Diversity in Government Relations (DGR) Coalition Industry Pledge

The Diversity in Government Relations Coalition exists to foster and strengthen diversity equity and inclusion among entities that influence local, state, and federal policy through data collection, strategic communications, and stakeholder engagement—leading to a more diverse government relations workforce, which yields inclusive and transformative policymaking that reflects the diversity of America.

The government relations field plays a critical role in the policymaking process. That process can create unintended policy outcomes when key voices from underrepresented communities are not part of and leading essential policymaking efforts. Unfortunately the data that exists on the representation of government relations professionals is significantly limited, but here are some data points we can glean from:

KEY STATISTICS

  • 56% of respondents at least somewhat disagree with the statement that women and people of color are equally represented in leadership positions in the government relations field (Bloomberg Government and Women in Government Relations)

  • Recent findings from the Public Affairs Council reveal that 17% of public affairs professionals, among nearly 130 organizations,  are people of color (Public Affairs Council).

  • In August 2020, people of color accounted for 40% of the US population, but only 11% of the US Senate’s top office staff (Joint Center)

  • In August 2018, people of color accounted for 38% of the US population, but only 13.7% of the US House top staff (Joint Center)

  • Congressional internships provide a pipeline to paid employment and elective office on the Hill that translate to opportunities off the Hill.White students make up only 52% of the national undergraduate student population, but accounted for 76% of paid interns on the Hill. Black and Latino students made up 15% and 20% of the undergraduate student population, but accounted for 6.7% and 7.9% of paid interns respectively (Pay Our Interns)

The government relations field has a responsibility to work towards establishing representation goals, with respect to race and other identities, that ultimately ensure policymaking considerations are inclusive and unintended policy outcomes are mitigated.

As such, the DGR Coalition has issued a pledge to gain commitment from all entities influencing local, state, and federal policy to ensure diversity, equity, and inclusion is prioritized internally and externally. This pledge is the first-of-its-kind in the government relations industry.

Working in tandem with the pledge, we will be releasing in the fall of this year the DGR Survey Collection Project, a mixed methods study of the government relations profession with a specific focus on employee demographics, including ability, ethnicity, gender, race, religion, and sexual orientation. The goal of this project is to collect self-reported data from individual employees who work directly to influence local, state, and federal policy domestically.