Our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Program

The Brandman Agency prides itself on employing a team of passionate individuals that offer a wide range of experience within the travel and hospitality industry. Collectively, we speak 17 languages and have traveled to 640 countries and we look forward to continuing to expand this list. However, we have work to do and are committed to growing a diverse team that broadens our perspectives and advances our quest to be one of the leading boutique luxury hospitality PR agencies. Earlier this year, The Brandman Agency committed to the following five-year goals:

Overall

Diversify our staff as we grow to ensure BIPOC are represented by at least 30%

Hire diversity consultant(s) from the BIPOC community

Develop, support and fund employee resource and affinity groups

  • Regular diversity discussions and training programs
  • Quarterly volunteer/donation effort as an agency to organizations that promote EDI

Diversify our intern/recruitment program

  • Recruit from Historically Black Colleges
  • Offer paid internships

Client Relations/PR Strategy

Diversify our client portfolio to ensure BIPOC-owned brands and businesses are represented by at least 15%

Offer short-term PR services for brands who may not have the same financial access to large-scale PR support

Propose PR ideas, partnerships and campaigns for our clients that support and/or create opportunities for BIPOC businesses, brands and content creators

Media Relations/Digital Strategy

Ensure BIPOC voices and outlets are represented across all of our target media and influencer lists and prioritize BIPOC-oriented outlets among traditional travel titles

Ensure equal representation of BIPOC media and content creators for press trips and media hosting; consider their experience and how that might differ from a non-BIPOC journalist

Incorporate BIPOC-owned businesses and cultural experiences into press trip itineraries (not just Caribbean clients)

Amplify BIPOC voices in Travel Curator and ensure BIPOC are equally represented as we commission contributors

The Brandman Agency has also developed and implemented an internal Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) committee – in which we share articles and discuss important topics pertaining to existing implicit biases and diversification efforts within the travel industry. The Agency is currently meeting formally on a monthly basis to discuss EDI and we have a very active Slack channel were team members share articles and discuss issues regularly. We currently outlining a plan for a virtual internship program where we will consciously and proactively recruit students from all backgrounds and a BIPOC media roundtable, where we hear from some of our top media contacts – such as Kendis Gibson – weekend anchor for MSNBC, Martine Bury from Surface, David Kauffman from Architectural Digest, and more – to help us adjust our press trip, pitching, and other best practices based on their candid feedback.

We are committed to doing the work to get us to where we need to be in terms of reflecting the diversity and multiculturalism the global travel and hospitality industry aims to celebrate