Inclusion in the research sector

MRS leads a number of activities within the research and insight sector to support inclusion and diversity.

Jane Frost CBE, chief executive of MRS, comments: “At MRS we are driven by our mantra, ‘evidence matters,’ but we need to lead by example and demonstrate that opportunity matters too. As the sector that provides insight and evidence, we must be representative of the changing world around us and we believe that the only barriers to progress should be personal choice and professional capability. Through initiatives like our Manifesto for Opportunity and #MRSPride, we want to energise discussion and inspire action within the market research community. "

Read Jane's blog on 'Helping more people get heard'.

The CEO pledge - Manifesto for Opportunity

MRS' Manifesto for Opportunity (PDF) asks CEOs to make five commitments towards creating safer and more representative workplaces. The pledge includes: publishing pay statistics annually, working towards government targets for women and ethnic minorities at board level and improving recruitment practices.

The pledge has been signed by the following:

7^th Sense Research UK: Fergus McVey
Basis Research: Rune Mortensen
BVA BDRC Group: Crispian Tarrant
Big Sofa: Kirsty Fuller
C Space: Felix Koch
Clearview Research: Kenny Imafidon
Dynata: Gary Laben
Firefish: Jem Fawcus
GfK: Warren Saunders
Hall & Partners: Vanella Jackson
IFF Research: Jan Shury
Ipsos MORI: Ben Page
ITWP Group (parent company of Toluna and Harris Interactive): Paul Twite / Frederic Charles 
Kantar: Amy Cashman
Kantar Profiles Network: Caroline Frankum
Lucid: Ben Hogg
MESH: Fiona Blades
Motif: Ginny Monk
NatCen: Guy Goodwin
Northstar: Matthew Sell
The Nursery: Peter Dann
Opinium: James Endersby
Quadrangle: Ali Camps
Savanta Global: Roger Perowne
Savanta UK: Nick Baker
Savanta Americas: Vin DeRobertis
Walnut Unlimited: Jane Rudling
Watermelon: Mark Squires
Yonder: Michael Simmonds 
Zappi: Steve Phillips

If you would like to sign the Manifesto for Opportunity on behalf of your organisation please email mrs.ceo@mrs.org.uk

Mentoring and apprenticeships

To back up the CEO Pledge and provide more practical support MRS has introduced within the MRS mentoring scheme the option for BAME matching, supported bursaries for professional qualifications via the MRBA, and we are in the final stage of completing an apprenticeship scheme to provide an alternative to the generally university based entry routes to the sector.

Inclusion, diversity and equality research and report 2020 

A new report has found widespread recognition of diversity and inclusion challenges within the market and social research sector and an appetite for change. 

Click here to download Diversity, inclusion and equality in the market research sector, 2020 by Dr Marie-Claude Gervais, co-founder of Versiti, in partnership with Kantar.

MRSPride - a network uniting LGBTQ+ professionals and allies across the sector

MRSPride is open to MRS members, staff of Company Partners and anyone within the research and marketing sectors. Chair of MRSpride is Michael Brown MMRS, Head of Insight, UM. Contact Michael via MRS.pride@mrs.org.uk

Find out how to join the network and upcoming MRSPride events.

IJMR lecture: Covid-19 and race: protecting data or saving lives?

The principal argument put forward in this IJMR lecture, delivered June 2020 by Richard Webber and Trevor Phillips, is that the interests of Britain’s ethnic minority population are no longer being served by many of the restrictions that apply to the collection and analysis of data relating to race. IJMR is the International Journal of Market Research, published by MRS.

Watch the lecture: Covid-19 and race: protecting data or saving lives?

Listen to our podcast on LGBTQ+ in the workplace