It’s important that at the global level, there is an overall, cohesive vision that provides the structure and sets the direction for where we’re heading.
Sandra Masiliso, global diversity, equity and inclusion leader, Dept
AW: Can you outline what your remit will entail and where you intend to even begin?
SM: I will be developing, creating, and executing a global diversity, equity and inclusion strategy that becomes embedded throughout the culture, values, and ways of working at Dept. Before getting stuck in, I believe the best place to start is to understand the business and the current landscape, listening to the feedback and observations from those at Dept, which will bring to light what’s been working well and where the opportunities lie.
AW: This role will see you tackle the agency’s diversity needs internationally—how do you prepare and take account of different cultures and experiences to bring consistency? That seems like it could be incredibly complex.
SM: It isn’t easy, but with the right approach, it isn’t impossible. In fact, it’s the various cultures and lived experiences that excite me about the role. It’s important that at the global level, there is an overall, cohesive vision that provides the structure and sets the direction for where we’re heading. Yet also, it’s absolutely vital to remain culturally sensitive and aware, avoiding a one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to the delivery of that strategy across regions and individual countries.
There’s an opportunity to collaborate with our employee resource groups as well as leverage regional and country-specific data to take account of those experiences and tailor the delivery of strategic priorities and initiatives appropriately.
AW: Recent industry research would suggest that representation progress has either flatlined or gone backward while it has also been deprioritized in a difficult economic climate. Why, in your view, is that a mistake when it comes to business success for agencies?
SM: Despite numerous studies that highlight that diversity increases company productivity and performance, research shows that during challenging economic times, DEI tends to be deprioritized across some industries and organizations that focus on short-term recovery rather than long-term gains impacting functions that don’t directly bring in revenue and are deemed as “nice to have”.
What those organizations may struggle to understand is that such de-prioritization of DEI sees progress in diversity take steps back, and it’s during such hard economic times that diversity is crucial in order to leverage the best ideas and innovation used to solve the most pressing problems to come out of difficult times stronger. Yet also, to remain competitive in an industry where clients are also undergoing cost-cutting measures.
