How Can We Develop Our Communication on IDE as a Board in Terms of Language and Content?
Articulating discussions on diversity and inclusion.
What is this advice about?
Our research shows that heritage boards struggle with how to articulate discussions on diversity and inclusion.
This advice is designed to give you guidance on language and content for board communications, especially on diversity communications.
It forms part of a wider strand of work on heritage board diversity. For more advice in this series, see the 'Inclusive governance boards and diverse trustees' section of the Inclusive Heritage Advice Hub.
What are the key points?
- Communication is vital for an effective board. This can mean internal to the board, internal to the organisation, or with a number of different external audiences
- Trust is the key element of good communication, which must be open, transparent, and offer opportunities for dialogue
- Organisational communication is usually operational and not governance-based, but trustees should be informed and speak to inclusive practices in decision-making
- Trusted partners can affect good communication with diverse audiences
What does effective communication look like for a heritage board?
Effective communication combines powerful stories with robust data. You can tell those stories in different ways, through blogs, videos, posters, podcasts, and conferences to name but a few.
Interviewees for the Historic England 'Barriers and Enablers to Board Diversity in the Heritage Sector' report acknowledged that having a focus on IDE (inclusion, diversity and equality) can enable better storytelling.
They said:
Our job is to tell stories about people. The more diverse the people, the more interesting those stories will be. You cannot write a good archaeological narrative if you don’t reflect the society of today. This narrative is not about the past, it’s about today. If we don’t reflect the life we live in, we end up writing a very privileged narrative.
Effective, inclusive communications build trust. Diverse boards with carefully considered approaches to communicating their actions are able to reach employees, heritage sector partners and the general public more effectively as they can speak to different audiences in a more informed manner.
Diverse communities’ access to heritage can be promoted by creative approaches, such as using digital technology, educational routes for adults and young people, filmmaking, art, poetry and other creative means
How involved should the board be in organisational communication?
If you have one, it is appropriate for the board to input into (and have oversight of) your communications policy. If not, develop one. It is the document you will likely refer to in press releases about sensitive issues.
Inclusive communication means different things in different contexts (visual, written, digital, and verbal). Ensure that visual representation reflects key target audiences (including beneficiaries, stakeholders, funders and partners) in a positive way that avoids stereotyping.
Remember that we all have overlapping characteristics, so consult with different stakeholders at different stages (for example, inception and design). Although much of this will be an operational matter, and not usually directly controlled by the board, it is important for trustees to speak up for inclusive and accessible principles when deciding upon strategy, appointing contractors, or engaging in any other relevant decision-making.
Link to your social media policy, too. Agree on key messages that may be shared in external communications or agree to share content produced centrally. Working with trusted partners to disseminate communications can help win the trust of the communities you are seeking to reach.
What are some resources we could use to help with inclusive communication?
The Digital Heritage Hub is a resource for the heritage sector to help small- to medium-sized organisations learn new digital skills, improve their digital output, and build confidence.
It covers 4 themes:
- Digital engagement and activities
- Finding, creating, sharing, and archiving digital content
- Digital leadership and organisational development
- Business models and recovery planning
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