Having worked in the charity sector for over 20 years with a focus on mobility and diversity, Melissa Lawrence was drawn to join the Taylor Bennett Foundation and its mission to improve ethnic diversity in the PR and communications industry.
Bringing her experience with developing education, training and employability programmes for the financial and professional services sector to the role, Melissa and her team work to mentor BAME candidates for meaningful comms careers in an industry still struggling with the issue of equality, both at the hiring stage and at boardroom level.
As every industry across the world questions what it can do to fight racial inequality within its ranks and support those harmed or held back, Melissa shares what the foundation is doing to help, and how we can all take action to make things better.
‘Only 8% of the communications industry identify as an ethnic minority,’ says Melissa. ‘That is woefully low’.