Some of Method’s most vital work in recent years has been helping our clients shape their DEI initiatives. In 2019, our leadership team foresaw how the PR industry was ideally positioned to lead the way in addressing racism and inequality. In 2020, creating change became our mandate. Through 2021 and today, Method continues to help champion diversity, equity and inclusion for our clients and within our own organization.
Leading the Conversation
One of our most prominent DEI-focused clients is Meta, which relied on Method’s expertise to share its successes in creating real change through diversity and inclusion. Method helped Meta shine a light on various DEI initiatives, such as its Elevate program, its supplier diversity program, and the SMB grant program that earmarked half of the U.S. grants towards minority, women and veteran-owned businesses.
Method also helped Meta launch its annual diversity report, which included accountability and valuable resources for helping improve DEI initiatives inside the organization. As the launch date for the diversity report grew closer, demonstrations in support of the Black Lives Matter movement broke out across the country. Throughout the demonstrations, Meta leaned heavily on Method’s expertise and media connections to help tell a compelling story in the right way.
Blazing the DEI Trail
PagerDuty is another important client that works closely with us on DEI initiatives. Jennifer Tejada, the CEO of PagerDuty, has spent years promoting and building a uniquely diverse and inclusive culture. One of the most compelling voices in tech, Tejada is a rare minority woman at the head of a major Silicon Valley tech company. Our recent work with PagerDuty has resulted in glowing profiles in Forbes, The Wall Street Journal and Financial Times, culminating in a blockbuster IPO.
DEI Begins Within
Diversity, equity and inclusion are top of mind for most companies in tech. While Method continues to provide vital guidance and help for fast-growing organizations like Momentive, Podium and Domo, it also continues to accelerate its own DEI growth. For example, thanks to changes we made in how we source, recruit, and interview talent, close to 40% of new hires were people of color — an increase of 14% from 2020.
We are also strongly committed to pay equity. This year, we made salary adjustments across a number of roles in order to maintain market rates to ensure our compensation is competitive, fair, and equitable. And socially, Method places a high value on inclusion by learning about and celebrating the LGBTQ+, Native American, Hispanic, Black and African American communities, as well as the spectrum of neurodiversity.