Architecting Inclusion: Singleton Beato on Embedding DE&I into the DNA of Creativity - 2025 Next Practices Weekly

In a powerful session of Next Practices Weekly, Singleton Beato, a globally respected DE&I strategist, shared how McCann Worldgroup is embedding diversity, equity, and inclusion into every layer of its creative and commercial operations. Drawing from over two decades of transformative work, Singleton outlined how DE&I functions as a core business driver rather than a siloed initiative.

Co-hosts Amber Burton and Eric Davis guided a conversation rich with insights on scaling inclusive leadership, navigating complex cultural dynamics, and harnessing creativity as a force for equity. Singleton made a compelling case for organizations to reframe DE&I as both an ethical and strategic imperative.

Key Topics Discussed:

• DE&I as a Core Business Discipline, Not a Standalone Program
  Singleton challenged the mindset that DE&I lives only in HR. She argued it must be woven into strategy, operations, creative decisions, and brand identity. For HR leaders, this means shifting from “initiative owner” to “strategic architect.”
• Scaling Inclusive Leadership Across the Organization
  She emphasized that real change requires every leader—across functions and levels—to internalize inclusive behaviors. HR’s role: design leadership development, accountability systems, and coaching to make inclusion a leadership standard.
• Mitigating Bias at Scale Through Design & Process
  Singleton shared frameworks and guardrails for reducing unconscious bias in hiring, storytelling, performance evaluation, and creative briefing. For HR, this reinforces the need to audit systems, train teams, and embed checks throughout the employee lifecycle.
• DE&I Meets AI: The Risk and Opportunity
  Singleton noted that AI can amplify or mitigate bias depending on how it’s built and used. She urged DE&I leaders to collaborate with tech and legal teams to ensure AI supports inclusion, not undermines it—highlighting the power of AI tools in bias detection, inclusive design, and equitable assessments.
• Sustaining Culture Transformation Through Inclusion by Design
  Culture isn’t changed by one campaign—it’s sustained through feedback loops, structural reinforcement, and alignment of DE&I metrics with business outcomes. HR can pilot “inclusion by design” in workflows, review cycles, and role expectations.
• Global Relevance and Local Sensibility in DE&I Strategy
  As McCann operates worldwide, Singleton underlined that inclusive approaches must be culturally fluent yet globally coherent. HR teams in multinational contexts should combine central principles with local adaptation (e.g., region-specific DE&I norms, languages, and market sensitivities).

The session wrapped with actionable advice and powerful reminders that culture transformation is a journey—not a checklist. Singleton’s blend of boldness, practicality, and deep experience left attendees energized and equipped to embed inclusion across the business. For those who missed it live, the on-demand recording is a must-watch for any leader looking to future-proof their culture and brand.

Resources Shared

• Is your organization truly remote-first? Find out what leading companies are doing differently—download the new joint i4cp-Akamai report, Remote First Organizations.
• Register for 2026 Conference -  i4cp's Next Practices Now Conference

To ensure open discussion, this event was exclusively for HR practitioners. Vendors and consultants were not permitted to attend.