The year 2020 has introduced new challenges and a new level of uncertainty that has put human resilience, empathy and compassion to the test. While inequality has been a constant and lived reality for many, the COVID-19 pandemic has shone a glaring light on the widening gaps and systemic barriers to equality and equity.
As an agency that prides itself in “shaping the next era of media,” it’s crucial that we continue to value bringing different perspectives to the table. Diversity helps strengthen our ability to innovate and develop better consumer insights. But diversity in our workforce isn’t just a business imperative — it’s a human one. By working with people that have different lived experiences and perspectives, we can foster the deep connections and empathy needed to help us successfully navigate through these trying times.
In recognition and active response to that mission, at GroupM Canada, we surveyed our workforce to better understand what our population looks like and where we need to do better, in terms of the diversity of our workforce. As a network with 800 employees, we have strong female representation with more than 50% of management identifying as female. Our workforce is also culturally diverse: over 40% of our talent immigrated to Canada within the past 10 years, and there are over 50 languages spoken within the company. These are impressive stats from a comparative industry standpoint, but we have work to do, and now we have a baseline to measure from. By leveraging GroupM/WPP’s global voice and expanding our focus to include better mentoring and employment opportunities for marginalized groups, we can be the catalyst that turns good intentions into real and tangible change.
GroupM Canada remains committed to creating an environment where all employees feel welcomed and valued. In order to remove the barriers that exist within our industry and own organization, we need to continue to educate ourselves and challenge one another. After the senseless murder of George Floyd, we came together as a community to create a safe space for Black employees to grieve, mourn and heal. That group has become a vocal and active force providing insight and feedback to inform the activities of our DEI and People teams. While we still have a lot of work to do, we continue to seek out opportunities to have meaningful discussions and create shared resources that support the fight against anti-Black racism and discrimination in all forms.
Making progress starts with listening to understand where you are and where you need to go. While we have a lot of work to do, I’m confident that by continuing to listen, learn, and put in the necessary hard work, we can help move our company and industry in the right direction.
