The Ad Industry Has Made Little to No Progress on Workplace Inclusion Since 2021

WFA DEI Census finds dial hasn’t moved when it comes to discrimination based on age, gender, and care-giving status

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The advertising industry has failed to make any tangible progress since 2021 in building workplaces that are diverse, equitable and inclusive according to the World Federation of Advertisers’ (WFA) Global DEI Census.

Following on from the marketing body’s inaugural 2021 study, the 2023 report interviewed 13,000 marketers from 160 brands and agencies across 91 countries at varying levels of seniority.

The study found that 1 in 7 people would leave the industry based on a lack of DEI progress, a figure unmoved since 2021 despite industry-wide commitments and efforts to increase diversity and retain talent.

Among women and LGBTQ+ respondents, this figure rose to 1 in 6.

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