• by Richard Whitman , Columnist, July 26, 2020

The same week that Havas released diversity data for its U.S. workforce, 600 & Rising cofounder Nathan Young called out Omnicom for being the lone laggard among the major holding companies in not releasing its data.

Young called the lack of action on the holding company’s part “disappointing.” 

“They haven’t even acknowledged our existence,” said Young, group strategy director at Minneapolis-based Periscope, who cofounded 600 & Rising in June in a bid to force rapid industry improvements in diversity and inclusion efforts. 

Young said he has heard through contacts at Omnicom that the firm is on the case, but taking its time gathering the data.

“Black Americans have been waiting for decades” for Adland to get its house in order on the D&I front, he said. “We’re done waiting,” he added, calling Omnicom’s delay in order to get it right an “excuse” that is “not sufficient.” He noted the group collects the data annually as required by the EEOC. 

Young made his comments during a streaming event hosted by Adage.com on Friday. 

Just days earlier, Omnicom’s DDB appointed Justin Thomas-Copeland to the high-profile role of CEO at its North America operations, the agency’s first Black CEO. 

Young said: “I give them kudos for that,” but stressed that “we still need to see that data. You can’t change what you can’t measure."