At DKC we believe we have a responsibility to do all we can to fight racism, racial injustice and corporate bias both within and beyond our walls. Several weeks ago, we asked our staff to complete a voluntary employee self-identification form to help us accurately identify the racial and ethnic diversity of our current employees. We had nearly a 90% survey completion rate. Below is a breakdown of the results. Note: for the purposes of this report, “Executive Leadership” encompasses the senior vice president title and above.

These results underscore the critical work we need to do to create a more diverse team at DKC. We are committed to doing better. We value accountability, and we expect to be held responsible for the actions we are taking to foster a more diverse and inclusive culture.

To ensure meaningful change, we are committed to short- and long-term diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and we created an action plan, shared with our entire team, to keep us on track:

INCREASE STAFF DIVERSITY AND GREATER REPRESENTATION AT THE EXECUTIVE LEVEL

• We will require an increase in diverse candidates for each position, with added focus at the senior executive level.
• We will ensure that our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion recruitment sub-committee is actively involved in the interview process for potential candidates at all levels.
• We will continue our partnership with the Black Public Relations Society to aid recruitment beyond predominantly white spaces, and actively seek additional multicultural PR organizations to support and fund.
• We will actively engage with academic institutions to push our goal of diversifying DKC’s professional pipeline and recruitment efforts of top-tier talent, which will include historically Black colleges and universities, city and state university systems, and BIPOC-led campus groups and organizations at public and private institutions throughout the country.

LISTENING, LEARNING AND EMPOWERING

• Following microaggression training last Fall, we will continue providing DKC with the education, tools and confidence to dismantle unconscious bias and racial inequality.
• We are, and will continue, championing anti-racism through the DE&I Committee’s monthly newsletter — a resource to help normalize conversations about race and racism among our employees.
• We will continue to invest in our existing DE&I Committee, keeping participation voluntary, while ensuring that we work hard to collectively educate and inform on issues, rather than putting the responsibility solely on our BIPOC employees.
• We will offer our employees, especially our Black colleagues, mental health resources through webinars, materials, guidance and healthcare, as systemic racism and injustice continues to affect our BIPOC colleagues each and every day.

DRIVING EQUITY BEYOND DKC

• We will support Black-owned businesses, organizations and entrepreneurs through our pro bono program, DKC Impact, highlighting critical missions like educational and economic advancement,racial and social justice, and voting rights.
• We will continue to recognize significant holidays that celebrate and commemorate Black history and culture as permanent company holidays such as Juneteenth, and will honor cultural moments all year round with the hope that each employee spends the time how they need, whether that is in celebration, education or reflection.

Taking concrete action, with purposeful goals and transparency is how we will keep ourselves accountable. It is the only way DKC will enact an everlasting change. With these measurable steps in place, we are in the process of making DKC a more diverse, comfortable, safe and inclusive workplace for all employees, and one where everyone feels empowered to truly thrive.

This is just the beginning of a more inclusive and hopeful future at DKC.