Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity (DEI) are more than just HR programs within a company. DEI are standard practices that are integrated throughout all business practices. Some businesses in certain industries are taking this very seriously and have made efforts to improve their business for all their patrons.
Fashion Industry
A great example of a company doing big things in inclusivity is Old Navy. Old Navy has pledged to be more inclusive of their plus-sized shoppers. They have done away with the “plus-size section” that forces people who need plus-sized clothes to shop in a specific part of the store. They have also made all their styles of clothes the same price regardless of size. They named this transition BODEQUALITY and claim it is a change in their business and not a one-time marketing idea.
Software Industry
At Google, an app was developed called Live Transcribe, an app that can transcribe conversations live for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. The three Google employees who came up with the idea enlisted the help of Gallaudet University, world-class institution for education of the deaf and hard-of-hearing, and brought the app live to the play store. It launched in 2019 and can transcribe 70 different languages in real-time, making communication easier between deaf and hearing people.
Beauty Product Industry
Macy’s and Sephora have pledged that they will designate 15% of their shelves specifically to black-owned businesses, which is a good start, while Ulta committed $25 million to double the number of black-owned business products they carry in their store. ASOS replaced the word ‘beauty’ altogether with ‘face and body,’ to be more gender inclusive.
Toy Industry
Mattel, the company that owns Barbie, has been releasing a more diverse set of dolls in the past few years, including Barbie with a prosthetic leg, Ken with Vitiligo, and Barbie in a wheelchair. The LEGO company has also announced that they are piloting LEGO sets that come with Braille and audio instructions. American Girl Doll released their first Asian American Girl Doll this year. All these efforts lead to kids seeing themselves reflected in their toys.
Alcohol Industry
The alcohol industry is another, potentially unexpected, example of inclusivity. Bars and restaurants are offering spirit-free drinks to make non-alcohol-drinking customers more comfortable. Spirit-free drinks, mocktails, or non-alcoholic beverages are growing quickly in the beverage space, and offering these drinks to folks who don’t prefer alcohol can allow them to feel more welcome in the restaurant. Just last week, I was offered a ginger beer and passion fruit drink while dining at a local restaurant. These beverages offer adults who are not interested in alcohol options, without having to ask, “do you serve Coke or Pepsi?” These spirit-free drinks were right on the same menu along with the other alcoholic beverages available, making it so it’s an option and not an afterthought.
MAi Research is enhancing companies’ research with more inclusive research efforts so that everyone who may come across your product, service, or store is represented within the research. Ultimately, this enables companies to improve their message to their customers.
See what we are doing at MAi Research.
