Inclusion Unlocked

SECTION 2.4Brand Quadrant: How Do I Deliver an Inclusive Brand?

The fourth and final quadrant moves from culture to brand, and emphasizes the need for leaders, indeed every employee, to see themselves as a “brand builder” through an Inclusive Leadership lens, regardless of their role in the organization. A brand goes beyond a company's logo and impacts both consumer and employee behavior. “A brand is the set of expectations, memories, stories, and relationships that, taken together, account for a consumer's decision to choose one product or service over another”¹ and the same can be said for an employee choosing to not only work for you, but more importantly choosing to stay and do their best work. As a leader you have an essential part to play in ensuring your company's brand is a positive force for change internally and in the wider world. Your capability to enhance your company's brand and positively impact society utilizes the three dimensions of trust, partnerships, and activism.

The value of brand building is the sheer power they can wield in a competitive landscape. Interbrand's “2022 Best Global Brands” report stated that for the first time in history in 2022, the average value of the world's top 100 brands exceeded US$3 trillion, which was a 16% increase from 2021. Interbrand's research identifies exponential growth within the top 10 brands of the world and what they class as a “super league.” These businesses, such as Apple, Google, and Disney are building their businesses ...