However, it quickly realized that partnering with Urban Alliance also fostered an internal culture of inclusion, and helped DigitasLBi hire a diverse workforce that brought in new, fresh perspectives allowing them to better serve their clients. It proved to be a solution that allowed DigitasLBi to continue to disrupt the landscape of the industry by building its culture of risk, fearlessness, and innovation.
Partnership Fruition
In order to be a successful global marketing and technology agency that helps brands get fit for the future, DigitasLBi is focused on attracting, retaining, and growing a diverse workforce. DigitasLBi refers to fostering this unique culture that supports diverse talent as blending. Blending is central to everything DigitasLBi does because it allows them to case the right people for the challenge, creating more powerful results that lead their clients towards success. That is why in 2012, DigitasLBi decided to partner with Urban Alliance. Urban Alliance provided DigitasLBi the opportunity to build a diverse workforce and add new perspectives to both their inclusive culture and client work.
A Direct Impact on Someone’s Life and Career
Partnering with Urban Alliance allowed DigitasLBi to directly contribute to the growth of its community by helping local youth gain access to professional growth and experiences to achieve a life of work and selfsufficiency. This is a responsibility and honor DigitasLBi does not take lightly. DigitasLBi believes in not just saying they’re helping – they actually do. To date, DigitasLBi has hosted three full-year interns and one summer intern who have worked in their Finance, HR, and Design departments. Program Coordinators (PC’s) are assigned an intern and work directly with the mentor to make sure accurate training is given. This, combined with the fact that Urban Alliance interns are quick and eager to learn, is why Urban Alliance interns have become as valuable as any freelancer at DigitasLBi. In fact, all of DigitasLBi’s Urban Alliance interns enrolled and stayed in college.
“Mentoring and managing someone through Urban Alliance has been an incredible experience. For me personally, I’ve learned just as much from my interns as they’ve learned from me. I’ve become a better manager, a better partner, and even think differently because of the perspectives I get from them.”
- Angela Ingrassia Arwady, Sr. Associate, Human Resources and Company Life
Workforce Development Benefits
One key learning is to ensure that their interns participate in handson learning projects at their worksites and through Urban Alliance training programs. This has worked so well for DigitasLBi that they are able to confidently assign interns internal-only projects that fulltime, experienced staff members were previously responsible for. Urban Alliance Interns are assisting with projects ranging from filing to hand designing brand new logos to use on company emails.
As an employer, DigitasLBi also has team members that bring new points of view reflective of their target audience. As a company whose success is dependent on understanding different points of view to enhance their campaigns and brands, understanding young adults is critical. That is also why DigitasLBi views young adults as the future of our business and the drivers of the future of advertising. Viewpoints like those of their Urban Alliance team members provides DigitasLBi with the new insights they need to stay ahead of the game. Furthermore, partnering with Urban Alliance promotes forward thinking for the company’s future and allows DigitasLBi to execute their commitment to education.