Equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging in medical communications
Equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging concern both the people working in medical communications and the people their work reaches. They address fair treatment, representation, participation and the ability to thrive within a community.
The four concepts
Equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging (EDIB) have distinct meanings:
- Equity: fair treatment for all, with active work to identify and eliminate inequities and barriers.
- Diversity: the full spectrum of human differences, including age, ethnicity, gender, physical and mental ability, race, sexual orientation, religion, education level and personality traits.
- Inclusion: each person being visible, heard and considered within an organisation or community, beyond mere representation.
- Belonging: all individuals being treated as, and feeling like, full members of the larger community, able to thrive in their environment.
Diversity often focuses on proportionate representation across human differences, while the four concepts together form a framework for an inclusive, supportive environment. Diversity also concerns identities associated with societal differences in power and privilege, marginalisation and representation of social identity groups.
A garden metaphor distinguishes the concepts:
| Concept | Garden metaphor |
|---|---|
| Equity | Soil providing fair ground for growth. |
| Diversity | Various types of plants. |
| Inclusion | Planting and tending all plants. |
| Belonging | The flourishing garden as a whole. |
Common acronyms include:
- ABIDE: accessibility, belonging, inclusion, diversity and equity.
- DEI: diversity, equity and inclusion.
- EDIB: equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging.
- JEDI: justice, equity, diversity and inclusion.
- RJE: racial justice and equity.
Communication and participation
A 2024 review argues that medical communicators’ work with complex information, diverse audiences and patients’ collective experiences positions them to implement EDIB, with leadership and action planning at both macro and micro levels.
Medical communicators can support global health goals through clear, accessible communication between healthcare providers and patients, including strategies to bridge understanding, improve informed consent and help people from all backgrounds participate more fully in healthcare decisions. Within the profession, they can amplify diverse voices, advocate equitable growth and leadership opportunities, and cultivate inclusive workplaces through targeted initiatives such as bias-free language and inclusive meeting practices. Documents, messages and professional interactions can reflect health equity, cultural sensitivity and inclusive communication in both work products and workplaces.
The 2024 review proposes three benefits of a more equitable and inclusive global medical communications community:
- Diverse perspectives produce more comprehensive, culturally sensitive documents and clearer, more accessible information across languages and cultures.
- Information tailored to and representative of diverse populations can improve health literacy, treatment adherence and health outcomes.
- Greater diversity among communicators and in their content can help address historical research and reporting biases, with fuller coverage of health issues affecting minority populations.
Regional approaches
EDIB perceptions and implementation differ with cultural, social and economic context, so initiatives need to address local challenges and priorities. Examples described in 2024 included the following:
| Region or country | Approach described in 2024 |
|---|---|
| European Union | A strong focus on workplace gender equality. |
| Iceland | Mandatory equal-pay certification for companies. |
| United Kingdom | Mandatory gender-pay-gap reporting for large companies. |
| Canada | Multiculturalism enshrined in law and policies supporting diverse communities. |
| United States | A previous emphasis on racial equity, unconscious-bias training and diverse hiring, followed by some companies curbing EDIB efforts or removing “equity” amid legal concerns and opposition to “woke” concepts. |
| Japan | Government targets to increase women’s representation in management. |
| South Africa | Employment Equity Act targets addressing imbalances in race, gender and disability. |
| India | Reservation policies in education and public-sector employment addressing caste-based discrimination. |
| United Arab Emirates | Policies supporting workforce participation and integration of people with disabilities. |
| Sweden | Many companies implementing voluntary EDIB initiatives, alongside legal prohibition of discrimination. |
| Brazil | Laws against racial discrimination, with implementation and measurement of private-sector EDIB programmes varying across organisations. |
Barriers across global teams
Differences in privacy regulation can impede consistent collection and analysis of diversity data across borders. The 2024 review contrasts the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation, including its strict rules on handling personal information used in diversity metrics, with the United States’ more sector-specific approach.
Employment conditions also vary: anti-discrimination protections, compensation structures, flexible-working requirements and parental-leave policies can differ between countries. These differences can lead medical-writing organisations to implement inclusive practices unevenly across their global operations.
Educational requirements and job descriptions vary across countries, cultures and organisations, including the meaning of entry-level and senior roles and the tasks attached to them. Such differences may create barriers for candidates with different educational backgrounds or from other regions, limit the talent pool and perpetuate inequity in career progression. The review recommends a globally minded approach that accounts for international regulation, cultural sensitivities and professional norms.
Collective action
The 2024 review recommends several complementary strategies:
- International virtual teams and cross-border projects to expose writers to diverse perspectives and working styles.
- Cross-cultural education, including cultural-competency training and language-exchange programmes.
- Advocacy for policy reform, with professional organisations coordinating leadership for industry change.
- Measures tailored to regional challenges, including mentorship and targeted skills development where access to medical education is limited.
A common global framework could recognise regional differences while covering inclusive language, diverse representation in case studies and equitable authorship practices. In 2024, AMWA had released a statement supporting diversity, equity and inclusion, EMWA expressed its commitment through its code of behaviour, and the Drug Information Association had dedicated initiatives and resources. Promoting diversity and inclusion in the profession and membership was also part of EMWA’s strategic plan through 2027.