Global Reporting Initiative Reports
Provide a statement from the most senior decision-maker of the organization about the relevance of sustainability to the organization and the organization's strategy for addressing sustainability
Message from Philippe Krakowsky, CEO Interpublic and Michael Roth, Executive Chairman, Interpublic
This year, IPG’s dedication to purpose was a key factor that helped guide our company through the upheaval related to the COVID-19 pandemic around the world, as well as social and political turmoil, and increased focus on racial injustice, in many countries, including the U.S.
Environmental, social and governance concerns are a key value for IPG, and a business driver for our organization. As such, this year, we have continued to enhance our commitment to our ESG goals. We are both a marketing company and a citizen of our communities; IPG therefore has a responsibility to operate sustainably, contributing to a healthier society and a healthier planet.
We define our ESG commitment broadly as conducting our business ethically, committing to create marketing messages that promote sustainable consumption patterns, minimizing our environmental impact, and fostering a culture of inclusion and equity. Our sustainable operations are aligned with the health and well-being of our employees, and with the long-term health of the communities where those employees live, work and vote. We have defined our ESG areas of focus to include human capital, diversity, equity and inclusion, climate action, data ethics and privacy and responsible media and content.
In this, our sixth year of reporting on our sustainability initiatives utilizing the GRI framework, we have continued to deepen our commitment. This year, we expanded the measurement of our emissions and other environmental impacts using GHG Protocol Corporate Standards to include all of the offices in our portfolio. This boundary has been steadily increased year over year, and has led to our ability to track our global progress around climate change and to explore opportunities to set meaningful long-term targets to reduce our impact on the environment. IPG is exploring science-based targets to expand upon our current commitment of Scope 2 relative intensity target for 10% reduction by 2030 in metric tons CO2e per employee from a baseline of 2015.
This year’s GRI Report reflects a new level of ESG transparency for IPG, and a recognition of and support for a multi-stakeholder approach set forth by leading sustainability and integrated reporting organizations. We pursue continuous improvement of our programs by contributing to the global development of sustainability practices and reporting on those practices. This year, we have expanded the scope of our disclosures, notably around human capital topics that include parental leave, gender pay gap and diversity data.
IPG once again renewed our support of the United Nations Global Compact and committed to uphold the Compact’s 10 principles in the areas of environmental sustainability, fair labor practices, human rights and anti-corruption.
IPG continues to engage in work that supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. These 17 global goals are part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable development, which aims to advance environmental protection and economic growth that leaves no one behind. IPG has specifically committed to supporting United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #6, access to water and sanitation for all. We have also partnered with Civic Alliance in the U.S. on voter rights initiatives, as well as America is All In, showing our support for climate mobilization and recovery, and the Unstereotype Alliance, ensuring that our creative work does not foster harmful stereotypes.
The single most important factor in our company’s success continues to be talent – our human capital. Our talent is drawn from people of varying ages, backgrounds, cultures, faiths, genders, physical abilities, races, gender identity, and sexual orientations – to name but a few of the qualities that make each of us unique. As part of our human capital management, IPG has committed substantial resources and expertise to increasing diversity in our ranks and to forging a sustainable culture of inclusion at our company, as well as ensuring the physical and mental health and well-being of our people.
This past year, IPG’s diversity, equity and inclusion group executed hundreds of programs that reached thousands of people around the network, and created custom resources for at-risk populations that addressed topics of key concern as the overwhelming majority of the workforce transitioned to working from home. At IPG, we encourage, protect and celebrate our diversity, understanding its importance to our success as an employer, and in the marketplace. We also work to ensure that we provide world-class benefits, training and career development for our people.
We remain committed to working to broaden and deepen our commitment to ESG during the year ahead. You can read more about that commitment on the Sustainability and Purpose area of our website.
