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According to a survey from People of Colour in Advertising and Marketing (POCAM), BIPOC creatives are seeing a decline in positive progress from their employers.
The findings come from the 2024 Canadian BIPOC Advertising & Marketing Study, a survey of 220 BIPOC creatives conducted from November 2024 to January 2025.
In 2024, 56% of BIPOC workers said they are seeing positive steps from employers in their focus on inclusion and advancement, compared with 67% in 2023 and 73% in 2022.
In the survey released last week, BIPOC creatives also reported an increase in racial bias in the workplace.
Out of 40 BIPOC people surveyed, 66% of respondents working at predominantly white agencies on the client side reported that racial bias exists at their shop, a 2% increase from 2023. By contrast, only 20% of BIPOC employees at BIPOC predominant agencies and workplaces reported similar discrimination.
The study also shows a “nominal improvement” in anti-black and anti-indigenous discrimination in 2024 and a “nominal increase” in anti-Asian discrimination compared with 2023 levels.
Out of 138 respondents polled on the question, “to what extent do you agree or disagree with the following: anti-Black discrimination exists in Canada?” 83% agreed, representing a 3% decrease from 2023. On the question of whether anti-Indigenous discrimination exists in Canada, 86% of participants agreed, representing a 1% dip from 2023.
When the question shifted to anti-Asian discrimination in Canada, 87% agreed compared with 86% in 2023.
The survey shows that while there may be a slight increase in BIPOC employees, there is a decrease in representation at the C-Suite and VP levels. A 2% decline in the hiring BIPOC professionals in executive positions was reported from 2023 to 2024.
It also outlines diverging perspectives on whether or not workplaces are committed to supporting DEI between participants born outside of Canada and those born within the country. Fifty-three per cent of international BIPOC creatives say their leadership is committed to DEI compared with 46% of those born in Canada. The poll shows firms are less committed to DEI in general with 29% of companies instituting such policies in 2024 compared with 34% in 2023.
POCAM says in the report that DEI policies in the workplace should remain a priority and calls for the continued investment in programs to support the mental health and workplace safety of BIPOC professionals.
The industry organization POCAM was founded in 2020 and incorporated as a non-profit in early 2021.
