Inclusion and Belonging
What we stand for.
We believe different perspectives drive innovation and enrich every experience. Our commitment means actively fostering an environment where every individual feels valued, respected, and empowered to contribute. From our inclusive hiring processes to cultivating belonging, we ensure opportunities are accessible to all, reflecting the diverse world we serve.
Aquent is an equal opportunity employer.
“Time's up for talk—we need to take action.”
JOHN H. CHUANG / FOUNDER AND CEO, AQUENT
Here's how we're taking action.
Building the foundation:
- Formed an employee-led council with representatives from across the company and created international councils in Australia and Europe.
- Developed ongoing audit of the full recruitment life cycle.
- Expanded demographic data collection and reporting in line with Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) guidelines, measuring progress on an ongoing basis.
- Produced annual Salary Guide with salaries for more than 100 roles related to marketing, creative, and design. It also includes salaries based on geography and gender to help companies address pay parity.
Attracting and Recruiting Talent:
- Expanded access to affinity career sites through partnerships with Mitratech and DiversityJobs.com, including AsianHires.com, AfricanAmericanHires.com, AllHispanicJobs.com, VeteranJobs.net, AllLGBTJobs.com, DisabilityJobs.net, and WeHireWomen.com.
- Increased recruiting presence at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs).
- Instituted recruiting best practices, including gender-neutral job descriptions, pay transparency, anonymized resumes, and structured interview strategies.
Empowering & Developing Employees:
- Invested in our employees' growth through training programs on allyship, inclusiveness, mitigating bias, and ethics.
- Developed company-wide education materials, training, and discussions around underrepresented groups, racial injustice, and its historical significance.
- Hosted speakers series as well as book and film clubs centered on inclusion and belonging, sparking insightful conversations among colleagues.
Fostering a Culture of Belonging:
- Formed Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), peer groups, and clubs open to all employees.
- Launched company-wide Allyship ERG to build allies, support, and community for all employees.
- Shared talent art that celebrated inclusion and belonging across our social media platforms company-wide.
- Recognized in Newsweek's America's Greatest Workplaces for Culture, Belonging & Community for 2024, 2025, and 2026.
Community Engagement & Impact:
- Raised more than $210,000 in contributions to social justice and humanitarian organizations, including the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, CARE, Solar Sisters, Solar Cookers International, and Trickle Up.
- Awarded $135,000 in Designing for Good grants to help bring creative ideas to life for nonprofits.
- Signed the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) Workplace Pledge to Fight Antisemitism.
- Created policy offering employees time off to vote in local, state, and federal elections.
- Hosted LinkedIn Live events focused on inclusive design and pay equity.
- Named a Corporate Plus member of the National Minority Supplier Development Council, achieved by 1% of certified Minority-Owned Businesses.
A commitment to inclusion and belonging is in our DNA.
As an organization, we have been committed to inclusion from day one, building it into every aspect of our company. We’ve created employee-led councils worldwide to help drive this work forward. We're holding ourselves accountable to create a better future, assess our progress, and identify opportunities to continuously improve.
