DE&I Agency Changemaker Award

DE&I AGENCY CHANGEMAKER AWARD

What is the Changemaker Award?

The Changemaker Award celebrates agencies that exhibit the highest standards of what Diversity, Equality and Inclusions (DE&I) should look like in a workspace. It allows those agencies to be proud of what they’ve achieved, and be an inspiration for those who aspire to do the same. This award is for the agencies that not only commit to DE&I in their policies but live and breathe it as a business culture.

Through the lens of diversity, be it sexuality, race, gender, social mobility or age, there are many areas to consider when creating a diverse workspace. Creating a diverse, equal and inclusive workspace is much more than the demographics of the staff you hire. It is implementing a culture that’s inclusive of all individual needs and diversity. It is harnessing equal opportunities for all and celebrating them. It’s having a moral and ethical stance, and protecting it with business policies.

Why is it important to celebrate DE&I strategy and action with awards?

Agencies and businesses have never spoken about DE&I as much as right now. It is at the forefront of business strategy priorities and for good reason. As studies show, there are many benefits to having a diverse, equal and inclusive workspace for both the people within your agency, and for the benefit of your agency as a business. 

There are many benefits to having a diverse, equal and inclusive workspace… for the benefit of your agency as a business. 

  • Your team will be more motivated, invested and positive. 
  • Your agency’s brand awareness and reputation will improve. 
  • You’ll attract amazing talent who will want to work for you. 
  • Retention of your team will improve. 
  • Your agency will become more successful.
DEI

Why apply for the Changemaker Award?

If a leadership team lacks diversity, often so does the workforce. This means that without a focus on DE&I at the top, a business will never reach its full potential, nor will it be a place that attracts and retains a diverse workforce. 

By receiving The Changemaker Award, your agency is: 

  • Committing to a set of proactive pledges that keeps DE&I high on the business agenda.
  • Holding your leadership accountable, with regular reporting in place.
  • Strengthening your employer brand, by showing the outside world that you are committed to DE&I 
  • Placing you in the best position to attract the most creative and representative talent, which is even more important in the competitive job market that we currently find ourselves 
  • Showing your workforce that people matter, which will help you retain your talent for longer 
  • Providing you with a network of like-minded agency owners who want to be and do better, sharing best practice and reaping the benefits of diversity together 

What are the benefits of receiving The Changemaker Award?

Being awarded The Changemaker Award means that you not only have a stronger, more creative, and more diverse workforce, but you also get:

  • The official Changemaker Award logo to display on your website, email signatures, proposals, and other marketing material 
  • Your logo and hyperlink to your website listed on The Agency Collective’s website 
  • Your logo will be included in the annual DE&I survey to agency owners across the UK 
  • Invites to two special events each year: one networking event with fellow Changemaker Award agencies, and one thought-leadership dinner with an expert speaker 
  • The award will be valid for three years, after which you will be invited to reapply

 

For the first wave of companies, they will also be included in our launch press release, which will be sent to leading marketing, creative and business media.



DE&I Agency Changemaker Award

How do we apply for The Changemaker Award?

When applying for the DE&I Agency Changemaker Award, your agency is asked to demonstrate that you hit each of the milestone markers listed below through answering the questions in the survey and providing supporting documentation, when required.

To apply you will need:

1

Two written nominations from other agencies to put you forward for the award.
2

To complete the survey in full, answering every question. (See below for the link to the survey)
3

Supporting documentation to evidence some of your answers.
4

A short video answering the following question “How has making DE&I a priority improved your agency for good?”. The video should be no longer than 3 minutes long and it can be as creative or thought-provoking as you like.
5

To email all of the completed items above to amy@theagencycollective.co.uk

The application process will be open for 2 months, until 5pm on Friday 16th June. After this, all those meeting the Changemaker criteria will be announced.

We will also create a ‘ones to watch’ list, for all the amazing agencies that nearly got the award. If you do not receive the award this time round, you are welcome to reapply next year.

We will be providing feedback to all agencies who missed out to help support them to make the necessary changes to their agencies.

The Changemaker Award Milestone Markers

Your People

  • A diverse workforce from top to bottom.
  • A positive work culture which is inclusive and equal.
  • Transparent job descriptions, including salary brackets, pay reviews, and progression plans 
  • Removal of all bias throughout the recruitment process, e.g, including minimum criteria on all ads, panel interviews, and feedback provided to every applicant 
  • Training for all HR teams and line managers to support staff from underrepresented backgrounds 
  • Regular DE&I training for your team 
  • Access to mentoring for every team member
  • An inclusive social culture, encouraging everyone from the team to feel comfortable to get involved 

Your Business

  • Policies in place that commit to creating a diverse, equal and inclusive workplace.
  • Researching clients and suppliers to ensure that they are responsible businesses who have good values at the heart, ideally with a public commitment to DE&I on their website 
  • A charter in place that outlines you as a responsible business and your expectations of all stakeholders, including your team, clients and suppliers 
  • Proactively seeking work with inclusive brands who target diverse audiences 
  • Having a DE&I statement that is published on your website, used in proposals, and featured within job ads 
  • A zero-tolerance approach to harassment, discrimination and bullying, with a clear complaints process 
  • Inclusive imagery used across all of your marketing channels, including your website and social media 
  • Equal pay across the board
  • Tracking and reporting annually on your DE&I statistics

Apply Now

  1. Click here to complete the survey
  2. We will notify you of any supporting evidence needed
  3. Create your short video, answering the question “How has making DE&I a priority improved your agency for good?”. The video should be no longer than 3 minutes long and it can be as creative or thought-provoking as you like.
  4. Return both the video & supporting evidence to amy@theagencycollective.co.uk. You can return the video as an unlisted vimeo/ youtube / dropbox link or return the video and supporting evidence via wetransfer.

We’re so excited to receive your applications – good luck!