This capstone project presents a Customer Relationship Management (CRM)-enabled communication strategy toolkit designed to support ethical, personalized messaging during my workplace’s transition to a new CRM system. While the primary goal is to enhance transparency, constituent engagement, and responsible use of digital tools, the project also emphasizes the importance of inclusive communication strategies that prioritize equity and web accessibility. These strategies ensure that digital transformation efforts adhere to accessibility standards and inclusive values. Grounded in communication ethics and Jesuit values, the project promotes responsible, audience-centered communication during technological change.

Approaching Structural Organizational Bias

The organization exhibits a structural bias that privileges high-capacity donors while marginalizing others. Significant resources are dedicated to cultivating relationships with wealthier constituents through personalized, one-on-one outreach, whereas in the current system, communication with broader audiences is often limited to impersonal, mass messages. O’Neil (2016) observes that this inequality reflects a broader societal pattern, where wealthy individuals receive more human interaction, while the masses are increasingly managed through automated systems. This disparity results in external communication strategies that disproportionately benefit high-value donors, while underinvesting in scalable tools like integrated email marketing platforms.

To address this imbalance, the capstone project recommends implementing a robust subscription center integrated with the organization’s digital marketing platform. This tool will allow constituents to define their communication preferences, fostering transparency and respect for individual autonomy. Leveraging the automation capabilities of the new CRM, these preferences can be honored through self-service settings, offering a scalable approach to ethical and dialogic communication (Arnett et al., 2009). While automation enables personalized communication at scale, it is critical to implement safeguards that protect constituent data privacy (Peláez et al., 2025) and uphold trust in digital engagement.

Ensuring Accessibility and Inclusive Design

Grounded in communication ethics, the project emphasizes transparency, accessibility, and respect for diverse audiences. Research conducted by Schmutz et al. (2016) show that applying accessibility standards to a website’s infrastructure benefits not only users with disabilities but also improves overall usability for nondisabled users. These ethical commitments directly inform the project’s approach to web accessibility and equity. By emphasizing fairness and the dignity of all individuals, the toolkit aims to ensure that digital strategies are inclusive in both design and delivery. User experience (UX) and accessibility are considered throughout the project, such as balancing contrast levels, designing intuitive navigation, and ensuring compatibility with assistive technologies (Yablonski, 2020). Noble (2018) observes that digital decisions often “reinforce oppressive social relationships and enact new modes of racial profiling” (p. 1). By using visuals that reflect the full diversity of our constituent population, rather than relying on images of one or two personas to symbolize the entire community, we demonstrate our moral responsibility to promote inclusion and representation.

Conclusion

This capstone project supports digital transformation at a Jesuit institution by aligning communication strategy with values of service, justice, and ethical leadership. Through a focus on personalization, inclusivity, and continuous feedback, the CRM-enabled toolkit equips the organization to navigate change responsibly while addressing systemic inequities in communication. By embedding accessibility into the foundation of the project, rather than treating it as an afterthought, the toolkit promotes equitable participation and reinforces the organization’s ethical responsibility to communicate in an inclusive and just manner. In doing so, it advances socially responsible practices and promotes more equitable, transparent relationships with all constituents.