Redesign Systems
Our Approach
We continue to focus on redesigning our systems that hire talent, develop products, and support our team so that Snap can live up to its ambition of being fully equitable. To succeed, we take to heart the ACT Report recommendation that all companies must “bring a business approach to inclusion, and an inclusive approach to business.” DEI cannot be separate – it must be fully integrated into a company’s business plan.
One way we are doing this is by ensuring that all of our teams, from engineering to recruiting, can implement DEI in their individual strategies and operations. Snap's Learning and Development team has scaled our “3i” framework by incorporating it into each part of the talent development life-cycle, from onboarding to leadership development. This actionable and tested framework is broken down into three parts: internal, interpersonal, and institutional. Each area within the “3i framework” is meant to have a domino effect: team leaders identify and reflect on biases and privileges, and then turn awareness into concrete action and behavior change, which ultimately drives institutional change.
Institutional change also requires the redesign of the entire ecosystem in which we operate. That is why we hope to encourage our content partners to strive for similar representation goals that we strive for with Snap Originals. For example, we are committed to helping our Snap Original production partners provide apprenticeship opportunities to candidates from historically underrepresented backgrounds, including participants from underserved communities, and/or living with disabilities. We know how challenging it can be to break into the entertainment industry, so we help connect production companies with LA-based colleges to help build diverse slates of production assistant candidates that they can vet, interview, and engage with for relevant projects (both in Snap Originals and other productions they may have).
We also want to continue doing our part to support talented minority-owned companies breaking into the industry. In December, we launched our first content accelerator for underrepresented groups, 523 — named after Snapchat’s first address at 523 Ocean Front Walk on Venice Beach. Our first 523 class focuses on supporting small, minority-owned content/media companies which traditionally lack access and resources, especially when compared to larger competitors and publishers. Participants will spend 6 months developing concepts and producing content for Snapchat’s Discover platform. They will receive specialized curriculum, exposure to sponsors, 1-on-1 mentorship, and hands-on training sessions, in addition to receiving $10,000 per month for the duration of the program.
Download the Diversity Annual Report