Since its creation, Publicis Groupe has focused on operating in accordance with high standards of ethics and ensures that this requirement is shared by all employees and managers.
Janus is the Groupe’s Code of Ethics and applies to all managers and their teams. It consists of a code of conduct and detailed operating rules. The code of conduct applies to all employees (see Section 3.1.5 of this document). 81% of the Groupe’s workforce has received training in the Janus Code and its contents. The majority of new employees, follow an induction program comprising a presentation of the Groupe and its businesses and a presentation on Janus and its key principles. This includes elements related to team and manager standards of behavior, and the operating rules to be respected in terms of fair trade. One of these elements is the “Zero Tolerance” principle in terms of discrimination, harassment, and violence at work, rules regarding conflicts of interest, fraud, prevention and combating of corruption, data protection, key points of the HR policy, and a reminder of the major principles adhered to by the Groupe, such as the United Nations Global Compact.
In terms of business, one of the Groupe’s historical principles is its refusal to take part in partisan communications campaigns of any kind. The Groupe refuses to work for political parties, sects or ideological propaganda organizations. Several Janus excerpts are available on the Groupe’s website, in the CSR section.
In accordance with article L. 225-102-4 of the French Commercial Code, Publicis Groupe has drafted and implemented a Duty of Care plan comprising reasonable duty of care measures for the identification of risks and prevention of serious infringements in the areas of human rights and fundamental freedoms, health, personal safety and the environment, resulting from the Company’s activities and those of the companies it directly or indirectly controls, within the meaning of article L. 233-16 of the French Commercial Code, as well as the activities of sub-contractors or suppliers with which it has an established business relationship.
Every year since 2003, the Groupe has recommitted to the 10 principles of the United Nations Global Compact – principles which apply to the Groupe’s employees and those of its subsidiaries, as well as to its suppliers. These principles are based on:
The principles of the United Nations Global Compact are incorporated into several sections of the Janus Code of Ethics, in particular, HR & General Policies, CSR Framework and CSR Guidelines for Business (previously CSR Procurement Guidelines).
A dedicated Steering Committee on Duty of Care was set up in 2017, comprising members of the Internal Audit and Risk Management Department, as well as the CSR, Procurement, Human Resources and Legal Departments. Reporting to the Groupe’s Secretary General, this Committee is tasked with introducing, and ensuring the implementation of a Duty of Care Plan in relation to the Company’s activities and those of all its subsidiaries or companies that it controls. This plan comprises reasonable duty of care measures for the identification of risks and prevention of serious infringements in the areas of human rights, fundamental freedoms, health, personal safety and the environment, resulting from the Company’s activities and those of the companies it directly, or indirectly, controls, within the meaning of article L. 223-16 of the French Commercial Code, as well as the activities of sub-contractors or suppliers with which it has an established business relationship, where these activities relate to that relationship.
The findings of its work are presented to the Supervisory Board’s Strategy and Risk Committee.
Internal Audit covers labor-related issues during its regular reviews (HR procedures, employee protection and information, whistleblowing system, etc.).
