Representation Initiatives
To realize "representation," a state in which minority groups are treated fairly and with due representation, dentsu has been promoting a variety of awareness-raising initiatives for all 71,000 employees globally. Each of dentsu’s four regions is developing and implementing its own measures to address the DEI-related issues it faces and promotes representation on a global basis.
JAPAN
Cafe DEI, created based on the real-life experiences of LGBTQ+ participants
“LGBTQ+ Edition” provides an easy-to-understand explanation for why companies need to address LGBTQ+ issues, based on actual challenges faced by LGBTQ+ employees of dentsu Japan.
“Disabilities Edition,” based on the “social model”*1 of disabilities, has participants discussing how reasonable accommodations*2 can be made even at an individual level.
AMERICAS
LIFT Training Program, an initiative to enhance the capabilities and confidence of female employees
This program promotes the development of competence, confidence, and skills to enable women working for dentsu Americas to have greater impact and future success in their careers. This is an awareness program that enables participants to acquire skills such as building stronger relationships with organizational leaders, building cohesive teams, and leading.
EMEA
Visible Voices, a short film that sheds light on the voices of dentsu employees belonging to minority groups
Launched in the EMEA region to coincide with International Women's Day 2023, “Visible Voices” is an annual short film in which dentsu employees share their personal stories to help viewers learn about the realities of minority groups.
The “Gender Equality Arc” takes a multifaceted look at the fact that gender disparities in the workplace are caused by a variety of factors. The “LGBTQ+ Community Arc” introduces the real voices of LGBTQ+ dentsu employees to help viewers imagine what their lives are like.
APAC
Walk in Our Shoes, a campaign that reveals microaggressions*3 toward the LGBTQ+ community
As part of the Pride 2023 initiative, dentsu leadership was asked to participate in the Walk in Our Shoes campaign to promote understanding of the discrimination and microaggressions that LGBTQ+ people experience on a daily basis. The campaign aims to raise organizational awareness of the need for allyship*4 to the LGBTQ+ community.
*1 The social model of disability refers to the idea that people's disabilities are not individual problems, but rather problems of society as a whole that create barriers, and that society has a responsibility to remove these barriers. In contrast, the medical model of disability views disability as a problem of an individual's physical and mental functions. Dentsu Japan adheres to the social model and believes that social systems and mechanisms designed for people without disabilities are the cause of barriers and is thus working to resolve these issues. Currently in Japan, companies are required to provide reasonable accommodation based on the social model.
*2 (Based on the social model) Reasonable accommodation means that people with disabilities can participate in social life in the same way as people without disabilities, and that the surrounding environment accommodates for both.
*3 Microaggression refers to a remark or behavior in a casual everyday setting that may be hurtful to a member of a marginalized group. It may be caused by unconscious prejudice, lack of understanding, or preconceived notions.
*4 Allyship is the understanding and support of people from minority groups by those who are not part of the minority group.
