Q&A with Jean-Rene Zetrenne: Why diversity is a shared responsibility

Q&A with Jean-Rene Zetrenne: Why diversity is a shared responsibility
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At ColorComm 2016, the largest gathering for women and women of color in the communications industry, I sat down with my colleague and friend Jean-Rene Zetrenne, Chief Talent Officer at Ogilvy & Mather to hear his views on promoting diversity at Ogilvy, our industry and beyond. Jean-Rene leads Ogilvy & Mather's Human Resources practice and people-focused strategy.

In 1968 David Ogilvy said "in recruitment and promotion, we are fanatical in our hatred for all forms of prejudice." The fact this does not sound revolutionary in 2016 is a mark of how far we have come as an industry. But the continued importance of dedicated Diversity & Inclusion initiatives, shows how far we have to go.

JEN: What are the latest trends on improving diversity in the workplace?

JR: There is certainly more attention on diversity and inclusion, and events like ColorComm are a great way to share ideas and advance the agenda together. But having worked in Talent Management across both brands and agencies for over 20 years I have seen another pattern emerge. There has been increasing commitment to the issue amongst executives and leadership, but despite our apparent success, the changing statistics mask an apathy in the middle and entry levels of companies across the marketing communications industry.

JEN: In your opinion, why don't more employees champion diversity in the workplace?

JR: We have inadvertently limited diversity to being a Talent or HR issue - rather than a priority that needs to be embedded enough throughout an agency as a whole. There is often an underlying and unspoken belief that as individuals, managers are not personally responsible for advancing this agenda. There is a sense that it's "someone else's problem to deal with" or "outside my remit." There are a host of reasons and we've heard them all before: "My client is in crisis and we need talent who can hit the ground running." "There is just not enough 'qualified' diverse talent in our industry." "It's too risky to hire someone without transferable skills."

JEN: How does diversity make brands matter?

JR: Homogenous thinking is not conducive to creativity. We exist to make work that connects with an increasingly diverse marketplace, and we will fail to do so if those behind the work do not reflect the audiences we are supposed to reach. On this basis, diversity and inclusion is a competitive and business imperative, as well as a social one.

JEN: How can diversity impact creativity?

JR: Diversity should not just apply to our hiring, but also to our creative output. How we represent people in the work we make matters. We have already seen how campaigns that promote female empowerment are well-received and awarded. If this continues, it could turn marketing communications from a partial source of the problem, having shown such a narrow array of stereotypes for so long, into part of the solution to racial and gender equality. Diversity is critical in everything that we do as marketing communication professionals. The never-been-done-before strategies and business-driving creative ideas we develop are the result of incredibly diverse thinkers and makers coming together to make magic happen.

JEN: How can businesses make an impact?


JR: Businesses need to demonstrate how diversity & inclusion benefits each and every one of our employees. Why it is so critical to their everyday success. Simply put, we have an additional responsibility in the marketing communications industries to make this issue front and center - because if we don't, it will drastically limit the potential of our business and employees.

JEN: How can we collectively put diversity front and center?


JR: For the industry to expand, each and every employee must hold themselves accountable, and foster a culture of inclusiveness in which everyone feels they are contributing. It can't be only the domain of certain employees or departments. It must be championed and practiced by all of us. Please ask yourself, your employees, your manager, your Talent partners..."what can I personally do to support diversity and inclusion today?" If you do, we will find there is no limit to our potential as individuals, an agency and an industry.

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