Whether it's a performative series of lunch-and-learns or a self-congratulatory social post about how they're moving the needle on DEI, you’ll rarely learn about what they're doing for the other 11 months of the year to create better, more diverse workplaces for Black people.

Especially in Canada's advertising and marketing industry, which has a long history of de-prioritizing racialized Canadians.

According to a recent report by the Institute of Canadian Agencies, agency staff in Toronto and Montreal exhibit significant racial disparities. In Toronto, 73.9% of agency staff are white, compared to the city's population percentage of 47.8%, while only 2.9% are Black, despite comprising 7.5% of the population. In Montreal, 90.1% of agency staff are white, compared to 76.6% of the city's population, with only 1% being Black, in contrast to the population percentage of 6.8%.

People of Colour in Advertising & Marketing (POCAM) is a not-for-profit organization trying to change the face of the industry.

Established in 2020 amidst the brutal George Floyd murder and the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, POCAM seeks to drive real and lasting change within the industry through two key initiatives: Call for Equity and the Visible and Vocal study, which is now in its fourth year and scheduled for release next month. Last year, the report found that 67% of visible minorities experienced racial bias within their agencies, and 77% felt the need to be on guard for bias.

I caught up with Co-founders Gavin Barrett, Founder and CCO of creative agency Barrett and Welsh, Julian Franklin, Vice President, Partnership Development & Strategy at MLSE, and steering committee member Ishma Alexander-Huet, EVP, Client Advice and Management Head of Learning & Culture at Initiative on how the industry can genuinely prioritize DEI.

Interviews were conducted separately and have been slightly edited for length and clarity.

BB: Why do racial inequities persist so stubbornly in this industry despite clear evidence that diverse workforces improve business performance?

Gavin Barrett:  Well, let's start with the elephant in the room: Discrimination. Systemic racism, entrenched barriers, biases, and historical precedents. You know, these are the big ones. There’s a pervasive denial within both our industry and our country, with many Canadians refusing to acknowledge the presence of racism and the importance of Black Canadian history. And so that has filtered into our industry. You know, we’ve all drunk the Kool-Aid, where we like to think we're wonderfully progressive, wonderfully inclusive. But the data doesn't bear it out.

We deny that we’re perpetuating systems of exclusion, like pricing. Using money as a device to exclude people cuts across multiple things, like the cost of training or education for young talent entering the pipeline. You're capped out by what I call discriminatory pricing. You know, it's a tool used to exclude people. Like, let's make the price of entry too hard to bear and keep these people out.

Ishma Alexander-Huet: I think it's as ridiculously simple as not having exposure to the industry and having inadequate guidance at the high school level. As a parent of three kids, I’ve found myself in conflict with counsellors and principals when they suggested courses that were unrelated to my children’s career aspirations.

For example, despite my son expressing an interest in becoming a mechanical engineer, they tried to place him in a geography class due to scheduling conflicts. It’s disheartening and alarming to witness my son go through the same experience of being underestimated and assumptions being made about their career paths in the same way I did in high school. Thankfully, my second son has made his own choice of pursuing carpentry, not because someone limited his options, but because he genuinely has an interest in it.

Julian Franklin: I think that, just like with all industries, there's a lack of BIPOC advertising and marketing creators and directors because we’re either not being celebrated or recognized or because there's not many of us that are in the mainstream.

And by the mainstream, I mean the bigger firms, whether it's on the media side, the advertising side, or the marketing side, you don’t see as many. But you do see, quite honestly, several of us who are either freelance or have small companies that are connected, outside of the mainstream, doing this work, and I think that there needs to be an opportunity for that to be broadened.

{https://www.instagram.com/tv/CaqkMZTgDes/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==}

BB: As an industry, advertising and marketing hold such a unique position because of its power to shape and influence societal norms and perceptions through storytelling. How can it better attract and retain BIPOC talent to ensure a diverse range of voices are represented?

Gavin Barrett: The number one thing that keeps coming back to us through our annual Visible and Vocal Study is that “I don't see anyone like me in the workplace.” You know, up high. “I don't see anyone in a leadership position.” You know, Black people make up less than 1% of executive leadership roles in Canada while representing 3.5% of the population. And if you look at just Toronto, visible minorities make up more than 55% of the city’s population.  So, something's desperately wrong. Agencies need to employ more Black, Indigenous and people of colour leaders, and not just people in junior roles.

Our Call for Equity initiative, inspired by the U.S., urges companies to make public commitments towards fostering justice, equity, and inclusion for BIPOC professionals in the industry. We encourage these companies to actively track and disclose their progress in fulfilling these commitments. We have around 100 agencies who are currently publicly tracking or have signed up to track their progress. We recognize that the willingness to report itself is a positive step forward. But the first essential action is to ensure that companies have hired individuals who can serve as role models for aspiring young professionals.

Ishma Alexander-Huet: Companies need to be intentional about engaging with BIPOC and Black spaces to educate them about the opportunities and realities within the industry. This begins with creating awareness through marketing 101 principles. Building partnerships with colleges, universities, and Black Student Unions can help establish meaningful connections and relationships.

Retention, on the other hand, requires a different approach. It goes beyond just increasing numbers and focuses on creating an environment of social inclusion and belonging where people feel psychologically safe. This requires leaders who are genuinely invested, willing to learn, and committed to doing the necessary work. It’s essential that these leaders are not simply performative but are humble enough to acknowledge their own limitations and seek understanding. Even if they’re not from a BIPOC or marginalized community, they should be willing to recognize and address the issues they may not initially understand.

{https://www.instagram.com/p/CLHV067gAis/?img_index=1}

Julian Franklin: Agencies also need to recognize and leverage the talent of their existing Black and BIPOC professionals. This can be achieved by providing them with the space to explore different opportunities and pilot projects that highlight their unique perspectives and experiences. Doing so not only enriches the agency's understanding of what it means to be a Black or BIPOC individual in the industry but also has the potential to drive business growth.

It's crucial for agencies to acknowledge that promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace can lead to the rise of talent and attract culturally diverse leaders and professionals. Agencies should introspect by asking themselves why they may not have attracted enough diverse talent. They should critically evaluate whether the existing work environment fosters the flourishing of these individuals. Agencies need to ensure that the foundations are in place to nurture creativity and avoid stifling or suppressing it. By actively supporting the growth of diversity within their own ranks, they can pave the way for a more inclusive industry.

BB: The solution seems simple. Hire and nurture more diverse people. Is it that simple, or is it more complicated? And how can company leaders play a role in promoting DEI?

Gavin Barrett: It’s quite straightforward. Hire more Black, more Indigenous, and more people of colour directly in positions of power and authority because that’s the only thing that will really create systemic change.

The intriguing thing is that there are two kinds of people who get hired for roles in DEI: Black professionals and white women. And this is highlighted in a study from the Harvard Business School.  And while it’s encouraging to see more Black professionals being hired as Director of DEI or Chief Diversity Officer, it feels fundamentally unfair that people of colour are being hired to fix something they didn't break. I know they’re also being hired because they’re sensitive and intelligent and able to navigate the systemic bias that exists so that it may be corrected because they face it. But my bigger issue is, why aren’t we hiring more Chief Marketing Officers who are Black?

Ishma Alexander-Huet: It’s not enough to just be aware of all these DEI initiatives, you have to speak to them on a regular basis, so they become part of the DNA. And that means ensuring that hiring and promotion practices are equitable. It means working it into the executive goals and bonus structures and having diverse interview panels with people from different backgrounds versus a one-on-one. I don't really believe in the blind interview thing where you don't get to see the person, and I think that can end up working against you.

And it also depends on your communication style. There’s a lot of training available for how you ask interview questions, how you hire, and understand what your own unconscious biases are. And that’s the hardest part: the unconscious bias. That’s why we’re still here in this situation. It’s unconscious because it’s systemic.

Julian Franklin: I'm a firm believer that process must permeate everything. And that goes across an entire organization. It’s not limited to a single department or area. Personally, I’m fortunate to work with an organization such as MLSE, where DEI is more than just a buzzword; it’s part of our DNA and informs our daily actions that practice and prioritize this value.

We have several agencies who have volunteered where they are on their journey with POCAM, and we’ve initiated a 13-step program where organizations can register and share their advancement in implementing DEI policies.

The program addresses various aspects of creating a diverse and inclusive workplace, including enabling individuals to bring their authentic selves to work and providing coping mechanisms for microaggressions. Many companies have worked on these aspects and progressed significantly, but I’d prefer not to single out any specific agency.

There’s still a long way to go, and it’s crucial to maintain the momentum and ensure we don’t view these efforts as mere checkbox exercises. But instead, commit to continuously evaluating and adjusting our strategies to ensure we create a diverse and inclusive workforce for everyone.

To learn more about POCAM’s initiatives and track the organizations that are living up to their DEI promise, visit wearepocam.ca. You can also explore short profiles of BIPOC professionals during Black History Month on POCAM’s LinkedIn page.