All In census reveals extent of inclusion problem in advertising | WARC | The Feed

All In census reveals extent of inclusion problem in advertising

Improving representation of black, disabled and working-class people within the advertising sector is a priority, leading figures say, following the results of a major survey into the make-up of the industry’s workforce.

The All In Report, published by the UK industry’s Inclusion Working Group, formed by the Advertising Association, IPA and ISBA, surveyed some 16,000 advertising professionals, representing, it is believed, just under 20% of the UK’s ad industry population.

The details

• Just 1% of black professionals are in C-suite positions in advertising, compared with 3% in the general population. And disabled people are also underrepresented in the industry generally, making up only 9% of the workforce, compared to 20% of the general population. One in five advertising professionals went to fee-paying schools, compared to just 8% of the population outside the industry; and 64% of advertising professionals have parents who were also professionals. Outside advertising, that is true for just 37% of people.

• Mental health appears to be a widespread problem in the industry with 31% of those surveyed saying they felt stressed or anxious. The picture of women in the industry also highlighted areas to improve – over half of women felt that taking maternity leave disadvantaged their career, and there is also a 10% pay gap between the genders at senior manager level and up; 12% of women said they experienced sexual discrimination and only 38% felt able to report discrimination against others – this dropped to 26% when the reporting personal discrimination.

• Despite these failings, the survey also uncovered some positives – 83% of executives believe their company is taking concrete steps towards greater inclusivity; and ethnic minorities are actually overrepresented in advertising, accounting for 16% of the workforce, despite only making up 12% of the UK’s working-age population. And, among 18 to 24 year-olds, minority ethnic staff make up 25% of the industry.

Key quote

“It is now time for action. Our census results have provided the benchmark data we need and the way forward is clear. We urge all companies in our industry to engage with the All In Action Plan to help make rapid progress on these critical areas. Everyone deserves a workplace where they feel included and it is in our power to make that happen now. The benefits, social and economic, will be huge as we build our way out of the pandemic” – Kathryn Jacob, CEO Pearl & Dean and Chair, Inclusion Group