In an environment where the new presidential administration is canceling Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts, many companies are retreating and ending their commitments.
But DNA&STONE is not just standing firm—it’s rising to the occasion.
In a world where voices of dissent are silenced, the national advertising agency, headquartered in Seattle, is not only raising its voice—it is amplifying the crucial conversations about DEI that need to be heard — and doubling down on its commitment to DEI initiatives.
“DNA&STONE is an LGBTQ+ owned agency, a Black-owned agency, and a straight white guy-owned agency,” said DNA&STONE Founder Alan Brown. “At DNA&STONE, we believe that our differences, all of them, make us stronger. And our commitment to diversity is at the core of who we are and what we do. Our approach to diversity is broad – not only based on gender, race, ethnicity or sexuality, but also life experience and cognitive diversity. It’s a proven fact that diverse teams solve problems with more innovation, creativity, and efficiency than less diverse teams. So why would you NOT want to embrace diversity?”
DNA&STONE’s action speaks louder than words.
For a complete overview of its DEI commitment, visit https://dnacreates.com/dei
Its workforce at a glance*:
- 44% diverse across race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation
- 50% female representation
- 67% of new hires over the last year have been BIPOC & LGBTQ+ talent
Commitments/Advocacy:
- Joined the #CommitToChange campaign, a program where agencies commit to being transparent and publicly reporting their diversity statistics and data annually.
- Committed to the for-impact advocacy group for Black talent in advertising and public relations, “600 & Rising’s 12 Action Steps,” addressing the systemic racism afflicting the advertising industry.
- Founding agency partner with both BLAC Internship and Project Violet, the first and only national mentorship program supporting LGBTQ+ talent in the advertising industry.
- Created #BlackBlackFriday — a community-wide movement that helps shoppers save while pouring full proceeds back into Black-owned businesses.
*The DNA&STONE diversity report includes race, gender, age, ethnicity, and sexual orientation. The additional diversity it strives for includes physical ability, nationality, religion, political, education, cognitive, neurodiversity, personality, values, and Veteran status.
“We believe that by moving our workforce to a majority-diverse population, fostering equitable paths for employee growth, and ensuring diverse representation in our strategic approach and creative work, our differences benefit not only our culture and clients but also the advertising industry as a whole,” said Brown.
