Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) is the theme of the CERC Dialogue between Silvia Ravazzani, Università IULM, and Martina Covino and Gianmaria Barni, Versace.

Voices from the worlds of research and business come together to address key questions and reflect on the strategic role and challenges of DEI communication in contemporary organizations.

What is DEI management in organizations?

Silvia Ravazzani, Associate Professor of Corporate Communication, Università IULM: In theory and practice, managing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in a company is a strategic approach to optimizing the potential and talent of employees. This approach involves recognizing and valuing the various qualities and characteristics that shape the unique identity of each person in the workplace. Referring to the acronym DEI, Diversity regards the wide range of demographic, psycho-cognitive, and social differences such as gender identity, age, ability, culture, and values. Equity refers to breaking down systemic barriers to ensure transparent and accessible policies and procedures for all employees. As the ultimate goal, Inclusion is the psychological state in which all employees feel respected and appreciated, and at the same time are motivated to contribute to achieving organizational goals.

What role does internal communication play in DEI?

Silvia Ravazzani: Internal communication is essential for providing strategic insight and clarity about DEI objectives and practices, building an inclusive organizational culture and language, transforming leaders into role models, and addressing potential employee resistance and criticism in the process of sense-making and internal cultural change. The key role of internal communication in supporting the DEI strategy is shown by the increasing overlap between the roles of internal communication manager and DEI manager within companies. In the past, this role was primarily assigned to the HR department.

What are the risks and practical precautions for an effective internal DEI communication?

Martina Covino, People Engagement & Internal Communication Senior Manager, and Gianmaria Barni, Internal Communication Specialist, Versace: The internal communication expert translates and disseminates the organizational strategy, while also engaging colleagues in the daily life of the company. This second aspect is the most complex. In unstable and global markets, the focus remains on the individual: the employee with their experience, skills, and ability to truly make a difference. In this context, DEI is essential for generating active engagement and a sense of belonging. It is an intangible but extremely powerful lever. However, there is a risk: turning these practices into window-dressing operations, aimed solely toward achieving numbers and objectives to be communicated both inside and outside the company. For internal DEI communication to be truly effective, it must remain rooted in a genuine movement for change. Internal communication managers are not just a megaphone for messages, but a bridge between the company and its people. On one hand, they support the organization in implementing its strategies; on the other, they reach out to colleagues, understanding contexts, sensitivities, and daily dynamics. It is a role that requires courage and responsibility: it also means knowing how to set limits, saying no when necessary, and proposing more coherent and sustainable alternatives.

What role does external communication play in DEI?

Silvia Ravazzani: External communication also plays a key role: publicly communicating the commitment of the company to these issues and giving visibility and substance to the initiatives undertaken, while participating in broader social change as a form of corporate activism. Continuous alignment between internal communication, a source of inspiration and credible content, and external communication is crucial. This coordination is even more important considering that external communication can leverage employees as ambassadors and simultaneously reach external and internal stakeholders through an effective "self-communication" dynamic.

What are the risks and practical precautions for an effective external DEI communication?

Martina Covino and Gianmaria Barni: The external DEI communication of a company is a sensitive issue. Choosing to share its DEI commitments externally means addressing two different audiences: potential talent on the one hand, and consumers and shareholders on the other. Millennials and Gen Z are increasingly seeking inclusive employers; at the same time, as consumers and investors, they reward companies that demonstrate consistency and attention to these issues. This creates the need to develop employer branding strategies and enhance social impact reports, while avoiding washing practices that risk compromising the reputation of the company. External communication must therefore be based on a transformation that starts from within and actively involves employees. Only employees can become credible ambassadors, active protagonists of shared change, provided that they are not treated merely as positioning tools.