WPP AUNZ sets target of 50:50 gender distribution in senior leadership roles across the company in Australia and NZ by 2021
WPP AUNZ has announced a target of 50:50 gender distribution in senior leadership roles across the company by 2021. The target, announced by executive director and interim CEO John Steedman, joins a range of other initiatives the company has undertaken over the past two years to ensure a workforce that is diverse, balanced, and inclusive.
“We are absolutely committed to building a more inclusive and diverse group of companies, and this latest initiative is a fundamental step to ensure that we have the depth and breadth of thinking that we need as our industry continues to transform,” says Steedman (pictured below).
“Diversity is not a women’s issue, it is a business imperative. It demands all of us to be smarter, more open and optimistic about our future. Any leader appointment is based on ability; however, we will ensure that we have a strong pipeline of diverse candidates when filling these senior roles.”
Steedman said while WPP AUNZ had introduced a range of already successful diversity initiatives he recognised that there was still work to be done and called on other industry leaders to join in pushing for greater inclusion.
“Whilst diversity is so much more than gender, we do have a gender imbalance at the senior levels with 39% of the senior roles currently being held by women across WPP AUNZ. We are committed to changing the gender imbalance with this target.”
During the past two years WPP AUNZ has introduced Walk the Talk – which aims to empower women with the tools to lift up into senior roles. The past two years have seen almost 300 women participate in the program.
It has also signed up to the Diversity Council of Australia and Diversity Works in New Zealand and is running ongoing company-wide diversity and inclusion surveys to benchmark expectations, plus using alternative recruitment arrangements to ensure a diverse workplace including: Career Seekers (for asylum seeker and refugee interns); Career Trackers (for indigenous and Torres Strait Islander recruitment); and Talent Rise (education and job-ready programs for marginalised youth).
Last year it also launched a market leading parental leave policy in Australia, for both primary and secondary carers, as part of a revamped talent retention and attraction policy. It will see employees paid up to 16 weeks full salary depending on length of tenure, and was developed after benchmarking Australian industry standards, teamed with a close examination of what employees need and want.
Says Steedman: “The rationale for all these programs is simple; every person, regardless of their age, caring responsibilities, cultural background, disability, gender, Indigenous background, sexual orientation and socio-economic background deserves to feel like they have a workplace where they belong. Where they are valued for their thinking and contribution. And this sense of belonging will ultimately result in a better business, and better industry for us all.”
30 Comments
Lady over here.
Ah, so, what happened to the best person for the job. I wanted gender equality. Not tokenism.
Hell.
What if the best person for the job is 60: 40.
I want to see research into what causes gender imbalance, and policies to address that. Not tokenistic hiring.
Wouldn’t want to work for a snowflake agency anyway.
Less push back against women with children working flexibly will help these numbers significantly.
It’s welcome news and all agencies with gender or diversity issues should take note. And really great to see internal programs like Walk the Talk already in place to allow women to find pathways into these leadership positions. To put it mildly, WPP is not known for having any great work culture. Initiatives like this could change that in both perception and reality.
That’s good news for men, more males in PR, Production Planning, HR and Account Service.
Haha, yeah hell will freeze over before the day we see gender equality in account service
@token woman I don’t think they’re advocating a set quota. It’s a ‘target’. How they reach that target will be the interesting bit. I believe that we will never achieve true equality until men and women are treated exactly the same at work, especially when it comes to parenting rights & benefits – equal mat leave and equal parental pay will help no end with unconscious bias and employment discrimination. Then ensure the return to work for women is as welcoming as possible (both emotionally, flexibly and financially) and they’ll smash that target in no time. Of course, putting out a press release saying you’re going to do something is the easy part.
Lol, no. You know that doesn’t count.
I hope that includes ECDs and CDs.
In other words: if ur a male in a senior position and have a promotion coming up – ur fucked
Correct. And if you’re a male leader then start looking for another job because there’s a target on you, even if you’re doing a great job
It is absolutely unfair to only have gender equality. We need all combinations and permutations of equality : race, sexual preference, colour, intelligence, and age. And we need it just as soon as someone invents a program to work out the numbers.
I’m sure Mds, GMS, national ECDs, CCOs where the largest imbalance sits wont be addressed, instead, they will point at the lower ranks as the issue once again. Like Homer Simpson retreating in the hedge.
You point out positions where there are very, very, very few opportunities for anyone – female or male.
As someone already pointed out, it’s the rank and file where the biggest imbalances are: creative departments usually skew male, while Accounts, PR, HR (the worst offender), production all usually skew heavily female.
While this article talks about leadership, will we be aiming for 50/50 across ALL departments? Because that would really shake things up.
Someone should read Christina Hoff Sommers. This is an equality of outcome measure that will only hurt both sexes and continue a harmful narrative that places group identity above individual identity.
I’m all for equality of opportunity – but not this superficial and unsophisticated approach.
The sexism thinly masquerading as progressive policy is astonishing. The only way to achieve this is through discrimination, hiring people based on their gender is a terrible idea even if the goal of equality is noble. They aught to watch the JWT discrimination case in London with a keen eye if they want to avoid a flood of inevitable lawsuits.
The optional gender on Tasmanian birth certificates makes perfect sense now.
This is the same woman who thinks that most women make up rape claims, and that being raped and murdered is down to how much women drink or what they wear. Tell that to Aiia Maarsarwe or Eurydice Dixon.
WPP is clearly just moving with the times. Look at what’s happening in Britain. We’re a trickle down economy, and WPP are trying to protect themselves before the hellfire public company analysis arrives.
This is a great idea.
The idea of merit is completely flawed. Merit and gender needs to be considered within the context of dudes having had a lifetime of preferential treatment in terms of career, and life in general. Advantage that’s barely perceptible at any given time, but adds up to more opportunity.
Targets like this are a way to redress the imbalance. Or you can sit there and argue that men make better creatives and women make better suits. I’m guessing it’ll be guys making those comments. Good luck with that.
Oh, and putting my hand up as a guy here. And white af. Twelve years as a creative, and someone who’s sat in many boardroom interviews with CDs and ECDs who you just know warm to you because you’re kind of like them, but not yet a threat. That’s called privilege.
Let’s hear it for quotas.
No white male says ‘white af’.
And no talented person says ‘…CDs and ECDs who you just know warm to you because you’re kind of like them, but not yet a threat. That’s called privilege…’
I kind of really don’t want to work with you.
In other news, lipstick on a pig doesn’t change the fact it’s a pig.
WPP couldn’t give a flying fuck about equal opportunities, they just want the good press.
WPP are still a bunch of …
Where was anybody arguing men make better creatives, or women make better suits? Your projection is strong, and no amount of “But I’m a good white male” can change that. Hopefully you’re using your privilege to affect change beyond these comments.
@Dear Copy Desk
Yes, the sum total of my contribution to the world is pissy comments like yours on CB 🙄
@Dear Copy Desk
With regards to your question, see comments 5, 6, 9, and 14. Meanwhile where was anyone saying ‘I’m a good white male’? If I gave a shit about that I’d use my own name. Get over your tiny paternalistic self.
Because it’s the end of the week, let’s have a look then, based on how the comments are displaying for me:
Comment 5: “That’s good news for men, more males in PR, Production Planning, HR and Account Service.”
Doesn’t sound like anybody’s arguing anybody is better at those roles? Next.
Comment 6: “Haha, yeah hell will freeze over before the day we see gender equality in account service”.
And again nobody is described as “better”. Next.
Comment 9: “I hope that includes ECDs and CDs.”
Again, no mention of anybody being better. Let’s keep going – one more shot.
Comment 14: “You point out positions where there are very, very, very few opportunities for anyone – female or male.
As someone already pointed out, it’s the rank and file where the biggest imbalances are: creative departments usually skew male, while Accounts, PR, HR (the worst offender), production all usually skew heavily female. While this article talks about leadership, will we be aiming for 50/50 across ALL departments? Because that would really shake things up.”
Maybe it’s the lack of natural light in here, but that one doesn’t seem to be arguing anybody’s better at any role either. Maybe you can translate?
And your own quote “Oh, and putting my hand up as a guy here. And white af.” definitely isn’t meant to paint yourself as a ‘woke’ ally, despite being a white male? You know, one of the good guys, not the stale ones?
Have a good weekend. x
An equality of outcome doctrine (fixed ratios) is counterproductive. It’s corporate virtue signalling that reduces vulnerable people identified as a minority, down to a ‘group identity’ that may or may not currently be in fashion. Equality of outcome, however, will work. This looks beyond identity politics and focuses on helping the individuals, promising to give them the equality of opportunity they need to succeed, and rise as far up the corporate hierarchy (based on competence) as they can. That’s where the fight is. That’s where we should focus our energy.
And I’m just going to leave this here…
https://youtu.be/jQYFVw-s2t0
@Dear Copy Desk
Dear Dear Copy Desk.
Nice work with the copying and pasting. You disagree with a couple of things I wrote. I get it. You really want to drive that home. Cool. You must be fun at parties.
How about…
More flexible maternity leave?
Allow people work flexibility so they can upskill?
Not pressuring and pushing out women who return from having children?
No dismissal by senior management of sexist behavior excusing them because they’re old and have been around forever? Oh also – same for clients who do this.
Giving men paid paternity leave?
Not asking women when they are planning on having children in a review?
Don’t have an all male pitch team to work on women’s products then realise your mistake and bring in singular women to the pitch meeting at the last minute?
Pushing back on clients who have antiquated marketing strategies push laundry products on women and women only?
Just some ideas John xoxo former agency staffer