Diversity - Let’s Cut the Crap

When it comes to diversity, equity and inclusion, the industry has talked a big game, but progress has been slow. In a system rigged towards privilege - it can be an exhausting, uphill battle, but this is an industry of tireless problem solvers, brilliant ideas and initiatives abound. 

Four of those tireless problem solvers gathered on the Little Black Book and Friends Beach for a discussion that didn’t skirt around myriad issues, instead focusing on solutions for how to move the business forward. The panellists were Maria McDowell, owner, Lollipop, a mentorship organisation that helps Black women in business; Patrick Bennett, ECD, NY at Momentum Worldwide and vocal advocate for improving representation in the industry and work; Ursula Mejía Melgar, marketing director - Southern Europe, Diageo; and Victoria Ijeh-Allen, CEO and founder, Iconic Steps, a production agency with a focus on diverse talent.

Despite being from all different sides of the industry, different sizes of company, and even different countries, the panellists began with a defiantly united opinion: “change is uncomfortable, but it’s time.” 

“The easy thing to do is more of the same,” said Ursula, “and doing more of the same gets you to be more efficient, not break through and change things. If we keep doing the same things, we’ll do those better, but it’s still the same things… It’s old and tired.”

Weary of hearing the same stories of Black people being pushed out of the industry, Patrick added, “Everyone has that same story - that one toxic manager that created such an environment that you just leave the industry… I did it!” So, with progress in diversity seemingly at a standstill, the ECD said he believes it time to seriously disrupt the status quo. “When you break things, scatter the pieces on the table and put them back together with intention, that’s the only way to create something new. Maybe you can tweak things, but it’s not going to be a simple, comfortable process if we’re actually going to make a meaningful impact.”

Intentionality was a topic that came up several times, however a consensus was clearly formed by the panel around companies that are claiming to have “good intentions” without actually acting on them. “People need to be braver, because people can be quite lazy - they use the same people, do the same things that fixes the problem - it’s a box-ticking exercise,” said Maria. “It’s not complicated, look at the underrepresented people who need support, find the people from those communities, and have conversations with them. Be brave and be consistent.”

Ursula agreed, saying that “progress is better than perfect,” and encouraged the industry to put the money where their mouths are and act on their intentions. “Be the change! You alone can’t change the entire world, but be the one that does the little thing from where you’re sitting - buying a different script, using a different media company… Get a success and then tell people about it!” She added, “The biggest responsibility is creating this domino effect.”

After years of witnessing companies “talk a big game,” Patrick said that the industry doesn’t make enough real, tangible change, suggesting that they need to get diverse people in and do everything possible to retain them. “I wish I could snap my fingers, but I can’t - it’s mentally debilitating. We’re bringing in talent but we’re bleeding talent. And they’re never making it to the point where they can make a change.”

In recent years, DE&I departments have been created across the industry to help with these exact issues, however the panel evaluated that many of these organisations are too broad in their remit and have been put under the supervision of people who, while passionate about DE&I, are not necessarily always the most qualified or experienced. 

Patrick continued, “It’s a tough place to put a person, because you’re manipulating their passion and [often] not supporting them meaningfully financially, and creating an environment where their ineffectiveness speaks to the fruitless nature of the ask.”

Adding to this, he said, “I don’t think the concept of a DE&I department is fundamentally flawed, but the industry's execution of it is so lackluster that it points to a tangible disinterest in its success.”

Some of the other panellists, like Maria, shared their similar experiences, raising concern over how effective they can be when approaching a broad range of topics and issues, and reporting anecdotal experiences of “being ghosted” by the departments. Ursula also added that DE&I “is the connecting thread through everything” at a company, and should be treated from the perspective of “this is who we are,” and not “this is what we do.”

One of the big conversations was around mentorship - a vital tool if companies want to not just hire diverse talent, but retain it. “Nurturing talent is so important,” said Victoria. “So many companies wouldn’t take on the extra effort to nurture someone into a role and would just leave people to fend for themselves in the industry, which is why so many people are dropping out.” Patrick also revealed the beneficial flipside to mentorship, explaining how mentors themselves will learn and get better at their own jobs as a result of mentoring someone. 

The panel also spoke to how diversity should not be seen as an altruistic service anymore. “This isn’t a charity!” said Patrick, describing how diverse creative and talent makes more money for businesses. “This isn’t doing good deeds - this is good business and we have to continue to make that case because until the big powers recognise that, we’re not going to have the type of change we really want.”

So how can this change be achieved? And what does a successful, diverse company culture look like? For Maria, it means creating a workplace that has open conversations, takes on feedback, and then actually actions it. “Everyone did that after George Floyd, but now it’s quiet again,” she said. “Hold them to account! What have you done? What are you doing next?”

“Before you show off, you need to show up,” added Ursula, saying that before companies want to flaunt their representation metrics, they should have the mechanisms in place to retain and nurture diverse talent. 

Many companies, explained Patrick, operate with outdated structures and ideas, which results in talent being pushed out of the industry and lacking a sense of belonging - or being shut out from the industry entirely. 

“Young creatives aren’t copywriters, art directors or designers - they’re filmmakers, artists and musicians. And we don’t have a job description that fits that human,” he finished. “They don’t fit into our spreadsheets, but they’re incredible talents who we’re keeping out of our industry, and we’re worse-off for it.”