What is diversity, equity and inclusion?

Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) means creating an environment where all individuals feel respected, supported and empowered to achieve their full potential. DEI at dentsu UK&I includes, but is not limited to, different races, genders, ages, sexual orientations, disabilities and socioeconomic status.

Diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace

At dentsu UK&I, we aim to create an inclusive culture where all talent thrives, helping to drive long-term positive and sustainable change in society.

When it comes to DEI in the workplace, creating diverse and balanced teams isn't just a moral imperative; it's a business imperative. To help our clients innovate to impact millions of people every day, we need our people to reflect the society that we represent.

Our recognition for diversity, equity and inclusion in the UK&I

We're delighted to have been recognised for our work in DEI. Recent recognition includes:

  • Top 75 Employers in the Social Mobility Index. Our Social Mobility Employee Resource Group, THRIVE, led our entry into the Index last year, and we have made meaningful progress since, driven by a passionate team with a shared purpose.
  • Top 30 employer by the Working Families organisation reflects our commitment to supporting the parents and carers in our organisation.
  • Disability Confident employer Level 2
  • Age Inclusive employer recognised by 55/Redefined

However, while we rightly celebrate and reflect on these achievements, we acknowledge that external recognition is just a single point in the journey. We continue to deliver meaningful, day-to-day change, making dentsu UK&I a place where everyone is able to be the best version of themselves.

Diversity, equity and inclusion training

dentsu UK&I, we invest in upskilling and reskilling through internal training, including digital marketing bootcamps and apprenticeships tailored to underrepresented groups.

Our DEI networks co-create initiatives that support workforce entry and progression. This includes:

  • Seat at the Table (SATT) Mentorship Programme, now entering its 2025 cycle. SATT amplifies the voices of ethnically diverse talent by fostering meaningful, career-shaping relationships between mentees and senior leaders across the business.
  • Buddy Programme, designed to support entry-level hires during their first eight weeks with us. It offers personalised guidance, answers to common questions, and essential information to ensure a smooth and welcoming onboarding experience.
  • Female Fast Forward Development Pathway, which accelerates gender-balanced leadership, creating more opportunities for women to progress into senior roles.
  • Reverse Mentoring Programme, designed to  empower next-gen talent - often from underrepresented backgrounds - to share their perspectives with senior leaders, fostering mutual learning and inclusive decision-making.
  • Pathways to Retirement, which provides options to people wanting to retire or chosing to stay beyond legal retirement age.

We also partner with the BDF (Business Disability Forum) to offer training targeted on Reasonable Adjustments, Disability Confidence and Neurodiversity.

DEI in the UK&I

Annette Male, dentsu's UK&I CEO, says "We believe that business flourishes when outcomes are good for business, good for people and good for society. So, we're creating a culture where everyone can succeed. By continuously evolving our ways of working, we're proudly building an environment where performance fuels progress - enabling our people and clients to grow, lead, and shape the future.

Whether we're developing talent, fostering diversity of leadership, closing gender and diversity pay gaps, or supporting the 55+ generation, we're creating a workplace that prioritises the wellbeing of every member of dentsu UK&I."

Our UK&I Leave Policies

We have a range of flexible leave policies to help support our people and their families as they navigate every stage of their life. We're proud to be leading the way in creating inclusive working environments and dismantling barriers to a healthy work-life balance.

Find out more

Meet the Team

Nicole Basra

Nicole Basra, DEI Director UK&I

Nicole Basra is an experienced HR specialist with over 24 years of experience. She has held key roles in the banking industry, including 12 years at HSBC and 4 years at Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein. Her expertise spans recruitment, training, development, and, most notably, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Nicole’s achievements include establishing DEI functions, leading global onboarding programmes, and running HSBC’s award-winning future leaders development programme.

In her current role as the DEI Director at dentsu UK, Nicole shapes and leads DEI strategy and execution across the local market. She collaborates with the European Market and reports directly to the EMEA Chief Equity Officer. Addressing issues such as diverse representation, domestic abuse, age bias, and supporting employees with visible and non-visible disabilities are not only strategic priorities but also her personal passion.

Our latest Pay Gap Report

We are committed to closing our gender pay gap and ensuring we have a balanced representation of men and women in leadership positions.  Equity is a core tenet of our growth strategy, to not only retain and attract the best talent, but to continue to play our role in enabling the marketing services and creative industry to thrive.

Each year we also report our pay gap for ethnicity and sexual orientation, to identify existing discrepancies in pay, to ensure transparency and to hold the company accountable to progress. 

A better future is what we are striving for at dentsu UK&I – for and with our clients, our people, and through the communities we work with.

Discover in our latest UK Pay Gap Report how we are progressing towards a more equitable future for all.

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