4.3 SOCIAL: FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS, IMPACT & EQUITY
ESRS S1 OWN WORKFORCE
Business growth was very strong in 2025. The Groupe’s employees drive the Company’s dynamism and have shown adaptability and effectively met their clients’ expectations. Social issues are central and material for Publicis Groupe, with teams and human capital being the Company’s main asset.
4.3.1 Publicis Groupe’s commitments in terms of fundamental human rights
Since its creation in 1926 by Mr. Marcel Bleustein-Blanchet, the Groupe’s values have been based on humanistic and universal principles. The history of the century-old Company embodies clear choices in favor of freedom, fraternity, solidarity and equality. These principles were shared by the founder in numerous books illustrating his vision of the Company and its role in society at the time. With the international expansion led by Mr. Maurice Lévy, then Chairman of the Management Board, these values were written in order to be more widely shared with the employees joining the Groupe through multiple acquisitions. They are based on human dignity, respect for everyone’s individuality, and on the fight against all forms of discrimination or harassment. This document is public, and was the basis for the Groupe’s Janus Code of Conduct and Ethics, introduced in the early 2000s. These values are regularly reaffirmed and endorsed by the Chairman of the Groupe, Mr. Arthur Sadoun, as well as the members of the Executive Committee and Management Committee.
All employees are a core asset of the Company. Even though Publicis Groupe now has114,079 employees (52.4% women) worldwide, human relations and interactions are at the heart of agency life. In addition to compliance with laws and regulations, which is imperative, the flexible and agile internal way of working allows everyone to grow professionally, to propose initiatives and to participate in the development of the Company. This humanistic vision goes beyond the Groupe’s own framework and applies to relationships with clients, partners and suppliers, and with society in general. [S1-SBM-3]
Trusting labor and human relationships are formally supported by a number of public commitments made by the Groupe:
- in 2003, Publicis Groupe signed the United Nations Global Compact, reaffirming its commitment to the ten key principles each year. These principles were then integrated into the Company’s human resources policy to affirm its commitment to human rights and fundamental freedoms; the fight against all forms of forced labor, modern slavery, human trafficking and child labor; and the protection of health and safety;
- in 2009, Publicis Groupe acquired the Women’s Forum for the Economy and Society, illustrating its determination to highlight the strong economic and social contribution of women in society (see Section 4.3.4.1);
- in 2011, the Groupe joined Catalyst in the United States, an NGO specializing in equal opportunity issues in the broadest sense, acting as an expert center that shares a great deal of corporate knowledge and experience;
- in 2015, the Groupe aligned itself with the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs);
- in 2018, Publicis Groupe signed the WEPs (Women Empowerment Principles of the United Nations) and joined the AIMM (Alliance for Inclusive Multicultural Marketing) in the United States, as well as the Free The Work initiative, promoting women in the professions of production, direction and photography; [S1-1-20 (a) to (c)]
- in 2022, Publicis joined OneInThreeWomen, an international initiative mobilizing companies around domestic violence against women: companies are required through this commitment to set up assistance systems or facilitate access to concrete assistance for victims (temporary accommodation, various resources, etc.). They are in place in agencies in the United States and Canada, India, France, Australia and New Zealand, for example. Publicis France is a member of #StOpE (Stop Ordinary Sexism in the Company), the first inter-company initiative to combat so-called “ordinary” sexism in the workplace;
- in 2025, Publicis joined the Engage & Care Corporate Coalition, initiated by L’Oréal, and bringing together several companies to share best practices to support employee well-being and progress a number of topics.
