Racial disparities exist in everything from employment to health care to education. U.S. Bank is committed to DEI by addressing the wealth gap and sharing their success with communicators.
“Communicators can have a significant impact, shaping narratives and serving as agents of change,” said Marcus Brown, assistant vice president, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Strategy at U.S. Bank.
In February, U.S. Bank announced a series of initiatives to increase wealth building opportunities for diverse communities, starting with the black community. Its goal is to help solve the U.S. wealth gap, estimated at $1.2 trillion.
“At U.S. Bank, DEI is a core value and business imperative for all of our businesses,” said Susan Beatty, vice president, Public Affairs & Communications, citing Greg Cunningham, U.S. Bank’s chief diversity officer.
Brown and Beatty advocate changing the narrative through defining individuals by their aspirations and cultural assets to build strong relationships. Using vocabulary that is asset-based and people centric makes a greater impact in communications. A compelling narrative and comprehensive data bring about insight, Brown noted. “Don’t define people by their circumstances,” he cautioned.
Recently U.S. Bank piloted a highly effective advertising campaign with Insight News, featuring powerful stories of four business owners and non-profit leaders from diverse communities. The campaign centered on them – their mission, their drive, and their work – supported by U.S. Bank.
The campaign strengthened community partnerships and increased awareness of wealth building opportunities. U.S. Bank also leveraged its community relationships and partner communication channels to promote opportunities for small businesses to obtain Small Business Association (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans.
Join Beatty and Brown at their session on Changing the Narrative. They will share more of their best practices and strategies to advance DEI.