She Runs It and Seramount Reveal Results of First Marketing, Media, and Adtech Inclusion Index

She Runs It and Seramount have announced the results of the inaugural Seramount Marketing, Media, and Adtech Inclusion Index, a newly developed survey aimed at examining industry-specific questions and practices related to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). The survey, which was designed with input from She Runs It’s #Inclusive100 members, has revealed the practices of leading companies in the marketing, media, adtech, and related sectors that are driving measurable progress in DEI efforts and surfaced persistent challenges the industry needs to address.

The full report can be downloaded here.

“Through our #Inclusive100 initiative, we have been measuring the industry’s DEI progress for six years. This past year, with input from the consortium, we invested in a new survey that takes a closer look at specific sectors comprising our industry: marketers, agencies, adtech companies, media companies and PR firms,” said Lynn Branigan, president and CEO of She Runs It. “We are encouraged by the findings that demonstrate the industry’s commitment to fostering a more inclusive workforce, but it’s clear that there is still work to be done, especially with regards to retaining and promoting Black talent and addressing inequities in career advancement.”

Some key findings include:

• While Black professionals are being hired at rates consistent with the broader population (14%), they are not being promoted at a comparable pace and are leaving their roles at a disproportionately high rate (13%). This signals a need for better career progression strategies and more inclusive pathways to leadership for Black employees.
• Women continue to comprise half of the workforce (53%), disproving earlier indications that women had left the industry in large numbers. Previous, post-pandemic surveys suggested that women had dropped from approximately 50% to 37% of our workforce.
• The #Inclusive100 consortium has long believed that in our industry, marketers wield the greatest influence, but until now, no survey has specifically asked if marketers are making gender and racial/ethnic representation part of the RFP process. The new Seramount Marketing, Media and Adtech Inclusion Index indicates that marketers/clients are making gender and race/ethnicity representation a crucial requirement for stewarding their business (86%). And companies are responding by providing more diversity training to their client-facing staff (71%).
• DEI fatigue, although a common topic in the media, appears to be less prominent in the Board Room. The survey shows that employee and corporate commitment to DEI remains strong at companies who view it as critical to their business strategy for talent, clients/customers, and suppliers. DEI team size has held steady (44%) or increased overall (44%), and budgets are holding steady (42%) and/or improving (22%) more than they are decreasing.

Companies that are intentional in their DEI efforts – those focusing on expanding recruitment pools, conducting pay equity analysis, and offering flexible working conditions – are sending a strong message of inclusivity to their diverse talent. The importance of stay interviews, robust onboarding processes, and buddy programs has also been highlighted, as these efforts result in greater job satisfaction and lower attrition rates.

She Runs It and Seramount conducted the survey from December 2023 through March 2024, gathering applications from a wide range of industry-leading companies and indexing the organisations that score the highest on various facets of DEI, including workforce demographics, recruitment, retention, career advancement, and organizational culture.

“This Index allows us to highlight not only those who are excelling but also provide key insights into areas of opportunity for the entire industry,” said Barbara Frankel, managing director, head of insights at Seramount. “We hope this report serves as a tool for other organisations and industries looking to implement similar initiatives and achieve greater diversity and inclusion in their workforce and leadership.”

Twenty organisations have been recognised as Inclusion Index companies, having achieved at least 60 percent of the available points needed to qualify for this distinction – and the latest Seramount and She Runs It study reflects data from these top organisations, which can be found here. 

“We applaud the indexed companies for being intentional about progress, and committed to measurement,” said Lynn. “They take very clear – and repeatable – actions toward an industry that is more diverse, inclusive, and equitable for all employees. Their strategies offer a roadmap for others in the industry seeking to improve their own DEI performance.”

The 2025 Seramount Marketing, Media, and Adtech Index opens for applications on December 10th, 2024. Participation is free. More information can be found here.