B Corp Month: Reflections on DEI headlines

The rollback of DEI policies in the US should be a cause for concern, first and foremost because it will cause untold, needless damage to countless people and communities.

And we should be on our guard, as there are any number of ways that the convulsions stateside will impact us here in Australia, and across the wider region. I said in a recent interview exploring brand safety in America that America’s sneeze always risks becoming Australia’s cold - and this is certainly the case here. While we have our own thriving creative ecosystem and media organisations, many have arms - or personnel - with strong ties to America, and some with even stronger ties to the President himself. If major studios and brands deprioritise diverse hiring and storytelling, what message does that send? And how long before we see similar pressures on funding and representation in Australia?

My fear is that this could legitimise complacency, and that businesses - most notably those with the connections I’ve touched on - will use these shifts state-side as an opportunity to roll back their own commitments in this space.

But the champions of diversity have one huge advantage on their side, and it’s one that it’s ultimately impossible to argue with - it makes good business sense. Companies and organisations that look, talk and live like the audiences that they engage with are more successful, more profitable and more sustainable. It’s not just the right thing to do, though it is. It’s the smart thing.

I’ve built an agency that is best-in-class at speaking to today’s Australia in all its brilliant diversity. It’s the key to our continued growth and success. The smartest companies know this, which is why creative powerhouses in America are already finding ways to rebadge, reframe or reimagine their DEI work under different names. Those who stay the course will be better positioned in every possible sense.

Jen Sharpe, Founder & Managing Director Think HQ Register for our upcoming webinar co-hosted with B Lab ANZ: Steadying the course - Business as a force for good in uncertain times