Break the Silence: Gender, Equity and Inclusion

Title: Break the Silence: Gender, Equity and Inclusion

Watch back this hybrid panel discussion event that explored what the data from last year's Break the Silence report tells us about gender equity and inclusion in the communications field, and what it means for us as health communicators.

Event overview

This session drew on landmark research from over 800 PR and communications professionals; a mixed-methods study powered by behavioural science that generated nearly 60,000 words of qualitative insight. The findings reveal persistent gaps in how opportunity, leadership, parenthood, and age are experienced across gender, with perception gaps continuing to undermine progress. The headline statistics are stark:

• Women are 3.3 times more likely to report gender-based unfair treatment

• A 26-point gap exists between men (79%) and women (53%) who believe equal leadership opportunities are available

• 75% of women say parenthood negatively impacted their careers, compared with 25% of men

• 90% agree that senior men actively modelling equality would transform workplace culture.

The Break the Silence report is available to view here

What this means for health communications

This session explored what these findings means for health communications, where agency culture, retention challenges, and the realities of client-facing work create their own pressures. But gender equity in health communications doesn't exist in isolation. Our sector has its own silences, issues that shape careers and wellbeing but rarely make it into agency conversations. Alongside the core findings from Break the Silence, this panel will explore:

• Gender equity, progression, and industry attrition

• Age equality across career stages

• Parental leave, workplace flexibility, and the pressures on working parents and carers

• AI, workforce change, and what this means for next-generation recruitment and pathways

• Menopause and its impact on retention, progression, and day-to-day work

• Allyship, advocacy and inclusive leadership

• Ethnic minority representation.

Shayoni Lynn shared the wider industry context and research insights from the Break the Silence research, and Neil Flash was joined by Deesha Majithia, Sabrina Gomersall, and Phil Blackmore.

The session concluded with a panel discussion and audience Q&A, creating space for open dialogue, shared learning, and reflection, in the spirit of Break the Silence's Listening Labs, which aim to convert lived experience into commitment to change.