New DEI Study Finds Industry Progress And Shortfalls

 

She Runs It and DEI consultant Seramount have released the results of an industry survey that found that while Black professionals are being hired at rates consistent with the broader population (14%), they are not being promoted at a comparable pace and are leaving their roles at a disproportionately high rate (13%).   

The takeaway, per the firms: A need for better career progression strategies and more inclusive pathways to leadership for Black employees.  

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Per the report, women continue to comprise half of the broader media/marketing workforce (53%), “disproving earlier indications that women had left the industry in large numbers.” Previous, post-pandemic surveys suggested that women had dropped from approximately 50% to 37% of our workforce.  

The study also found that marketers/clients are making gender and race/ethnicity representation a crucial requirement in RFP processes for agencies and other vendors stewarding their businesses (86%). And companies are responding by providing more diversity training to their client-facing staff (71%).  

The survey also addressed so-called “DEI fatigue,” and found that it “appears to be less prominent” than media reports would suggest. The survey shows that employee and corporate commitment to DEI “remains strong at companies who view it as critical to their business strategy for talent, clients/customers, and suppliers.”  

And DEI team size has held steady (44%) or increased overall (44%), and budgets are holding steady (42%) and/or improving (22%) more than they are decreasing.  

“This Index allows us to highlight not only those who are excelling but also provide key insights into areas of opportunity for the entire industry,” said Barbara Frankel, Managing Director, Head of Insights at Seramount.  

The full report can be downloaded here.  

 

 

 

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