NEW YORK — Ruder Finn has launched a digital offering designed to help brands detect misinformation and harmful information before it gains traction. RF Truth Vector uses machine learning and AI to identify harmful information on fringe social networks behind the false information, detecting underlying patterns to expose motives and agendas, and anticipates viral events before they reach critical mass. The Vector then neutralizes with factual and brand-supporting content.

NEW YORK — A new study on DE&I from Weber Shandwick’s United Minds finds that many employees across industries are either doubtful or uncertain about the effectiveness of their employer’s DE&I efforts, and that even amid heightened attention on the importance of advancing DE&I, bad behavior and lack of commitment persists within organizations. 

Key findings include:  

  • Nearly half of employees surveyed (47%) report that they have personally experienced and/or witnessed discrimination, harassment and/or microaggressions in their current organizations. Notably, 24% of employees who have experienced discrimination, harassment and/or microaggressions are considering leaving their organization in the next year – three times as many as all employees in the benchmark. 
  • While 57% of all employees are very satisfied with their organizations’ approach to DE&I, nearly one-third of employees (31%) have doubts whether their employer is investing sufficiently to advance DE&I.  
  • Thirty-four percent of all employees, including 39% of leaders, believe DE&I initiatives are “a waste of organizational time, effort, and money.” Understanding – and addressing – the factors driving these perspectives is key to making progress, as the research also shows that leadership tone and behavior is the strongest predictor of whether employees are satisfied with their organization’s approach to DE&I. 
  • Additionally, more than a quarter of employees (29%) have doubts whether their organization was working hard to build a diverse, equitable and inclusive culture prior to the racial unrest in 2020.  

NEW YORK — Agility PR Solutions has launched a podcast monitoring platform, enabling the firm to monitor global podcasts in six languages. With Agility’s podcast feature, companies can discover new influencers and publicity opportunities and stay abreast of the industry trends and emerging issues that are discussed on podcasts. Agility’s podcast monitoring platform is cross referenced against its global media database of over 1 million contacts and outlets, enabling Agility clients to target and monitor this growing medium.

BOSTON — 360PR+ has been certified as a Women’s Business Enterprise by the Center for Women & Enterprise, a regional certifying partner of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council. Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2021, 360PR+ was founded by Laura Tomasetti, who has served as CEO since the agency’s inception. The WBENC was founded in 1997 with the goal of developing a standard for women-owned business certification.