EQUITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION: AN UPDATE

When it comes to equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI), it could seem to the casual observer that, following a burst of noise back in 2020, industry activity may have slowed.

I would challenge this. Being part of a team pushing forward on EDI, I know we’ve been busy. While we applaud the increased focus on results and statistics, what about the journey to get there? We think it's just as important to share progress along the way. While perhaps not headline-grabbing, each positive step is one in the right direction, taken with a long-term plan rather than as performative actions. So, without much further ado – here is an update on what Splendid has been doing so far in 2023:

How we’ve been championing equity, diversity and inclusion

As we have looked to further embed EDI into the fabric of our company and lay down a long-term strategic approach, we have formed an EDI Leadership team in which I, as EDI Champion meet on a monthly basis with our CEO and HR Director amongst others, to crystallise our core values, aims and objectives. Together we are looking at how we can not only follow, but also create best practice across the board – from recruitment and career development, to the work we deliver – and of course, how we can implement this and feed this into a targeted and measured strategy.

Meanwhile, we also have the Diversity Matters team which has been working on our “always-on” approach to celebrate and educate us all on a spectrum of diverse topics, celebrations and observances. From South Asian Heritage Month and LGBTQ+ History Month to Rosh Hashanah and Diwali, the team does its utmost to make sure everyone in the company feels included, celebrated and appreciated across all backgrounds and characteristics.

Learning and growing

Aside from regular, internal ‘Diversity Matters’ emails which seek to educate us across the year, we have also been creating and delivering training on some important topics, both for our interpersonal lives at work as well as the work we deliver for our clients. This year so far, we have revamped and redelivered internal training on Stereotypes & Microaggressions and EDI in our creative work, with the aim of encouraging everyone to think about the implications of what they say and do in all aspects of their working experience.

Each year we also bring in external experts to conduct agency-wide training, sharing their knowledge and lived-experience to bring perspectives from outside our agency. This year we’re working with Inclusive Consultancy to formulate bespoke training covering areas of equity, diversity and inclusion that are integral to everyone across the agency at all levels.

In addition to this, our monthly EDI roundtable discussion meetings – where we discuss EDI-related news and how that can have implications for us at work, within our work or even outside of work – are still going strong. In 2023 we have added lunch to the offering, supporting local food businesses owned by people from marginalised communities.

Recruitment, recruitment, recruitment

Recruitment is one of the areas where equity, diversity and inclusion has such a key role and, of course, this has been a huge priority for us. We have been broadening our recruitment partners and channels, working with experts to ensure we are reaching as diverse a pool of candidates as possible. We have also been working hard to deepen inclusive best-practice such as formalising the use of diverse interview panels, ensuring we have a wide range of backgrounds assessing prospective candidates and helping make candidates feel comfortable during the interview process itself.

Everyone has a part to play

Where previously we had specific teams dedicated to pushing forward our EDI goals, in 2023 we have been broadening this to every member of Splendid. Everyone has a part to play and however small it may seem, everyone proactively supporting the cause plays an important and impactful part. In addition to career-based and personal objectives, each colleague is now required to have an EDI objective to demonstrate how they are giving their support.

Mind the [pay] gap

We all know that measurement, benchmarking and transparency are key when it comes to becoming an inclusive as possible workplace. Therefore, Splendid has been taking part in PR Week’s pay gap reports, to show how we measure up in the industry and because we believe that transparency on this topic is vital for the industry to accomplish real and lasting change.

Most recently, Splendid was included in PR Week’s Top Ten Agencies, and awarded ninth place for both gender and ethnicity together. When it came to gender, PR Week commented that we had a “zero or near-zero pay gap at all but one senior level, where women are paid slightly less on average”, we’re pleased that we have achieved enough to be counted within this top ten, however acknowledge that the journey isn’t over yet.

When it comes to the ethnicity pay gap, we know there is still work to do, but we are on the road. Splendid was given an overall score of 80 out of 100, with the article noting that there is “a mixed picture, with ethnic minority staff paid slightly more or slightly less than the average at different levels of seniority”. This area is a particular focus for us, with an emphasis also on making our senior levels more ethnically diverse. Watch this space for more updates on this.

Supporting the communities we’re celebrating

While, of course, we have been educating ourselves and celebrating different communities throughout the year, this year we have put an emphasis on ensuring that we are supporting these communities too. It’s important to us that what we do isn’t performative or for the sake of commemoration, but impactful, however small the impact might be.

For Pride month this year, the Splendid Diversity Matters team hosted a screening of Paris is Burning, a moving documentary film about the New York drag culture of the 1980s. It was a great evening, including a discussion afterwards about how much of our current culture has been influenced by this group of people without us even realising. By charging a small screening ticket fee and with Splendid matching the donation, we’re pleased to have raised £282 for Micro Rainbow, a charity which supports LGBTI individuals who may be experiencing poverty.

In September, to commemorate Suicide Prevention Month we hosted a quiz to raise money for Movember – a charity that supports suicide prevention in men. After a lively and thought-provoking evening, with some very niche questions (thanks to our quiz master, Zaynab) we’re pleased to have raised £138 so far – with Splendid also agreeing to match this.

And finally, to celebrate Black History Month, we sat down to enjoy Lover’s Rock, part of the Small Axe TV series by Steve McQueen. Again, this prompted a lively discussion and even some singing, after CEO Alec Samways had kicked the evening off with some Lover’s Rock tunes from his own collection.

This is an important topic at Splendid, always taken seriously but always with the emphasis on participation, community and positive outcomes, so watch this space for more info and for more EDI updates from Splendid.

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