GMMB and Its Partners Support 600 & Rising

Systemic racism is a reality in our society, and GMMB is not immune. We recognize this fully. Further, we continue to believe that advancing racial equity must be at the core of what we do in support of our clients and within our own firm. To that end, and in concert with our employees, we are taking specific actions as detailed in our recent statement.

Today, we also are announcing that the firm and every GMMB partner has signed on to the 600 & Rising #CommitToChange campaign. As part of this, we are committing – both as individuals and as a firm – to actions that will address the systemic racism afflicting our industry.

We are signing on to all of the commitments in the #CommitToChange campaign, some of which are underway through the work we have announced or have already begun:

1. Make a specific, measurable, and public commitment to improve Black representation at all levels of agency staffing, especially Senior and Leadership positions.
2. Track and publicly report workforce diversity data on an annual basis to create accountability for the agency and the industry.

As of June 30, 2020, GMMB has 222 employees. Below is the data on staff diversity statistics and while they compare favorably to the industry, we pledge to hold ourselves to a higher standard and will set specific goals to increase diversity at every level of GMMB.

Our figures (based on employee self-classification) are as follows:

3. Audit agency policies and culture to ensure the environment we work in is more equitable and inclusive to a diversity of backgrounds and perspectives.
4. Provide extensive bias training to HR employees and all levels of management.
5. Extend agency outreach to a more diverse representation of colleges, universities, and art schools.
6. Expand residencies and internship programs to candidates with transferable skills who may not have taken a traditional educational path toward advertising.
7. Create, fund, and support Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) for Black employees.
8. Invest in management and leadership training, as well as mentorship, sponsorship, and other career development programs for Black employees.
9. Require all leadership to be active participants in company Diversity & Inclusion initiatives and tie success in those initiatives to bonus compensation.
10. Create a Diversity & Inclusion committee made up of Black and NBPOC employees to help shape diversity & inclusion policy and monitor its progress.
11. Establish a diversity review panel to stem the spread of stereotypes in creative work and ensure offensive or culturally insensitive work is never published.
12. Introduce a wage equity plan to ensure that Black women, Black men and people of color are being compensated fairly.

We urge others in our industry to do the same.