The advertising industry faces a talent crisis so building an inclusive workplace is more important than ever
If you were to ask me how we can shape the next generation of our creative leaders, I’d say it firmly starts with building a workplace where everyone feels they belong.
The advertising industry is a 300,000-strong community, and it is our job as leaders to empower the talent within our industry to feel supported and valued as they make their journeys upwards in their careers.
We have an action plan to do this. Just over a year ago, the Advertising Association, IPA and ISBA built the All In Census, the first and largest inclusion survey of UK advertising’s workforce. Gathering over 16,000 responses, it has provided us with the vital data and actions that we need to assess and change our current landscape.
The data was stark.
The All In Census showed that just 1% of C-suite leaders are Black. Only 6% of C-suite leaders are disabled, with the UK working average at 14%. Ten times more women than men believed parental leave negatively impacted their career progression.
In addition, the survey told us we are rapidly losing older talent. This is an issue. We are a young industry with nearly ¾ of the All In respondents aged between 25-44. This compares to just under half of the UK working population falling into this age bracket.
The above examples are only a few of the reasons why companies should be investing time in adopting our evolving All In Action Plan. With six actions unveiled to date – covering Black Talent, Disabled Talent, Working Class Talent, Women, Asian Talent and Older Talent – the plan identifies key areas of our industry where progress can be made.
The advertising industry is facing a talent crisis – now is the time to get to grips with the reality
Kathryn Jacob, CEO, Pearl and Dean, Chair, Advertising Association’s Inclusion Working Group
Developed in conjunction with key pressure groups and those with lived experiences in each area, the Action Plan outlines steps such as adopting the BRiM framework to improve Black representation or taking the Flexible First checklist to enhance the experience of Women in your organisation. And what we’re discovering, is that these actions benefit many other people than the groups they were developed for.
Further actions will be announced as the Action Plan evolves and before the Census runs again in 2023.
What’s more, we know that measuring progress is critical. That’s why we’ve announced companies who evidence adoption of all actions to date can apply for All In Champion status.
The advertising industry is facing a talent crisis – now is the time to get to grips with the reality. Inclusion is integral to retention. We must support our existing talent to help them feel they belong in our industry, and build the next generation of creative leaders.
Find out more about adopting the All In Action Plan and how to become an All In Champion here: https://adassoc.org.uk/how-to-become-an-all-in-champion/
Kathryn has extensive experience in many areas of the media industry including national newspapers, magazines and radio. She has also turned her hand to running cross-media initiatives. Now as CEO of Pearl & Dean, she just focuses on film and cinema. Building on the reputation of Pearl & Dean, the team have grown their activities outside of the usual venues into pop up and drive in cinema, cinemas on luxurious ships, film partnerships and product placement. In 2016 Kathryn co-wrote ‘The Glass Wall’ with Sue Unerman, aiming to use their experiences and research to help women and businesses thrive. Since publication, they have given over 180 talks about the book and diversity. In the 2016 New Year Honours list, Kathryn was awarded an OBE for services to the promotion of equality and diversity. In 2020 Sue and Kathryn published another book, partnering this time with Mark Edwards, called “Belonging: The Key to Transforming and Maintaining Diversity, Inclusion and Equality at Work” Outside of work Kathryn sits on the Development Board of RADA, the Executive Council of Screen Advertising World Association, the Board of the Association of Colleges (sport) and the Council and Board of the Advertising Association, as well as chairing their Inclusion Group. She is also the very proud Chair at HOME in Manchester, one of the leading arts venues in the UK. Kathryn’s also been part of the Government Expert Group on Body Confidence. She has two children, two slightly naughty dogs, a lovely husband and not enough hours in the day.
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