Key Characteristic: built with diversity and inclusion
| Brand Lived Experience | We are founded with lived experience. Diversity and inclusion are built into the organization’s foundations and embedded in our origin story. (Built with diversity and inclusion) |
Brand Lived Experience identifies brands that were founded with diversity and inclusion built in. The outcomes may look identical to a brand in adaptation, the furthest position on the Inclusive Continuum, however, an important distinction is that these characteristics weren’t learned or developed. They’re key elements of the brand’s history and identity.
An example of Brand Lived Experience includes the brands Fenty Beauty (inclusive make-up brand) and Savage X Fenty (inclusive lingerie brand) both founded by Rihanna.
A brand with built-in diversity and inclusion can still enter the Continuum at different states for different communities, outputs and processes. Whilst lived experience can be built into a brand, the brand is not then automatically wholly representative of every community and experience.
This article was written by Ness Murby (he/him) a queer, trans, blind disabled person, Ness describes himself as human first. He is a Dad, Gran’s kid always and Pop’s ‘tiger’ forever. Australian, mixed race and white presenting, grateful to currently reside on Coast Salish Territory on the shared and unceded lands of many Indigenous Nations including the kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem), səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), q̓ic̓əy̓ (Katzie), qʼʷa:n̓ ƛʼən̓ (Kwantlen), qiqéyt (Qayqayt), and Stó:lō (Sto:lo). Ness works as the Senior Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Strategist at AndHumanity, is a counsellor and competes as a Canadian Paralympian. He is a lover of puzzles, connection and culture.
