Linda Clement-Holmes, Chief Diversity Officer, with AAF Diversity Achievement Award Presenters

(Photo: DG Photography)

In October, the American Advertising Federation recognized P&G with its Corporate Leader Award for Diversity.

Each year, the Corporate Leader Award is given to a person or organization that has taken a lead in developing diversity in the advertising industry as well as their own specific industry. P&G’s recognition was based on both our commitment to diversity and inclusion in the workplace as well as our multicultural marketing efforts.

P&G Chief Diversity Officer Linda Clement-Holmes accepted the award on behalf of the company:

“Diversity and inclusion is fundamental to Procter & Gamble’s business strategy. As a company, diversity is vitally important and we consider it a competitive advantage. It’s part of our DNA in all we do.

“I think there is a striking connection between our internal diversity efforts for our employees and our external outreach to our consumers. The principle and approach is the same…to foster a culture of inclusion so that everyone is valued and included,” Clement-Holmes said.

Jodi Allen, vice president of U.S. operations and North American marketing for P&G, shared perspective on the award, giving two recent U.S. examples of multicultural marketing outreach: Orgullosa, a bilingual online initiative that celebrates Latina women, and My Black Is Beautiful, which encourages African-American women to define and promote their own beauty standard. “It is through the lens of diversity that we can meet the needs of our multicultural consumers,” Allen said.