Inclusivity and equity are the cornerstone of Havas Germany's culture

Havas Germany

Werbung/Full Service/ Integriert

Düsseldorf, Deutschland

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Eric Schoeffler

ECD Europe / CCO Germany — Havas Europe

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Havas Germany is on a mission to make a meaningful difference to brands, businesses and people. Eric Schoeffler, CCO at Havas Germany, gives us a glimpse into their inclusive approach to creating impactful work, that results in borderless creativity.

How do you make space and support your employees in marginalized communities, beyond hiring?

We actively promote diversity awareness within our agency through events and initiatives because it simply affects all employees. For example, we organize regular formats around diversity in our weekly all-agency meeting, we attend DE&I themed fairs or support projects like the Housing Projects for Queer Youth by the Ali Forney Centers and the Warsaw House Foundation in Poland. 

Furthermore, we have an internal Diversity Team that helps drive our efforts. This team plays a vital role in ensuring that everyone is sensitized for marginalized communities in every way.

According to our yearly employee survey, we always receive above-average ratings in categories such as "I can be my authentic self at work." We also provide employees with the opportunity to include their preferred pronouns in their email signatures, and we incorporate gender-neutral language in our external communications which is a special matter in Germany.

While the strongest argument for our commitment to diversity may not be quantifiable, it lies in our cultural environment and the people. We have fostered a workplace culture where inclusivity and equal treatment are integral and unquestioned parts of our agency. We value every individual, background and are happy for every perspective that someone brings to our agency. That’s why, in our hiring process, we prioritize cultural fit as much as skillset to ensure that we maintain this culture of open-mindedness and inclusivity.

In what ways does your team ensure that diverse, intersectional perspectives and ideas are included in the creative process?

We consistently strive to engage in meaningful conversations with our clients on the topic of DE&I in order to align brand, brand legacy, and brand perception with the prevailing social norms. As part of this effort, we also provide workshops to our clients, where we evaluate aspects such as visual imagery, language, and content. We have both clients who actively demand these measures and clients whom we can successfully activate through them.

Furthermore, we take proactive steps to include diverse, intersectional perspectives in our creative process. This includes independent initiatives and employee-driven passion projects like an anti-homophobia film or the development of the inclusivity app “Staybl”, as well as employee training sessions on diversity which we organize within our internal training format Havas New School.

Calendar holidays and honorary months put a momentary spotlight on marginalized communities, creating a wave of temporary support and celebration. While this is a positive step, the industry agrees that authenticity comes through consistent engagement. What can brands do to maintain continuous connection with groups?

As the question rightly suggests, sporadic actions alone are insufficient unless they are anchored in a long-term, comprehensive plan and program. However, well-executed actions can still attract significant attention on specific occasions. For brands, the key is to identify areas where they can genuinely make a meaningful impact. People are not stupid and cannot be deceived, and insincere commitments – whether it's through pinkwashing or greenwashing – rightfully face consequences.

Our client Reckitt, in collaboration with our London office, exemplifies how to approach this successfully with their brand Vanish. They have undertaken a multi-year initiative focusing on autism. Their first endeavor, "me, my autism, and I," has recently been launched and is being praised for its authenticity, particularly by individuals who have a personal connection to the topic.

Me, My Autism & I | Vanish & Ambitious about Autism | Hero Film

Which brands do you see as true agents of change, across the full spectrum of DEI, including social issues? How do they inspire you?

There are many brands these days that have chosen to incorporate "doing good" into their growth strategies, but I believe Dove has an impressive track record and deserves considerable respect for consistently pursuing a bold strategy for so many years.

I also love how Google has creatively introduced Black Owned Friday over the last years. And I'm curious to see what their next move will be.