Publicis Groupe Agencies Score High Marks on The Human Rights Campaign’s 2018 Corporate Equality Index

Publicis Groupe is proud to announce that in the U.S. market, DigitasLBi, Leo Burnett, MSL, Publicis Health, Publicis Media, Re:Sources, Saatchi & Saatchi, SapientRazorfish and Sapient Consulting have all scored a perfect 100 on the Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) 2018 Corporate Equality Index (CEI) survey. This achievement allows all companies that score a perfect 100 to adopt the designation of “Best place to work for LGBTQ equality”.

The HRC CEI is a US-based benchmarking survey on corporate policies and practices pertinent to lesbian, gay bisexual and transgender employees. The survey aims to capture a comprehensive picture of what companies do to foster diverse, engaging and inclusive work environments for their LGBTQ talent by asking a wide variety of questions on topics including companies’ non-discrimination policies, the availability of transgender-inclusive healthcare benefits, and their support of LGBTQ business resource groups to name just a few.

Publicis Groupe agencies have been participating in the HRC CEI since 2006 when Starcom MediaVest Group was the first network entity to score top marks, helping to pave the way for others to follow. The 2018 survey marks the sixth consecutive year of perfect scores for DigitasLBi; the fourth year for Publicis Health; and the fifth consecutive year for MSL, Leo Burnett, Saatchi & Saatchi and Re:Sources. Publicis.Sapient brands Sapient Consulting and SapientRazorfish also received perfect scores in this year’s report, building on more than five years of distinction from HRC. In addition to past recognitions earned by several agencies within Publicis Media, this year marks the first year that the Solution hub itself has been recognized as an employer of choice and “Best Place to work for LGBTQ Talent” under Publicis Groupe’s new Power of One organization.

That so many Publicis Groupe solution hubs and agencies have scored such high marks on the HRC’s 2018 CEI is no accident. Égalité (French for Equality and pronounced eh-gah-lee-tay), Publicis Groupe’s business resource group for members of the LGBTQ community and their allies, has been at the forefront in counseling solution hubs and agencies on how to improve their scores since 2012.

Anne-Gabrielle Heilbronner, Publicis Groupe’s Secretary General and Member of the Directoire, commented: “It is a point of pride that our agency culture empowers our talent to make substantial contributions to our business. Égalité was started as a grassroots initiative and has added tremendous value in fostering engaging and inclusive work environments. In 2012 only one Publicis Groupe agency participated in the HRC CEI. Today, two entire solution hubs and seven agencies have been coached to success by Égalité.”

Commenting on the success of so many Publicis Groupe solution hubs and agencies Sandra Sims-Williams, Publicis Groupe’s Chief Diversity Officer in the U.S., noted that “this achievement is the manifestation of our company’s motto Viva la Difference! which is both a celebration of work that stands out in the marketplace and a celebration of our diverse talent and inclusive work environments which are home to many members of the LGBTQ community. We can all feel tremendously proud of this achievement.”