DDB Germany’s Chief Strategy Officer, Christina Keller, sat on the panel for the 2024 UN Women’s Empowerment Principles Forum in Berlin this past week to discuss gender equality in the value chain.

Christina said, “DE&I and female empowerment are part of the DDB DNA since day 1. Ever since our founding in 1949 Bill Bernbach built our agency under the strong belief that ‘different is better‘. The more diverse our talent – in experience, background, gender, race, religion, ethnicity – the better and more innovative our creative work.

“At his side, Phylis Robinson was the woman to lead the copy department – a revolution at the time. She helped women to break out of stereotypical categories like fashion – and supported our founders to build one of the most inclusive agencies in Madison Avenue. Our ‘Four Freedoms’ have carried this founding spirit over the decades and are more relevant today than ever: Freedom from Fear, Freedom to Fail, Freedom from Chaos and Freedom to Be.

“These values and the five accompanying behaviors are the foundation for the inclusive environments alive in our agencies, welcoming and celebrating talent diversity and individuality.”

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