Faced with the critical urgency of the environmental crisis, it was essential to us to further accelerate our efforts.Not only has the Management Board chosen to massively raise awareness among employees, but it has also taken,with the full support of the Supervisory Board, very concrete measures which have earned the Groupe recognition as an industry leader on ESG criteria. In this regard, I am delighted with the creation of the ESG committee, which is actively working to respect and strengthen our commitments.
Always being ready for the next world is a proactive commitment. It means adapting to change, viewing it as a lever for reinvention, progress, relationship and dialogue with the society around us. Publicis has always committed proportionately to this responsibility. Take, for example, our commitment to diversity and inclusion among employees, by progressing the Groupe’s leadership to 41% of women in key management positions in 2021. Our motto «Viva La Difference» has also evolved through strengthening the Groupe’s actions in favour of social justice, with several programmes for young people with little access to our professions. Faced with the critical urgency of the environmental crisis, it was essential to us to further accelerate our efforts. Not only has the Management Board chosen to massively raise awareness among employees, but it has also taken, with the full support of the Supervisory Board, very concrete measures which have earned the Groupe recognition as an industry leader on ESG criteria. In this regard, I am delighted with the creation of the ESG committee, which is actively working to respect and strengthen our commitments. Examples include the commitment to carbon neutrality before 2030, and the tools and training put in place to reduce the environmental impact of the production of the Groupe’s campaigns all over the world.
I know I can count on the management team to continue to make Publicis an efficient, solid, agile group,mobilised around a vision sharedby everyone; employees, clients,shareholders.
So at the start of 2022, I could have talked to you about restored serenity. But today, as you know, the brutal war in Ukraine raises many uncertainties, and forces us to be extremely cautious. Our priority here again was of course to respond to the human repercussions of this conflict: to protect, support and help Ukrainian employees to find safety and rebuild their lives. We also took a quick and unambiguous position on our presence in Russia. By ceding control of our operations on site, we immediately stopped our activities there while ensuring a future for our Russian employees. Serenity cannot be appropriate in the face of a conflict whose geopolitical, economic and human shockwaves will be felt for years. I know I can count on the management team to continue to make Publicis an efficient, solid, agile group, mobilised around a vision shared by everyone;employees, clients, shareholders.
I would not be complete if I did not say, on behalf of the Supervisory Board, our recognition and admiration for the extraordinary vitality and commitment of all our employees around the world under the leadership and impetus of Arthur Sadoun, Chairman of the Management Board, who has taken wonderful advantage of all of the Groupe’s assets, operating them like the cylinders of a Formula 1 to the greatest benefit of all our clients. As a result, the model created is both unique and extraordinarily efficient. It carries within itself the seeds for growth in the next world.
So, yes, I have confidence - and I also count on your confidence - in our ability to always be ready for the next world.