Valuable 500 Announces 'Nothing Without Us Awards' for Authentic Disability Representation at Cannes Lions 2025
Valuable 500 has announced the ‘Nothing Without Us Awards’ at this year’s Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. The awards will celebrate campaigns that lead the way in authentic disability representation. As the global organisation of over 500 companies working together to end disability exclusion, Valuable 500 has created the awards to address a stark reality: despite 16% of the global population being disabled, disability rarely features in ads, and when it does, it relies on stereotypes and tokenism rather than authentic representation. This initiative encourages industry leaders to recognise the creative potential of authentic representation and prioritise disability inclusion as a fundamental standard, not an afterthought.
In conjunction with the awards, Valuable 500 will soon be launching the Authentic Representation Tool (ART), designed to support widespread adoption of the principles for authentic disability representation. ART is a free digital platform that helps brands and agencies assess their disability representation and discover actionable strategies for improvement. The tool has been developed collaboratively with Kearney - a Valuable 500 Iconic Partner - alongside disability experts and companies from a range of sectors and geographies.
Despite ongoing diversity discussions, media and marketing continue to grapple with significant disparities. While 16% of the global population is disabled, only 1% of ads feature disabled people, and up to 98% of disabled people feel that their experiences aren’t represented in media and marketing narratives. Valuable 500's research reveals an overwhelming demand for change, with over 90% of disabled individuals urging brands to prioritise accessible communications and accurate portrayals. The ‘Nothing Without Us Awards’ and ART tackle this representation gap head-on, revealing the missed opportunities that reinforce exclusion and leave billions on the table.
“For too long, disability representation has been treated as an afterthought in creative work - a box to tick rather than an opportunity to connect” said Katy Talikowska, Valuable 500 CEO. “We're deliberately meeting the industry on their own turf at Cannes to show that authentic representation isn't separate from creative excellence, it's essential to it. The Nothing Without Us Awards celebrate excellence that already exists, while our ART tool provides a clear pathway for brands that want to do better. What makes this work so powerful is that it offers both celebration and accountability - recognising progress while setting clear expectations for the future”.
Curated by a jury of disabled experts, creatives, and inclusion leaders, the awards are guided by 10 clear principles for authentic disability representation — developed with disabled creatives, advocates, and industry experts. They cover everything from casting and creative direction to behind-the-scenes collaboration and accessibility, providing actionable framework for doing better.
Jury member Keeley Cat-Wells commented:, “Disability is a driver of creativity and innovation. You simply can’t talk about shaping the future without including Disabled people. We’ve always been at the forefront, whether it’s inventing foundational tech or leading culture-shifting storytelling, but we’re still too often excluded from the rooms where decisions are made. The ‘Nothing Without Us Awards’ is about changing that. It’s time to recognise and invest in Disabled leaders. If brands want to lead, they need to hire and learn from the people who’ve been innovating out of necessity for generations.”
“The industry won’t fix its disability problem with good intentions, bad writing, biased directing, and inauthentic casting,” said Jury member Kurt Yaeger. “It’ll fix it by hiring disabled professionals into positions of real creative power—on screen and off. If you’re ready for that, do it. If not, keep failing—and I’ll be back next year with the same message.”
The initiative has been developed in partnership with McCann Worldgroup, who provided strategic support for the Cannes Lions activation and awards launch.
“At McCann, we believe that true creativity comes from seeing the world in all its richness, and that means embracing every voice, story and experience possible," said Daryl Lee, global CEO of McCann Worldgroup and McCann. “The ‘Nothing Without Us Awards’ are a vital reminder that disability inclusion isn’t a niche issue, but a creative imperative. We’re proud to be supporting an initiative that’s opening up new opportunities for all people to tell their truth well.”
The first Nothing Without Us Awards ceremony will take place in Tokyo this December at SYNC25, the world’s first accountability summit on disability inclusion.
