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. "

The CEO pledge - Manifesto for Opportunity

Further underpinning this work, MRS also launches its Manifesto for Opportunity (PDF) today – asking CEOs to make five commitments towards creating safer and more representative workplaces. The pledges include: publishing pay statistics annually, working towards government targets for women and BAME people at board level and improving recruitment practices.

The pledge has been signed by the following:

BVA BDRC Group: Crispian Tarrant
Big Sofa: Kirsty Fuller
C Space: Felix Koch
Dynata: Gary Laben
Firefish: Jem Fawcus
GfK: Warren Saunders
Hall & Partners: Vanella Jackson
Ipsos MORI: Ben Page
ITWP Group (parent company of Toluna and Harris Interactive): Paul Twite / Frederic Charles 
Kantar: Eric Salama/Amy Cashman
Kantar Profiles Network: Caroline Frankum
Motif: Ginny Monk
NatCen: Guy Goodwin
Northstar: Matthew Sell
Opinium: James Endersby
Quadrangle: Ali Camps
Savanta Global: Roger Perowne
Savanta UK: Nick Baker
Savanta Americas: Vin DeRobertis
Watermelon: Mark Squires
Zappi: Steve Phillips

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

Inclusion report

Where We Stand: Inclusion, Equality and Diversity (IED) Industry Report from MRS and Kantar, presents key findings on gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity and age within market research. The research also shines a light on health and wellness issues in the sector for the first time – showing that more than half of men and women under the age of 44 within the research sector suffer from mental health conditions.

The new report follows two pieces of IED research conducted by MRS and Kantar in 2017, which showed a lack of diversity and equality within senior management. When those studies were published, MRS made a commitment to drive change and to consistently track how behaviours are changing in the sector.   

You can download the report here.

New LGBTQ+ network - #MRSPride

#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

You can search for #MRSPride events here.

Click here to register your interest in the #MRSPride network and future events.

Listen to our podcast on LGBTQ+ in the workplace