Universal Registration Document 2024

/ Health and safety indicators

/ Number and rate of recordable work-related accidents [S1-14-88 (c)]

4.3.6.3 Preventing serious illnesses

#WorkingWithCancer

As the then Chairman of the Management Board, Mr. Arthur Sadoun, was personally affected by cancer in 2022, and aware of the difficulties that employees may face, he wanted to take action to eliminate the stigma of cancer in the workplace. This subject should no longer be taboo. Two figures underpin this project: the fact that 50% of the adult population will be affected by cancer during their lifetime, and the fact that 92% of sick employees stated that a work environment that was attentive to their particular situation had helped them. Considering the multiple difficulties that employees must face during their illness (medical care and follow-up, personal and family organization, professional development and responsibilities, material constraints) or when they have a role of direct caregiver, Mr. Arthur Sadoun launched this program aimed at encouraging companies to take better account of individual situations surrounding the disease. Since the official launch in January 2023 at Davos with 200 business leaders, end-2024, 2,700 companies (representing nearly 35 million employees) have joined and signed the WorkingWithCancer Pledge. This simple commitment requires companies and their managers, on the one hand, to publicly show their support for the approach by pledging the name of the manager and the company in order to be clearly associated with the program; on the other hand, to take concrete personalized support measures for employees faced with the disease.

This #WorkingWithCancer charter covers employees affected by cancer or serious and/or chronic pathologies affecting personal and professional life, temporarily or permanently. Each company is free to choose its own way of working. It is also interesting to note that SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) have joined the initiative.

For its part, Publicis Groupe has made the following four commitments:

1. safeguarding the wage of employees affected by the illness for at least one year;
2. offering the employees concerned individualized support to help them manage professional and personal difficulties and facilitate their return;
3. creating an internal community of people directly or indirectly affected by the illness, trained to provide adequate support;
4. for caregiver employees, access to personalized support to help them through this difficult time.

In this context, an audit of the practices of the Groupe’s subsidiaries was carried out in 2023 at the initiative of the HR Operations, Insurance and CSR Departments to get an accurate picture of the local social protection systems and care schemes for employees faced with illness (or caregivers). This work was carried out in 70 countries with the help of WTW. The findings of this audit were reported to the Compensation Committee and the ESG Committee of the Supervisory Board. This audit revealed, on questions of social protection and health, that all countries are in compliance with their local regulatory framework, when it exists, and are in compliance with the basic rules set out in Janus, the Groupe’s Code of Conduct and Ethics. This overview was essential in order to work with the local HR and Talent teams on the implementation of the WorkingWithCancer plan, which required a country-based approach. Operational facilities have been built with the contribution of volunteer employees to suggest improvements based on their own experiences. Since 2023, it has been rolled out in all countries, with the introduction of a one-year wage continuation scheme for employees affected by illness; the effective implementation of coaching or personalized support to deal with professional and personal ups and downs at this difficult time; the establishment of internal communities able to provide voluntary and generous support; and the search for local solutions to help caregivers.

In February 2025, a “Screening Time Off” campaign was launched to encourage employees to take the time to get tested and take their exams on time.

#WorkingWithCancer works in France with the Institut Gustave Roussy and the Cancer@Work association, as well as with the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in the United States, and with MacMillan Cancer Support in the United Kingdom. [S1-4-40 (a)]