Beyond the Hashtag: Why Real Inclusion is Reshaping the Way We Build, Market, and Lead

Diversity has become one of the most used - and often misused - words in the business. Across industries, we have seen a flood of initiatives, programmes, and statements that promise change. However, when the spotlight fades, what’s left?

For too many organisations, diversity remains an optical exercise - a press release, a checkbox, or a campaign timed to coincide with cultural milestones. Real inclusion isn’t seasonal, it’s structural. It is changing not just how we communicate, but how we lead, hire, design, and grow.

At Marriott Communications, we proudly work with brands that don’t just say they care about impact - they build it into their DNA. Time and time again, we have seen one truth rise above the rest: when you build inclusively, everything improves - from your bottom line to your brand loyalty.

Inclusion isn’t about optics. It’s about outcomes.

Representation is critical, but it is not the finish line. Putting a Black woman in your ad campaign, a disabled person on your panel, or a rainbow flag on your packaging is not inclusion - it’s visibility. Visibility without power, equity, and systemic change is often just tokenism in disguise.

Real inclusion happens when:

• Marginalised voices are in decision-making rooms, not just featured in content.

• Accessibility is implemented from the start, not added at the end.

• Cultural competence is embedded in strategy, not outsourced as an afterthought.

Inclusive organisations go beyond showcasing difference - they redistribute power, listen deeply, and build processes that reflect the world we actually live in, not the narrow demographics of their boardroom.

As PR professionals and storytellers, we carry significant influence. We don’t just share stories - we shape narratives. That means we have a responsibility not just to reflect culture, but to interrogate it.

We have to ask ourselves: Who benefits from this message? Who might it exclude, harm, or stereotype? Whose voice is missing?

We have seen the fallout when this isn’t considered. Just look at recent backlash against brands who commodified Pride without backing it with internal policy or action - or companies that launched anti-racism campaigns while failing to address pay gaps and hiring bias internally.

The best communications strategies today are rooted in alignment. That means your internal culture, leadership, and impact must match the values you broadcast to the world.

Inclusive teams outperform. Not because it’s trendy, but because diverse perspectives drive better thinking. When you design products, campaigns, and strategies with a multiplicity of experiences in the room, you:

• Uncover blind spots earlier

• Build for real-world complexity

• Increase customer trust and relevance

• Future-proof your brand

If your creative team all looks, thinks, or lives the same - your work will reflect that. In 2025, where audiences are more savvy, more sceptical, and more vocal than ever before, authenticity and nuance are non-negotiable.

So how do we move from intent to impact?

Here are five questions every leader, founder, and comms professional should ask regularly:

1. Who is not in the room, and why?
   Representation starts with recruitment - and real inclusion means retention and advancement.

2. Is our messaging inclusive and accessible?
   Think beyond tone of voice - is your content reaching disabled audiences? People with neurodivergence? Non-native English speakers?

3. Do we amplify marginalised voices year-round, or only in key calendar months?
   If it’s only during Pride, Black History Month, or International Women’s Day, it’s performative.

4. Are we building feedback loops with the communities we represent?
   Inclusion isn’t static. It requires active listening, reflection, and adaptation.

5. Do our internal values show up in our external voice?
   If not - why? What needs to change?

Inclusion isn’t a trend. It’s the future of leadership, brand loyalty, and sustainable growth. Businesses that fail to prioritise it won’t just look outdated - they’ll be outdated.

At Marriott Communications, we don’t help brands look inclusive. We help them become inclusive - from how they show up in the media to how they build internal culture and stakeholder trust.

This work is never finished; but, that’s the point.

True inclusion isn’t a statement. It’s a continual practice.

The most forward-thinking brands are doing it - not just because it’s right, but because it works.