‘Belonging: It Starts With You’ – The First B&T Changing the Ratio Session of 2021

The first Changing the Ratio session of 2021 saw industry leaders coming together to discuss the topic ‘Belonging: It Starts With you’. This inspiring event was an incredible insight into how the media industry – and society more generally – can transform to more accurately represent and celebrate Australia’s diverse population.

We listened to Marlee Silva a Gamilaroi/Dunghutti woman who founded Tiddas 4 Tiddas, Marlee reflected on company culture and the retention of Indigenous staff in certain industries.

One of the most resounding takeaways was that data suggests the current number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the arts and media industries is too insignificant to report on at all.

Marlee closed with the following advice ““It’s about embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives into every facet of your work. I truly believe, that regardless of what it is that you do and what industry you’re in any business operating in Australia – and therefore operating on Aboriginal land – must uphold this as best practice.”

We then had the opportunity to hear from Tommy Trout, Tommy is the CEO & Founder of WeFlex who he created in partnership with his brother Jackson.
Jackson, who is on the autism spectrum, reflected on his experience in helping build the WeFlex brand.

“I felt that I was truly listened to. I felt as though I wasn’t there just to tick a box, but that I had an input and contributed.”

WeFlex is a startup connecting people with a disability to mainstream fitness and health providers.

Tommy explained that ““One thing that WeFlex is really passionate about is that we’re not looking to build this company for people with disability, we’re looking to build it with them,” Tommy said.”

Finally Bernie Johnson, Adrenalin’s Director had the pleasure of introducing “Adland Action and Agenda” a movement founded by industry leaders Avish Gordhan, Executive Creative Director, M&C Saatchi Sydney; Pia Chaudhuri, group Creative Director, BMF and Ant Medler, Creative Partner, Coffee Cocoa Gunpowder.

The group pointed to data that shows only 16 per cent of adland in Australia comes from a diverse background, and highlighted how this has translated into 75 per cent of creative work featuring all-white talent.

“Those are two statistics that actually correlate quite understandably,” said Gordhan. “But the reality is that Australia is not made up with [three out of four people being white].”

“The understanding of Australia as one of the most diverse countries in the world – no one needs to question that. What we need to talk about is how do we fix this within our industry.”

Visit Changing the Ratio to find out why belonging starts with you and read more tips on how your business can get involved in changing the ratio once and for all.