“There’s no point just saying sorry unless you're going to change your actions for the better.” Said every parent and teacher. Ever.

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In the age of transparency for brands, this guidance, or veiled reprimand, should be considered by brands just as much as misbehaving children.

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Gone are the days when this type of situation calls for a full-page, beautifully written, long-copy ad in The Sunday Times. Posting famous quotes from POC or apologising for the systematic failings of culture have little value either. They will be seen for the value that they are.

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Lazy lip service.

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Now is the chance to change the systemic failings.

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Stop thinking about what the right thing to say is. And start thinking about what the right thing to do is.

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And then actually do it.

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Don’t just read the headlines. Listen. Learn. Unlearn stereotypes. Talk about it. Dig deep. Question everything that you thought you knew and are hearing now.

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If there aren’t any slightly awkward moments – we are English after all – then perhaps you’re not being totally truthful about your subconscious actions and the results of your business policies.

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Now is the time to question every strand of your business. And then consider how you can improve it to ensure that this doesn’t become just another populist wave of enthusiasm that dies down in the next news cycle. But that this is the moment in time that you and your business changed for the better:

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• Talk to your customers and employees about how your business can do better
• Hire more diversely and more thoughtfully
• Treat both your customers and employees who are POC better
• Change and influence the systemic failings of both your business and society
• Lead by example

And please, please don’t then devalue all this good work by distilling it into a social post or a press release.

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Live by the mantra: actions speak louder than words.

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NB if changing society for the better really doesn’t motivate you, then perhaps just remember that consumers are always led by their heart.

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I’d love to discuss this more, if you’d like to talk too or if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to drop me a line.

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This was originally posted on medium here.