Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Creative Industry

By 2024, 78% of S&P 500 companies reported an executive level DEI role, yet 46% of employees say they would consider leaving a company that does not value DEI. Meanwhile, the creative pipeline still looks uneven on the ground, from women in key design and directing roles to who holds leadership seats. Let’s map what the industry’s workforce and decision makers reveal, and where the gaps persist.

Key Takeaways

34.2% of graphic designers reported being women in the United States (2023)
49% of producers and directors in the United States reported being women in 2023
55.4% of art directors in the United States reported being women in 2023
46% of employees said they would consider leaving a company that does not value DEI (survey, 2024)
7.9% of Fortune 500 CEOs were Asian in 2024 (context for creative-industry leadership representation)
85% of S&P 500 companies had at least one woman on their boards in 2024
15.5% of board directors at S&P 500 were underrepresented minorities as of 2024 (context for representation)
25% of UK creative workers are from ethnic minority backgrounds, according to a 2023 analysis of UK creative industry workforce composition
6.9% of workers in the US advertising industry are Hispanic or Latino, per US Bureau of Labor Statistics employment composition (2022)
In the US advertising workforce, 27.1% of employees are Black or African American or other racial/ethnic minority groups combined (2022 occupational workforce composition data for selected advertising-related occupations)
49% of organizations say their DEI efforts are linked to performance goals for managers (survey, 2023)
71% of respondents in a 2023 global survey said DEI affects brand trust and perception
In US television, 24.3% of speaking characters in prime-time broadcast TV were from underrepresented racial/ethnic groups in 2022–2023 (GLAAD/Media representation analysis season report)
In the UK, 18% of creative organizations said they have employee resource groups or similar affinity groups (survey result, 2023)

Women lead many creative roles, but DEI gaps persist, influencing retention and brand trust.

01 · Category

Workforce Demographics6 stats

34.2% of graphic designers reported being women in the United States (2023)

49% of producers and directors in the United States reported being women in 2023

55.4% of art directors in the United States reported being women in 2023

56.8% of craft artists in the United States reported being women in 2023

52.0% of photographers in the United States reported being women in 2023

56.4% of U.S. computer and mathematical occupations were men in 2023; 43.6% were women (used as a proxy for creative-adjacent tech workforce gender context)

Interpretation

Workforce Demographics Interpretation

In the creative industry workforce, women hold clear majorities in several roles such as art directors at 55.4% and craft artists at 56.8% in 2023, while other creative-adjacent positions like computer and mathematical occupations skew male with 56.4% men, underscoring a gender split across the workforce demographic spectrum.

02 · Category

Workplace Culture1 stats

46% of employees said they would consider leaving a company that does not value DEI (survey, 2024)

Interpretation

Workplace Culture Interpretation

In workplace culture, 46% of employees say they would consider leaving a company that does not value DEI, showing how strongly DEI shapes retention and day to day belonging.

03 · Category

Leadership Representation5 stats

7.9% of Fortune 500 CEOs were Asian in 2024 (context for creative-industry leadership representation)

85% of S&P 500 companies had at least one woman on their boards in 2024

15.5% of board directors at S&P 500 were underrepresented minorities as of 2024 (context for representation)

78% of S&P 500 companies reported having an executive-level DEI role or responsibility in 2024

17% of TV show creators in the US were women in the 2022–2023 season, based on a US television representation analysis

Interpretation

Leadership Representation Interpretation

Leadership representation in the creative industry appears to be improving but unevenly, with 78% of S&P 500 companies naming executive-level DEI responsibility in 2024 while only 15.5% of their board directors were underrepresented minorities and women accounted for just 17% of TV show creators in the 2022 to 2023 season.

04 · Category

Workforce Representation5 stats

25% of UK creative workers are from ethnic minority backgrounds, according to a 2023 analysis of UK creative industry workforce composition

6.9% of workers in the US advertising industry are Hispanic or Latino, per US Bureau of Labor Statistics employment composition (2022)

In the US advertising workforce, 27.1% of employees are Black or African American or other racial/ethnic minority groups combined (2022 occupational workforce composition data for selected advertising-related occupations)

In the US, 17.2% of employees in arts, entertainment, and recreation are Black or African American (2022 composition)

Hispanic/Latino workers make up 18.2% of the US creative workforce segment studied in the same 2023 report on representation in media and entertainment

Interpretation

Workforce Representation Interpretation

Workforce representation in the creative industry remains uneven, with only 25% of UK creative workers coming from ethnic minority backgrounds while US segments show similarly partial inclusion such as 6.9% Hispanic or Latino in advertising and 27.1% Black or African American or other racial and ethnic minority groups combined.

Diversity Equity And Inclusion In IndustryDiversity Equity And Inclusion In The Supply Chain Industry Statistics

05 · Category

Dei Practices1 stats

49% of organizations say their DEI efforts are linked to performance goals for managers (survey, 2023)

Interpretation

Dei Practices Interpretation

With 49% of organizations tying DEI efforts to managers’ performance goals, it’s clear that DEI practices are increasingly being operationalized through accountability rather than treated as optional initiatives.

06 · Category

Audience Impact2 stats

71% of respondents in a 2023 global survey said DEI affects brand trust and perception

In US television, 24.3% of speaking characters in prime-time broadcast TV were from underrepresented racial/ethnic groups in 2022–2023 (GLAAD/Media representation analysis season report)

Interpretation

Audience Impact Interpretation

For Audience Impact, 71% of respondents say DEI influences brand trust and perception, while US prime-time TV still shows only 24.3% of speaking characters from underrepresented racial or ethnic groups, suggesting that stronger representation may be closely tied to audience confidence in what brands put on screen.

07 · Category

Policy And Programs1 stats

In the UK, 18% of creative organizations said they have employee resource groups or similar affinity groups (survey result, 2023)

Interpretation

Policy And Programs Interpretation

In the UK, only 18% of creative organizations report having employee resource groups or similar affinity groups, showing that policy and programs supporting inclusion are still uncommon.

Reference

Cite This Report

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APA

Leah Kessler. (2026, February 13). Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Creative Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-creative-industry-statistics

MLA

Leah Kessler. "Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Creative Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-creative-industry-statistics.

Chicago

Leah Kessler. 2026. "Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Creative Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-creative-industry-statistics.