Wunderman Thompson's Inspiration Personified: Chloe Evangelista and Celeste Sheow

Wunderman Thompson are the inspiration experts.​ Because of this, we know that inspiration doesn’t come from any one place, but rather it should be drawn upon from a diverse and inclusive culture. ​

This allows us to see things differently, to reject conventional thinking and to push the boundaries of creative bravery.​ The emergence of hybrid working environments has meant that finding opportunities for meaningful connections and a sense of belonging are more important to protect and nurture than ever before. 

In this new environment, it’s imperative for businesses to actively build a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace where everyone feels welcome, valued, and heard. Our Business Employee Resource Groups are just one way we bring people together and provide a positive forum for development, education and idea exchange around a common interest. 

We now have 20 of these groups across the Wunderman Thompson network devoted to topics such as AAPI, Sustainability, Marginalised Ethnicities, Disability, Women and more. They’re a key component of what makes Wunderman Thompson inspiration experts, and ensure that their core values are reflected in every aspect of the company. 

In 2022 the company added Business to the existing ERG program, which creates more opportunities for the diverse voices of employees to directly impact their work. This is just one way we’re putting inclusive experiences at the heart of our business to help drive growth for our clients, and something we’re passionate about sharing to inspire the wider industry. By incorporating these groups, we take ownership and responsibility for creating culturally competent work that drives conversation to enrich our culture and wider society.

Here are thoughts from their members on what inspired their creation, and how they use them to inspire change from their corner of the world.

Name: Chloe Evangelista and Celeste Sheow

Title: HR executive and talent executive

City: Philippines / Singapore

Business + Employee Resource Group / Affinity: The Green People

Q> Can you give us a short introduction about yourself and your role? 

Chloe> I’m Chloe, I joined Wunderman Thompson Philippines in September 2021 as an HR Executive focusing on hiring, learning and development, and people engagement. I derive personal joy in being involved in introducing and reviewing our people processes to make them more accessible and inclusive, which is the main reason I joined The Green People. As one of the first people to join the Group, I love being able to connect with members from different APAC markets and being part of a community with the common purpose of strengthening sustainability efforts at Wunderman Thompson. 

Celeste> I’m Celeste and I recently began my role as a talent executive in the APAC region, based in Singapore. My journey with Wunderman Thompson began in May 2022 as a learning and development intern. The culture and people at Wunderman Thompson inspired me to continue my career here. My role is focused on people, culture and talent development and early career programs. I love being a member of The Green People, APAC’s Sustainability B+ERG, because of the vision we have as a group and the kind of fun events and activations we are planning for the future.

Q> What made you crave more cultural inspiration at work?

Chloe> In my experience, in order to thrive (and not just survive) in our industry, you need to have a rich life beyond work. When you’re inspired in your personal life, you come back to work bringing that inspiration with you. Including cultural inspiration in our work is like pouring out a part of you that means a lot to you – and that gives heart to the work. Any labour of love speaks to its audience heart to heart. You can never go wrong with this work ethic. As part of The Green People, each of us is influenced by our own cultural upbringing, and so we are able to work on diverse ideas and give colour to the initiatives we work on together.  

Q> What is the purpose of your group? What is the change you are trying to achieve? 

Chloe> Every year we see statistics about increasing food waste, water scarcity in huge communities, the world’s ecosystems degrading, displacement of millions of people due to worsening environmental conditions, and global temperatures continuing to rise. The Green People is our solution to hopefully impact these statistics in the APAC region positively. As a Sustainability B+ERG, The Green People community is composed of colleagues looking to meet these seemingly dreadful circumstances with hope. We believe that through our efforts, we will be able to make an impact toward sustainability one small action at a time. 

Q> Why is your group important to the culture of Wunderman Thompson / the wider industry? 

Celeste> Having a Sustainability B+ERG allows like-minded members to come together and gives us a platform to participate in the agency’s policy making and culture building. In the wider industry, Wunderman Thompson is a vehicle for cultural change. We can influence the narrative and make sustainability a way of life and not just a trending topic.

This group gives us a platform to make an impact for a cause that we are all truly passionate about. It’s a way of increasing our fulfilment at work. We know that we can do much more than what our role entails. Due to the existing inequalities of the impacts of climate change being experienced in the APAC region, we strongly believe as a group that we are in a position to influence and impact change in the world in our small but meaningful way.

Q> What’s been the best part about being involved in your group?

Chloe> The best part of being involved in The Green People is that it’s a regional B+ERG. APAC is a melting pot of diverse cultures and, as members, we appreciate the value of collaborating with colleagues from diverse cultures, backgrounds and personal experiences. The deeply engaging conversations and contributions by all the members in our meetings are motivated by a common sense of purpose and commitment to strengthen Wunderman Thompson’s sustainability practices.

Q> How has your group effected change in the industry / within Wunderman Thompson?

Celeste> We are a relatively new community, so this is an exciting phase for us as we come together to create the vision, goals and roles we play as a sustainability B+ERG. We want to highlight the importance of being green and eco-friendly whenever possible within Wunderman Thompson and its work. The starting point for us has been hosting events that create awareness about sustainability and activations like reducing waste by promoting better recycling practices at a policy level for example. Our goal this year is to bring accountability and measurement on green initiatives across all APAC offices and locations. As a group we also find ways to get involved and support local environmental projects.

Q> Why is community important to you and what makes a good workplace community? 

Celeste> Being a regional B+ERG with members from diverse APAC markets, the sense of community and the shared sense of purpose is the hallmark of The Green People. As a B+ERG, we’ve created a safe space, offering each of us opportunities to bring our real and authentic self to the group. When there is an atmosphere of trust like we have, it encourages someone like me early in my career to share my voice unabashedly without being afraid of judgement.

Q> How do you stay connected to one another? 

Celeste> We get together in monthly meetings where we further our team’s agenda in a structured manner. We also have a Teams channel to always stay connected and share updates, tools and learning resources.

Q> What inspires you about people? And how does your group inspire you/others? 

Celeste> Connections! When people get together with a shared purpose we form connections that open the doors for many other amazing things to happen. We are also well supported by our executive sponsors and leaders with advocacy and visibility. The ‘In It Together’ behaviour at Wunderman Thompson has been at the heart of our early success as a group. One of our recent activations, sustainability marketplace, was hosted in all APAC markets in the same week with overwhelming support and participation from our colleagues. This supportive and collaborative culture inspires us to continue to do more. 

Q> What is your advice for other agencies who are looking to foster a sense of community among employees, and expand the work they are doing internally to effect change for their clients / the industry? 

Chloe> One piece of advice I would share is to give people a space to come together, to assert their passions, and to brew ideas with colleagues. B+ERGs thrive when they are given the visibility and recognition that their work deserves. Having executive sponsors who advocate for the group also helps the group’s ideas to take the shape of effective activations. If B+ERGs are backed with the organization’s commitment to make policy changes, they create a huge impact and potentially unlock opportunities for influencing the world around us.