Golin SG puts diversity and inclusion into action with 'Raceipe For Change' cookbook

Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) has been growing in importance and both brands and agencies have set out to create a more inclusive environment for their employees. Golin Singapore decided to take its DEI initiative a step further by creating a cookbook titled "Raceipe For Change", featuring its employees' favourite recipes including thunder tea rice, bibimbap, moussaka, chicken and pork adobo, Nyonya chap chye, and cedar plank salmon. According to Golin, the raceipes fuel its creative engine and its a celebration of the distinct flavours of its identities. They also intend to break stereotypes, with an Indian sharing her favourite pasta recipe, a salsa dip from a Malay to a twist on the Old-Fashioned cocktail from a teetotaller.

Shouvik Prasanna Mukherjee, Asia Pacific chief creative officer, told MARKETING-INTERACTIVE that in recent public discourse, there has been heightened attention to the racial and cultural identity of Singapore. The cookbook is a passion project by its Singapore team where everyone contributed a recipe that they make or love. It was then designed by Golin's creative team and launched primarily as an eBook on its Instagram. It also made a few printed copies for clients and industry partners, and each book costs about SG$75 to print. 

"At Golin, we believe that the diversity of our talent and an inclusive, collaborative culture is fundamental to deliver positive change for our clients," he explained. Raceipe For Change officially launched in line with Racial Harmony Day as the team wanted to use it as an occasion to celebrate diversity. With Singapore's National Day coming up, Mukherjee said this presents yet another opportunity to showcase that same spirit of unity in diversity and celebrate the passion and creativity that makes Singapore possible.

"DEI is a part of the agenda for every monthly townhall hosted by our Asia Pacific president Darren Burns. During the townhall on 30 June, we conducted an all-staff brainstorming session to come up with ideas to celebrate our diverse and inclusive culture. We bounced ideas from NFT art to music videos – but ultimately our love for food won!" Mukherjee explained.

It also helps that the team at Golin Singapore are a bunch of foodies. The pandemic has led the team to miss daily team lunches and frequent after-work dinners with colleagues. While its weekend potluck and BBQ sessions continue, Mukherjee said the experience is no longer the same due to the limits on attendance and social distancing measures. "With representation from over half a dozen countries across three continents, we also share and exchange our taste in diverse cuisine. So, this recipe book seemed like an obvious choice," he added. 

Additionally, Golin hopes to seek more talent using the cookbook and showcase its passion and creativity to potential clients. Raceipe For Change has been a hit, with the team receiving fantastic response from clients, partners and teams worldwide, Mukherjee said. In fact, some of the teams in other markets are also mulling coming up with a similar cookbook by collating recipes from their local staff. It is also receiving requests for print copies and are considering a limited hard-bound coffee table edition.

"At Golin Singapore, we are a smorgasbord of colour, gender, race, age and ethnicities. And together, we tell stories that touch souls. These are actually stories of people, places and the magic of ingredients bringing us together. They show the drama of colour and flavour, the balance of spices and garnishes, and paint a powerful picture on a plate. They are intended to end in more than just a good meal. They provide food for thought – to realise the power of a diverse and inclusive team," he explained. 

Apart from the book, the Golin Singapore Culture Club also hosted a virtual sharing session on Racial Harmony Day to learn more about the diverse cultural heritage of Singapore. It invited founder of Joot, Terry Chia, to share about the history and heritage of the Peranakan culture, craft and creative expression. A pop quiz session on the different ethnic groups in Singapore was also conducted to deepen the understanding of differences and help employees appreciate one another. 

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