Accelerating diversity in our industry

Summary

Our society has never been more diversified as it is today, and yet - although we call ourselves a very progressive sector - all creative agencies have serious difficulties attracting more diverse talent.

Now this becomes really frightening when we have to admit that we have no clue of the genuine consumer insights of a large and growing part of our population.

Last year, we conducted a quantitative and a qualitative survey among our members, with a focus on agency talent with migration background: only 4% of all employees have their roots in other cultures/religions/countries. The lack of esteem for our profession and the absence of role models seem to be the main burdens for them to work in our industry.

Together with our Board of Directors, we decided we should take action now, so here is what we propose:

accelerating diversity:

“In order to accelerate diversity in a sector or a company, you have to ‘clash’ two communities together and give underprivileged youngsters a seat at the table”, says Youssef Kobo Aouriaghel, the inspiring frontman of A Seat At The Table.

And that is exactly what we are going to do.

A Seat At The Table helped an impressive number of companies* to overcome their diversity issues and will partner with ACC (members) to accelerate diversity in the creative industry.

Accelerating diversity in 3 steps:

We plan to ‘clash’ the two communities as following:

Step 1:

Concerned agency managers can apply for an IMMERSION DAY in the lives and minds of the diverse ASATT community, organized by A Seat At The Table.

Step 2:

ASATT and ACC will organize 4 ROADSHOWS, each with 25 different and selected youngsters from the ASATT community, who all have an interest in creativity and in business and who will visit 3 agencies in one day to experience real life in an agency:

• 3 agencies in Antwerp
• 2x3 agencies in Brussels
• 3 agencies in Ghent

Step 3:

The participating agencies will be asked to KEEP IN TOUCH with the youngsters that intrigue them the most, and to invite them to internal trainings and agency gatherings. ACC will reserve free tickets for its’ Brainery trainings, speed-dating sessions and events.

If your agency is interested in this ambitious quest, you can apply for a ticket to the Immersion day and/or the Roadshow, please let us know via the link underneath: