Almost 40% of all new US hires at Omnicom Group in 2021 were BIPOC, according to its first-ever DE&I report.
In addition, one in four new hires at the executive or senior level in the US were BIPOC in 2021, bringing the percentage of BIPOC leaders at the company to 20%.
Women now represent 49% of executive or senior level leadership roles in the US as well.
“While we have been focused on DE&I for over a decade, this inaugural report marks a new chapter in our public commitment and accountability for our global DE&I work,” said Omnicom’s chairman and CEO John Wren.
“DE&I is a vital part of our business, and it will continue to shape our growth and operations moving forward. We will remain relentless in our pursuit of building an organization and an industry that truly reflects the world we live in.”
The report details activities from 2021, reporting progress on five key performance indicators in the areas of hiring, promotion/career advancement, retention, training, and employee resource group (ERG) participation as part of Omnicom’s OPEN 2.0 action plan.
The overall report shows progress in several key areas. In addition to the above, over 4,800 staffers are now involved in ERGs, more than double from the year prior, which include four newly created groups in 2021.
In addition, Omnicom highlighted other initiatives including Omnicom’s Diverse Content Creators Network, a cross-platform planning and activation system that specifically targets minority-owned and diverse publishers and content creators for clients, and Omnicom Media Group’s (OMG) strategic partnership with the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) to expand opportunities for creators of color and offer OMG clients a new channel for diverse investment.
The Media Leader interviewed Omnicom Advertising Collective Kirya Francis in April, who spoke to the challenges and rewards of working as a DE&I officer at the agency holding company.
Francis, who is one of 40 dedicated DE&I leaders at Omnicom, shared optimism as she moved into her second year at the company, completing evaluations of her various agencies and moving on to next steps.
By publicizing DE&I data, Omnicom is attempting to hold itself accountable on its progress to diversify its workforce.
