At the latest IPA Council meeting (Thursday 22nd March), comprising leaders from 47 agencies across the UK, it was agreed that the IPA should prepare an industry template for a Code of Conduct for agencies to use in their employment policies on bullying and harassment issues, including objectification.
This template will outline what objectification means and give advice on what acceptable work behaviours look like in order to stop any activities that objectify men or women.
The discussion was led by IPA President, Sarah Golding, Chief Executive and Partner of The&Partnership.
Said IPA President Sarah Golding, CEO of The & Partnership: “Council members came together at the IPA, as part of Adweek, to discuss a number of issues. One of these issues was what we could do as industry leaders to collectively put an end to any agency practice that seek to objectify men or women. What we agreed was that the IPA would pull together a template for agencies to adapt for their employment guidelines if there is no advice already. Agency cultures are very different, and it is important they are different, but how you respect each other as colleagues should be the same. We are now gathering best practice examples and will be issuing this template in the next couple of weeks. This initiative is one of many that the IPA has undertaken as part of its Diversity agenda which we are very proud of.”
