How can purpose-led brands prioritise inclusivity?

Happy Pride Month!

Pride Month helps to shed light on the experiences and struggles facing the LGBT+ community, but most importantly it reminds us how vigilant we still need to be when it comes to protecting the human rights of this community.

The word ‘inclusion’ has previously been used very clumsily by CEOs and Founders, without any transparency on how that manifests within their business. To be truly inclusive, your actions need to speak much louder than your words.

But for smaller, purpose-led businesses, with minimal employees and budgets it can be difficult to carve out what making your business more inclusive should look like. In reality, there is no right answer to this. The best thing you can do is be honest, open, and determined in your effort to be more informed and enact positive change within your industry.

We’ve also included some ideas below on how you can be more mindful of how you conduct your business.

1.       Supporting organisations that fight for underrepresented communities.

A great way for your business to take a stance on inclusion is by supporting organisations that stand up for underrepresented communities. You could do this by backing their cause through monetary means (donating proceeds to the charity or organising a fundraiser), or by sharing information on the great work they do through your website or social media.

Some great charities that support the LGBT+ community are Stonewall and Switchboard, but make sure to do your own research before choosing to support a charity.

2.       Considering inclusion through the campaigns you create.

Building brand awareness as a small business is vital. There are so many things to consider, such as: how do I best portray our product’s USPs, our brand story, our ethics, etc. All of that needs to be squeezed into a single graphic, or a short video.

While there is a lot to think about, it’s important to review how representative your advertisements are. Are you using inclusive language, such as gender-neutral phrases? If it’s a video, does it come with an audio transcript? Could the visuals or language be alienating to any marginalised groups? These questions may seem daunting, but if you start to include questions like this in your campaign auditing process then it will help you uphold your values of inclusivity within your marketing too.

3.       Uplift other businesses.

It’s easy to become solely ingrained in the goings-on of your own business that you forget to take time to celebrate fellow founders. Uplifting businesses that were founded by someone who’s overcome adversity, such as black or LGBT+-owned brands is a small but important way to express your support.

You could do a brand collaboration, a newsletter feature, or a social shout-out. It’s so easy to do but will mean a lot to the brand you’re supporting and your audience.

4.       Attend talks/training that will help you broaden your perspective.

Engaging in discussions and attending talks or webinars will help to educate and inform you on topics such as diversity and inclusion. It will help equip you and your team with a wider and more informed perspective on how to create a kind and accepting brand experience for your customers.

5.       Set inclusion targets for your business.

As your business grows, so do your opportunities to progress how inclusivity manifests within your business. Setting inclusion targets across every area of your business will help you remain accountable as your operation expands.

We’re all a work in progress when it comes to creating a business that upholds the values we hold close to our hearts, but as long as we remain dedicated to these values, we can all help in creating a fairer and more accepting society.

Would you like to learn more about what we can do for you and your Amazon business? Drop us a line via contactus@thepurposeled.com