You’ve
probably heard by now. The main character of the Barbie movie, a movie
highlighting the harsh demands of womanhood, has been nominated for an Oscar –
and it’s for Ken.

Star
Margot Robbie and director Greta
Gerwig’s snub was called “one of the
biggest shocks in recent memory” by the Associated Press. In tandem, Ryan
Gosling, the Oscar-nominated Ken himself, showed his disappointment in this
statement: “There is no Barbie movie without Greta Gerwig and Margot
Robbie, the two people most responsible for this history-making,
globally-celebrated film.”

Clear
parallels can be drawn between this and the corporate world’s fight for
diversity. Just like the Oscars’ rebuff of Barbie, women in the
workplace are constantly battling against unconscious biases and flagging DE&I
initiatives. Whether they’re wanting a promotion, to break the glass ceiling or
to win an Oscar, women’s efforts have historically gone unrecognised.

With
International Women’s Day right around the corner (8th March – mark your
calendars), I see this Oscar incident as an example of what women face everyday
in the business landscape. Let’s discuss how we can learn from it and foster a
more inclusive workplace.

The need for diversity data in challenging
assumptions

My
first thought when I heard about the Barbie snub was that it teaches us
a valuable lesson on the need for transparent diversity data within
organisations. I have no idea how Oscar nominations are made – and that’s part
of the issue.

Just
like we need diversity data to make informed business decisions, the public
needs data to understand why Gerwig and Robbie weren’t nominated. Only then can
we be really clear on the equitability of the decision.

A
lack of transparency creates a danger of being misunderstood. In a business
context, a commitment to openness builds trust among employees, stakeholders
and the community, enhancing the organisation’s credibility by showing that
choices are made fairly.

This
is what The Academy is lacking. So, what information do we have? I decided to
do some research on the demographics
of Oscar voters. The Academy claims to have
broadened their voting body – but there is still a clear lack of diversity in
their ranks. In 2023:

– 33% of
The Academy’s members identified as women

– 19%
were from underrepresented ethnic/racial communities

– 66% of the voting body was male and 81%
was white

While
this is an improvement from 2012’s
Oscar voting body, it’s clear that their DE&I
efforts have fallen short. 

Unfortunately,
we see this mirrored in the executive world. Despite women holding 40% of
positions on FTSE 100 boards, only nine women in total hold
CEO roles. When this is what the landscape looks like, diversity data is
crucial. Without it, it’s understandable why people accept things at face
value: the man is getting the advantage.

By
presenting concrete evidence of fairness in decision-making processes,
organisations – including The Academy – can hold
themselves accountable, foster a culture of trust and
dispel assumptions. This promotes a more inclusive and informed understanding
of the factors influencing organisational choices.

Unconscious biases: Women’s invisible
barriers 

With
a lack of information about why Gerwig and Robbie were snubbed, we have to ask
ourselves: did some unconscious bias creep into the decision?

Many
believe that The Academy missed the point of the film, overlooking its
meticulous orchestration. Despite its resounding cultural impact, it has been
dismissed as a movie about, in the
words of Jo Koy, “a plastic doll with big
boobies”.

Once
again, this issue pervades in businesses today, with a Deloitte
study revealing that 39% of employees experience
unconscious bias at least once a month. Additionally, 89% of
hiring managers admit to making judgments about
candidates within the first 15 minutes of an interview, resulting in unfair
decisions. For example, women are 45% more likely to be excluded from STEM jobs
due to biases in the hiring process.

Indeed,
women face an unconscionable amount of gender bias in the workplace. Their
assertiveness is often construed as aggression and, despite getting higher
performance ratings, they are 14% less likely to be promoted than men each year
because their leadership
potential is underestimated.

Correcting
unfair biases isn’t about hiring people – or nominating them for an Oscar –
because you think they deserve it based on their gender. That doesn’t empower
women, it’s just a means of ticking a box. The point is to make sure everyone
has a fair chance and that they’re not being thrown out of the process because
of prejudices.

What’s the role of male allyship in shaping
inclusive workplaces?

Progressing
towards gender parity, whether it’s in the office, the boardroom or the Dolby
Theatre, requires a stronger stance from male colleagues.

Statistics
show that men
overestimate their effectiveness as allies.
77% believe they’re doing “everything they can do” to support gender fairness.
But only 41% of women agree with this and 60% of employees say it’s rare to see
men calling out discriminatory behaviour.

The
impact of
male allyship is palpable. It reduces
workplace hostility, increases gender-equality norms and strengthens
professional relationships. In turn, this creates a culture of collaboration
and mutual respect that benefits the entire organisation.

Ryan
Gosling’s response to his Oscar nomination is a prime example of what it means
to be an ally, and act on it. By advocating for his female counterparts, he
contributes to dismantling gender biases and challenges the structural
inclusion within The Academy.

Daring
to speak out is difficult, but necessary. According to the World Economic
Forum, it will take another 136 years
to close the gender gap. All of us, from men to women
to executives to CEOs, have to challenge organisational decisions and ensure
they’re based on fairness so that we bridge the gap quicker. If we don’t get
curious, then Ken wins, and Barbie loses.

What can businesses learn from Barbie?

Just
as gender biases in the corporate world will never eclipse the fight for
equality, so will a lack of nominations never take away from Barbie’s
message. What Gerwig and Robbie did in terms of their impact is, in my opinion,
an Oscar in its own right.

Amid
this controversial decision, America
Ferrera’s Barbie nomination for Best
Supporting Actress is the ray of hope we all need. She is now one of the eight
Latinas to have ever been nominated in that category’s history, proving that no
matter what obstacles you’re facing, there’s always a way to forge your own
success.

From
a business perspective, I believe Barbie spotlights the headwinds that
women face on a profound level. Its message, reception and even its Oscar snub
provide crucial insights into how leaders and organisations at large can
support their female peers on the road towards gender parity.

If you’d like to have a chat about how your
business can improve its diversity, equity and inclusion strategy, contact me today.