Building on our beginnings to champion equality internally and externally

Over the years, DNEG has implemented a number of initiatives to support gender equality within our studio globally, and at the industry level. To quote our Global Head of HR, Delna Dhamodiwala “We’re at the beginning of our journey, with a long way to go. We’ll keep on building on our beginnings, to produce and promote real change in our industry” – here are some of the steps we have been taking.

Lean In – empowering our employees in India

We are thrilled to be partnering with Lean In, a global community dedicated to helping foster leadership, advancement, and inclusion for people in the workplace through the concept of Circles: small groups which bring together women from all walks of life to provide a place for peer mentorship, skill-sharpening, and to be unapologetically ambitious.

DNEG counts 20 active Circles and over 100 members, discussing topics such as mindfulness, confidence building, and Women leadership in the VFX industry.

“Lean In is a platform that provides working women with an opportunity to talk about topics like gender equality, period leaves, work-life balance, women in leadership roles, etc. This initiative has given us an opportunity to form a close-knit group helping each other grow. This has not only supported me in my personal life but, being with like-minded and strong women, also gives me the power to face challenges in life.” Priya Singhania, Department Line Producer and member of DNEG Lean In Circles

dnWomen – our employee-led group for women, by women

We recently spotlighted dnWomen, a discussion group for our women-identifying employees that aims to create change through support, education and advocacy. Missed our blog post? Click here to find out more about the group, its mission and its vision.

“I truly believe that by coming together with a vision and enthusiasm, we can create the change we are (increasingly) keen to experience – including welcoming more women in the workplace.” Dara McGarry, Outreach Director and dnWomen chair

DNEG Proud Group – a discussion group our LGBTQIA+ community

Gender Equality Week also celebrates gender-diverse communities. We introduced you to the DNEG Proud last June as we celebrated Pride month.

You can (re)read more about them here, and catch up on a couple of events we hosted over the summer including ‘Gay and Impatient – Trust the Process’ and ‘It Starts With U: Uncovering and Understanding Unconscious Bias’.

“It’s really important to have a group where you know you have like-minded people who you can speak to, seek help and share experiences knowing they will be fully open and understanding.” Boyan (Bobby) Georgiev, Unreal TD 

Our mentorship and career coaching programs

Supporting each other’s growth is part of our DNA at DNEG. Our career coaching and mentorship program were developed to accelerate talent, cultivate diversity and encourage gender equality through knowledge sharing.

You can read more about our coaching program and its impact, and how our mentorship program sparks career progression while building stronger relationships within our crew.

“Before the program, I felt stuck and didn’t think I could move into any new role. It gave me a little push and then followed with the support to let me step into a new role very quickly.” Stevie Stephens, Texture Technical Supervisor and mentee 

The BCTQ Leadership and Team Management training program

DNEG contributed to the development of the BCTQ’s Leadership and Team Management training program for women in VFX and Animation. The program’s purpose was to support women accessing supervisory positions in developing leadership and team management skills. Eight team members of our studio in Montreal benefited from the training, Tetiana (Tania) Kirian, Resource Manager is one of them:

“The BCTQ training program helped each participant to understand the keys to inspiring leadership, and identify their own style, vision and natural strengths. We’ve all acquired valuable knowledge on how to become better leaders, able to share courage with others, recognize the team’s talents, and lead with positivity. I believe we can all truly make a difference if we treat each matter with great candour, invest our energy in a smart way, and always act in accordance with the values we believe.”

FIND OUT MORE

To learn about Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at DNEG, our employee-led groups, programmes and partners, click here.

And if you are interested in joining our team and building your career at DNEG, check out our open positions.