The truth about 2019
Bye 2019 - hello 2020!
And here it is, Happy Holidays... and the end of an incredible year.
Time to thank so many, but to share the truth from behind the scenes at
Creative Equals.
In 2017, we didn't have a robust method of understanding inclusion and diversity across a company. We needed a data-informed system that would look at companies from top to bottom, from recruitment to retention, across every characteristic - gender, ethnicity, age, education, disability, neurodiversity, and more. With zero venture capital, I invested everything from our first conference into building the 'Creative, Digital + Media Equality Standard' with a tiny team, launched in September 2017. We piloted it and the insights that emerged were gold-dust.
Growing an organisation from the ground up is hard. Sometimes, we wondered whether we'd make it all work. What happened next? In 2019, we've had almost every client comeback to measure up with us. We've seen the ROI on this work as up to 4900%, saving one company almost £900,000.
This year, the Equality Standard accreditation became part of Nigel Vaz's 'Responsibilities' agenda, in partnership with the IPA (thanks to Head of Diversity Leila Sidiqqi and CEO Paul Bainsfair). Every company that passed or has had the courage to go on the journey appeared in Campaign's 2019 School Report.
Here are the things we achieved together in 2019, with you:
In autumn 2018, we were one of the first five recipients of the Government Equalities office 'Returners' fund. We kicked off #CreativeComeback in March 2019, skilling up 57 returners in Manchester and London, thanks to D&AD, Diageo and Facebook
Now about 38 returners are back in employment. For some it's been life-changing.
In May, we had a call from Diageo. Trail-blazing Chief Marketing and Innovation Officer Syl Saller, Grainne Wafer, Eileen Hanna-Yague and the team, who asked us: 'What if we could take #CreativeComeback around the globe, for 100 women?' And, of course, we said, yes. Now we're heading for New York in late March and Mumbai in September 2020 (and a warm thanks to Paul Drake and the team from D&AD for being by our side). This will be a game-changer, thank you for the vision, Diageo.
Facebook has * just* announced they're joining us in London too (all the gratitude). Plus a thanks to Major Players and Rachel Gott, who are helping us find 2020's cohort.
We launched the industry's first multicultural/BAME talent programme with leader Lydia Amoah, our incredible Cultural and Learning Director
Just 3% of CEOs in the sector come from a BAME/multicultural background. So we have enlisted the most stellar Advisory Board to put this on the industry's map and create a movement, top to bottom to move this story forwards. If you'd like to know more, this is your link.
On May 14, we held the 'RISE' conference for 400+ delegates
This wouldn't have happened without our friends and sponsors: CC Clark (FCB Global), Marco Bertozzi and Rak Patel (Spotify), Sarah Douglas and the team (AMVBBDO), the team at R/GA, Allison Upton (Major Players), Amanda Farmer, Claire Charrau and the team at VMLY&R, Luke Pearson and the team at GreyLondon, the team at McGarryBowen, Pip Jamieson (The Dots) and our event partner, Emily Philp (FlexEvents).
Next year, we're going bigger so save the date: May 13.
In March this year, we hosted #DiverseMinds2 with the fearless Roxanne Hobbs at Havas
Since this day, we have met so many who found the day emotional, raw, real, giving workplaces, parents and people a new perspective on what it means to be neurodivergent.
We launched our third #FutureLeaders list with Campaign magazine, putting 30+ women on the industry's talent map
We know this lifts up everyone who is on it, thanks to Claire Beale, global editor-in-chief Campaign) for her ongoing support.
We launched the second cohort Creative Equals 'Business' to address the number of women in senior leadership roles
At our side are change-makers Helen James, Trudi Harris and Fiona Bryan at Crispin, Porter & Bogusky and sponsors MDC Partners (thank you).
Our 'Be Awesome Night school', sponsored by WPP, is now in its fourth year, training another 200 people.
In total, we've now trained over 1,400 people. These affordable, accessible masterclasses continue to sell out.
We have continued to work with the recruitment sector, hosting our first 'open' workshop 'Inclusive recruitment'
Recruiters are the gatekeepers. Next year, we will be championing all the recruitment companies that train with us on our own 'Recommended Suppliers List', knowing they hold the 'keys to the door' for so many people. Thanks to Daniel Marks, Rueben Sinclair, Apple&Ink and Major Players for leading the way.
Over the year, we developed our own set of training programmes to address the challenges we find
So a big thank you to our team: Adah Parris, Annabel Shorter and Scotworks, Scott Morrison, Suliaman Khan, Rebecca McKenzie, Zoe Clapp, UKTV, Richard Robinson, Harriet Minter, Roxanne Hobbs, Lizzie Shupak (co-lead and designer of our workshops) John Monks.
Lastly, a huge thank you to the Portas Agency
Every day, we are just so grateful to have desk space at the Portas Agency. We are so lucky to be there, right in the middle of Holborn working alongside an amazing team and a progressive business (come and see their round-table flexible working space). Indebted.
Thank you to everyone who has taken the time, love and energy to help Creative Equals move the industry forwards. We wouldn't be here without you. And that's the truth.
What would you like us to do in 2020?
Tell us here and we'll see if we can make it happen. We have some rather awesome plans, some with the Brixton Finishing School. Watch. This. Space.
There are SO many to thank (look out for more on social), but here's to our advisory board, Ian Crocombe, Facebook; Xavier Rees, Havas; Priya Matadeen, Dazed&Confused, Sonoo Singh, The Drum, Kat Hahn, Facebook, Ete Davies, CEO, The Engine Group, Richard Robinson, Oystercatchers, Laura Jordan-Bambach, Mr President, Candace Kuss, Hill+Knowlton Strategies, Cheyney Robinson, Consultant, Victoria Buchanan, TribalDDB, Simon Richings, AnalogFolk, Pip Jamieson,The Dots, Shilpen Savani, lawyer, Gunnercooke, Grey London, Emma Murphy, Consultant, Caitlin Ryan, Facebook, Helen Fuchs, UsTwo, Liz Nottingham, R/GA, Mel Varley, Consultant (a very special thank you, you have been a sanity saver), Natalie Graeme, Uncommon, Nicky Kemp, Managing editor, BiteLive, Xavier Rees, CEO, Havas.
And we are growing. There are now 5-6 of us who are four/five days a week: Catriona Rainey, Account Executive, Lydia Amoah, Culture and Learning Director, Stephanie Matthews, Partnerships Director, Elly Gedye, Jack of All Trades, Ozoda Muminova, Head of Insights (and The Good Insight) and Emma Murphy, our Commercial Director. Dream team.
Raise your glasses to Kat Webb, business assistant extraordinaire, Laura Lyon, data analyst and our finance team.
And, to those I can't include as this post is wayyy too long, you know who you are and what you mean.
Looking to turbo-charge your start to 2020?
If your career has not always followed a straight line, this is the event for you. Kick off your New Year with Creative Brief's Squiggly Career event, an interactive workshop on how to discover your strengths and make sure they stand out and show up at work.
The workshop will be followed by a lively panel discussion which will delve into how to build strength and resilience both as individuals and teams. It will ask what strength looks like in an era in which Alpha leadership and the traditional framework of what ‘strength’ means are making way for a more vulnerable and empathetic approach. An approach that is so vital for the creative industries.
Tickets are £15, and include a copy of the book.
Happy holidays!
Love the Creative Equals team x