Blurred sets diversity and net-zero carbon targets
Today we publish our diversity and inclusion (D&I), net-zero carbon and environmental targets for our business in line with our focus on environmental, social, governance and purpose (ESGP) work with a wide range of multinational clients. We have also committed to reporting on progress on a six-monthly basis via the website.
All targets are detailed below.
D&I - ethnicity
End 2023: at least 40% of core team roles to be held by people from black and minority ethnic (BME) backgrounds
End 2023: at least 20% of senior roles in core team held by BME colleagues
End 2026: at least 30% of senior roles in core team held by BME colleagues
Regular Board review of remuneration across directly equivalent roles to ensure no ‘ethnic pay gap’
2020 baseline: current core team is 21% BME with 10% BME in senior roles. No ethnic pay gap
D&I – gender
Ongoing: commitment to ensure that women hold at least 50% of core team roles and at least 50% of senior roles
Regular Board review of remuneration across directly equivalent roles to ensure no 'gender pay gap'
2020 baseline: current core team is 69% female with 70% in senior roles. No gender pay gap
The climate crisis
October 2021: net-zero carbon impact under the firm’s Working from Anywhere (WFA) framework
“We’re two years in and our culture will inevitably flex over time, but our values are non-negotiable.”
Blurred’s D&I strategy is particularly focused on supporting individuals from within specific BME groups that are statistically the most disadvantaged and the least likely to benefit from professional workplace opportunities.
The firm has a number of programmes in place to support this including a joint initiative with Morpeth School, a secondary school in Tower Hamlets in East London. Blurred’s BME-focused paid intern programme also allows individuals the opportunity to engage directly with the firm’s employees and shadow ongoing work on client projects on a purely virtual basis. This helps remove geographical restrictions and prohibitive travel or accommodation costs that are a significant barrier to young people from more disadvantaged backgrounds.
While the targets above relate specifically to ethnicity and gender, Blurred’s approach to D&I encompasses active support for colleagues and candidates across the full range of protected characteristics under the 2010 Equality Act.
Nik Govier, Founder and CEO: “We’re a young and small company, but we’re growing rapidly - and we’re determined to grow in the right way. We’ve built Blurred as a values-led business, and we believe in diversity not just because it’s right but because it’s an essential part of being best in class at what we do. Our clients have complex problems that cannot be solved without a breadth of different experiences, diverse thinking and fresh perspectives. Views of the world drawn only from one small sector of society won’t deliver. As a dyslexic CEO I know first-hand the benefit that different thinking brings.”
In June this year, Blurred was awarded the Blueprint diversity mark, Ally status. Organisations awarded are judged against – and sign up to - a series of commitments aimed at removing inequality and barriers to progression for BME professionals in the communications industry.
Some of the ways Blurred ensures an inclusive culture include:
Fortnightly executive coaching for all with the firm’s Non-Executive Director of People and Purpose, Nick Porter. Nick is a Certified Professional Coach (CPCC) who also oversees Blurred’s recruitment processes, ensuring the firm hires people who are aligned with its values and purpose and who support its D&I targets and beliefs
A commitment to reflect each individuals’ personal needs in the way they work, established via our ‘five personal needs’ initiative.
A formal Blurred Values and Behaviours Charter which every employee, supplier, client and ‘Blurred Cohort’ member must sign up to
A zero-tolerance approach to discrimination, harassment, victimisation, bullying, intimidation and microaggressions of any kind
A six-monthly anonymous employee survey, with findings reported back transparently and in full to the entire firm
Objective and transparent pay rise and promotion policies
The ability to switch standard UK Bank Holidays for other religious holidays, festivals or celebrations (e.g. Diwali or Eid) or to celebrate a day important for each individual’s identity (e.g. Pride).
Fully flexible working options
A team social culture that acknowledges and respects different perspectives on alcohol and emphasises shared group activities beyond the traditional agency ‘pub after work’ mindset
In August 2020, Blurred introduced its WFA framework which included the decision to close its office on Mondays and Fridays on a permanent basis.
Blurred has already switched to a 100% renewable electricity supplier for its own office and is now taking action to help employees working from home reduce the emissions associated with their household electricity consumption. The firm is encouraging every employee to switch to a 100% renewable electricity tariff at home and is offering an annual subsidy for each employee if switching would lead to an increase in power costs.
Blurred’s commitment to support the growth of the UK renewable energy sector is part of a broader 26-point plan to reach net-zero carbon impact by October 2021. That plan also includes a total ban on all non-essential business-related flights, a ‘zero print’ commitment to reduce paper use and a ‘zero waste’ commitment to minimise single-use plastic products and ensure effective recycling.
Nik Govier: "In September 2019, we committed to only working with businesses that are making an active contribution towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Through our ESGP (Environmental, Social, Governance & Purpose) client focus, we help businesses be better businesses. But it runs deeper than that. We push ourselves and our team as well as our clients to be better, always. We're a small business, and the numbers associated with our carbon impact are tiny. But much of our client work is focused on the climate crisis, and it's important that we take the same steps we recommend to our clients.”