Elyse Cohen

It's PRIDE month and an opportunity to reflect on the rights of and celebrate our LGBTQ+ colleagues. As usual, we're reminding you to be more focused on performance versus performative. - The rainbow logos without real actions mean little. I look forward to this report from !Bennett Sung 🍍 (Thanks Kristin Hancock) that will be evaluating those rainbow logo organizations on other factors. https://lnkd.in/gnhqXE9B - We can put emphasis on our LGBTQ+ community during PRIDE month but what do we do the rest of the year? This is your chance to highlight career, education, wellness and benefits programs that are available all-year round or have been introduced since last year. - This is an opportunity to listen and learn. Don't force your Pride ERG Group members to share their stories but provide platforms to give them a voice if they want it. There is also an opportunity to hear from Allies. - Follow advocates on LinkedIn so that you understand their issues and concerns. I recommend that you give Pride at Work Canada / Fierté au travail Canada or an equivalent organization a follow. - Listen to our A Leader Like Me podcast guests who have shared their own experience and the work they are doing in their own organizations including Courtney Williams of the Obama Foundations, consultant Garry Clarke-Strange who worked with Greene King. - Reflect with colleagues on instances where what your organization and leaders say was supported by real action or appeared disconnected. You will learn far more from what goes wrong so that corrections to every day language and behaviors can be influenced. Later next week, I am very excited to be speaking at the DEFY conference in Montreal alongside Jade Pichette as we discuss the impact of our present political atmosphere on supplier diversity initiatives. Image: Rainbow lines, swirls and hearts splashed across this image. Image purchased from StoryBlocks.

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Three fantastic health leaders, Ngozi Ezike, Jillian Griffin and Carrie Kozlowski, joined me last week to explore trust, health and how to build healthier behaviors. The 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report Trust and Health provided stimulus and our exemplary leaders shared their perspectives on building trust with a room full of healthcare ecosystem participants. Some lessons I took away: IT TAKES THE RIGHT TRAINED MESSENGER: Bringing “people like me” to the fore by training community health workers (CHW) is supporting health in the neighborhoods served by Sinai Chicago . As Dr. Ezike shared, for a health system that has long been in-and-of the community, community health workers reinforce health interventions in the home. Integrating CHWs into an organization’s strategy serves the community by providing important “connector” services and creates economic opportunity by training and employing its members. FIND AND ENGAGE YOUR COMMUNITY: Consumers today are surrounded by stimulus, content and channels. Reaching patient audiences where they seek information and engage is one strategy Jillian Griffin described as part of AbbVie efforts to reach patients seeking healthcare solutions and therapies. Sharing information and tools with advocates spreads much needed information across channels and beyond traditional media. PRIORITIZE THE OUTCOME: While facts may not lie, they don’t always convince. Anchored in psychographic segmentation, Carrie emphasized pursuing actions that create behavior change, a pillar for Upfront Healthcare. Taking a recommended beneficial healthcare action and adopting healthy behaviors are driven by a range of factors. Know your audience and tailor your efforts. Measure success with the outcome not the intervention. Meeting consumer expectations led to a vibrant conversation on building trust as well as communicating innovative pipeline promise and progress. The special report found providing quality health information is a top trust builder in the face of misinformation threatening health. People are more likely to trust business, NGOs and government to address health needs and concerns when they are reliable sources of trustworthy health information. Combining healthcare ecosystem trust with patient empowerment is one powerful way forward. #HealthTrust Edelman #TrustBarometer

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Last month, Johnson & Johnson announced that it now supports more than 100 community-led organizations in marginalized neighborhoods with the goal of advancing quality health care in the U.S. A part of the company’s $100 million "Our Race to Health Equity” initiative, this outreach includes cooperation with hyperlocal community organizations, medical professional organizations, universities, historically Black fraternities and sororities, food banks, among others. Taking a grassroots approach rather than one that is top-down is precisely what I hope to see more of in the corporate sector. Here’s why: This is more than just philanthropy. By focusing its investments on local groups, J&J can ensure that the funds are used with community input – and leverage a network of organizations already equipped with valuable insights into the needs and challenges of underserved communities. What’s more, this is how partnerships between businesses and communities develop and grow. By engaging directly with established community advocates, corporations can create mutual trust and meaningful two-way communication with communities, ensuring lasting benefits that extend far beyond an initial investment.

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I'm in the process of opening a couple of fun new roles on my team at Edelman (👀). It got me thinking about how you make the hiring process transparent to and inclusive of your existing team, especially if that team is pulling extra weight in the interim. Welcoming new people should be exciting and enjoyable for everyone -- not just the new hires. And it's a teachable moment! Your junior team should understand how hiring processes work, how they impact the business, and what you're doing behind the scenes to make it happen. Here are three things I'm doing in this process to make sure nobody on the team feels out of the loop. They take a little extra time, and they may be unconventional, but they're worth it. 🧐 I'm asking the rest of our team, at *every* level (read that again), to review the JD for the roles. The reality is that they'll be working even more closely with our new hires than I will be, and the new team members will be taking things off their plate. Nobody knows the job better than the people that are picking up the extra work. ✨ I've shared the outline of the roles and responsibilities, portfolio assignment percentages, and ideal org chart with every member of the team to confirm they're aligned on their R&Rs as well as those of their new colleagues. That gives them a chance to raise their hand for something new or to take on more/less. 🗣 I've communicated transparently to the team about where we are in the process, what I'm doing that they aren't seeing, and how they'll be engaged when we reach each milestone of the process. This happens in real-time. I don't wait for our next team call; I drop announcements into our Teams chat and welcome folks to reach out for 1:1 time to discuss questions or concerns. #hiring #culture #transparency #recruiting #newroles #inclusivity #education #team #engagement #globalhealthjobs

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It’s timely for Oversight Board to be investigating deepfake pornography cases on the day the government announced the creation of sexually explicit "deepfake" images is to be made a criminal offence in England and Wales under a new law. Do have your say on the case. Your submission could shape how these devastating images are handled so pls check this link out - https://lnkd.in/gc4ecUwM #contentmoderation #online #Meta #ai

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What's In a Name? More than ever words have become increasingly polarizing: progressive, climate change, woke, social justice.... to name a few. As a result, companies are choosing to avoid bold language to describe their work. The goal of most corporate messaging is to stay “neutral,” but that can have disastrous effects - like the backlash SHRM received for removing the “E” from its DE&I initiatives (see link in comments). That’s why I was struck by the title of this Chief article, featuring Etsy's Chief HR Officer Toni Thompson (Nadal)- the deliberate emphasis of saying that Etsy is "Focused on DEI" vs. "Focused on Employee Benefits" speaks volumes about what both Chief and Etsy feel are important in their message. In some ways, Etsy’s decisions spotlighted in this article are about improving wellbeing, services and benefits, as much as they’re about DE&I. The intentional use of the terms DEI and Social Impact, however, signals the value Etsy places on those aspects of their work. Especially when they could have easily chosen a more “neutral” term like “Employee Benefits and Engagement.” Emma Burleigh and Azure Gilman at Fortune and Katy Brennan- great articles! https://lnkd.in/gDF-UBdu

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📣 Should companies speak up about children's rights? Transparency is valued in today’s society, and consumers and stakeholders are eager for real stories—they want to see progress, understand challenges, and celebrate the victories associated with children's rights. I think that this transparency is not just best practice; it paves the way for genuine progress. What do you think? Read my latest blog post here: https://lnkd.in/dm_uJ3FG #CorporateResponsibility #Transparency #CorporateCommunications #SustainabilityReporting #EthicalBusiness #SocialImpact #ESG #StakeholderEngagement #ChildrensRights

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For LGBTQ+ patients, it can be difficult to share and discuss sexual orientation and gender identity with a health care professional. As a pediatrician and a mother of three members of the LGBTQ+ community, my colleague Alix shares some important reminders to find supportive care: 🏳️‍🌈Do your research and ask questions to find a supportive provider. 🏳️‍🌈 Be 100% transparent with a trusted health care provider. 🏳️‍🌈 Care for your mental health, too. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/ejXU2T5Z #MerckProud

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I created an Impact Report Planner -- a streamlined 3-month process to help you tell the story of your good works and impact -- based on my learnings from Unit Of Impact. Published here by B The Change Media. Dig in! #impactreport #impactreporting #impactmeasurement #sustainability #csr #bcorps

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Excellent and timely reading.

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My friend, Calla Devlin, is an outstanding communicator and powerful advocate for inclusion and acceptance. She knows, as business leaders today recognize, the commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) is not a hollow acronym. It signifies a rising tide that powers our economy, spurs our productivity and improves our well-being as a nation. As #LGBTQ Pride season begins, take her words to heart in her op ed published today by Newsweek: "The political attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) overlook a simple truth. Far from giving special treatment to the benefit of the few, these values create a society that is better for everyone, where all of us can feel that we belong." "And that brings us back to what it means to experience true belonging – while working, shopping, or gathering. Belonging is a feeling that results from empathy – for the historically disadvantaged but also for everyone else. Importantly, a sense of belonging means that when our different identities, life experiences, and perspectives are allowed to surface authentically, we all enjoy wide-ranging benefits such as innovation, national competitiveness, profits, and improved quality of life." "Fostering a climate where everyone belongs means excelling as a company and hiring the best employees from the largest possible talent pool. McKinsey & Company found "a 39 percent increased likelihood of outperformance for those in the top quartile of ethnic representation versus the bottom quartile." Workday released survey results in February in which 78% of 2,600 global business leaders across departments said the importance of DEI increased in the past 12 months." https://lnkd.in/eu7hAtGf

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This morning we published our third annual impact report, which underscores Ancestry’s progress and unwavering commitment to transparent, sustainable and inclusive business practices. A few highlights from 2023:  🌿 Reduction of carbon emissions by 21% across Ancestry’s scope 1, 2 and 3 contributors. 📦 The launch of our new AncestryDNA kit, made with recycled materials. 🌍 The addition of four new DNA ethnicity regions and 910 new DNA communities to serve more diverse customers globally. 📗 Providing 10.5M+ students across five countries free access to Ancestry records through AncestryClassroom, surpassing our 2025 target two years early. 🏫 Visiting four HBCUs, TCUs, and HSIs across the United States as part of our second HistoryMakers National College Tour and Scholarship program. 📜 Making 3.3M records available for free as part of Ancestry's $3M pledge to preserve culturally-significant history that is at-risk of being forgotten or overlooked. I am grateful and proud to collaborate with teams across Ancestry to continue working towards our community impact, #DEI and #sustainability goals. https://lnkd.in/gW7rQm_b #WeAreAncestry #ESG #SASB #UNSDGs #CorporateResponsibility

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Start-up and scale-up founders, CEOs and CMOs can save themselves a lot of heartache if they assess their company's readiness for corporate communications before they bring on an expensive corp comm leader. By identifying where the requisite building blocks for success already exist, executives can develop the function in a way that impacts business results by making better hiring decisions, understanding where to expect results near and long term, and strategically planning their investments in the function. Looking for a guide to help you do this? Drop me a line. As a 25-year veteran leader who has helped a number of start-ups and scale-ups build their corporate communications departments, I can help you figure out if you are ready to add this strategic function. #CorporateCommunications #ScaleUp #StartUp #PublicRelations

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Sometimes, a study resonates unexpectedly. The findings on adults without children caught my eye. Most adults over 50 believe having kids doesn't impact life fulfillment (66%), career success (64%), or social life (56%). Intriguing insights! #IJS, I think I just found my holiday card. Check out the report here: https://lnkd.in/g3SrQ8NF #Family #Relationships #Parenthood #Adulting

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Thanks Chief for including my thoughts about how companies need to think about brand ownership between marketing and communications. My strong belief is that the CCO and CMO need to work in partnership. "The communications and marketing functions both co-own the brand, and need to be working hand-in-hand to make sure they meet those objectives and create a positive brand for customers and for all the other key stakeholders,” says Acree. “It’s imperative that the CMO and CCO are in lock-sync,” Acree says, noting that there’s “no need for a turf war” between the two, since there’s plenty to do, and the jobs serve very different functions. She recommends that CMOs loop in the CCO to any potential marketing campaigns before creative has been crafted. “The comms function can really add a layer of strategic counsel at the beginning of the creative process that can in a lot of instances probably help mitigate risks,” advises Acree. More here: https://lnkd.in/ghTEGE2j

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IMPORTANT REMINDER for Comms Consulting Collective folks: You might have noticed that most of our group posts / content do NOT show up in your main feed on LinkedIn. A lot of people are missing key updates and opportunities because of this issue. In order to make sure you see what's being posted to our group (including referrals - we've already had a handful of those posted in the first few weeks!), you'll need to take an extra step: You can either change your LinkedIn account settings to get ALL notifications from the group (instructions here: https://lnkd.in/gMWgBfhy). Then you'll be prompted to see what's new on the group page. OR you can bookmark the group page (https://lnkd.in/gYN_fE7F) and set a weekly (or daily!) calendar reminder to manually check the page and browse. If you don't take one of these steps, you'll miss out on the great insights, tips and opportunities from your fellow consultants! Just a friendly PSA for our group members. 🤓

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Time and time again, we see social media influencer campaigns promoting healthcare topics or brands miss the mark 🤦‍♀️ but as a mom [and millennial swiftie...IYKYK 💁‍♀️], this one hits different.   At Inizio Evoke Comms, we pride ourselves in developing authentic and compliant activations that tap into the power of influencers to help improve health and wellbeing. Being a mom, I empathize with Brittany and the parents of kids with life-threatening food allergies. In this case, she deserved better counsel and her followers deserve complete and accurate health information – especially when it comes to their kids.   This feels like another missed opportunity. When #InfluencerMarketing in healthcare is done well, you can change the trajectory of someone’s life for the better. You can help someone learn about a new community where they finally feel seen, give them the confidence to have a difficult conversation, or direct them to learn more about a potential medicine or reach a diagnosis they’ve been searching for. We can do better! What healthcare influencer campaigns have you seen flop, or even better, which ones have you seen hit the mark?   Here’s the story 👇

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Sometimes I take working at Chief for granted. A company that exists to bring the most inimitable women executives together in community to raise their leadership game even higher AND walks the walk by modeling its mission internally? That's normal, right? It's not. Leadership is growing more complex and challenging by the day and, at the same time, we're seeing more companies retreat from policies that helped underrepresented groups — including women — advance in the workplace. That's why Chief is so special and our mission to maximize the leadership impact of women executives is so important. Today we announced a big step toward our mission by introducing a *new* Chief with customized membership packages, more community events, and a Concierge team that's dedicated to connecting members with the resources that matter most to their leadership journey. Our new membership is for executives who want to create change, not just navigate it. Learn more at http://chief.com/.

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