If real leadership is what happens when no one is looking, when it comes to leading in the midst of the most polarising political ecosystem of living memory, leadership comes down to choices. 

When it comes to DEI, the uncomfortable truth is that for many leaders in media, that choice is one of silence and evasion.

The need for companies to adapt to changes in legislation in the US is non-negotiable. In January, President Trump ended affirmative action requirements for government contractors. These contractors and grant recipients were prohibited from maintaining DEI programmes. Yet, equally, it is vital to recognise that a wider roll back in DEI is anything but inevitable. Silence is a choice. 

As Chief Executive of Ebiquity, Ruben Schreurs’ choice to commit to inclusion is clear. It is a commitment that will see him take to the stage at Creative Equals' upcoming RISE conference for inclusive and sustainable brands in May. 

“I believe we have to acknowledge that society today is inherently unfair to many. If we try to deny that, then we are in trouble,” he explains. 

Schreurs is sharing his view on the impact of the growing anti-DEI rhetoric the new Trump administration has ushered in. At a time when major companies have hastily rebranded DEI initiatives or removed references to DEI from their annual reports altogether, his clarity is refreshing.

“The generational impact of racism and segregation means I find it difficult when anyone objects to affirmative action because they believe it is racist,” he continues.

Taking a sustainable approach to brand building and inclusion alike is the red thread that runs across Schreurs’ approach to leadership. Since taking on the role of CEO at Ebiquity in November last year, he has not side-stepped the big challenges. In an industry which has historically lacked transparency, he embraces clarity and consistency in what he stands for. 

“It was difficult for me to see corporates pull back from DEI,” Schreurs says, adding: “I believe we are not just seeing a drawback from DEI, as a term it is under attack. It is an acronym that means diversity, equity and inclusion. Why should anyone be against that?”

He continues to share his belief that while 95% of corporate DEI activity is benign or common sense, the 5% that isn't working has been thrust into the spotlight at a time when everything has to be binary and polarising. It is a challenging environment for leaders to operate in. 

“The system isn’t perfect,” he notes, yet continues in sharing his view that the drive for progress must come ahead of a search for perfection.

“If we would have just let things be, then women would not be able to vote. It required affirmative action for women to vote. Without transparency and without mandates, we will not see change,” he adds.

Navigating a new polarising normal

Schreurs embraces simplicity in a wider media ecosystem in which complexity has arguably become the norm.

He explains: “Boards are by no means diverse; there have been improvements, but those improvements are the results of the focus on DEI.”

These programmes can take years, if not decades, to effect. “By immediately terminating programmes, the impact will be felt over time; that is why I am so concerned,” he continues. 

Sharing his view that a company is rooted in so much more than a single person or leader, he believes that it is a body of influence that can have a significant impact. “At Ebiquity, we are not drawing back and we are trying to help companies to navigate these challenges,” he explains.

Nor is he seeking to blame or shame individuals at companies which have publicly rolled back commitments. He explains: “There are many good people at all of these companies, and the people that work there often want different things. There is a shared liability when it comes to inaction, but I have sympathy for people who feel like they can’t speak their minds.”

Effective and responsible advertising

A fear of backlash is particularly acute for marketers. “Brands do not want to be seen to be political and we have seen in recent times how a political boycott of a brand or company is a big commercial risk,” says Schreurs.

This raises questions for brands as to how to navigate advertising on news media when that itself is positioned as a political choice.

“Advertising somewhere is economic empowerment which helps platforms to grow and expand their reach,” says Schreurs. He continues: “Lending your brand status to their environment and that adjacency gives legitimacy to the operator. If large household brands are the most common advertisers on social media platforms versus fringe brands, it creates a very different environment.”

It is a sentiment that underlines the power that brands hold. At Ebiquity, the lens through which the weight of that responsibility is held is a drive for ‘effective and responsible’ advertising.

As Schreurs explains, this approach can be simple. “Advertising is an investment for growth, and the responsibility lies in the fact that we believe that achieving growth should not be at all costs,” he explains.

He believes that advertisers hold a responsibility to consumers, regulators and the planet. At Ebiquity, this shared responsibility runs through every aspect of its supply chain, from preventing modern-day slavery, to commitments to DEI and representation. 

It's a step change from the ‘move fast and break things’ ethos that has underpinned the growth of programmatic and media innovation more broadly over the past decade.

“In the last two and a half decades, there has been too much focus on vanity metrics. We believe it is very important to be pragmatic and responsible,” he adds.

Innovation for responsible growth

The next wave of innovation in AI and media offers brands the opportunity to do things differently, with sustainability at the core.

Digital advertising is driven by large server centres, which create a major environmental footprint. “We have to address inefficiencies,” adds Schreurs. The advent of AI affords the brands the opportunity to gain more real time transparency about the impact of their advertising.

Innovation offers marketers new ways to course correct. For example, the growing focus on retail media and commerce gives brands the opportunity to learn from the early days of programmatic. 

“People see the internet as endless. However, quality supply against valuable audiences, backed with creative that makes an impact is very limited. The focus is often on volume and that is an issue that hasn’t been solved,” he adds.

This honesty underlines the importance of understanding that even the industry’s smartest leaders don’t have all the answers. This open-minded approach to collective problem-solving will be top of the agenda at RISE.  

The political context marketing and media leaders face may be complex and challenging, but this makes clarity and consistency in leadership increasingly important. As Shreurs explains: “Now more than ever it is important to rally around inclusiveness.”

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