The Advertising Council Australia (ACA) today launched an accreditation program to lift the status of the industry and to reward commitment to continuous professional development.
The program, three years in the making, will set benchmarks in ethical conduct, support employee safety and wellbeing, seek to improve diversity and inclusion, aim for a culture of learning and development and world-class professionalism and standards.
Agencies will have to jump a series of hoops to gain, gold, platinum and diamond status.
ACA CEO Tony Hale says the advertising industry has no barriers to entry. Anyone can open a shop and call themselves an agency but accredition will change that.
"What we're trying to do is to set the expectations in the industry, raise standards as far as we possibly can," Hale says.
"I believe that over time there will be a clear differentiation between the standards by members of the ad council versus the standards perceived by agencies or entities that aren't members."
Michael Rebelo, CEO of Publicis Groupe, ACA deputy chairman and chair of the ACA Accreditation Committee, has put several years of his life into the program.
He describes advertising as one of the most exciting and dynamic industries in the world, playing a crucial role in driving growth for clients.
"We have a great reputation for creativity and how we are driving business growth and I think we're well respected for that," he told a media briefing.
"But we want to make sure that we are an industry is seen as one of the highest professional services in this countries, as you would be taking advice from a lawyer or a accountant.
"And I don't think we're quite there yet."
And as a professional service, advertising must also be the "most trusted," he says.
“Accreditation benefits everyone - clients, agencies of any size, and most importantly, our people. To be ACA-accredited will be a mark of distinction that demonstrates an agency's commitment to developing ethical strategies that ensure continuous support, growth and innovation," Rebelo says.
“This will make a demonstrable difference to how we operate, and not just the product we create - ultimately building a more diverse and sustainable future for our industry."
Accreditation is available from June 5 to ACA member agencies.
● Accredited member status will be awarded based on agencies having four professional standards in place: an up-to-date staff policy handbook consistent with all current laws and workplace obligations; an Employee Assistance Program; a qualified Mental Health First Aid Officer on staff (for businesses with more than 50 employees); and a commitment to make ACA Codes & Compliance training available for all staff.
● From August, members can apply for additional A+ Endorsements, with criteria tied to genuine progress in two key areas - diversity and inclusion, off the back of ACA’s landmark Create Space Census, and reconciliation - recognising differences in commitment and capability within ACA’s broad member base and helping brands and marketers to make more informed decisions about which accredited agencies they want to work with. In 2024, ACA will also launch an A+ Endorsement for Environment and Sustainability.
● Tiered accreditation is available from 2024. Gold, Platinum and Diamond Accreditation awarded to members who provide evidence of ongoing investment in professional standards and training, corporate social responsibility and professional development metrics.
ACA CEO Tony Hale says the broader business community doesn't necessarily view the Australian advertising industry as professional particularly when compared with other sectors such as law and accounting which ahve their own accreditation.
“Accreditation is, therefore, an enormously important step forward for the sector and is key to creating an industry-wide culture of professionalism, engendering trust, accountability, integrity and respect for our industry as a whole,” he says
ACA members - 74 agency brands across 160 plus offices, including some of the country’s biggest advertising firms - will now be governed by a set of codes including new Member Rules, a new Code of Conduct and a longstanding Code of Ethics, providing ACA with the ability to set and review legal and behavioural standards.
A 2022 ACA survey revealed that standards are not uniform across its membership base.
One-fifth of ACA’s smaller member agencies do not have an up-to-date Employee Policy Handbook and almost one in three spend less than 0.5% of payroll on staff professional development. Only 29% of members were confident that Codes and Compliance training had occurred in the last 12 months, as examples.
ACA’s 2022 Create Space report also revealed key insights into the experiences of advertising professionals, with one in five likely to leave the industry due to a lack of inclusion or discrimination, more than half affected by a mental or physical health condition, and only 53% aware of their company's DE&I strategy, policies and procedures.
A Member Resources Hub has been established to provide agencies will all tools, resources and information.
“Accreditation is rigorous yet accessible for all ACA members and we will work with every one of them to ensure no agency is left behind in their pursuit of professional excellence," says Hale.
“This is a turning point for the industry and we want every advertising agency and business to play their part in ensuring Australian advertising is one of the most professional services in the country.”
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