannot afford to maintain the status quo when it comes to ethnic diversity, while the world around us continues to change. This is not about “diluting standards” – it is about enhancing the industry.

We need tackle the issue head on through initiatives such as BME internships, widening the recruitment pool, eliminating unpaid internships, promoting the profession to BME students at schools and colleges and implementing diversity monitoring and policy setting.

Yours, Bieneosa

Hi Bieneosa,

Yes my argument doesn’t take into account the UK’s demographic profile. But that’s because these days PR is a global game. The proliferation of digital channels means most PR activities can reach global audiences. I believe the industry should look more at developing PRs that can communicate across borders regardless of background.

I do agree that clients will increasing be looking to tap into the economic clout welded by younger consumers however I would argue that these clients target people based on attitudes rather than ethnicity. These days consumers draw their influences from a vast array of sources and PR should focus on how it can best influence these sources to get its message across. Communicating to an audience based solely on their ethnicity is at best misplaced and at worst patronising.

Regards, Eb

“Surely the industry should take steps to educate new entrants on these fundamentals regardless of ethnic background? I believe to focus on ethnicity as a precursor to entry will create a negative effect on the perception of an individual’s skill or talent”

Dear Eb,

The UK’s demographics reflect the global village in which PR operates. We’ve already established that the audience is not homogenous; surely you need a
heterogeneous workforce in order to engage successfully?

The age of the one-size-fits-all approach to communications is dead. In order to communicate across borders, it’s essential to have a team with diverse perspectives, backgrounds, skills and experience. This applies to both online and offline communication. How can we come up with creative ideas, keep abreast of trends and deal with issues without diversity? Furthermore, one cannot develop a global or domestic campaign without taking into account multi-cultural sensitivities. Do you remember Microsoft’s Photoshop gaff in Poland, or Cadbury’s campaign for Trident chewing gum, which was banned for being offensive and racist? Now reconsider all that I’ve said regarding the importance of having a diverse team.

I disagree with your view on campaigns targeted at ethnic groups. I buy IMAN cosmetics which are specifically designed for women of colour; therefore, the brand’s communication strategy is focused on this group. I am far from patronised or offended by this approach. Instead, I see a product that’s relevant to me and uses the correct tone of voice and media channels to ensure that I continue to be a loyal customer.

Eb, let’s get back to the crux of the issue. You failed to comment on the research that I mentioned in our previous exchange, or my suggestions for enhancing ethnic diversity in PR. What are your views on these points, or are you still adamant the PR industry does not need to change?

Yours, Bieneosa

Dear Bieneosa,

Yes, we need a heterogeneous workforce. Having a team with a diverse range of backgrounds, skills, perspectives and experience is of course more much effective than one without these features. Where I disagree with your argument however, is the notion that only PR pros from ethnic minorities can communicate effectively with the various ethnic minority communities. Today’s communicators must be able to tap into any audience, understand the sensitives of that audience and tailor a message accordingly. The digital revolution in which the PR industry operates today is about the individuality of the audience.

And this comes back to the crux of the argument. The PR industry should be looking at individuals rather than specific communities. Like myself, I would argue that most of my non-ethnic colleagues stumbled into the profession rather than had it had it promoted to them as a serious career option. Is this right? Maybe not. Over the years, I sure the industry has missed out on a lot of talented individuals. Despite this, most of those I’ve worked with who ‘fell in PR’ have had one thing in common regardless of background – they’ve all been exceptional communicators.

I cannot disagree that having just 6.5% of the UK’s PR industry from a BME background is a poor statistic but the industry should be promoting the virtues of communications to ALL sections of the community if it’s to survive in the long term.

Regards, Eb

Eb,

I’m glad you agree the industry needs a diverse workforce that reflects the society in which we live and the global village in which we operate.

If you review our first exchange, I pointed out that we are failing to optimise our ability to communicate with BME audiences because BME groups are underrepresented in our industry. At no point did I claim that communicating with BME audiences should be exclusively confined to BME practitioners. I agree with your comment about the individuality of the audience. The notion of individuality embodies multiple and intersectional differences that define who we are including, but not limited to lifestyle, religion, community affiliations and ethnicity. Therefore, we need communication teams that reflect this dynamic, rather than an individual that uses a one-size-fits-all approach to try and engage.

For example, raising awareness of the importance of breast screening among 50-70-year-old Bangladeshi women in Tower Hamlets would require a different approach to reaching white British women of the same age. A true appreciation of the difference in approach can only be gained by interacting with people with different perspectives, experiences and cultural insights i.e. by having a diverse workforce.

Despite my prompts, you remain oblivious to the well-documented research that outlines the barriers faced by BME professionals trying to enter the profession. I urge you to read this.

Indeed, the PR industry should be promoting the virtues of communications to all sections of the community if it’s to survive in the long-term. In addition, it makes sound business sense to address the under-representation of BME groups if the industry wants to remain relevant in an ever increasing culturally diverse marketplace.

Regards, Bieneosa