DE&I: Accelerating Change with Che Marville

04/12/2023

Performance Art US

Advertising Agency

New York, USA

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04/12/2023

Performance Art's SVP of talent and wellness on greatest challenges, why each agency's approach to DEI should be unique and how diversity was deeply ingrained in her upbringing

Che Marville is SVP of Talent and Wellness at the award-winning agency Performance Art, known for its innovative fusion of data, creativity, and technology. A vanguard in championing diversity, Che's multifaceted career spans the healthcare, education, advertising, and media industries, emphasising wellness and talent growth. As a researcher and project manager at the Ontario Science Centre, Che co-led the ground-breaking equity and inclusion exhibition 'A Question of Truth,' which highlighted the intersection of scientific bias with the experiences of diverse groups. As a cultural innovator, she launched Toronto's inaugural mobile children's media museum inspired by Marshall McLuhan. She has long been dedicated to creating inclusive programs and guiding leaders to see diversity as a strategic asset. With leadership roles at Origin Active Living and the University Health Network and as a facilitator at the Ontario Institute of Education, Che's commitment to integrating wellness and diversity in leadership is unwavering. Her innovative and outlier approach continues to shape the landscape of leadership and change management.

LBB> What drew you to the field of DE&I?

Che> I have been involved in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as a profession for more than twenty years. Growing up in one of the most diverse cities in the world, Toronto, I was immersed in different cultures and experiences from a young age. Living on three continents before the age of seven and coming from a multiracial and multireligious family, diversity was deeply ingrained in my upbringing.

LBB> Before it became your job role, what was your specialism? And how did you get involved?

Che> During my undergraduate studies, I specialised in equity and marginalised communities, further fuelling my passion for DEI. While working as a researcher at a science museum, I focused on studying the relationship between bias and the scientific method, eventually leading me to explore DEI in various fields such as healthcare, culture, media, and education. The first two years of that position were spent travelling to Indigenous reservations and conducting research with racially and ethnically diverse communities to expand our cultural perspectives. I was particularly impacted by the evidence that we discovered about how the medical system treated, ignored, exploited, and silenced disabled people, Indigenous people, women, and people of colour in terms of research and experimentation.

I have witnessed the evolution of DEI from a social-ethical equity perspective to an essential aspect and discipline of a business culture and I think that’s exciting. Our stories and language have changed, and we are in the process of becoming something new; five generations now exist in the workplace, and the values of these five generations are different; it is one of the most significant changes to the culture of work. However, some obstacles hinder the progress of DEI in organisations. The political and social environment can create resistance, misunderstanding and polarisation towards diversity initiatives within an organisation; it’s important that we have specialists in our agencies that guide conversations and aid understanding so that no one feels alienated, left out or exploited. Listening intentionally is critical to furthering understanding but also evolving the process of inclusion and its application to our businesses. However, the greatest challenge is that DEI is often siloed, limited to training and HR initiatives without fully integrating into the application to creativity, financial decision-making, forward planning, and growth initiatives.

Each agency's approach to DEI should be unique – considering its specific needs, diverse experiences, and growth goals. Compassion and empathy are crucial in DEI conversations, and every manager should create space to apply the discipline of diverse thinking to the value proposition of their discipline, promoting inclusivity and a marketplace of ideas that foster creativity and diversity.

LBB> There’s a lot of frustration around the industry’s glacial pace when it comes to improving DE&I across all sorts of axes. What’s getting in the way?

Che> While progress in DEI may seem slow to some and too much to others, it is essential to recognise that it is an evolving process in an ever-changing economy. The advertising industry has made significant strides in diversifying representation, but inclusivity at the leadership level needs to be more robust because the vision of leaders drives the mission of the organisation. The new generation of workers will not accept performative DEI – they care about authenticity and a true commitment to inclusion.

With the commitment to diversity there are many people still not present at the top levels of agencies. Often people with disabilities, newcomer professionals and people from marginalised communities, are still not being funnelled through the career pipeline in order to grow into leaders. This is an indication that the agency pipeline needs to be diversified and that growing diverse talent needs to have an intentional strategy. There needs to be a diversity of thought in leadership – because diversity of thought will drive growth. The advertising industry tells the stories of our culture and yet we must ask whose stories are being told, even though there are a lot of women over forty in the industry, we do not see that reflected in our media and commercials. Ageism, like accessibility, is a diversity issue that is often ignored. DEI needs to be positioned as a discipline and tool integrated into all aspects of decision-making to drive the creativity and growth of businesses.

LBB> The dimensions of DE&I can differ somewhat according to geographic/cultural context - I’m curious, where you’re based, what are the big issues or most urgent elements of DE&I that you need to address? (And if your role covers more than one market/territory, how do you and your team navigate the local nuances while having a cohesive and consistent set of values?)

Che> The relevance and implementation of DEI may vary depending on the geographical and cultural contexts. At my agency in Toronto, we focus on creating space for diverse voices and ensuring accessibility in our processes. It is essential to ask questions and develop a curious point of view to expand the conversation and reach different clients and potential customers. This is why our internship and mentorship program is so critical; this process brings new views and thinking into the agency. I am very proud of the internship program we’ve implemented in collaboration with OCAD University, that helps bring these unique perspectives to the table.

LBB> Covid-19 changed things up across the industry. On the one hand it opened up remote working opening up opportunities to those who can’t afford city living, but on the other hand it’s had a notably negative impact on other groups, notably mothers. Now that some time has passed since the extremes of lockdowns in most territories, what’s your assessment of the positives and negatives to come out of that time of disruption.

Che> The impact of the pandemic was transformative, economically, culturally, and globally. Remote and hybrid work provided opportunities for some individuals, while others struggled with social isolation and increased pressures. Our professional and personal lives have been conflated which has created new obstacles, such as, lack of connection and mentorship. However, it has also created a new path to flexibility for parents, especially for women who are caring a great deal of domestic responsibility for their families. There needs to be flexible integration and intentionality about growing our cultural values. We now know that mental health support is critical to employee satisfaction but more importantly that the wellbeing of employees enables cultural and creative growth. The workplace isn’t just about work, it is a community and there is a huge opportunity to create an ecosystem that contributes to the health and wellbeing of employees.

Tremendous progress has been made in the DEI ecosystem, but we must recognise that we are in a period of learning; we are in the process of evolving into something new, and that is challenging. We are not there yet and perhaps we will always be evolving. The question is, are we committed to cultivating DEI as a business discipline that is applied to both the human configuration and the application of DEI business principals of creativity and growth. Organisations must continue striving towards a more equitable and inclusive future, acknowledging the opportunities that DEI presents for transformation and connection. I love that we are at a place where organisations can look at their business needs and say, “we are going to change the acronym to suit our needs, for example some say ID&E or DEIB and so forth.” It is through purposeful and intentional action that we can create a space for all humans to thrive in the world of advertising.