I’m Kaylee Hultgren, Content Director of PRNEWS. Welcome to another edition of Single Shot.

DEI has been delt a blow to its reputation. But communications teams can help weather the storm.

As Irasema Jasmin Hartmeier, Senior Director of Public Relations at Chemistry Cultura, noted in a column for PRNEWS this week, some big name companies—including Ford and Walmart—have scrapped their DEI programs. Others, such as Apple, Costco, JPMorgan and Goldman, are standing by theirs.

But at the heart of the current DEI backlash, Hartmeier says, is the misconception that such programs lower standards to meet a quota rather than doing what they’re in fact meant to do—rely on meritocracy and reward those who have actually earned their place.

While DEI navigates this “reputation-building era,” comms professionals can assist in multiple ways, Hartmeier argues. We’ve outlined a few of her tips below, and you can read the full piece here.

The PRNEWS team wishes you a great start to your week. As always, we welcome feedback on our newsletters. Feel free to contact me at [email protected].

Conversations about DE&I’s relevancy will continue. But as long as there are historically underrepresented and marginalized people in the U.S., writes Irasema Jasmin Hartmeier, Senior Director of Public Relations at Chemistry Cultura, the business case for DE&I will stand. Following are recommendations for how communicators can shield DE&I during this reputation-building era.

*Consider Renaming the DE&I Team. DE&I teams across the U.S. have been choosing new team names that could feel more approachable to all audiences.

*Create a DE&I Communications Task Force. Ahead of distributing any external-facing announcement, have a diversified group review it. This task force, which must include as many unique backgrounds and perspectives as possible, can provide useful feedback.

*Develop a DE&I Brand Guidelines Document. Perform an audit on how employees view a company’s DE&I communications. Communications teams can help leverage employee feedback and draft a DE&I communications guidelines document that includes goals, messaging and more.

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