Brands are years behind the reality of diversity

An analysis of leading brands' social media posts has found that they are 23 years behind in reflecting the actual racial diversity of the US, based on US Census data.

That’s according to research backed by independent DEI organization BRIDGE, which is measuring the representation of skin tone, body type, hair type, ability and other criteria across the top 200 brands in the US. 

Based on completed work on the top 50, Unilever’s Dove is the most inclusive brand. 

Why DEI research matters

It claims to provide an objective view of the current levels of inclusion in the marketplace and to serve as the first step toward establishing inclusion as a visible metric for the industry.

The research sits alongside a new framework that BRIDGE has developed for brands to operationalize inclusion as a business practice for growth; the Inclusion Maturity Assessment and Capability Building Program (IMAX) is currently being piloted by Campbell's, Sephora and others.

What is IMAX?

IMAX uncovers 72 business practices across five dimensions in an organization, laying the foundation for building inclusive brands and companies. By measuring inclusion maturity at both the brand and company levels, IMAX aims to equip diversity, marketing, and business leaders with the following:

• Inclusion Assessment: determine where gaps exist across the organization;
• Intentional Prioritization Process: be intentional about the focus on priorities for low-hanging and longer-term practices.
• Capability Building: implement the capabilities needed to bridge these gaps.

Key quote

“BRIDGE’s IMAX provides an actionable mechanism for C-level executives and their teams to clearly quantify where they are on the maturity scale of inclusion and in particular helps CMOs focus their efforts as a growth driver” – Sheryl Daija, BRIDGE founder and CEO. 

Sourced from BRIDGE