ICM Partners is making its workplace a better environment for women. The talent agency has pledged to reach full 50–50 gender parity by 2020 with a special focus on leadership roles. “In two years’ time, women will represent half the agency’s partnership, half its department heads, and half its board of directors,” The Hollywood Reporter confirms.
ICM managing director Chris Silbermann was inspired to set the goal after talking to agency client and mogul Shonda Rhimes about the rampant toxic masculinity problem in Hollywood. “I said, ‘I think the answer is gender parity,’” Rhimes recalled. “Where there’s equity, there’s less harassment and abuse.”
“It’s not enough to have 50 percent [female] employees,” Silbermann observed. “Women have to be equally represented in true positions of leadership and influence throughout the company.”
Exactly. If women are ever going to be treated equally, they must be represented equally. As Silbermann notes, that doesn’t mean just making sure that half of all company employees are women: it means that women are adequately represented as executives, managers, and other higher-up roles, as well as entry-level and mid-level positions.
Real gender parity also means mentorship and support for women at all stages of their career. “Women have historically been shut out of ways that bonding happens in the workplace,” said Rhimes. “You have to change the way you have team-building and rethink how you’re getting to know people.”
“There have always been a lot of natural avenues for male bonding, which translates to male mentorship,” Silbermann added. “Mentoring women into leadership positions needs to be a conscious practice, which has been and will continue to be a priority for us.”
Di Glazer is a prime example of how women benefit from professional mentorship. She worked for years with ICM theater head Patrick Herold and publishing co-head Sloan Harris — both of whom are men — while rising the ranks from trainee to theater department co-head. “This is us making a commitment to educate and grow people so we have true equity,” Silbermann said of Glazer’s promotion. “It’s not affirmative action. She earned it.”
“We’re taking the initiative to do something,” he continued. “Whatever your version of ‘50–50 by 2020’ is, you should just do it.”
ICM is the first agency of its size to strive for true gender equity. The organization already boasts about 40 percent female agents and department heads, according to THR. ICM will have to bring on 10 female partners and two or three female board members to reach gender parity.
Rhimes was recently named one of THR’s Women in Entertainment Power 100. She is the creator of ABC megahits “Grey’s Anatomy,” currently in its 14th season, and “Scandal,” currently in its seventh and final season.
