He’s known for his hilarious spots on ads, now Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds is giving back. Reynolds has co-founded a nonprofit to help make creative careers accessible to all. 

In a spot released through his newest venture The Creative Ladder, Reynolds explains that the focus of the new nonprofit will focus on underrepresented communities. 

“I love making ads and want to help make sure talent of all backgrounds have the access and information they need to succeed. Ads are just another form of storytelling. A more representative workforce will only make this industry stronger. It will enable better stories,” says Reynolds. 

How will it make creative careers accessible?

The new nonprofit offers a wide array of programs and services for students and upcoming creative talents. This will open up opportunities in marketing, advertising, design, and commercial production.

Deloitte shows strong support of The Creative Ladder pledging an initial USD$500,000. The donation will align with Deloitte’s long-standing commitment to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion. 

With Deloitte, the initiative has also been backed by hotel chain Hilton. The hospitality company will financially support as well as hosting the inaugural Creative Leadership Conference. Hilton has prided itself on representing many different cultures, backgrounds and viewpoints. And the brand alignment meant that Hilton was able to further support inclusive career and leadership development.

“We are pleased to join forces with The Creative Ladder to drive awareness and inclusivity across careers in marketing,” said Mark Weinstein, chief marketing officer, Hilton. “At Hilton, we know how important it is to our current and future team members to create a culture where diverse backgrounds are welcomed. We are diverse by nature, inclusive by choice.”

To lead the organisation, co-founder Reynolds will be joined by co-founder and CEO Dionna Dorsey Calloway, founder of the lifestyle brand District of Clothing. The third co-founder and Chief Content Officer David Griner, a longtime editor for Adweek.