Developing and Expanding a Culture of Inclusivity Internationally With Playboy
PLBY Group Inc., a globally recognized lifestyle and consumer brand, has evolved significantly from its origins into a diversified business spanning products, partnerships, and digital platforms. As the company entered its next phase of growth, leadership identified an opportunity to better align its internal structures with its evolving business model. DSG Consulting was engaged to help bring greater clarity, consistency, and cohesion to how the organization operated.
The Challenge
Playboy engaged DSG Consulting to help address cultural and retention challenges driven by inconsistent employee experiences and a lack of standardized systems across the organization. Leadership identified the need for clearer structures to support alignment, improve decision making, and create a more connected workplace. DSG Consulting partnered with Playboy to design and implement the frameworks and practices necessary to strengthen culture and drive long-term retention.
The Tactics and Results
Over a 10-month engagement, DSG Consulting partnered with PLBY Group Inc. to design and implement a cohesive suite of organizational policies, tools, and frameworks that strengthened alignment, improved decision-making, and introduced more consistent people practices across the business.
DSG developed structured decision-making tools, including the Yandy Ambassadors Guide and a Contractor & Partnership Evaluation framework, to standardize how employee conduct and external relationships were assessed. These tools established clearer expectations and a more transparent approach to evaluation, enabling leaders to make consistent, well-informed decisions while reducing ambiguity and risk.
Grounded in direct employee input, DSG translated feedback from facilitated sessions into a tailored Employee Resource Group (ERG) framework designed to support employee connection, collaboration, and engagement. This ensured that new programs were practical, relevant, and aligned with the evolving needs of the workforce.
To address brand legacy and modern standards, DSG also developed a Multi-Use Disclaimer for archival content, providing a scalable way to thoughtfully contextualize historical materials. This allowed Playboy to maintain its heritage while reinforcing a more consistent and intentional approach to communication.
Collectively, this work moved Playboy from fragmented and informal practices to a more structured and operationalized model. Leadership gained practical tools to drive consistency and accountability, employees experienced greater clarity and connection, and the organization established a scalable foundation for aligning its workforce, brand, and business practices over time.
“Yardstick has been an incredible partner for us. We continue to use the tools we’ve collaborated to build, embedding DEI best practices into the very fiber of our daily operations.”
— Jenny Greenwald Sade, Playboy, Former Chief People Officer