Dentsu, Publicis Groupe, Tesco and Pinterest are just a handful of companies who have signed up to become All In champions,

The companies, who were revealed last night at a Parliamentary Reception, have provided evidence that they are championing All In’s work and have adopted the first six actions from the All In Action Plan. 

All In is an industry-wide initiative from the Advertising Association, ISBA and IPA to build a workplace where everyone feels they belong. The nine steps of the Action Plan have been shaped by data from the All In Census, which saw 16,000 advertising professionals take part. The All In Census, the industry’s first inclusion survey, will be repeated in March 2023 and then every two years to track progress. The landmark research provided the industry with a benchmark for building back better. 

Earlier this month All In, the cross-industry Inclusion Action plan from the Advertising Association, IPA and ISBA, announced its next three areas of focus for action; mental health, LGBTQ+ and physical disability. 

The All In Champions were announced at the Advertising Association’s Parliamentary Reception, hosted in the House of Commons and supported by Dame Caroline Dinenage MP. 

At the reception, the Shadow Cabinet Minister for Domestic Violence and Safeguarding, Jess Phillips MP, said that the test of how advanced the advertising industry has become is by looking at the number of idiots complaining on Twitter about the industry’s increasing diversity.

“That has annoyed quite a lot of people,” she explained “If you are complaining that you don't see people like you in advertising that's what it has been to not be a white man for the entirety of history.”

Phillips urged the audience to keep their feet on the gas when it comes to progress. “People need to see themselves reflected both in the office and on our screens. This work is important, not just because it's the right thing to do, but because our country looks different to the many institutions which lead it.”

Kathryn Jacob OBE, Chair of the Inclusion Working Group & CEO, Pearl & Dean, added: “Every organisation in UK advertising should be committed to building a truly inclusive industry, and becoming an All In Champion is the best way to demonstrate that drive. I would encourage all advertising companies to continue to strive towards becoming an All In Champion.”

Sharon Lloyd Barnes, Commercial Director & Inclusion Lead at Advertising Association said the team have been working closely with the industry to ensure the All In framework is implemented. “It is fantastic to see so many companies engaging to show what they are doing to create more inclusive and representative workplaces. This is just the first wave – submissions to become an All In Champion are ongoing and we will continue to celebrate all organisations who are advocating and implementing the action plan. A big thank you to everyone who has supported the work to date,” she added.

The seeds of change represented by the All In initiative were planted in the midst of the myriad challenges of the Coronavirus crisis. As Lloyd Barnes explained: “In a year when all our lives have been turned upside down, with some positive learnings and extreme challenges, we have repeatedly seen collaboration at its best.”