Exposing Anti-White Harassment + Discrimination in US Media Companies
FAQs
Stagwell Inc.
FAIL
stagwellglobal.com
TYPE: Advertising Agency Holding Company
INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS: Hotchkis & Wiley Capital Management LLC, Goldman Sachs Group Inc., Madison Avenue Partners, Lp, Blackrock, Inc., Vanguard Group Inc., Schroder Investment Management Group, Altravue Capital, Llc., et al.
OWNER: Mark Penn, Chairman and CEO
SUBSIDIARIES: 10 Thousand Design, 72andSunny, Ace, Activista, ADK GLOBAL, Allison, Anomaly, ARound, Assembly, Beyond Media Global, Brand New Galaxy, Brand Performance Network, Bruce Mau Design, Buentipo, Bush Ad, Caffeina, Coconuts, Code and Theory, Colle McVoy, Consulum, Crispin, CUE, Digital Mill, Doner, DonerNorth, Dyversity Communications, Earn, eFashion China, Emerald Research Group, Exponent, F&B Happy, FLC, Forsman & Bodenfors, GALE, GIMC, Goodstuff, Grupo Garnier, Harris Quest Research, HarrisX, Headliner Labs, HUNTER, Incubeta, Influence, Ink, Instrument, KWT Global, Laqshya Media Group, Left Field Labs, Leverate, Locaria, Lodestar Marketing, Mediacurrent, Media Kitchen, MMI Agency, Movers+Shakers, Multiview, National Research Group (NRG), Navigator, PRophet, ReachTV, Scout, Seward Square Strategies, SKDK (SKDKnickerbocker), SmartAssets, The Harris Poll, The People Platform, Tinsel Experiential Design, Travel Content Ltd., YML, et al.
REVENUE: ~$2.53 billion
HEADCOUNT: ~12,000
285 Fulton St
New York, NY 10007
Brandon Dixon
pr@stagwellglobal.com
+1 646 429 1800
From the perspective of the EEOC, federal law, and New York State's Human Rights Law (NYSHRL § 296), Stagwell Inc., under the leadership of Chairman & CEO Mark Penn and Chief People Officer Stephanie Howley, exhibits several DEI initiatives that raise concerns regarding potential harassment and discrimination against White employees. Stagwell disproportionately focuses on racial equity* for Black communities, potentially marginalizing White employees. This is evident in programs like Instrument's $3 million "Build|Grow|Serve" initiative and events like Allison+Partners' NYC Black History 50 run, which explicitly target and benefit specific racial groups. The presence of Employee Resource Groups and DEI Councils within agencies, while intended to foster inclusion, may inadvertently create segregated spaces and unequal treatment. While the company advises reframing DEI terminology, the actual programs implemented by subsidiaries, such as Code and Theory (led by Chief Diversity Officer Renée Miller and Kirstyn Nimmo, Lead of Inclusive Design & Marketing Strategy), Instrument, Allison+Partners, Anomaly, KWT Global, and YML, demonstrate a consistent and pronounced focus on specific non-White racial groups through targeted resource allocation, content creation, and partnerships. This preferential treatment could foster a hostile work environment for White employees and lead to feelings of marginalization. Furthermore, the existence of Employee Resource Groups exclusively for non-White employees, potentially supported by corporate HR leaders like Sally Cluthe (VP, Global People Team) and Amy Mayurnik (SVP, Global Talent), may constitute unequal provision of benefits based on race. The adoption of "anti-racist" stances and associated training, as seen at Code and Theory, could further exacerbate these issues if they employ rhetoric that stereotypes or blames White employees based on their race. Finally, the stated aim of achieving racial and ethnic diversity in staffing could be seen as illegal race-based preferences in hiring and promotion. These factors collectively suggest a potential for legal liability under federal and New York State anti-discrimination laws, necessitating accountability from Mark Penn, Stephanie Howley, Renée Miller, and other individuals overseeing these policies and initiatives.
*DEI "equity" involves prioritizing certain racial, gender, or identity groups with targeted resources or opportunities to ensure equal outcomes at the cost of fairness and individual merit. DEI’s equity focus shares some similarities with communism and socialism in its group-based, redistributive approach, and with totalitarianism in ideological coercion.
Institutional investors like Hotchkis & Wiley Capital Management LLC, Goldman Sachs Group Inc., Madison Avenue Partners, Lp, Blackrock, Inc., Vanguard Group Inc., et al increasingly emphasize Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors, including diversity and inclusion metrics, in their investment stewardship and proxy voting guidelines. This external pressure from major company shareholders likely serves as a significant driver for Stagwell Inc.’s public commitments and strategic focus on ESG and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB). Consequently, accountability for the design and impact of DEI initiatives rests primarily with the company's leadership and board, who must navigate these influential investor expectations.
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.
It is illegal and contrary to public policy for any organization, including nonprofits, to instruct companies on discriminatory or harassing practices, potentially resulting in serious legal and financial repercussions such as lawsuits for facilitating discrimination, reputational harm, loss of IRS tax-exempt status, and investigations by state and federal civil rights authorities.
DieDEI.co is waiting on internal materials for a fuller picture of Stagwell’s DEI program. Follow us on social and subscribe to our newsletter for updates.
CLIENTS INCLUDE: adidas, Aesop, Amazon, amika, Athleta, Athenahealth, BankBlackUSA, Bathfitter, Beam Suntory, Bite, Blue Bunny, Bomb Pop, Buchanan's, Bud Light, Budweiser, Carlsberg Group, Carnival, Champion, Chipotle, Cleveland Cavaliers, Coca-Cola, Colgate-Palmolive, Con Edison, Cue Health, Dexcom, Diageo, Dropbox, Dunkin’, Emaar, Elevance Health, Enercare, Estée Lauder, E*Trade, Expedia, Galen College of Nursing, General Mills, General Motors, Google, Grubhub, H&R Block, Halo Top, Hard Rock, Hertz, Hyatt, Johnson & Johnson, Kansas City Chiefs, Kentucky Derby, La-Z-Boy, Lenovo, LG, Lithuanian Red Cross, LMT, Los Angeles Rams, Macy’s, Meta, MilkPEP, Minnesota Star Tribune, National Council on Aging, NATO, NBC, Nespresso, NFL, Nike, OVO, P&G, Playtika, Polestar, Red Bull, Samsung, Sentient Jet, Shanghai Disney Resort, Starbucks, Superdry, Target, Tele2, TikTok, Tinder, Tipico, Top Gun: Maverick (Paramount via NRG), United Airlines, Vans, Visa, Vivid Seats, Warner Music Group, Washington Commanders, Wells Enterprises, Zales, etc.
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.