Partnering with Purpose: Reflections on our Journey with tms

At The Brokerage, we believe lasting change happens when organisations go beyond performative action and commit to reimagining their systems. That’s exactly what we’ve seen in our partnership with tms – a global brand transformation company that believes in turning insight into impact. With creativity at their core and a human-first approach, tms helps brands build meaningful connections with people. Their values – curiosity, courage, and collaboration – aren’t just words on a page; they shape how they show up in the world.

Over the past 18 months, we’ve worked closely with tms to embed social mobility and inclusive practice into the fabric of their organisation. What follows is our reflection on the journey – what we did, what changed, and why this partnership is a model for what good DEI work can look like when it’s done with intention.

By Aisha Lysejko, Strategic Lead, The Brokerage:

It’s not just who you hire. It’s what you change.

That’s why this partnership worked.

Over the last 18 months, we’ve worked with over 50 leaders at tms -from HR, Creative, Sourcing and Finance (to name a few).

This wasn’t box-ticking. This was real, embedded, systems-level work:

Assessing organisational practices
Introducing Social Mobility
Training managers to inclusively recruit & onboard talent
HR focus groups with our Young Leaders
Reverse Mentoring with Leadership
Org-wide reflection

Learning that led to action

Every step was met with openness.
Curiosity.
Care.

They learnt. And did the hardest thing – where most companies fall short:
They made CHANGES to their practices.

They also:
→ Hired an intern with us.
→ Provided work experience.
→ Supported their local school.
→ And are planning for more.

“It’s only the opportunity that’s lacking.”

Why did they commit so deeply?

Because they now know for sure:

“It really is only the opportunity that’s lacking”
“This is all about finding the best talent for the roles”

On our final day, we didn’t just celebrate – we asked:
What’s next?
How do we embed more structural change?
And the leaders got to work figuring it out.

This is how DEI becomes culture:

→ Evidence-led
→ Lived experience centred
→ Systemic, not surface-level
→ Doors opened to overlooked talent
→ Backed by people who actually care

tms isn’t done.
They’ve just started building something that lasts.

And we couldn’t be more proud to be part of the journey.

In their own words…

Mark Watson, Managing Director, tms Europe, shares what he learned through reverse mentoring with our Young Leader, Tawsif Islam:

For the past eight weeks, I’ve had the pleasure of being mentored by Tawsif Islam. Most of our chats focus on business problems and understanding how to develop the next generation of talent. But in the course of getting to know each other, thanks to The Brokerage—we also spent time reflecting on our upbringings and unique circumstances.

Small shifts. Big impact.

In one conversation, Tawsif invited me to learn more about Ramadan and shared two pearls of wisdom that not only helped us recognise it in the office more respectfully, but also made those observing Ramadan feel more comfortable and seen.

Don’t assume what people need.

“That straightforward question moved us from guessing needs to directly asking how we can best support our team.”

‘Opposite’ observances can happen concurrently, if done with sensitivity.

“By doing this, both events were able to comfortably live alongside one another – which is what we believe belonging and inclusion is all about.”

These shifts happened not just because of a mentoring structure, but because we created a space where curiosity and safety could co-exist.

“I am looking to find what other conversations and learnings can be accelerated with this formula, too.”

Corporate Lead – Chris Lewis at The Brokerage said:

“As someone relatively new to The Brokerage, it’s been inspiring to witness tms’s journey with us firsthand. The shifts in mindset and genuine commitment to change have been powerful. This experience hasn’t just benefited the young people involved—it’s also brought meaningful growth to the brilliant team at tms.”

Want to explore how your organisation could go beyond the surface and embed change that lasts?
Contact us to start your journey.