Amplifying the battle against sexual harassment in adland
This article was written by Kerry Glazer and appeared in Campaign on the 6th December 2023.
As I step down as chair of TimeTo, I find myself in a reflective mood.
The journey has been nothing short of remarkable, and I am immensely proud of the strides TimeTo, its founders and supporters have made in the fight against sexual harassment in our industry. Although the mission is not over, I want to take a step back and look at how far we have come.
My involvement with TimeTo began at its inception in late 2017. A group of us came together, motivated by a sobering Wacl panel event that discussed what was clearly a still rampant issue of sexual harassment in our industry. The event took place as the #MeToo campaign was exploding in the United States, and the stories shared were a stark reminder that sexual harassment was a huge issue in our industry too – one that demanded urgent action. Within days, we formed a team representing the Advertising Association, Nabs, and Wacl, with the support of Lucky Generals as our creative agency, guiding us pro bono.
The incomparable Tess Alps led the initiative for the launch year as TimeTo’s first Chair, overseeing our inaugural research and the establishment of the campaign. When Tess decided it was time to step down after launching timeTo so successfully and to great acclaim, she asked me if I would take her place. Even without Tess’s persuasive powers, my answer would always have been yes.
The impact of sexual harassment in the workplace is not to be underestimated. It leads to misery, a decrease in psychological and physical safety, mental health challenges, misuse of tools like NDAs, and the loss of talent, with the person who has experienced the harassment often being the one who leaves the business.
Over the past five years, we’ve embarked on a profound journey, facing numerous challenges along the way. The most significant reward for everyone involved with TimeTo is witnessing genuine behaviour change. Incidence of sexual harassment has markedly decreased, according to the two All In Census reports. People are better informed and more aware thanks to resources such as the timeTo training and the Code of Conduct.
The industry has, for the most part, embraced and joined us on this transformative journey, even when they had other pressing issues that demanded their attention and resources. There are some key accomplishments that the team and I are particularly proud of.
Firstly, the evolution of our compelling creative campaign, “Where do you draw the line?” Helen Calcraft and the magnificent Lucky Generals team powerfully highlighted the risks of sexual harassment at work events like Cannes Lions and agency Christmas parties. The campaign then evolved to address the industry’s return to the office after pandemic lockdowns.
Secondly, the inclusion of sexual harassment in the All In Census gave us the vital data needed to track our progress on an industry-wide basis. And the impact of the creation of the game-changing TimeTo training workshops by Nabs, led by specialist trainers, cannot be overestimated. The training has been adopted at group level by OMG, WPP, and Publicis Groupe amongst countless others, including small indies and production companies. So far, nearly 100 companies have undertaken the training, with more than 6,600 people taking part.
This substantial progress has led to a seismic shift in behavior within our industry. The first All In Census in 2021 showed that incidence of sexual harassment had significantly fallen since the 2018 research, with just 3% of women and 2% of men saying they had experienced sexual harassment in the previous 12 months.
Fast forward to the 2023 All In Census, and the number of respondents reporting experiencing sexual harassment had again decreased to just 1%. Good news for sure, but the latest All In Census also revealed a stark truth. People in minority and more vulnerable groups are still more than twice as likely to experience sexual harassment than others. This clearly needs to be addressed.
Another challenge we must face is the risk of complacency. Some may think that by merely endorsing TimeTo done enough. Endorsement needs to be active, with action taken to ensure that staff are fully trained and regularly kept up to date on the issue.
My message to industry leaders is straightforward:
- Endorse TimeTo and adopt the TimeTo Code of Conduct as part of your company policy.
- Make it clear to your teams that your company has a zero-tolerance approach to sexual harassment, and that all allegations will be properly investigated.
- Train your staff to understand what constitutes sexual harassment, as there’s often a surprising lack of understanding on this issue.
- The best way to achieve this is by booking the TimeTo workshop training. Repeat it until every person in your company and all new joiners have attended. Ensuting there is consistent awareness and education is the easiest way to fulfil the legal responsibility of protecting your staff from sexual harassment. For people working in non-endorsing companies, ask your leaders why they haven’t signed up to keep their people safe from sexual harassment. For those in endorsing companies who haven’t yet received the training, request it. If you witness a colleague being subjected to unwanted sexual harassment, don’t be afraid to speak up if you feel safe to do so. Ask your colleague if they are ok, and if they’re not, calmly challenge the perpetrator in the moment if you can, telling them that their behaviour is unwanted and unacceptable. Otherwise, report the harasser after the fact. Bystanders can be powerful allies when it comes to stopping sexual harassment from happening.
I am proud and delighted to be passing the baton to my TimeTo colleague, Pippa Glucklich, who will be taking the helm as timeTo’s new chair in the new year. She will be magnificent in her new role, inspiring the team, injecting new energy and driving campaign momentum.
Pippa has been a committed, determined and vocal member of the timeTo steering committee since 2019, and I can think of no one better to lead the campaign into its next phase. Please continue to support Pippa and TimeTo with vigour and purpose.
We’ve come a long way, but the journey isn’t over. Sexual harassment in the workplace can be totally eradicated if we work together to make it a reality.
Kerry Glazer is non-executive chair of AAR and Untold Studios
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