Purpose of this Template

The purpose of this template is to provide insight and invite observation into your organization’s culture and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practices. Companies committed to DEI and community should strive to ensure their inclusion efforts illustrate what is stated in corporate mission and value statements. Additionally, senior leaders should proactively work to build a culturally competent organization and focus on practices that change behaviors, attitudes and result in structural change.

Catalyst researchers Sheila Brassel, PhD, Joy Ohm, and Dnika J. Travis, PhD state “Leaders must proactively tune in, step up, and lift up to ensure marginalized voices are heard and people of color’s experiences and contributions are fully valued. But there are pitfalls to avoid and performative allyship is on the top of the list.”

Introduction

Lifting up voices of the marginalized is a crucial part of advocacy and it is crucial for organizations to do so authentically. Pretending to be in tune to prejudice, oppression or discrimination and actions such as woke-washing (i.e. companies using social justice movements to increase profits) can result in criticism, or worse, reputational harm.

Organizations are motivated to engage in activism for various reasons. Perhaps to influence, align with a cause or issue, or with the intention of getting shareholder, consumer, employee or community stakeholder attention. Authentic activism takes genuine action and advocacy on the behalf of marginalized groups in order to shift the benefits of privilege to those who lack it.

What is Performative Behavior?

Performative activism (also referred to as performative behavior) is at the surface-level and done just for optics. Often individuals or organizations exhibit support to a cause for personal gain or other self-serving reasons. Carmen Morris, experienced DEI professional, writes, “when performative allyship embeds itself into organizational culture, particularly at leadership and managerial levels, it sends the signal that it is right to show affinity towards [racial, gender, etc.] equality, but that it is not important enough to do much, if anything about it.”

How is Performative Activism Harmful?

Performative activism has no impact. It maintains age-old institutional structures and renders illegitimate any attempts to change processes that support systemic racism. The impact can range from slight to severe. Performative activism is damaging as some actions can reduce trust and increase a work environment of exploitation, all of which can destroy an organization's internal culture and external reputation. Additionally, performative activism can also be demeaning and harmful to those individuals, movements and organizations who are committed to change.

How can you tell if your organization is being performative?

Organizations should intentionally back issues that align with their ethics and values, and then take actionable steps to support change. However, it can be difficult to navigate between genuine allyship and performative activism - often these lines are blurred. Some examples of a company operating in an environment where performative behavior, culture, and allyship exists, but is not limited to:

Addressing issues only at a time when it is popular to do so, such as celebrating Earth Day with a statement about sustainable practices.
Participates in “rainbow washing”. Supporting Pride month by changing logos to reflect the pride flag(s) and sponsorship of Pride events, donations, etc. while internal policies are harmful to the community (e.g. working with clients who are openly transphobic, or not supporting their LGBTQIA+ staff).
Putting a person of color in a high visibility, public facing role for PR value.
Highlighting the percentage of employees who have disabilities.

Professing support for marginalized groups without taking real action to support these groups.
Leadership rhetoric supporting DEI, particularly in the area of racial equality, but still having policies that harm or discriminate in their workplaces.

Recommendations to Combat Performative Behavior in the Workplace and Ensure Effective Workplace Activism

Review internal policies, practices, benefits, etc. with support from ERG leads, internal leaders, and potentially external support. Analyze rules and dismantle those that restrict or limit BIPOC employees from thriving in equitable spaces. Ensure that internal practices reflect what the organization is touting externally.
Enact recruitment and retention practices to increase diversity in senior leadership and C-suite position. Invest in supportive resources to ensure retention of diverse leaders.
Welcome open dialogue and keep facilitating difficult conversations about race.
Structure ERGs to have real impact on the organization. Develop and implement processes that connect them to company decision makers. Make sure there is an executive sponsor that brings ERG concerns to the highest level and can advocate for their needs. Build out communication channels rather than relying on ad-hoc feedback.
Compensate ERG leads for the extra work they perform.
Hire diversity equity and inclusion consultants or anti-racism strategists to continue to make workspaces more inclusive and equitable.
Continue to have uncomfortable conversations when BIPOC employees are not in the room, confront supervisors or other employees who demean or disrespect other underrepresented employees.
Make educational resources available on combating performative activism, performative allyship and anti-racism
If an employee or outside party accuses the organization as being performative, delegate a committee to investigate the claims and do an audit: Do they have a basis? What is recommended to resolve the performative behavior?

Resources

Articles

Blogs

Videos

Contributors to this Template

Kamilah A’Vant, DEI & Black Culture Speaker
Ayanna Kelly, DEI Product Manager & Mental Health & Latinx Culture Advisor
Jes Osrow SHRM-SCP, Co-Founder & DEI Specialist

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