She Runs It Releases 6th Annual #Inclusive100 DEI Survey Results

#Inclusive100, an initiative launched in 2017 by 501c3 nonprofit organisation She Runs It, has been measuring inclusion and diversity across marketing, media, and ad tech for the past six years. Today the organisation releases its 6th annual #Inclusive100 study, and also announces a new streamlined survey for 2024. Approximately 50 companies are part of #Inclusive100, which uses a measurement-based tool that pivots on the rigorous Seramount Inclusion Index, a standard-setting corporate DEI benchmark.

As it has for the past six years, the 2023 #Inclusive100 data reveals some bad news, as well as some bright spots. This year’s results suggest a softening of energy for DEI initiatives. CEOs are making fewer public declarations, and companies seem to be less involved in sponsorship and mentoring programs. There was also some positive momentum in 2023, with key findings outlined below. The full report can be downloaded here.

• More women are rising to the C-Suite (8% of execs are Black compared to 4% last year, and 8% of execs are Hispanic/Latine compared to 5% last year)
• The composition of Black talent is still on the rise (17%), but numbers vary significantly by subsector
• The composition of Hispanic/Latine talent is also rising, now at 11% of our workforce versus 8% last year
• Companies continue to mandate diverse interview slates for hiring (79% this year versus 57% last year) – a proven best practice for highly indexed companies
• Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) are rapidly evolving, with additions for religious groups and Native Americans, but diminishing focus on men and age/generations

Some concerning statistics:

• Women are still not returning to our industry – they represent 37% of all employees; before the pandemic they comprised 50%
• Women’s compensation lags that of men (of the top 20% of wage earners in our industry, women comprise 32%, an increase of only 2% year-over-year)
• Mentoring programs have fewer women and Black and Hispanic/Latine employees participating

“The beauty of #Inclusive100 is that it serves as a roadmap for companies that sincerely want to pursue progress against DEI goals,” said Lynn Branigan, president & CEO of She Runs It. “The survey itself surfaces proven best practices, and the quarterly roundtables are packed with shared ideas and repeatable practices that people can take back to work and put into action. The best part? Participation is free.”

For 2024, She Runs It revamped its survey tool, cutting 300 questions down to 100 and adding segmentation capabilities that will make 2024 data the first available to marketers who want to compare their progress with competitors.

Lynn added, “The new Seramount Marketing, Media & Ad Tech Inclusion Index is tailored for our industry and streamlined for easier completion. We are encouraged to see that more than 50 companies have already signed up. And if seven companies per sector complete it, the data can be segmented, making it the first research of its kind to provide apples-to-apples comparisons for our industry – allowing a company to know how it compares to similar organisations.”

Launched in 2017, #Inclusive100 seeks to produce measurable results by requiring consortium participants commit to three key actions:

• Participate in the Seramont Inclusion Index
• Attend quarterly roundtable discussions programmed to share best practices and confront nagging challenges that prohibit progress
• Serve as industry models by activating policies and programs designed to recruit, retain and advance diverse talent

To participate in the new survey, please apply here. Applications close on March 15, 2024.