From unreported data of closeted queer employees to limited DE&I policies hindering growth opportunities, a significant gap in career advancement compared to heterosexual co-workers persists. During Pride Month, Noel D’souza explores the diversity deficit in senior leadership roles within Indian advertising agencies.

In the dynamic realm of advertising, where ideas flourish and campaigns soar, the absence of LGBTQ+ voices in leadership isn’t just a numerical gap but a loss of authentic perspectives.

At Manifest, we confront this issue during Pride Month, acknowledging that while gender diversity is an often-talked-about challenge, LGBTQ+ representation in senior roles remains sparse.

Since the Supreme Court of India legalised homosexuality in 2018, many organisations have aimed to be inclusive through gender-neutral policies and awareness sessions. However, the reality at the team level often falls short.

According to a report by Careernet Prism, only 15-20% of employees are sensitised to LGBTQ+ issues, highlighting the need for greater awareness.

But why is it important for queer representation in the ad executive boardroom? Authenticity is key to impactful campaigns, and without LGBTQ+ representation, there’s a risk of tokenism.

The Kantar x ASCI ‘Unstereotype alliance report 2024’ revealed that less than 1% of the campaigns running in October 2023 showcased LGBTQ+ representation, a stark reality that demands immediate attention. These challenges present a pivotal opportunity for change.

The current state of DEI policies

In India, there’s no specific law mandating diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. However, existing legislation recognises the importance of fairness and inclusivity in hiring and employee treatment, highlighting the need for equity and inclusion in workplaces.

Arantxa Aquino, lead, HR and talent experience, Talented, expressed that Indian advertising hasn’t made a dent in policy adoption for the queer community’s inclusion within the workplace.

She asserted that diversity is beneficial not only for the workplace environment but also for the quality of work produced in advertising.

She shared, “Without a government mandate, organisations feel no responsibility to update their DE&I policies. Diversity enhances creativity, and creativity drives influence. When there is diversity in the workplace, people benefit from a variety of perspectives, as people from different backgrounds and experiences bring their unique insights and learnings to the table.”

Aquino pointed out, “When you look at the West, the marketing wave for queer communities became real when businesses realised that queer couples have a high disposable income and amount to a sizable economy. The moment they were seen as an audience that could be marketed to, pride charters for marketers opened up, closely followed by queer-only agencies that specialised in marketing to the LGBTQ+ community.”

Freya D’souza, director, DEI, dentsu APAC, shines a light on the current scenario.

“All organisations in India do have a mandated anti-discriminatory policy, which serves as the foundation to build a DEI roadmap. Yet, the true measure of success lies in the depth of implementation and impact within organisations and the wider industry,” she shared.

D’souza emphasises the accountability agencies share in cultivating workplace cultures and producing work that authentically represents the LGBTQ+ community.

“As an industry, we will be held accountable to create both workplace cultures and work that is representative and inclusive of the LGBTQ+ community — not just by our employees, but by clients, industry bodies, vendor partners, and future talent as well, especially Gen Z,” she underlined.

Monty Bharali, chief talent officer, Ogilvy India, delved into the evolution of DEI within India. “The philosophy of DEI – today, as it concerns both the Indian industry and us in particular, is accepted far more than what is mandated. For Ogilvy India, this acceptance has transcended policy to encompass tangible actions aimed at fostering a workplace where every individual feels valued and empowered,” he explained.

“Today the conversation has moved towards equity beyond equality – building a workplace that makes everyone feel on par, accepted, welcome and provided with a platform to grow. It could have started with something as simple as inclusivity in support systems like initiating the effort in setting up ‘all gender restrooms’ to benefits like insurance policies,” Bharali shared.

Vanaja Pillai, president, 22feet Tribal Worldwide and head, DEI, DDB Mudra Group, expressed that corporate India is just beginning to recognise its responsibility towards creating and nurturing people from diverse backgrounds in its workplaces - an important but tiny first step.

She shared, “At DDB Mudra Group, we started a journey a few years ago called ‘We Don’t Know Sh!T’. As part of this, we create forums to engage with people on conversations that may be unfamiliar and uncomfortable, including ones about the queer community. This has helped us open our minds up consistently, and work more closely with the people who best understand the community.”

“We aim to redefine family and build a more inclusive workplace by offering medical insurance to employees’ partners, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, or marital status. We continue this journey with more passion every year, creating an environment where employees feel heard and seen, irrespective of their gender or sexuality,” she added.

Moving beyond superficial DEI policies

“The first step towards any cultural change – good or bad – is taken by leaders. Having an agency’s leadership visibly committed to the DEI strategy goes a long way in ensuring these practices are embedded into everyday workplace culture and don’t remain an academic exercise,” said D’souza.

She emphasised the need to also ensure that necessary policies are in place.

She further explained, “All aspects of the employee experience fall under this ambit – from recruitment and onboarding to training and development and the exit process as well. We also need to keep the conversations going. Sessions on awareness and sensitisation are a key part of the effort to promote workplace equality. These conversations may seem par for the course but are still essential to ensuring dialogues, building allyship, and advocacy for the community among the larger workforce.”

Chandni Shah, chief operating officer, FCB Kinnect, emphasised that the agency aims to always prioritise talent and follows a meritocratic approach.

She shared, “Normalisation should be the standard practice across the board. When we evaluate individuals based on their merit, we naturally identify and spotlight those who are truly deserving. Meritocracy can truly foster an inclusive environment. Every employee, irrespective of caste, gender, or sexual orientation, will automatically feel valued and heard, allowing them to contribute and express themselves without fear of judgment. This also avoids tokenism. In saying that, regular training, open dialogues, and creating safe spaces for discussions on DEI topics are essential. A meritocratic inclusive approach benefits everyone by enriching our talent pool and bringing a broader range of perspectives and abilities to the forefront.”

Aquino highlighted a significant shortfall: Corporate DEI policies often focus solely on hiring practices. However, what follows? Are there gender-conforming facilities? Is there adequate sensitivity training to ensure a safe workplace environment for LGBTQ+ individuals?

“A more inclusive workplace is not just about hiring queer people; it’s equally about ensuring they’re able to do their best work in the organisation. A lot of that involves actively tackling inherent organisational biases first,” she expressed.

Bharali stated that Ogilvy India believes that actions need to reflect intent.

He shared, “Ogilvy has established various forums that have enabled workplace equality. These forums ensure that real workplace issues like unconscious bias and inclusivity are addressed. Ogilvy India has also encouraged members of the LGBTQ+ community to be part of the various forums that support this conversation. ”

Turning intention into action, during Pride Month, Ogilvy India is actively enhancing its commitment to inclusivity through various activities and partnerships, including involvement in WPP Unite, aimed at fostering an inclusive workplace.

Breaking the fear barrier

According to a Deloitte ‘2023 LGBTQ+ Inclusion @Work Survey report’, less than 60% of Indian employees disclose their sexual orientation at work, with only 54% comfortable revealing their gender identity to close colleagues, and merely 37% comfortable doing so with direct managers.

D’souza pointed to the fear of discrimination and career stagnation as significant barriers for the community.

“Unless we create a culture of psychological safety where everyone can be themselves, diverse representation in leadership will remain a challenge,” she emphasised.

42% of Indian employees have faced non-inclusive behaviours at work, attributed to their sexual orientation or gender identity, as reported by Deloitte. Despite 50% of respondents being open about their community identity and feeling supported by their organisations, discrimination from colleagues and superiors persists, according to a Careernet Prism report.

Bharali acknowledged progress but noted persistent biases in workspaces.

“Many LGBTQ+ employees still are not comfortable coming out. It’s indicative of the environment. We do realise that it’s an individual’s choice to come out – and so it’s important that everyone at the workspace builds an amount of sensitivity and care. Truth is, it’s a journey but we are reasonably well poised and reasonably far along,” he observed.

Aquino delved into systemic issues, attributing the lack of queer leadership to historical workplace dynamics.

“We didn’t make our workplaces conducive for queer juniors to thrive. Mental health challenges, inadequate benefits, and societal biases are contributing factors. With few LGBTQ+ role models in senior roles, leadership aspirations become tougher,” Aquino added, emphasising the need for inclusive policies and education to address unconscious biases.

Queer narratives straight from the source 

Bharali acknowledged that truth is always a matter of perspective, shaped by one’s reality. “If queer representation were greater, the perspectives would also be more diverse and insightful,” he asserted.

He highlighted that the industry thrives on human insights, and the richness of these insights comes from cultivating a diverse and inclusive workforce. “One has to assume the more diverse the workforce is, the more effective the work will be. Creativity is at the core of who we are, so diversity is at the core of who we are,” Bharali added.

Aquino believes that the LGBTQ+ community faces uphill battles but also experiences the full spectrum of human emotions. “Queer stories of joy, of family, of chosen family, of heartbreak, of happily-ever-after – these need to be told now more than ever,” she said.

“Pride narratives from the eyes of straight people, no matter how well-meaning, can often come off as patronising and out of touch,” Aquino pointed out. She emphasised that queer communities are more than just ‘gay best friends’ or ‘surprise twists’ before the product window, and it’s about time brands portray the queer experience in all its nuance.

While Aquino acknowledged that brands are telling better stories and creating viral campaigns during Pride Month, she noted a significant shortfall. “The truth is very few are written with help from or by the queer community – that’s where change could start,” she shared.

Shah echoed this sentiment, highlighting the detrimental effects of lacking representation. “The absence of representation is inevitably damaging to a business,” she said. “Whether it is a campaign for the community or not, a diverse perspective from multiple people is always enriching to the idea and also helps us avoid blind spots, like tone-deaf communications.”

D’souza highlighted the significant impact of representation within the creative industry. “In terms of impact, it is quite clear that the lack of representation in creative discussions and board rooms has a direct impact on representation in advertising and broader cultural narratives. Tokenistic Pride Month participation doesn’t count, of course,” she asserted.

D’souza called for increased LGBTQ+ voices across all aspects of the industry.

“We need more LGBTQ+ voices in the creative brainstorms, on production sets, in media buying and planning, and even on the client side,” she added.

She also underscored the importance of allies and advocates in the absence of community voices. “While we work toward that, we need LGBTQ+ allies and advocates to be the voices in the room where community voices are absent. Whether advertising is created by members of the community or by allies, accurate, sensitive, and nuanced storytelling is what will truly create advertising impact and effectiveness,” D’souza signed off.

Thus, it’s evident that genuine inclusion and representation are essential. Breaking the glass ceiling for LGBTQ+ employees will require more than just surface-level DEI policies. It demands a commitment to genuine inclusion, representation in leadership, and creating a safe and supportive workplace culture. As the advertising industry celebrates International Pride Month, it’s time to turn intentions into actions and ensure that every individual, regardless of their sexual identity, can thrive and lead.

This article first appeared in the June print issue of Manifest. Subscribe to Manifest here.