GroupM agencies Mindshare, Wavemaker, and EssenceMediacom have launched a Disability Action Plan (DAP) in Australia to build representation, accessibility, and inclusion in the workplace.
The Action Plan is part of GroupM’s “Better for All” diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy. The project was steered by GroupM’s Young Leaders Committee, nCo, who were spurred into action following Media Federation of Australia data showing that disability ranked lowest for importance and readiness across the industry.
The DAP has more than 16 points ranging from boosting internal awareness and improving workspace accessibility to building relationships with strategic partners.
“At GroupM we are driven to shape the next era of media, where advertising works better for people,” said Aimee Buchanan, Australia & New Zealand CEO.
“A core focus to enabling that vision is our focus on DE&I and this initiative does that a thousand times over. Driven by our people, for our people and beyond, the DAP is a robust and rigorous plan to make our business more accessible, inclusive, and representative of the population. I am very proud of our nCo team for building and driving this program.”
The DAP committee consulted widely with internal and external stakeholders, including people living with a disability, families, friends, careers, and professional organisations.
Scott Laird, GroupM’s chief people officer, added, “At GroupM, our purpose is to shape the next era of media where advertising works better for people. Our mission on inclusion is to be Better for All – and be the media agency network that is most representative of the rich diversity of the Australian population. This means hiring and retaining exceptional, diverse, talent in Australia – the kind of people who are drawn to GroupM by our purpose. This is the start of a long-term commitment to creating workplaces where everyone has an opportunity to thrive, grow, and do impactful work.”
