Global Reporting Initiative Reports
List externally developed economic, environmental and social charters, principles or other initiatives to which the organization subscribes or which it endorses
IPG is committed to good corporate citizenship.
IPG is committed to operating sustainably, and in a way that is in sync with the long-term health of our environment and our communities. We are also dedicated to three core principles of purpose: we use our expertise as marketers to make a difference in communities around the world; we take care of and invest in our people; and we ensure a fair governance structure at our company. The Corporate Governance Committee of IPG’s Board of Directors oversees the company’s sustainability initiatives.
IPG is guided by a purpose-driven strategy that aligns with its role as a member of the Business Roundtable. In 2019, IPG become a signatory to the Business Roundtable’s Statement on the Purpose of a Corporation, which commits CEOs to lead their companies for the benefit of all stakeholders – customers, employees, suppliers, communities and shareholders. As a global company, IPG takes these principles further through various global initiatives.
Since 2015, IPG has been a participant in the United Nations (UN) Global Compact. The UN Global Compact is an initiative that encourages companies to align strategies and operations with universal principles on human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption, and to report on the actions the company takes to advance these societal goals. IPG submits an annual “communication on progress” to the UN Global Compact.
Since its launch in 2017, IPG has played a leading role as a founding member and Vice-Chair of the UN Women Unstereotype Alliance, which aims to eliminate harmful gender-based stereotypes. In 2020, IPG announced our adoption of the UN Global Compact’s Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs), a program of 3,000 business leaders around the world. IPG is committed to integrating the seven principles and the accompanying gender gap analysis tool into our global framework for measurement and action.
IPG is a member of the 30% Club, which aims to reach at least 30% representation of women on corporate boards. IPG has endorsed this objective, which has informed our commitments and strategy on increasing the diversity of IPG’s Board of Directors. Since becoming a member of the 30% Club, IPG has also become a member of the Steering Committee for its U.S. chapter.
Additionally, IPG continues to engage in work that supports the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These 17 global goals are part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which aims to advance environmental protection, social protection, and economic growth while leaving no one behind. IPG has specifically committed to UN SDG #6: Access to water and sanitation for all. As part of this commitment, IPG has partnered with charity: water on several initiatives that bring water to those in need. In recent years, IPG has fully funded a drilled well for an entire community in Tigray, Ethiopia, and a rehabilitated well with a hand pump in Ethiopia that provides water to nearly 200 people.
We also work to support our democracies, human rights, and diversity and inclusion.
The various endorsements and commitments discussed above inform IPG’s policies and programs to ensure we are accountable to all of our stakeholders—investors, clients, employees, consumers, and communities —around the world. These include the following ESG-related IPG policies: IPG Code of Conduct, Sustainability and Environmental Impact Policy, Anti-Harassment and Equal Employment Policy, Anti-Corruption Policy, Corporate Governance Committee Charter and Alertline, and Supplier Code of Conduct.
In recognition of our commitment to sustainable business practices, IPG has been highlighted for its efforts in sustainability with our inclusion on various indices. Most recently, IPG was listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) North America. The DJSI North America tracks the performance of leading companies in terms of economic, environmental and social criteria. This index recognizes the top 20% of sustainability performers among the 600 largest U.S. and Canadian companies. In 2020, IPG was the only advertising holding company headquartered in North America to achieve this key milestone.
Additionally, IPG is included on the FTSE4Good Index, which identifies companies that demonstrate strong environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices measured against international standards. And, IPG is part of the Bloomberg Gender Equality Index, a premier ranking of global companies that publicly demonstrate their commitment to equality and advancing women in the workplace, and the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index, which lists IPG as one of the “Best Places to Work LGBTQ Equality.” IPG is proud to be the first global marketing services holding company to be included on this list.
