Diversity and Communications

Speakers:
David Kasnoff, Global Diversity, Eastman Kodak Company
Marsha Jones, Wegman’s Food Markets

David and Marsha discussed the important role of diversity in an organization, what that means and how to achieve it.

David Kasnoff
In the past, organizations and corporations used to have only one communications person, and while conductivity was important, it was rarely achieved.

Diversity and its benefits

• What is diversity? Features? Benefits?

  Diversity is about people, how we support them, how they interact and how we can improve these interactions to break down barriers to communication.

• Four steps to creating a diversity strategy

  Focus on diversity – enlist agencies that have multicultural insights
  Communication expertise – work with people who specialize in diversity
  Create a plan for diversity
  Identify assets – stars/success stories to merchandise to the media

• Any diversity activity CANNOT take place in a vacuum

  Must be collaborative
  Leverage outside relationships

• Diversity better prepares companies to grow in the market

  Build brand equity
  Be known as an employer of choice
  Earn trust/loyalty/respect

• Kodak took steps toward diversity – couldn’t address all market segments at once

  First year – focused on audience segments that consumer markets consider “diversities” (i.e. Black, Hispanic, etc)
  Second year – broadened segments – (i.e. Native American)

Diversity programs

• Objectives

  Heighten public awareness
  Introduce/position products
  Build brand loyalty
  Improve employee understanding/involvement in diversity programs

• Basic components successful diversity program

  Recognition and third-party support
  A business case for diversity (why we do this)
  Established key partnerships
  Message platform must correlate with the corporate platform

• What works?

  Assets such as advisory panels
  Stories about people
  Thoughtful analysis of audience – who they are and how to reach them

Marsha Jones
Marsha discussed her experiences and observations in her professional life.

• Diversity work is hard work

  People always think black
  People confuse diversity with affirmative action and take a negative connotation

• Black men and women make less money

  The armed forces has the most equality

• Diversity challenges people’s beliefs and how they were raised

• To corporations, diversity is important because of the buying power of “diversities”

• How do you make diversity work?

  Have a definition of diversity that makes the framework for the company
  The CEO needs to support the definition for it to filter down
  Hook up with people who know what to do next
  Find out how your organization is perceived in society
  You may be surprised

• Diversity needs to be reflected by little things

  Magazines in the waiting room
  Art on the walls

• Things you can do to increase diversity relations

Bilingual company materials
Expand media contacts
Internship programs
Speaking with community groups
Publicize that your place of employment is open to events and community meetings - create a dialogue of communication
Celebrations in place of employment – creates a sense of inclusion

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