Exposing Anti-White Harassment + Discrimination in US Media Companies
FAQs
Aquent
FAIL
aquent.com
TYPE: Global Staffing & Work Solutions Company
INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS:
OWNER: Private Company
SUBSIDIARIES: Aquent Talent, Aquent Studios, Aquent Robohead, Aquent Scout, Aquent Employer of Record, and Aquent Gymnasium
2024 REVENUE: $1 billion (est)
2024 HEADCOUNT: ~2,800
149 5th Ave
New York, NY 10010
+1 617 535 5000
questions@aquent.com
From the perspective of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), federal law, and New York State’s Human Rights Law (NYSHRL, § 296), Aquent LLC’s robust DEIB initiatives, led by figures like Den Mondejar (Director, Enterprise and Talent Solutions, an Asian man) and Carole Smith (Director of Marketing, a Black woman), raise potential concerns about discrimination against White employees or hires. CEO John H. Chuang declared, "Time's up for talk—we need to take action," further asserting that retreating from DEI efforts would be a "strategic misstep." Erin Bloom (Slattery) is listed as helping lead and implement DEI strategy, with Raymond Wise, a Black man, operating as a Talent Aquisition Specialist and “DEIB Ambassador and Activator”. DEIB Councils operate worldwide, as do nine ERGs/Employee Resource Groups, a few spefically for non-White employees. In the context of evolving societal and legal landscapes, Aquent positions itself as "doubling down" on its DEI commitments. Aquent’s DEIB framework, including its Diversity+ recruiting service, which prioritizes diverse candidate pipelines through partnerships with HBCUs, HSIs, and affinity job boards targeting Asian, Black, Hispanic, Military, LGBTQ+, disabled professionals, and women, risks violating federal and New York State Human Rights Laws (NYSHRL, § 296) by potentially discriminating against White or male candidates, as such practices could be deemed to disproportionately disadvantage protected groups unless justified by a narrowly tailored business necessity, exposing Aquent to legal claims of reverse discrimination or disparate treatment under Title VII and NYSHRL. Aquent offers Diversity+, a specialized diversity recruiting solution for its clients. Diversity+ aims to help companies achieve specific diversity objectives. While these practices “enhance diversity”, the EEOC and NYSHRL prohibit employment practices that disproportionately disadvantage any racial group, including Whites, unless justified by business necessity and narrowly tailored. Aquent’s data-driven approach, such as demographic tracking and reporting, could inadvertently lead to reverse discrimination if it prioritizes non-White candidates over equally qualified White candidates, potentially violating Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and NYSHRL’s protections against race-based discrimination. The company’s proactive DEIB stance, including mandatory training on anti-racism and allyship, could foster a workplace culture perceived as hostile by some White employees, as DEIB training risks being seen as harassment of White employees under EEOC and NYSHRL (§ 296) standards if it fosters a hostile environment or implicitly targets them racially through discussions that frame Whites as inherently privileged or complicit in systemic inequality.
Aquents’s DEI training for companies risks promoting discriminatory or harassing practices, exposing both Aquent, for facilitating unlawful practices, and the receiving companies, for implementing them, to significant legal, financial, and reputational liabilities.
This information is based on publicly available information, including websites, case studies, and news articles from a recent period. To ensure you have the most accurate and current information, please refer to the company's official announcements. The information provided on this website is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice; consult a licensed attorney for specific legal guidance.
DieDEI.co is waiting on internal materials for a fuller picture of Aquent’s DEI program. Follow us on social and subscribe to our newsletter for updates.
NOTE: Client lists are subject to change. This information is based on publicly available information, including websites, case studies, and news articles from a recent period. To ensure you have the most accurate and current information, please refer to the company's official announcements.