Conversation and awareness about gender and diversity equality has been brought front and center to the digital media and advertising industries. But dialogue and awareness is not enough, it’s how we act from here that counts.

In the UK most recently it became a mandate for companies over 250 to publicly publish their Gender pay gap, proportion of men and women in each quartile, gender bonus gap. Made for some uncomfortable reading in many instances, with the true scale of the challenge actually revealed. Iceland earlier this year passed a law to eliminate pay differentials for the same job, so it’s moving - although it is very much centered on gender right now!

Many brands are asking agencies and partners to reveal the 'reality' of their diversity stats in a bid to force the companies they work with to even out their ratios. But is this how change and equality will truly come about? If we as an industry are going to create lasting social change, shouldn’t the responsibility not only lie with hiring but also within?

The perception is that quotas and balanced hiring practices will drive change in diversity, but in reality, does this really mean that inclusion and advocacy for change are really being addressed?