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The Pitch Episode 139: Before You Talk Diversity Trends Take A Walk Down The C-Suite Runway

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Does hiring a woman CEO make your company diverse? Learn to walk the walk before you talk the talk.

The Pitch Episode 139:
Before You Talk Diversity Trends Take A Walk Down The C-Suite Runway

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As trendy as it is right now with fashion week taking over New York City, so has the conversation on workplace diversity become popular among companies. And some are actually backing up their diversity talk with a pretty good runway walk. Before you talk the talk, you better make sure your company is walking the walk. Revlon just hired its first female CEO in its 86-year history and other major brands are following suit. However be cautious of crossing over the self-promotional diversity line if you don’t quite have the numbers to back it up. Hiring one woman to a power position in a company brimming with men doesn’t make your company diverse, however it is a step in the right direction. “The Pitch” challenge today: Get marketing and public relations in the same room together to have the diversity discussion for your company. Marketing will paint the picture of what they want the company to be and look like but public relations will make sure it’s true and being executed in an authentic way. Weber Shandwick’s chief reputation strategist Leslie Gaines-Ross said it best, when she was recently interviewed by Fast Company about their new survey on CEO Activism; she said, “If you’re going to speak out about diversity, you better make sure your executive and board are diverse.” Yes, it’s fashionable in business to look diverse, but to truly be diverse you have to bring those beautiful models, of all colors and genders, out from your ads and into the C-suite.

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How diverse is your organization or school?
If you had the power to make all the decisions, what’s the first thing you would change to improve diversity where you work, study or live?
What’s an example of a company that has done a good job with diversity at the executive level and what company needs to work harder in this area?

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