Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Census extended
In June, the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) announced the launch of a global census of the marketing and advertising industry, designed to provide hard data on the people who are working in the profession.
The survey will assess where the global advertising and marketing industry is in relation to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) by investigating workforce composition across the industry as well as people’s perception of diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace, including their sense of belonging and their perception of progress. The response will inform the research results which will in turn make for informed discussions across the industry.
Globally, WFA has partnered with Kantar, trade publication Campaign and global agencies association EACA and VoxComm. This is also in strong collaboration with national advertiser and agency associations in 27 markets in order to promote the research survey and encourage as many local marketers as possible to participate. The goal, globally, is to generate the largest and most representative sample possible.
For Ivan Moroke, CEO of Kantar South Africa, it is humbling to play such an important role in understanding people to inspire growth for the industry overall. “It’s a business imperative, as diversity drives innovation and creativity, enabling us to better serve the needs of our clients, while inclusion creates a culture of belonging, where everyone is empowered to succeed. The census will ensure all voices are heard, coming together to shed light on the true state of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion across the board in South Africa’s marketing industry – long painted as untransformed. This will pinpoint the exact challenges and opportunities to take action so we’re not only more representative of our country’s unique reality but also more inclusive and encouraging, painting a brighter path for the future,” he said.
Presentation of findings
The findings will be presented at leading global industry events in October this year and put into the public domain so that global groups, regional groups and, critically, local coalitions can ensure their DEI efforts are as focused as possible on perceived shortcomings. A follow up survey will be completed in 18 months’ time to measure progress, with the ultimate goal of generating the largest and most representative sample possible.
Dr. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UN under-secretary general, executive director of UN Women and chair of the Unstereotype Alliance, said, “Progress in diversity and inclusion across the advertising industry has been inching forward where it should be racing ahead. The recent State of the Industry report launched by the Unstereotype Alliance shows that mechanisms to measure and hold organisations to account are critical to the improvement that is so urgently required. This census is an important step to uncover the extent to which marginalised and under-represented groups are under-resourced, and to help identify a clear path for progress.”
To access and take part in the survey, click here.
