Each agency (and corporate communications division) should commit to hiring a minimum of one senior executive of color, as per Reputation Doctor Mike Paul’s long-running call, with senior in this case referring to VP-level or above. This may sound like a modest goal but it would be revolutionary, given the racial makeup of most PR firms’ senior teams. But a single executive is too easily isolated, so they should aim for two. Also, diversity and inclusion roles don’t count. Without these steps, it is hard to see how a top 10 PR firm will ever have a Black CEO.
Firms should also make a measurable commitment to improve Black representation at all levels, and publish workforce diversity data on an annual basis. To support this effort, the industry should also ensure that 50% of its candidate pool when hiring is from under-represented communities, which is viewed as a more effective measure than the NFL’s Rooney Rule (whereby each senior vacancy requires ethnic-minority candidates to be interviewed).
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