14 Jun 2023 Diversity & Inclusion: Promoting Inclusion through Labels
Diversity & Inclusion: Promoting Inclusion through Labels Is No Longer a Challenge
Diversity & Inclusion is one of the most challenging topics in today’s world. In an era when society is ever-more aware of the importance of promoting equality and acceptance, companies play a key role in facilitating the enhancement of diversity and the power of inclusion.
Numerous brands translate their D&I (Diversity & Inclusion) policies through products and communication, but often have difficulty when they wish to express it through labels and, more generally, through packaging.
Promoting Diversity & Inclusion through labels is now possible. Let’s take a look together at the benefits for consumers and for companies.
The Importance of Diversity & Inclusion
Diversity & Inclusion means actively embracing and making the most of differences.
In general, our ethnicity and abilities are characteristic elements that make each of us unique, and from a D&I standpoint, companies should guarantee equal opportunities to access goods and services. We also live in an age when consumers are ever-more informed and attentive to the consistency between the messages communicated by brands and the initiatives to make them concrete.
Nevertheless, while 79% of companies claim that Diversity & Inclusion is an integral part of their business model, many of them do not implement inclusive communication on their products and packaging.
The “People Included” Project: a Step Forwards towards Inclusion
Eurolabel has conducted research in partnership with associations for the disabled and with the Milan-based agency Smith Lumen to identify the critical elements of packaging and labels.
The result was the development of “People Included”, a universally inclusive label model not limited to “special editions” which can help brands create packaging from a D&I standpoint.
D&I Labels: the Benefits
The “People Included” inclusive label has provided three main benefits:
- Extension of the purchase experience to consumers who would otherwise be excluded.
- Limitation of packaging rage (frustration caused by complicated packaging which drives away customers and causes significant losses for brands).
- Providing a D&I value to packaging, strengthening the brand’s communication and its reputation.
The first prototype of “People Included” was presented at Cosmopack 2023 and represents an inclusive label model which meets the needs of as many more consumers by breaking down the typical barriers which obstruct the blind, visually impaired, dyslexic and hard of hearing from accessing and using products.
Other Inclusion Initiatives, CSR and Sustainability at Eurolabel
“People Included” is one of Eurolabel’s many projects for promoting sustainability and inclusion.
As well as offering innovative labels which favour the reuse of packaging and reduction of the environmental impact, we support different social and sports initiatives for local communities, including Casa Edolo and Associazione Pedale Sestese.