ATTRACTING AND RETAINING DIVERSE TOP TALENT

 

We are committed to building strong, diverse teams of outstanding individuals who are inspired by our heritage and fuelled by creativity, curiosity and care. To bring a true variety of perspectives and backgrounds into our company and industry, we are diversifying how and where we find new talent and future leaders. We have developed a range of training and development programmes so all colleagues can grow and feel accountable for making more inclusive decisions. 

RECRUITMENT

We consistently review where we find talent to build more diverse teams. We collaborate closely with organisations running diverse leadership networks around the world and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the US, so we can identify and engage with a wide range of candidates at all levels. 

We are taking steps to ensure every stage of our recruitment process is inclusive. We have introduced a ‘gender decoder’ tool that analyses the language we use in job advertisements to ensure they are gender neutral. We are piloting anonymous screening of CVs and including diversity data monitoring forms in candidate applications. Disclosure is voluntary and data is treated as confidential. 

As of January 2021, all members of our Talent Acquisition team had completed unconscious bias in recruitment training, and we have committed to rolling out additional training for all hiring managers this year. We use standardised interview questions to ensure all candidates have an equitable experience.

We also invest in programmes to diversify our talent pipeline. In 2020, we expanded our creative arts scholarships, providing more equal access to programmes for more than 50 students over five years at renowned creative institutions, including The New School’s Parsons School of Design in New York City, Institut Français de la Mode in Paris and Central Saint Martins in London.

TALENT DEVELOPMENT

Developing a pipeline of diverse talent is integral to our approach. We have three key leadership development programmes, designed to elevate leadership capability in line with our purpose and values and support the continued diversification of our organisation.   

Our New Manager Development Programme (NMDP) focuses on the principles of good leadership for people managers. Core to this offering is equipping leaders with the capability required to foster an open and inclusive environment for teams and colleagues. This programme also explores leadership accountability and personal commitment to our D&I agenda. 

Our Executive Development Programme (EDP) is designed to deepen leadership capability, building on learnings from NMDP and our existing allyship training. Participants are challenged to elevate and reaffirm their commitment to fostering an inclusive culture and take accountability for diversifying our workplace. This programme is accompanied by three months of executive coaching and access to insights that give the cohort a detailed picture of their abilities in different areas. 

To support the development of diverse and underrepresented talent, in 2021 we are introducing a mentorship programme and piloting reverse mentorship. These programmes will support career progression, further developing our talent pipeline.

DATA

We are building as complete a picture as possible of our global colleague population. As part of this, we are upgrading our HR systems to enable colleagues to voluntarily self-identify. This data will enhance our global diversity dashboard, which will be shared quarterly with the Executive Committee and bi-annually with the Board. These insights will help ensure we make informed decisions on developing programmes to achieve our goals.

All personal information is treated as confidential and collected in line with local market legislation.

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