Diversity in PR: Where We Were and Where We Are

by Alexandria Sellers

The “public relations industry has had, and continues to have an equity and diversity problem.

PR has evolved from being an industry dominated by male management to an industry where women sit at the top of the corporate ladder. Up until the early 2000’s men made up 80% of all upper management in PR. An estimate done in 2010 by the chair of the PR department at” Syracuse University, “puts the percentage of women in the industry at 85%. As women have penetrated and succeeded in the world of PR, more senior and management positions have now become occupied by women.” 

This shift in gender domination has been a huge step towards diversity within the PR industry. 

While women reside at the top of the industry, the demographics of PR’s makeup reflect that the majority of the industry’s professionals are white women. “In 2022, the Bureau of Labor Statistics stated that 81.4 % of public relations specialists identify as white, 12.2 % as Black, 11.9 % as Latino or Hispanic, and 2.4 % as Asian.” This overwhelming disparity of ethnic diversity within the industry is clear as day. 

“The lack of ethnic diversity in PR creates not only a lack of individualism, perspectives and differing backgrounds but also leads to socioeconomic challenges as it creates wage gaps. A 2015 study by The Holmes Report found that a white female public relations professional makes an average of $9,000 more yearly than a woman of color.”

The PR industry also lacks in its number of professionals that identify as LGBTQIA+. In 2024, the PRCA UK PR Census found that 4% of PR professionals identify as gay or lesbian, 6% as bisexual (up from 4%), and smaller proportions as pansexual, asexual, or queer (1% each). “A lack of diversity in an organization leads to a lack of knowledge about the market, a firm or clients target groups and understanding of social trends. It can also create discomfort or negative environments for minorities in the workplace.” According to the PRCA UK PR Census, 49% of PR practitioners in 2024 reported experiencing some form of workplace discrimination or prejudice in the past 12 months.

“In 2022, the inaugural Google/PRWeek Changemakers program was launched to recognize PR agencies moving the needle on diversity, equity, and inclusion. PRWeek and its Changemakers Advisory Board unanimously found that “none met the high and holistic standards our arbiters sought to name an agency a true Changemaker.” 

Steps that firms, agencies and corporations can take to increase and maintain diversity on their teams include: 

“For PR agencies, diversity is not a nice-to-have, but is imperative to businesses success in a day and age in which corporate America increasingly demands representation. Management teams will need to work harder to establish a welcoming and inclusive work environment, while structuring their human resources teams to meet the challenge of hiring, retaining and growing diverse talent.”