#United States #New York #PR Industry #Diversity Action Alliance #Cultural Inclusion

Diversity Action Alliance Unveils 2023 Report on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in Communications

On May 6, 2025, the Diversity Action Alliance (DAA) published its fourth annual benchmark report on racial and ethnic diversity in public relations and communications. This comprehensive report, developed in partnership with the Institute for Public Relations (IPR), incorporates the experiences of over 16,000 workers across 99 companies, combining insights from Fortune 500 communications departments and top U.S. communications agencies. Through this data, the DAA aims to illuminate improvements and persistent challenges regarding inclusion within the industry.

Key Findings

The 2023 data reveals that overall multicultural representation in the sector rose from 22% in January 2020 to 28% by January 2024. This uptrend was significantly associated with a three-point increase in Latino representation. Given that nearly 20% of the U.S. populace identifies as Hispanic or Latino, these advancements enable deeper market engagement, particularly as Spanish emerges as the most widely spoken non-English language nationwide.

However, despite this progress, the report emphasizes continued disparities, especially in leadership positions. Many professionals of color still experience a lack of representation among their peers, prompting the DAA and other stakeholders to call for necessary structural changes to address these inequities. In fact, projections indicate that by 2045, individuals of color will represent over 50% of the U.S. demographic.

The DAA's Commitment to Inclusion

As outlined by DAA President, Carmella Glover, the data compiled serves not merely as a statistic exercise but rather as a crucial tool for accountability. It allows organizations to self-assess their diversity policies and practices, ensuring no discrimination against any group while supporting peer benchmarking. Glover expressed that while the report shows progress, the communications field continues to lag behind the overall market in terms of representation, urging ongoing commitment to tangible and measurable actions that promote diversity.

Beyond the aggregate data, several other critical insights emerged:

• - Increase in Leadership Diversity: The report noted a significant rise in diversity amongst top communications leaders, with those holding positions like Chief Communications Officer (CCO), agency CEO, or executive director more than doubling in representation from 7% in 2019 to 18% by the end of 2023. This increase has now surpassed the national average for CEOs among Fortune 500 and SP 500 companies, where diversity stands at 13%.
• - Promotion Rates Among Diverse Groups: There was a notable increase in promotions among multicultural employees, up 42% since 2019. In 2023, approximately 27% of all promotions went to employees of color, marking a rise from 19% in 2019. Notably, boutique agencies outperformed others in promoting Black, Latino, and Multiracial employees, while Asian employees saw more advancements in nonprofit and professional service sectors.
• - Progress Across Sectors: The report indicated a 7 percentage point increase in multicultural representation within corporations, rising from 23% in 2019 to 30% in 2023. Various agency sizes also reported increases: boutique firms (up by 7 pp), small firms (up by 14 pp), mid-size firms (up by 8 pp), and large firms (up by 4 pp).

Conclusion

The submission window for the 2024 data will close on June 30, 2025, enabling senior communicators to contribute to this vital initiative. The DAA emphasizes the importance of robust reporting tools in the pursuit of diversity goals, echoing its commitment to annual reporting as a platform for continued dialogue and progress.

In a landscape poised for transformation, the DAA’s report serves as a reminder that while strides have been made toward inclusiveness in communications, there is still much work to be done. By fostering an environment of accountability and learning, the industry can better reflect the communities it serves.

For more details, you can download the full report here.