3/22/2013 ('ltmatc renter Mart chsponSc re )ourrnquir} a I I climate investigations i Response to your inquiry Dixon. Kimberly -- Tues Aug 2a 2018 at 905 AM To "inro@climateinvesligattonsmg" Dear Kent I am oontaoting you in response to your ietter to Pam at Weber dated June 23' mm (attached). Thank you tor the opportunrty to update you on our progress on rmportant rssue Since our ortginal response in 2014' we have continued to Lake steps to mtnimtze our impact on the environment and promote sustainaoiirty. You can read about the results ofthese on-gotng errorts tn the our 2016 Corporate Citizenship Report at link) Some highlights 70 percent of U.S. offices and 85 percent of the firms headcount in the U.S. are now working in LEED certilied oilices. We have oflset the equivalent (302 emissions from 1,184,630 gallons of gasoline through our partnership with Carbonlundorg. Atter revtewmg the inrorrnation in the report ityou have any duestrons, ptease reel free to oontaot me, and i wouid be happy to speak with you. Best Regards, Kim Kimberly Dixon Vice President, Global Corporate Communications Weber Shandwick, 909 Third Ave New York, NY 10022 WEBER SHANIIWIEK armor-wt hups Hntatl gwgic com/marI/tt/l/" SkuanI-IM or. uptsn ti: 8/28/2018 Climate Investigations Center Mail - Response to your inquiry Advertising Age Agency A­List Standout (2017, 2018) PRWeek Global Agency of the Year (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018) The Holmes Report Global Agency of the Year (2017)   This message contains information which may be confidential and privileged. Unless you are the intended recipient (or authorized to receive this message for the intended recipient), you may not use, copy, disseminate or disclose to anyone the message or any information contained in the message.  If you have received the message in error, please advise the sender by reply e­mail, and delete the message.  Thank you very much.   ClimateChange.pdf  97K https://mail.google.com/mail/u/1/?ui=2&ik=a8ff34dc6b&jsver=xs54cwwYgHM.en.&cbl=gmail_fe_180820.11_p4&view=pt&msg=16580a4808e37ece&search=inbo… 2/2 ENGAGING GN PURPGSE WEBER 201G EITIZENSHIP WEBER SHANIJWICK engaging always. LETTER FROM EXECUTIVE TEAM In a world of accelerating change, we know the only way to stay true to our commitment to be "Engaging always." is to evolve, innovate and start anew - always. And with purpose. TABLE OF CONTENTS So in 2016 we took a fresh look at our corporate citizenship efforts in order to define what's next - and more importantly, what's possible - for our people, our clients, our business, and the world around us. We crystallized the focus of our pro bono work across the globe. Through our Impact Project, we united our efforts around the mission to close the opportunity gap. From helping refugees adjust to new cultures to building houses in disadvantaged communities across the globe, our people came together to help others achieve their potential and live more prosperous lives. Diversity and inclusion has always been a hallmark of our culture and our success. To deepen our cultural connectivity and understanding - and in celebration of Weber Shandwick's 15th anniversary - we sent 15 employees from 15 offices to 15 different countries around the world. We engaged in creative new partnerships, like partnering with Verizon to create a marketing services immersion experience for diverse graduates of outstanding promise, and working with ActionAid UK to bring the horrors of Female Genital Mutilation to light. 3 | Letter from the Executives 3 | About This Report GREEN INITIATIVES 5 | Engaging From Day One: A Los Angeles Green Team Story 6 | A Sustainable Way of Life 6 | A Step Toward Sustainability 7 | An Eco-Friendly Asia 7 | Our Carbon Offset Initiative 8 | Achieving Common Ground 9 | Plastic Nearing Office Extinction 9 | Celebrating Earth Day 10 | Making a Local Impact DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION SOCIAL IMPACT CLIENT PROGRAMS MAKING AN IMPACT AWARDS 13 | Making Strides in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion 29 | Making the Case for: A "Brutal Cut" 43 | Making the Case for: Learning the "Namaste" Way 14 | The World of PR ... And All Those Other Worlds, Too 14 | From Firefighting to Fashion: My life Before PR 18 | Flexible Work Schedules: A Reality in Dubai 19 | Are You Breaking The Data Bubble? 20 | Fostering the Next Generation of Talent in the United Kingdom 21 | Colin Byrne Recognized With New Equality Award 22 | The Creativity Beneath the Surface -- the Hidden Artists of PR 23 | 15x15 Global Exchange 24 | The Business Case for Diversity 25 | Weber Shandwick Wins Best PR Firm Diversity Initiative at 2016 Diversity Distinction in PR Awards 26 | Building an Inclusive Workplace 2 Engaging on Purpose 30 | Making the Case for: Breaking Nutrition out of the Echo-Chamber 31 | Making the Case for: Ending the Illiteracy Crisis 32 | Making the Case for: Access to Education For All 34 | Making the Case for: Making a Micro-Impact IMPACT PROJECT: PRO BONO PARTNERSHIPS 37 | Making the Case for: Turning Personal Passion into Professional Growth 38 | Making the Case for: Creating a Smoke-Free Workplace 39 | Making the Case for: Being #WiththeRefugees 40 | Making the Case for: Rallying Employees to Show #WECARE It proved what we have always known: Communications is a powerful tool for change. And as the converging forces of business, politics, media, culture and technology have made our world evermore complex, we uncovered trends to help our people, clients and industry navigate enormous change. We explored how organizations can better leverage purpose-driven analytics to achieve social and environmental goals and examined American's perceptions about the state of civility and diversity in the workplace. 44 | The Journey to Germany: Welcome Home, Refugees We're excited to share all of this, and more, in our 2016 corporate citizenship report, "Engaging on Purpose." 46 | Saving Indonesian Tigers with the World Wildlife Fund Jack Leslie Chairman PARTNERSHIPS ABOUT THIS REPORT 48 | Our Partnerships THOUGHT LEADERSHIP 49 | 2016 Thought Leadership AWARDS 50 | Awards Through 2016 Andy Polansky Chief Executive Officer Gail Heimann President We are proud to present Weber Shandwick's fifth annual Corporate Citizenship Report, featuring the progress the company has made toward being a more sustainable, diverse, equitable, inclusive and impactful company in 2016. GUIDING PRINCIPLES With a global network of nearly 4,000 employees and operating across 81 countries, we take our role as corporate citizens seriously. We instill the ethos of responsible citizenship in all of our global operations, by: o o o Minimizing our environmental footprint and promoting sustainability Fostering a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace Partnering with like-minded clients who are committed to creating work that makes an impact G4 REPORTING This year, we continued our efforts to align with best practices in reporting by using the G4 Index as set forth by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). We use the G4 Index as a framework for reporting on sustainability issues material to our business, as determined through dialogue with key stakeholders. Please see our GRI Disclosure Index on webershandwick.com. 3 GREEN INITIATIVES GREEN INITIATIVES 4 Engaging on Purpose < Proud members of the Weber Shandwick Los Angeles Green Team ENGAGING FROM DAY ONE: A LOS ANGELES GREEN TEAM STORY AS MY FIRST DAY AT WEBER SHANDWICK By Zachary Stevens, Account Executive, Los Angeles We are steadfast in our commitment to be responsible citizens of the world -- as individuals and as a global company. From our Green Teams to local partnerships, we continually seek to improve our environmental performance and make a positive impact on the world around us. came to an end last January, a colleague asked if I lived a "green lifestyle." I fibbed and said, "Of course!" She then invited me to join the office Green Team. I left that day anticipating my involvement with the office Green Team would be minimal. I was happily mistaken. Let me explain. From the first meeting in 2016, we hit the ground running. I looked forward to our monthly meetings where we would challenge each other to come up with fun, educational ideas for our colleagues to learn more about what it means to be green. But really what inspires me is the impact we've made even as a small group. In 2016, we greatly reduced our office's usage of plastic water bottles and are on pace to cut paper usage by 7,500 sheets. Plus, while we were in the process of moving offices at the end of 2016, we continued to be vocal and engage with employees to ensure they were recycling where necessary and were aware of all policies and procedures for our new office. Our team has also developed fun activities for our office to help educate staff on green initiatives. Like a "Green Team Bingo" game ahead of our Q1 audit (which measured our office's progress in meeting our sustainability goals -- we passed with flying colors). We celebrated Earth Day by building individual terrariums while indulging in healthy snacks. We enlisted the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) to speak to our office twice about water conservation during California's drought and how best to conserve energy. I'm glad I was able to help make a difference here at Weber Shandwick right from my first day. And now I know it's never too late to get involved. So, I ask you, "Do you live a green lifestyle?" o WHAT INSPIRES ME IS THE IMPACT WE'VE MADE AS A SMALL GROUP. 5 GREEN INITIATIVES AN ECO-FRIENDLY ASIA A SUSTAINABLE WAY OF LIFE AT WEBER SHANDWICK, WORKING AND By Stefanie Zeidler, HR Manager, Berlin living in a sustainable manner is a fundamental part of our culture. This applies both in our daily work for clients as well as in our everyday office life. In our German offices, we are always looking for responsible, resource-conserving solutions. Choosing a reusable bottle instead of a plastic disposable bottle, taking a train rather than traveling alone in a four-seater car or simply ASIA PACIFIC Double-sided printing policy Mandatory recycling policy AUSTRALIA Office lights automatically turn off at 8 p.m. limiting ourselves to two double-sided print outs or less per day. Every single step counts! Are we green yet? For us, it's an ongoing journey. We're getting there step-by-step and making improvements each day. Green ideas for next year? Bring it on! o INDIA Office messengers use bikes for delivery/ pickups instead of cars HONG KONG Installed air pollution control facilities in the office KOREA Sustainable recycling of electronics/electric products THE NUMBERS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES 2 Number of sheets of paper per day that employees are allowed to print 160,000 Kilometers our employees traveled by rail instead of by car in 2016 511 Kilograms of paper saved each year through this practice 25 Tons of CO2 emissions saved by employees using public transport whenever possible LEED CERTIFIED OFFICES BOSTON Weber Shandwick has achieved its stated 2014 LEED certification goal of 70 percent of U.S. offices and 85 percent of the firm's headcount working in LEED space by 2016. 6 Engaging on Purpose 5 Water dispensers provide our employees with water in the office 7,500 Number of bottles our Cologne office saved by permanently installing water dispensers and distributing washable synthetic bottles to employees OUR CARBON OFFSET INITIATIVE SINCE 2009, WEBER SHANDWICK IN NORTH AMERICA has offset the equivalent of: CO2 emissions from 1,184,630 gallons of gasoline, or 139 tanker trucks' worth of gasoline A STEP TOWARD SUSTAINABILITY Weber Shandwick London is also ISO 14001 certified -- the highest international standard for environmental stewardship. 1,600 Trees that would have been needed to offset that amount of carbon dioxide in the air MINNEAPOLIS NEW YORK CHICAGO WASHINGTON, D.C. LOS ANGELES DALLAS Carbon sequestration from 15,686 acres of forest in one year, or 39,710,992 miles driven by the average passenger vehicle Greenhouse gas emissions from 39,714,906 miles driven in an average passenger-sized vehicle, enough miles to drive around the globe 1,595 times HOW? BY PARTNERING with Carbonfund.org. We're committed to going green whenever possible and incorporating sustainable practices into our day-to-day work. Yet while we strive to reduce our carbon contribution, some energy expenditures are unavoidable. For these inputs, we work with Carbonfund. org Foundation to offset our emissions. By purchasing offset certificates for non-billable air travel, we support energy efficiency, renewable energy and forestry-based projects across the United States. Carbonfund.org Foundation is leading the fight against global warming, making it easy and affordable for any individual, business or organization to reduce and offset their climate impact and hasten the transition to a clean energy future. The organization achieves its goals through climate change education, carbon offsets and reductions and public outreach. Carbonfund.org supports third-party validated renewable energy, energy efficiency and reforestation projects globally that reduce carbon dioxide emissions and the threat of climate change. Partnering with Carbonfund. org brings us closer to our goal of minimizing our environmental footprint and promoting sustainability across the globe. o 7 CELEBRATING EARTH DAY GREEN INITIATIVES PLASTIC NEARING OFFICE EXTINCTION Leaders from the major marketing services holding groups joined then U.N. Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, on the main stage at Cannes. ACHIEVING COMMON GROUND IN SEPTEMBER 2015, THE UNITED NATIONS By Hannah Tieszen, Account Executive, Washington, D.C. 8 adopted 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These 17 goals serve as a roadmap for how the global community can make progress in tackling issues including extreme poverty, inequality and climate change over the next 15 years. The goals are notable for their comprehensiveness -- spanning issues such as hunger and gender equity, as well as climate change. With the implementation of the new goals, we've witnessed the rise of private sector leadership in forging innovative solutions to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. Enter Common Ground -- an industry initiative that unites key leaders in the marketing services sector in support of the SDGs. The initiative was officially launched during the 2016 Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity, when Michael Roth, Chairman and CEO of IPG, joined then U.N. Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, as well as leaders from the other major marketing services holding companies on the main stage at Cannes. This unprecedented gathering of CEOs from rival holding companies set the tone for cooperation on the SDGs. Each holding company adopted one of the 17 goals. IPG chose Goal #6, Access to Water Engaging on Purpose IPG CHOSE GOAL #6 BECAUSE OF THE URGENCY OF THE GLOBAL WATER CRISIS AND LACK OF ACCESS TO SANITATION AROUND THE WORLD and Sanitation for All, because of the urgency of the global water crisis and lack of access to sanitation around the world. IPG is focused on making progress on this critical goal, which will potentially lay the groundwork for advancement on many of the other SDGs. Weber Shandwick is helping lead IPG's efforts focused on Goal #6 as part of a cross-disciplinary, cross-agency initiative. These efforts thus far include a video that memorializes our global commitment to water-related issues and the support of collaborative and innovative solutions around infrastructure, sanitation and hygiene. In addition, Weber Shandwick also helped organize IPG's Green Day, which provided education about the company's Green Roof at its New York headquarters, and also provided a handson planting opportunity for employees. Looking ahead, the firm is working on a series of efforts to help accelerate engagement and progress. o Five years ago, the Boston office had plastic water bottles nearly everywhere the eye could see -- resting in a vending machine, being served in a client meeting or standing on a neighbor's desk. Today, plastic water bottles are no By Kate Lowry, Account Director, longer in sight. After a concerted and Deb Dentamaro, effort over the last three to four Office Manager, Boston years working with our vendors to ban the bottle for good and move to filtration systems throughout the office, 80 percent of containers in the Boston office that hold all beverages, whether water, tea, soda or another liquid, are glass, paper or aluminum. When it comes to water, the office houses zero plastic bottles. And when employees enjoy still or sparkling water from the coolers, the cups are 100% plant-based and fully disintegrate even if (accidentally) thrown in the trash. This continued effort has kept 50,000-60,000 plastic water bottles from entering the Boston office each year - an estimated savings of $21,000-$25,000 each year, not to mention a profound impact on our conservation and sustainability efforts. o BOSTON Salad bar with 25+ organic and locally sourced items DALLAS "Lights out" day // Served fresh fruit and vegetables from local farmer's market LOS ANGELES Held a "build your own terrarium" event // Educated employees on best practices to live a green lifestyle NEW YORK Gave a glass and BPA-free water bottle to each employee ST. LOUIS SAN FRANCISCO WASHINGTON Participated in St. Louis Earth Day // Gave reusable shopping bags to all staff Planted a rooftop herb garden Participated in an office-wide celebration with a full display of food from around the world // Invited to participate in Earth Day celebrations around the city 9 MAKING A LOCAL IMPACT NEW YORK The WSNY Green Team became urban farmers for the day at the Brooklyn Grange's flagship farm in Long Island City. Teamed up with Nike Grind (client), which recycles worn out sneakers into playground equipment, practice turf and other sustainable athletic resources. Donated clothes and stationary to Goonj (an NGO for underprivileged children) around Diwali. HONG KONG DUBAI Held a local coat drive for the homeless with Project Warm US. Worked with Special Needs Future Development Center (SNF), which supports young adults with special needs by providing necessary training and development programs. Partnered with Friends of the Earth, which focuses on protecting the local and regional environment. WASHINGTON, D.C. Partnered with Capital Area Food Bank and Martha's Table to create the Joyful Food Market, a monthly pop-up flea market at a local school where kids can shop for healthy food. SINGAPORE Partnered with Yong-En Care Centre, a charitable organization focused on serving the needs of the Chinatown community. Engaging on Purpose The healthcare team participated in "Christmas in a shoe box." Each team member packed a box with hygiene articles, toys and the like for children in Romania, Slovakia and Moldova. INDIA DALLAS 10 BERLIN FRANKFURT Collected clothes in good condition for the German Clothing Foundation. During Bike to Work Week, we encouraged employees to bike to work by providing those who did with special breakfast treats. Hosted a shoe drive through Shoeman Water Projects in preparation for Earth Day. The office collected more than 50 pairs of shoes. Joined forces with a NGO that collected starter kits for refugee boys and girls. BOSTON CHICAGO ST. LOUIS COLOGNE SYDNEY We helped rebrand the Gift of Reading initiative and developed a fundraising kit for United Way. Using these resources, the organization secured 305 participants and raised over $60,000. 11 DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) are universal values at Weber Shandwick. We are at our best when we work collaboratively, originating and executing innovative ideas that come from colleagues with a wide range of backgrounds who are empowered to excel at their passions. 12 Engaging on Purpose DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION MAKING STRIDES IN DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION By Judith Harrison, SVP Diversity & Inclusion, New York AT WEBER SHANDWICK, DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION (DEI) ) isn't just a program or initiative - it's a strategic imperative that is deeply ingrained in the agency's culture and into the way we do business. As leaders in the communications business, diversity broadens our perspectives, facilitating the development of insights underlying the innovative ideas our clients expect and enabling us to engage authentically with a rapidly changing range of stakeholders. An inclusive, culturally agile workplace in which people connect deeply drives innovation and makes our differences our strength. Open and highly collaborative, our workplace attracts and inspires the best minds in the industry, leveraging their different perspectives to create concepts and ideas that would be otherwise unimaginable. In 2016, Weber Shandwick continued to deepen its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, and as a result, we greatly impacted the work that we do for our clients, further demonstrated our role as a leader in the industry and better connected our employees to our business and to each other. HERE ARE OUR TOP ACCOMPLISHMENTS FROM THE PAST YEAR: 1. 2. OUR WORK OUR STAFF Our work with clients continues to address diversity related issues, like bias, in many different forms. Examples include Axis Agency's "Makers of Home" campaign for Pine-Sol and introducing new body types, skin tones and hair textures for Barbie with Mattel. Our leading-edge talent pipeline identifies and prepares diverse talent for careers with us and the marketing services industry broadly. In 2016, 31.75 percent of VP/SVP hires and 33.3 percent of promotions to the EVP level were people of color. We hired interns and entry-level staff from the Ron Brown Scholar Program, New York Women in Communications, the 4A's Multicultural Advertising Internship Program and the PRSA Foundation. Not to mention, we partnered with our client Verizon to launch its Adfellows program: A unique initiative for diverse graduates of outstanding promise. The marketing services immersion experience integrates agency and client rotations, spanning PR, advertising, media, CRM, experiential and client-side brand marketing. 3. OUR DIVERSITY COMMITTEES In 2016, Weber Shandwick's 13 Diversity Committees hosted events across the United States to educate and engage staff around DEI. The Diversity Committees' membership grew 34 percent from 2015. Our Diversity Day/Week deepened D&I engagement: 90 percent of participants felt "more engaged as I believe my company cares about D&I". Plus, our Diversity Empowerment Seminars showed employees why Diversity and Inclusion is important to our business. 75 percent of participants felt they would be able to use this knowledge as they develop client solutions in the future and 83 percent felt confident they would be able to apply what they learned back on the job. Our BraveSpace sessions provided a safe outlet for employees to discuss controversial issues in the news and how those issues affected our staff, both inside and outside of the workplace. Topics included the meaning of diversity, media depictions of marginalized groups and listening to voices beyond echo chambers. 4. OUR PARTNERS Weber Shandwick sponsored the ColorComm Conference and produced a real-time GoLive broadcast with some of the conference's most prominent speakers. ColorComm brings together women from across the communications industry to elevate awareness of diversity and inclusion and enhance possibilities for women of color in communications. In 2016, we interviewed Arianna Huffington, Founder of The Huffington Post, and hosted Project Include co-founder Tracy Chou on our "Diversity in the Digital Space" panel. We also held "Straight Talk" events with the LAGRANT Foundation in New York and Chicago and hosted multiple Ron Brown Scholar Program events in New York. As we look forward, we will continue to remain steadfast in our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion and plan to embed it into every aspect of our work and culture. We believe a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment supports innovation, collaboration and benefits our clients, customers and employees. o 13 DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION THE WORLD OF PR...AND ALL THOSE OTHER WORLDS, TOO AFTER ALMOST 20 YEARS OF MANEUVERING MY WAY through numerous business-related By Pat Fitzgibbons, Senior Vice President, New York City journalism jobs, a two-year stint on Wall Street, many years of bartending, six weeks selling sneakers at Foot Locker, and two years selling corrugated boxes (we don't call them "cardboard boxes" in the trade), I was ready for the newest challenge -- my first day in the world of public relations. There isn't a lot I remember about that day, except for the very beginning. While waiting in the lobby for someone to recognize me and give me an ID, I found myself standing next to the actor, Alan Alda. FROM FIREFIGHTING TO FASHION: MY LIFE BEFORE PR Weber Shandwick is comprised of a diverse team of strategists, analysts, producers, designers, developers, campaign activators and more. But how did we get here? We asked 12 of our colleagues to share how their diverse experiences outside of PR & Communications helps them in their roles today. 14 Engaging on Purpose "I lost a lot of my attitude when I was in the Merchant Navy. Working with different kinds of people made me a lot more grounded. I no longer expect things to happen easily. That experience helped me reach where I am today." -- Karan Bhandari TODAY: Vice President, Consumer Marketing and Digital, New Delhi LIFE BEFORE PR: Second Officer, Merchant Navy I really liked him -- not least for his role as "Hawkeye" Pierce in "M*A*S*H", but also as a candidate for U.S. President on The West Wing. I said hello, he returned the greeting, and we started chatting. I asked him what he was doing here, and he said with a smile, "Ya know, I'm not really too sure." Two weeks earlier, I had been managing a team of 20 reporters as a senior editor at Reuters. I had spent the last 10 years there covering some truly historic business stories -- from the bankruptcies in the automotive world, to the fallout from the Madoff scandal, to Martha Stewart's stock scandal, to multiple bull "Teams with a diversity of backgrounds and expertise are a powerful source of creativity, and ultimately, award-winning communications. Diversity allows us to dig deeper into cultures, contexts and audiences, stay at the forefront of many more trends and conversations and see alternative stories and possibilities in growing sets of data." "People from different backgrounds bring a novel angle to the table, and help find alternative solutions to problems by simple virtue of having diverse experiences -- this makes our work unique and a source of competitive advantage." IT'S THE JOURNEY The journey since that first day in PR has been greater -- and more challenging -- than I could have ever anticipated. But it's also been the most fun I have had, and it's allowed me to leverage skills from all my past jobs and careers into this one. We are fortunate to work with a lot of people who have done the same. The one thing that I have learned above everything else is that the best practitioners of public relations come from a variety of backgrounds, with multiple careers and experiences before they start in our chosen field. Here at Weber Shandwick, we have such a breadth of experiences "My career as a musician and label owner in the era of streaming has taught me how to think about everything from analytics, online marketing, influencer and media relations and marketing." -- Paul Lawton TODAY: Director, Planning, Toronto -- Romina Giovannetti -- Adam Short TODAY: Account Director, Public Affairs, Brussels TODAY: Associate Director, Health and Social Impact, London LIFE BEFORE PR: News Reporter and Editor, Argentina LIFE BEFORE PR: International Development Advocate and bear rallies on Wall Street. And, of course, covering everything about 9/11. It was all challenging to cover and all-encompassing ... but, I was done. I was ready for a new challenge and journalism was a whole different beast than when I first became a cub reporter at a newspaper called The Bond Buyer. LIFE BEFORE PR: Owner/Operator of Two Independent Canadian Record Labels THE BEST PRACTITIONERS OF PUBLIC RELATIONS COME FROM A VARIETY OF BACKGROUNDS, WITH MULTIPLE CAREERS AND EXPERIENCES BEFORE THEY START IN OUR CHOSEN FIELD. that I always feel like we have an "expert in the room" - in pretty much every room and every meeting. Many people in and out of journalism think that the transition from being in the media to being in PR is an easy one. It is not. There are some complementary skills, to be sure, but journalism is a largely solitary effort (at least initially) of breaking news and writing stories. If I didn't like what one of those PR guys was telling me, I'd just hang up and move on, and most of my colleagues would do the same. That is not a tactic that will win you a lot of friends or keep you in the good graces of many clients! Instead, our best work is the collective work of our teams and the combined thinking of many people from many different backgrounds. "My major in fashion provided me with a good understanding of consumer habits, specifically consumer trend cycles. For example, I'm able to identify fads and behavior patterns that generate insights to create new ideas, whether it's social media content or a media relations campaign. When different people with different backgrounds get together, the best ideas happen." -- Bruno Cetira TODAY: Content and Engagement Coordinator, Sao Paulo LIFE BEFORE PR: Fashion Studies Major "My previous position required extremely rapid and well-informed decision-making skills. For example, a District Magistrate Office cannot afford to take a few days to contemplate and implement a decision when a riot has broken out. When lives are at stake, one cannot say, 'I will get back to you in two days with a decision.' The decision has to be made on the spot while considering all the different stakeholders. Hence, even today in my job, when speaking to clients or my own team members, I am able to make a quick and well informed decision that takes the different stakeholders into account." -- Richa Gopal Shrotriya TODAY: Vice President, New Delhi LIFE BEFORE PR: Indian Administrative Services (IAS) Officer 15 DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION T This has been particularly meaningful to me at my time at Weber Shandwick, as I have been lucky enough to work on projects and clients that involve diverse teams. Engaging with the media is a critically important part of what our clients demand of us and will continue to play a leading role in our successes for our clients. This points to one of the biggest changes in the media landscape in the years since leaving Reuters and the world of journalism -- the redefinition of "top-tier." While it was once very easy to define what made a top-tier media placement, the definition has radically changed. Despite some protestations to the contrary, the media is not dead. However for many clients, a mention on Buzzfeed or STAT is now just as prized as an article in Newsweek used to be 10 or so years ago. This changing landscape makes our team and its makeup critically important to our shared success. More opinions, from different generations and backgrounds, guarantees that we stay in the midst of the media excitement! This is something that Weber Shandwick's diversity of age and experience has taught me. I was speaking to three of my media specialist colleagues, all of them Millennials, and discovered none of them have newspapers delivered to their homes. I still get two. My parents get four. There remains a great demand for news and information, but we're all getting it in different ways and from different places than ever before. LISTEN UP! Leveraging a variety of perspectives makes us better PR practitioners and allows us to give better counsel to our clients. It allows us to be better stewards of our clients' reputations. It forces us to answer the "where?" and "who?" questions with every story, and consider how best to engage the increasingly diverse audiences our clients are trying to reach. When I first started thinking about writing this article, I immediately thought back to my days as a bartender in an Irish pub in New Jersey called Sullivan's (of course). It was definitely one of those places where "everybody knows your name." "Diversity brings choice. Personally, being half German, half Indian, having grown up in Switzerland and having lived in different countries, I have the luxury of being able to cherry-pick from different worlds. I believe that diversity in a work environment is equal to having that luxury -- as in having a broader range of expertise, which we can cherry-pick from to ultimately find the best possible solutions for our clients." "Diversity, equity and inclusion is not just an initiative; it's a crucial point of consciousness. Our business is changing, as is our audience in the United States. Building a staff and environment that reflects and encourages that shift, prepares our clients and business model for future success." -- Alice Bordoloi TODAY: Senior Account Executive, Washington D.C. TODAY: Account Manager Corporate, Cologne LIFE BEFORE PR: Professional Contemporary and Classical Indian Dancer 16 Engaging on Purpose -- Paige Travis LIFE BEFORE PR: Broadcast Journalist "I think that working as a forest firefighter provides some interesting assets from a skills standpoint. I would argue the most beneficial trait I developed is the ability to stay calm and maintain composure in the face of some of the most dangerous situations possible. Additionally, the work instilled a resilience that I might not have developed otherwise. When tasked with putting out a fire, you don't quit on the task at hand -- you push yourself until the job is done. Working in PR at Weber Shandwick is rewarding in a similar way because it challenges me to find new ways to exercise perseverance, but the work is more mentally demanding than physically." T This was a fun job, but it was also an important job for me. While some people would just come in for a drink and an escape, there was a far-greater majority who came in with a story to tell -- problems with the boss, the government, their dog, their golf game, at home, and so on. Having experience really listening to the stories people wanted to share, and sometimes needed to share, makes me better able to shape the underlying stories that our clients might tell. What more can we share with people that could strike a chord? One of my favorite stories that I wrote at Reuters came as a result of a discussion with my mom and sister about a comic strip called "Funky Winkerbean," which I didn't usually read. We were on vacation and seated around a breakfast table. They were engrossed in the comic's storyline and soon I was, too. The cartoonist, an excellent storyteller in his own right, was doing something very risky and was allowing one of his characters to die. This isn't as surprising in today's "Game of Thrones" era -- where everyone seems to die, sometimes multiple times -- but it was back then. I called him, I listened to his story, and the result was a popular and different kind of article. I'm grateful that my years in journalism gave me the tools to be a better storyteller, use those bartender-earned listening skills, and make me more confident when I counsel clients about something that will be attractive to the media. This kind of experience can also be found in the way one of my former attorney colleagues looks at a crisis situation versus how I might. While I may be tempted to lean into my experience as a journalist and see an opportunity to turn "Exhibit A" into a great story, that same story may carry legal pitfalls that I never would have considered. Without that diversity of experiences, we would not be the best client partner we could be. Without question, though, it's a hard needle to thread. It's a lot easier having everyone thinking the same way and expecting the same outcome. Encouraging different perspectives definitely adds some spice to a situation -- but it's a significant differentiator for us, and it allows all of us the opportunity to keep learning new things, growing and ultimately, landing on the best solutions for our clients. Now I have a much better idea of what I'm doing everyday versus during that first day's conversation with Hawkeye. Being surrounded by smart, interesting, challenging colleagues has made it all possible. o "Diversity is the quintessence of innovation and evolution. It is by placing great value on different skill sets and viewpoints that we can truly excel in our work. There is never a day at Weber Shandwick when I am not learning something from our team. It is truly inspiring!" "In Sao Paolo, our diverse backgrounds complement each other. If everyone is aligned and working together, the quality of the projects increases." -- Daniela Negri TODAY: Metrics and Monitoring Analyst, Sao Paulo TODAY: Associate Director, Healthcare, Public Affairs, Brussels -- Renato Bartsch "It is important to build teams with diverse backgrounds because it ultimately allows us to deliver higher quality work to the client. When members of a team bring different and refreshing perspectives to the table, it paves the way for new ideas." -- Brittany Cummings TODAY: Group Manager, Washington D.C. LIFE BEFORE PR: IT Testing & Performance Marketing LIFE BEFORE PR: TV News Producer LIFE BEFORE PR: Liaison Officer, Regional Ministry of Health of the Veneto Region, Italy -- Tyler Murphy TODAY: Intern, Integrated Media, Toronto LIFE BEFORE PR: Forest Firefighter in Red Lake, ON 17 DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION FLEXIBLE WORK SCHEDULES: A REALITY IN DUBAI AS ONE OF THE MOST PROLIFIC CITIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST, Dubai has witnessed a By Lynda McWalter, Account Director, Dubai 18 phenomenal transition from a traditional city to a global business hub, renowned for its recordbreaking feats, tax-free salaries, and many would say its increasing economic growth, which according to a recent BMI report, will expand by a further three percent in 2018. As this growth continues, companies operating here must also understand that the key ingredient to achieving their own growth is maintaining a diverse and passionate team. This makes Weber Shandwick all the more progressive in its commitment to providing flexible working options, which not only retains experienced talent but ensures employees are given the opportunity to succeed at home and to thrive at work. I joined the agency in 2012. In 2016 I had the opportunity to continue making an active commitment to my career at Weber Shandwick while getting on with the parallel business of being a mother, thanks to the flexible schedule made available to me by Weber Shandwick MENA leadership. This option has empowered me to continue with my career progression in an environment which is pro-creative, pro-results and pro-happy. Flexible working hours offer me much more than reduced time in the office -- it means that during my time at work I have the opportunity to think creatively and strategically and to tune into my work environment. It also means that I am a participating member of the office dynamic and am able to anticipate key business issues Engaging on Purpose in real time. Weber Shandwick MENA realized that to retain talent and maintain a motivated, stable team, flexibility and changes to working practices were essential. Offering a truly flexible working culture to its people, such as myself, increases both client satisfaction and employee loyalty. Many talented consultants are only able to stay in the workforce due to flexible schedules. The support of my colleagues at Weber Shandwick MENA has been palpable, and I count myself one of the lucky ones to have clients who genuinely advocate flexible working -- something still considered an unconventional working solution in the Middle East. I thrive in this environment, one which is charged with the creative energy and dynamism generated by an office full of talented communications people (PR, digital, planning, creative) -- each one curating their own unique symphony. I feel fortunate to be able to add my tune to the overall hum of business at Weber Shandwick and to have the mental focus, energy and passion to dedicate to an important pitch, client campaign or team challenge while also being a present parent to my toddler and baby. o MY FLEXIBLE WORK SCHEDULE HAS EMPOWERED ME TO THRIVE IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHICH IS PRO-CREATIVE, PRO-RESULTS AND PRO-HAPPY. ARE YOU BREAKING THE DATA BUBBLE? IN A WORLD dominated by machine learning algorithms, we are becoming used to consuming customselected content. It's By Nathalie Folco, Digital Media a phenomenon that Supervisor, could have us forget Sao Paulo there's another side to things -- other perspectives beyond our own -- formed by different types of people with different backgrounds. This trend can be very dangerous for someone who works in analytics, as I do. The good news: It can also make our work more challenging and exciting. We know we can`t blindly trust data in order to prove a hypothesis for a client. Instead, we must constantly question and consider the full picture: Is this research considering all types of audience targets to whom our clients' products could be interesting? Are we asking the right questions? A quick example: If we are working on a communications strategy for a baby product, are we considering single moms or only married couples? What about LGBTQ couples? And single fathers? By including diverse groups in our insights, and considering that the world is made up of different experiences, we can talk to people as they never have been talked to, and really touch their hearts. It is our job as analytics professionals at a creative agency such as Weber Shandwick to break, challenge and burst through our data bubbles every single day. It is not just about doing more inclusive research for our clients. It starts from within, including our analytics practice of forming teams who join forces to present a diverse set of perspectives, ideas and questions for our clients and partners. It's time to rethink the solitary data analyst. We are people-oriented, collaborative, organic, human behavior specialists. And we are determined to break every bubble in our path. o 19 DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION FOSTERING THE NEXT GENERATION OF TALENT IN THE UNITED KINGDOM Weber Shandwick London employees are joined by members of the trainee program. TO BE ABLE TO FULLY ENGAGE TODAY'S AUDIENCES WITH By Rachel Friend, Managing Director, London compelling communications campaigns, it is crucial that the talent across the marketing services landscape reflects the societies we live in and serve. In London, Weber Shandwick has purposefully taken on this issue by updating our entry-level program and forging a variety of highly valuable partnerships to create opportunities for all. TO ENSURE WE ATTRACT TALENT FROM SOCIALLY DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS TO OUR TRAINEE PROGRAM, WE VISIT SCHOOLS, COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES ACROSS THE UNITED KINGDOM. OUR NEW TRAINEE PROGRAM Tuition fees continue to be a barrier for many bright young people in the U.K. To help recruit people from all socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds who might not have had the chance to attend college, Weber Shandwick London created a unique new application process. Candidates create a five-minute video about themselves and explain why they would be a perfect fit for our firm. Additionally, to avoid unconscious bias, we created a "blind" selection process, removing all background information, so we judge the entries only on their video and exam grades. To ensure we attract talent from socially diverse backgrounds to our trainee program, we visit schools, colleges and universities across the United Kingdom. 20 Engaging on Purpose COLIN BYRNE RECOGNIZED WITH NEW EQUALITY AWARD WEBER SHANDWICK'S EMEA CEO COLIN BYRNE has been Highly Commended as an Equality Advocate of the Year at the Women in Marketing Awards in November 2016. The award was introduced this year to recognize men in the U.K. marketing industry who have gone above and beyond to promote gender equality and encourage more female leaders. Recently, we set up a partnership with the City & Islington College and are working toward a partnership with Camden College. DRIVING CHANGE THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS Weber Shandwick's U.K. team is proud to have realigned our recruiting processes to foster a more diverse and inclusive environment for future communications leaders. But significant change requires parties from across the industry working together toward this common goal. Over the last five years, we're proud to have formed partnerships with organizations prioritizing diversity in marketing. Together with The Taylor Bennett Foundation, Weber Shandwick London offers an award-winning training and mentoring program to encourage black, Asian and ethnic minority graduates to pursue a career in communications. We run a 10-week paid internship training program as part of this partnership that enables trainees to expand their knowledge and skill set, to begin building their personal professional networks, and to look for their first job in PR. Many of our interns have successfully applied to this trainee program. Weber Shandwick's London office also partners with Creative Pioneers to offer paid apprenticeships for young professionals seeking to get into digital and creative careers. And through our long-standing partnership with the Media Trust, Weber Shandwick is proud to offer a paid 12week internship to four individuals from socially disadvantaged backgrounds each year, providing them with a stepping stone into PR. A diverse staff drives a diversity of thought -- making our work the strongest it can be for the clients and partners we serve around the world. o WEBER SHANDWICK'S U.K. TEAM IS PROUD TO HAVE REALIGNED OUR RECRUITING PROCESSES TO FOSTER A MORE DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR FUTURE COMMUNICATIONS LEADERS. Colin Byrne is honored as an Equality Advocate of the Year Colin Byrne said, "On behalf of my colleagues, I'm proud to have been highly commended as a gender equality champion by Women in Marketing. The award is testament to our firm's values and our fabulous, talented team." Weber Shandwick's Group Talent Director, EMEA Gina Ramson-Williams added, "This award is a wonderful recognition of Colin's significant contribution and commitment to diversity and inclusion in the workplace, and a proud moment for Weber Shandwick." The Women in Marketing Awards were established in 2010 to promote, recognize and celebrate women's achievements in senior leadership roles in the marketing industry. o 21 DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION THE CREATIVITY BENEATH THE SURFACE -- THE HIDDEN ARTISTS OF PR I RECENTLY COMMITTED TO LEARNING By Matt O'Neill, Digital Content Producer, Sydney jazz piano. Given that I never learned classical piano, it's not been an easy road. My biggest struggle is my tense and rigid hands. My teacher keeps telling me, "Playing jazz is about finding the easiest way to get from one note to the next; you just need to relax." Strangely, it's actually similar advice to what I always tell aspiring content writers. Don't write to impress; just speak as clearly and accurately as possible and eliminate any mistakes. In other words, just relax -- find the easiest route from one word to the next. Superficially, you wouldn't think there would be much to link jazz piano and writing. Yet, it's just one of many surprising intersections I've found between the creative arts and professional communications -- especially since joining Weber Shandwick. In the past handful of months alone, I've worked with music 22 Engaging on Purpose video directors, children's book authors, photojournalists and flautists. That in and of itself, is not necessarily jarring. In every workplace, you'll find surprising hobbies. (One of my favorites: a global communications manager enjoying a successful side career as a circus acrobat.) But, it's been decidedly more surprising to see my co-workers' hobbies bleed into the workplace. Or, to be more accurate, be openly invited into the workplace. When it became apparent that someone in our community had published two children's books, we decided to try and develop a children's book for a pitch. When a Managing Director in Korea discovered he had some music video directors in his office, he didn't ignore that. He invited them to make some music videos for clients. It's happened to me, too. In another life, I made music. In my initial interview, a manager asked if I had ever used my skills as a music producer in my communications work. I thought she was just curious. Within weeks of commencing my role, I found myself in a recording studio taping a voiceover and coaching others on doing the same. It's an interesting glimpse of the oft-discussed "agency of the future." I've long maintained that a background in the creative industries helps develop a variety of valuable skills for more corporate workspaces -- not just creativity itself, but project management, strategy, communications and cross-disciplinary collaboration. But, it's not those skills that are proving the differentiators. No, it's actually the seemingly non-transferrable special skills and unique curiosities that are helping create exciting new campaigns and new ideas. And, beyond campaigns, work environments. One of the most creative and professional event producers I've met actually runs one of our offices -- and consistently uses her passion and talent to create a more engaging workplace. It hints at a surprising solution to an ongoing talent problem within the communications industry. More and more, agencies and firms are searching for ways to recruit creative professionals -- people who can generate wild new ideas and approaches for clients. And, everywhere you look, workplaces are striving to create company cultures to attract these creative professionals. But, in many ways, our workplaces are already full of creative people. It's just about ensuring that they feel supported and encouraged in expressing that creativity within their workplace. After all, what better way to attract shiny new creative people than to give our own creativity permission to shine just as brightly? I can remember a recent off-site for our Sydney office. During a team-building exercise, one of the office's younger members revealed she'd recently developed a passion for screenwriting. After the exercise, I saw her coworkers rush forward to congratulate her and talk excitedly about her new interest. To my mind, that's how a workplace truly champions and grows creativity. As someone who still makes creative work as a professional artist, it's a truly comforting and stimulating environment. Because, more than just creating a workplace of great ideas, it encourages people to seek out the creativity within their own lives -- to follow their passions and explore them as part of their work and to become more adventurous and engaged individuals. It's a standard joke that studying the arts (or jazz piano) is a sure-fire route to bitterness and unemployment. But, in communications, I think we're truly working to showcase just how richly rewarding the creative arts can (and should) be -- and, just as importantly, collaborating with our clients to demonstrate that to audiences around the world. o 15X15 GLOBAL EXCHANGE In celebration of our 15-year anniversary, we sent 15 employees from 15 offices to 15 different cities around the world. Participants spent a week getting to know their colleagues, experiencing a new city and getting inspired by the unique culture, spirit and creativity taking place in a foreign market. More than 160,000 miles traveled. 15 new cultures. 15 transformative experiences. Incredible insights for all of us. 23 DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION THE BUSINESS CASE FOR DIVERSITY "AMERICA IS A NATION OF By Armando Azarloza, President Axis Agency, Los Angeles 24 nations, made up of people from every land, of every race and practicing every faith. Our diversity is not a source of weakness; it is a source of strength, it is a source of our success," said former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell. Ride a train, walk through any busy downtown or attend a church gathering, and you will witness the rich cultural diversity that shapes America's cities, neighborhoods and communities. It's hard not to notice that the face of our country is profoundly changing, and the pace is only growing. In fact, the U.S. Census Bureau confirms that by 2050, racial and ethnic Americans will be the new majority. Shifting attitudes and emerging cultural, ethnic and political norms, as well as changing demographics, are transforming our population. Not surprisingly, businesses must keep pace with the changing needs of our markets and the workforce. Diversity has become especially crucial in the global marketplace as companies interact with different cultures, countries and clients. What's also clear: Companies are recognizing the importance of investing in diversity as part of their Engaging on Purpose business strategy. Many companies are working to boost hiring, retention and promotion of women, minorities, LGBTQ and people with disabilities. One example is Nielsen's (a Weber Shandwick client) Diverse Leadership Network, an 18-month leadership development program created in 2013, designed to grow, mentor and challenge highpotential associates. Today 100 percent of the program graduates move into new roles within the company with a 95 percent retention rate. Smart businesses understand and reflect the communities they seek to engage. The business value is clear: DIVERSITY DRIVES INNOVATION. People are more diligent, work harder, and are more creative when they work with a diverse group of people. Diversity in the workplace can challenge opinions, norms and build new perspectives leading to greater innovation. A DIVERSE TEAM HAS GREATER INFLUENCE. We know that work outcomes of an ethnically diverse workplace have a higher impact than from a less diverse group. Companies that have achieved a more diverse workplace typically have higher profits than those who were less diverse, according to a recent 2015 study by McKinsey & Company. BUSINESSES WHO ADAPT TO NATIONAL TRENDS WILL BE MORE COMPETITIVE. Between 2020-2050, Hispanics, African Americans, Asians and other immigrants will account for more than 80 percent of the growth in the workforce. The economy will expand and benefit from these changing demographics, but only if businesses commit to meeting the needs of employees, communities and consumers. The good news is that companies are catching on. We see many examples of companies investing in diverse talent and development, supplier diversity and keeping leadership accountable for results. They're doing it for a key reason -- diversity adds value to their company in many ways. Diversity is good for society. It's also an important source of strength that encourages innovation, increases influence and adds value. The takeaway is that diversity is good for business. o Weber Shandwick President Gail Heimann, SVP of Diversity & Inclusion Judith Harrison, CEO Andy Polansky and North America President Sara Gavin celebrate the firm's honor. WEBER SHANDWICK WINS BEST PR FIRM DIVERSITY INITIATIVE AT 2016 DIVERSITY DISTINCTION IN PR AWARDS WEBER SHANDWICK WAS HONORED WITH THE BEST PR Firm Diversity Initiative award by the PR Council and PRWeek at the annual Diversity Distinction in PR Awards. Judith Harrison, Senior Vice President of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, was also recognized with Honorable Mention in the PR Firm Diversity Champion category for her work in advancing diversity and inclusion at Weber Shandwick and across the public relations industry. The Diversity Distinction in PR Awards honor industry champions who facilitate greater diversity and inclusion within organizations and public relations. This is the fifth award win for Weber Shandwick at the Diversity Distinction in PR Awards since the program was established six years ago, including four Best PR Firm Diversity Initiative honors and one Best Community Initiative honor. The PR Council and PRWeek highlighted Weber Shandwick's multilevel employee engagement programs as contributors to the firm's success, including master classes for global executives, annual Diversity Day/Weeks across 12 offices and quarterly educational seminars. Additionally, Weber Shandwick has grown its Diversity Council from 118 to more than 175 in the past year. On Weber Shandwick's efforts in this area, one Diversity Distinction in PR Awards judge noted, "It continues to raise the bar and produce results. It's a model for all to follow." "I'm proud of our entire team at Weber Shandwick whose collaborative efforts have contributed to this award, recognizing our commitment to diversity and inclusion," said Andy Polansky, CEO of Weber Shandwick. "There is more work to be done, but we're grateful for this recognition and energized in our commitment to continue making progress." Harrison, in receiving Honorable Mention as a PR Firm Diversity Champion, was described as a "simply outstanding leader" by one Diversity Distinction in PR Awards judge. Harrison leads Weber Shandwick's Diversity & Inclusion Council and fosters effective partnerships with several industry organizations focused on advancing diversity and inclusion, including LAGRANT Foundation and Ron Brown Scholar Program. Harrison helped facilitate the launch of ColorComm's Chicago and New York chapters. She also initiated and advanced the PRIME program at Weber Shandwick, which aims to increase diversity in PR by recruiting students from historically black colleges. Weber Shandwick has also been honored with IPG's Inclusion Award for Inclusive Talent Cultivation, the Advertising Age Best Place to Work distinction in 2014 and 2015, and was also ranked a Best Place to Work by PRWeek in 2013 and 2014. o THIS IS THE FIFTH AWARD WIN FOR WEBER SHANDWICK AT THE DIVERSITY DISTINCTION IN PR AWARDS SINCE THE PROGRAM WAS ESTABLISHED SIX YEARS AGO. 25 BUILDING AN INCLUSIVE WORKPLACE Diversity -- of ethnicities, backgrounds, beliefs, skills, knowledge -- is a proven engine of change, growth and success, for businesses and individuals. But what does diversity mean in our markets around the world? We asked 12 of our colleagues to share their perspectives. "DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE means creating an environment which lets me be myself and does the same for you. In a creative space like ours, it is essential for all of us to be tolerant and adaptable. At Weber Shandwick India, there is a culture of inclusion. People are willing and are encouraged to share diverse experiences giving unique perspectives to our clients, which leads us to campaigns that connect people." Shivani Khare, Senior Digital Consultant, New Delhi "BEING FROM AN ETHNIC MINORITY, I have always been passionate about embracing diversity and creating an inclusive environment. At Weber Shandwick, we recognize that embracing diversity not only enhances our work culture, it also allows us to create a culture of empowerment that fosters innovation, economic growth and new ideas." Ravi Hallhit, Head of HR, London "IT IS CRITICAL FOR EVERY ONE OF US to value diversity, to respect and care about all our teams' backgrounds, ethnicities, sexual orientations and more. We ensure diversity by respecting each other." Tatsuya Onose, Account Executive, Tokyo "THE ADVANCEMENT OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION is deep-rooted in the heritage of the southeast and represents the transition from purposeful dialogue to meaningful actions. Let's commit to facing our differences with understanding in order to be open to diversity and change in this region, country and world." Ashli Bobo, Director, Atlanta "FOR AN AGENCY LIKE OURS, different viewpoints, backgrounds and approaches lead to better outcomes. Diversity in the workplace reflects in our plans and ideas and helps us represent the needs of the many amazing parts that make up India's whole." Arpana Kumar Ahuja, Executive Vice President, Strategy & Market Development, New Delhi "IN A CONTINENT WITH MORE THAN 2,000 ETHNIC GROUPS and over 1,500 languages, diversity and inclusion is critical for economic progress. The integration of different demographics into a workable ecosystem is essential to overcoming market challenges and achieving measured success." Jill Hamilton, Managing Director, Johannesburg 26 Engaging on Purpose "DIVERSITY IS TO ACCEPT THAT people are not the same, and they don't always share the same beliefs or other attributes." Camila Marson, Account Executive, Sao Paulo "DIVERSITY MEANS ENSURING ALL VIEWPOINTS get a seat at the table. It means recruiting the best minds and talent from all ethnic groups, sexual orientations and abilities. It means giving everyone the opportunity to raise their hand and help grow our diversity initiatives." Danielle Calhoun, Director, Digital, Technology, San Francisco "DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS, DIFFERENT ETHNICITIES, different ages, different education and different experiences also mean different talent, different points of view, different senses of humor, different styles and different people. That's the beauty of it all." Marie-Philip Leduc, Account Manager, Consumer, Montreal "FOR OUR TEAM, DIVERSITY IS FUNDAMENTAL. It reflects our plural nature -- culturally, socially and economically." Daniela Braun, Head of Creative Tech & Tech Media Relations, Sao Paulo "IN A CREATIVE SPACE LIKE OURS, we experience inclusiveness in all aspects such as the equality between colleagues, interests, specialties and management team. As a woman, I embrace having a female leader who acts as a role-model by combining her professional role as an innovative leader with one with the same relevance: Being a mother." Mariana Lopez, Senior Account Supervisor, Mexico City "OVER THE PAST YEAR, THE WORD "DIVERSITY" HAS BECOME almost synonymous with "integration," due to the large number of asylum seekers in Sweden. While Sweden is often hailed as a model country for equality and social inclusion, the sheer volume of asylum applicants poses challenges in offering meaningful employment to individuals born outside of Sweden." Jonas Palmqvist, COO/Deputy CEO Prime Weber Shandwick Stockholm 27 CLIENT PROGRAMS SOCIAL IMPACT 28 Engaging on Purpose We use our skills, passion, creativity and expertise to help organizations and brands make a difference on social issues. We strive to work with clients who are committed to social good. Together, we create impactful work that incites change. SOCIAL IMPACT CLIENT PROGRAMS MAKING THE CASE FOR: A "BRUTAL CUT" ORGANIZATION: ActionAid UK THE CHALLENGE: Three million girls in By James Nester, Executive Creative Director, London Africa aged 4-12 are at risk of female genital mutilation (FGM) each year. This brutal tradition can cause severe bleeding, infertility and even death, and can have devastating psychological and social consequences. While awareness of FGM is increasing, there is low awareness of the horrifying effects it can have on girls' lives. ActionAid believes awareness is the first step to ending FGM. So our objective, in partnership with ActionAid, was to generate conversation and greater understanding among the U.K. population. THE CAMPAIGN PROVOKED THOUSANDS OF CONVERSATIONS: OVER 1,000 ON TWITTER ALONE. OUR APPROACH: We needed a disruptive idea that would generate conversation: One that was bold enough to break free of channels and become news and social currency. The local shorthand in Kenya -- referring to FGM as "the cut" -- inspired the idea. We'd communicate this most brutal of cuts with a "brutal cut" of our own: A short video message from a Kenyan girl who faces FGM that could be cut into any video content our audience might be watching. The message would come without explanation or warning. Just like the FGM cut, its use would be sudden, unforgiving and brutal. #BrutalCut was kicked off through social influencers, but it was an idea that could live on any channel and enable anyone to join in by making the cut to their own content in solidarity for the cause, sparking conversation and further social sharing. Without warning, on July 28, the message interrupted vlogger vidoes, content from digital publishers, celebrity posts, cinema ads, festival screens and outdoor digital ads to deliver the message: "This cut might be irritating, but some cuts are life-destroying." The video linked to brutalcut.org where visitors could use a web app to edit a brutal cut into their own selfies and share on social media. At noon on launch day, 132 digital screens across the United Kingdom were cut, including London's iconic One Piccadilly, in the first-ever synchronized disruption of outdoor media. THE RESULTS: Millions of people saw and talked about #BrutalCut, with a reach of over 152 million via social, digital and outdoor media. The campaign inspired 24 celebrities and high-profile vloggers along with major online publishers such as LadBible and Pretty 52 to cut their social content, share the campaign video or post support. The campaign provoked thousands of conversations (over 1,000 on Twitter alone). #BrutalCut helped ActionAid secure unprecedented levels of lottery funding to build community safe centers to protect Kenyan girls from FGM -- as well as support other anti-violence campaigns for women and girls around the world. o 29 SOCIAL IMPACT CLIENT PROGRAMS MAKING THE CASE FOR: BREAKING NUTRITION OUT OF THE ECHOCHAMBER ORGANIZATION: Children's Investment Fund Foundation with support from The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation THE CHALLENGE: Nutrition has been a neglected area of global health and development despite being responsible for approximately half the deaths of children under the age of five. The Children's Investment Fund Foundation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation asked Weber Shandwick to help them prioritize the issue on policy agendas. MAKING THE CASE FOR: ENDING THE ILLITERACY CRISIS ORGANIZATION: Pearson By Gillian Gallanagh, Senior Account Director, London OUR APPROACH: In response, Weber Shandwick developed a new narrative for nutrition. A narrative which conveyed the urgency to act, explained the issue and how to address it in nontechnical terms, and allowed policymakers to make an emotional connection with the issue. The creative idea (developed in collaboration with M&C Saatchi) behind the new narrative and other materials was to bring to life the possible outcomes of a child's life, depending on the kind of nutrition received during the most critical time window: the first 1,000 days of the child's life. THE RESULTS: Expressing either hope or jeopardy, the new nutrition story unified the community's voice for the first time and also played a critical role in placing nutrition higher on the global agenda. Nine countries pledged greater financial and political investments during the World Bank's Human Capital Summit in October 2016. o 30 Engaging on Purpose THE CHALLENGE: Widespread illiteracy is a global crisis -- By Josie Wittle, Senior Account Director, London it impacts over 750 million lives and can act as a catalyst for the world's biggest problems, including AIDS, female genital mutilation (FGM), poverty and radicalization. Pearson, the world's learning company, launched Project Literacy with over 40 partners, including UNESCO and Microsoft, and partnered with Weber Shandwick to build political support and public awareness for illiteracy. OUR APPROACH: The goal of the campaign was to raise awareness around illiteracy, with an emotional twist. In the animated Alphabet of Illiteracy, each letter highlighted an issue that could be tackled if literacy was improved: A is for AIDS; B is for bloodshed; C is for child brides. Ambassador Lily Cole delivered an impassioned speech at the Houses of Parliament for the U.K. launch. In the United States, celebrities including Elton John, Emma Watson, Usain Bolt and Julianne Moore "adopted" each letter of the alphabet in a mass social media moment to mark International Literacy Day. THE RESULTS: The campaign reached 1.5 billion people, and UNESCO invited Pearson to be part of its Global Alliance for Literacy. When we started the campaign in 2015, illiteracy was viewed globally as 18th in terms of importance against other issues people cared about. Today, it has moved up three places and ranks 15th globally. This is a significant accomplishment and is a reflection of the increased awareness and urgency we've created, along with our partners, about the issue across multiple markets. o 31 SOCIAL IMPACT CLIENT PROGRAMS MAKING THE CASE FOR: ACCESS TO EDUCATION FOR ALL ORGANIZATION: A joint campaign by UNICEF and the EU THE CHALLENGE: The greatest displacement crisis By Bella Davies, Associate Director, since the Second World Social Impact, London War as a consequence of conflict and rising numbers of environmental disasters has disrupted the lives of millions of children around the world. Everyone understands that food and medicine are critical in these situations. However, education is also essential for children caught up in crises. Millions of Europeans generally see education as an obligation rather than a method of empowerment. How do you get millions of European youth (who find school a chore) to appreciate that education is every bit as vital as food and medicine? OUR APPROACH: Weber Shandwick joined forces with UNICEF and the European Union to create a series of #EmergencyLessons that audiences would never forget -- a series of seven short films that fuse documentary filmmaking with social thinking. Each lesson follows real children living through war, natural disasters, disease and displacement, supported by EU-funded programs implemented by UNICEF. In spite of everything, the children happily share what school means to them and simple social asks follow the conclusion of each story. 32 Engaging on Purpose Take M'mah and Adama's story. When Ebola struck Guinea, M'mah and Adama were determined to minimize the spread of the disease as much as possible. A school activity, in the form of a community radio station, supported by the EU and UNICEF, taught them how to do this. As members of the school council the girls took on jobs hard to imagine an adult doing, let alone a child. Responsible for reporting cases of illness or high temperatures, and monitoring regular hand washing, the girls proved indispensable to their peers, teachers and community. The girls told their story -- and asked people around the world to show their support by sharing their favorite school activities. RESULTS: The campaign launch made international news, inspiring thousands of young people to share their school photos online. It generated a combined 2 million views of the first #EmergencyLessons video and UNICEF Ambassador Tom Hiddleston's video of support on Facebook, 31,000 likes of Hiddleston's video on Twitter, significant organic broadcast and digital media coverage and widespread engagement by people all over the globe -- including some of Hiddleston's "Avengers" friends. o SOCIAL IMPACT CLIENT PROGRAMS MAKING THE CASE FOR: MAKING A MICRO-IMPACT ORGANIZATION: Royal Bank of Canada THE CHALLENGE: How does a brand celebrate Canada's 150th Anniversary while striding boldly into the future? By Craig Ritchie, VP, Associate That's the question the Royal Creative Director, Bank of Canada (RBC) had on Toronto its mind in 2016. RBC turned to a natural symbol and catalyst for progress and forward-thinking: Canadian youth. The campaign began in October 2016 by giving $150 to hundreds of young Canadians with a simple request: Use the money to help communities prosper. RBC branches selected local Canadians between the ages of 1625 to participate in the program by asking them to share their ideas via social media with the hashtag #Make150Count. Participants spent their money by buying supplies for children living in homeless shelters, making care packages for people living on the street and creating art projects to demonstrate the value of positive thinking for Canadian women. a launch event for employees that would tell the story of the campaign, and catapult RBC to the front of the line among Canada 150 activations. To achieve these goals, WSC and RBC employees created giant public portraits of six outstanding #Make150Count participants -- using dozens of RBC tower windows and 300,000 perfectly placed Post-it notes. These multistory mosaic billboards greeted commuters in Halifax, Toronto and Vancouver. THE ACTIVATION ENGAGED OVER 230 EMPLOYEES WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS, GENERATED OVER 4.5 MILLION IMPRESSIONS AND OVER 400,000 VIEWS ON A TIMELAPSE SOCIAL VIDEO. THE RESULTS: Three hundred and fifty eight windows later, the portraits were complete. In Toronto, high over Union Station and Front Street, the Post-it portrait became Canada's largestever billboard. The activation engaged over 230 employees with family and friends, generated over 4.5 million impressions and over 400,000 views on a time-lapse social video. It was incredible to see how thousands of Post-it notes created beautiful pieces of art; and similarly, how hundreds of $150 actions ignited a movement of positive change within society. o OUR APPROACH: The company came to Weber Shandwick Canada (WSC) wanting to ensure that their Canada 150 idea would stand out from the noise of other anniversary campaigns, while also building pride among employees by involving them in the launch of their program across the country. Inspired by entrepreneurial youth, Weber Shandwick Canada was tasked with developing 34 Engaging on Purpose 35 PRO BONO PARTNERSHIPS IMPACT PROJECT: 36 Engaging on Purpose IMPACT PROJECT: PRO BONO PARTNERSHIPS MAKING THE CASE FOR: TURNING PERSONAL PASSION INTO PROFESSIONAL GROWTH ORGANIZATION: Communities for Communities (Australia) professional expertise, she'd previously helped secure local sponsors and editorial coverage for major Communities for Communities events. THE CHALLENGE: Entrepreneur, philanthropist By Tom Horn, Associate Director, Sydney Hannah hard at work in Indonesia Weber Shandwick employees are passionate about sharing their expertise to achieve a positive impact on their communities as well as help solve complex global challenges. Through our 2016 Impact Project, our global program unifying Weber Shandwick's pro bono efforts, we focused on closing the opportunity gap -- helping people achieve their potential and live more prosperous lives. and former "Australian Survivor" competitor Lance Brooks founded Communities for Communities in 2002 to demonstrate the power and impact that his Canada Bay community could have on less fortunate communities around the world. Since 2002, the organization has raised over $2 million Australian dollars to help build houses, schools and community facilities in disadvantaged villages across the globe. But, the organization's work to date had been built predominantly on the passion of committed volunteers. With greater support and investment from the private sector, Communities for Communities could facilitate even greater change for the world's disadvantaged populations. The challenge for the organisation was how to build new substantial, lasting relationships with representatives of the corporate sector. Recognising the organization's potential for expansion and need for greater corporate engagement, Hannah connected Communities for Communities with Weber Shandwick Australia - with a longterm vision of connecting the organization's great work to date with the resources, knowledge and networks of one of Australia (and the world)'s leading integrated communications firms. "Hannah has been an avid volunteer with Communities for Communities for many years now," says Ava Lawler, Managing Director of Weber Shandwick Australia. "I have always been impressed by the passion and commitment she's brought to the organization -- and I've been further impressed with how intelligently they have leveraged Hannah's skills and their ability, as an organization, to foster relationships and bring communities together." "With our two organizations working together, I feel we will accomplish great things." OUR APPROACH: For a number THE RESULTS: In volunteering her expertise, of years, Weber Shandwick senior account manager Hannah Rayment had been personally invested in the work of Communities for Communities. She had traveled independently to Indonesia twice as a volunteer and built homes for communities in need. Donating her time and Hannah has already helped the organization raise over $70,000 Australian dollars for communities in need. Going forward, Weber Shandwick's award-winning global Social Impact practice will also be assisting Communities for Communities in developing campaigns, securing partnerships and raising funds to bolster growth; with Hannah Rayment leading the way. 37 IMPACT PROJECT: PRO BONO PARTNERSHIPS MAKING THE CASE FOR: CREATING A SMOKE-FREE WORKPLACE ORGANIZATION: CEO Roundtable on Cancer-China THE CHALLENGE: The CEO Roundtable on Cancer-China, a first-of-its-kind nongovernmental By Homer Tian, organization in China, brings an Head of Marketing, employer-led health and wellness Beijing model to the forefront. The organization aims to eliminate cancer as a public health problem by developing and implementing initiatives to reduce the risk of cancer, enable early diagnosis, facilitate access to the best available treatments, and hasten the discovery of novel and more effective anticancer therapies. Cancer-China's goal is to create a 100 percent smoke-free workplace and support legal control on tobacco in Shanghai. CANCER-CHINA'S GOAL IS TO CREATE A 100 PERCENT SMOKE-FREE WORKPLACE AND SUPPORT LEGAL CONTROL ON TOBACCO IN SHANGHAI. OUR APPROACH: In partnership with CEO Roundtable on CancerChina, Shanghai Preventive Medical Association and Shanghai Association of Tobacco Control, Weber Shandwick organized a Smoke-free CEO Pledge and Press Conference event during 2016. We motivated the audience and highlighted the health benefits for employees by inviting pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim to share their success story of how they created a 100 percent smoke-free workplace. THE RESULTS: Officials and experts from over 70 multinational and domestic enterprises attended the event (including Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization) and drove over 100 pieces of media coverage. We also joined the pledge to create a 100 percent smoke-free workplace. We're proud to be the first and only communication consultancy firm to support this pledge and, furthermore, to commit to proposing it to partners and clients. o Global officials and experts attend the Smoke-Free CEO Pledge press conference event. 38 Engaging on Purpose MAKING THE CASE FOR: BEING #WITHTHEREFUGEES ORGANIZATION: Spain for UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) THE CHALLENGE: In summer 2016, Spain for UNHCR took a historic step to address the flood of refugees entering Europe. Their goal was to obtain one million signatures to present to the United Nations during the annual General Assembly, and to pressure countries to approve new, bold policies for refugees. By Victor Huerta Lopez, Senior Account Executive, Madrid OUR APPROACH: To achieve visibility for the campaign in Spain and to elevate awareness across the globe, Weber Shandwick built a communications plan around how much travel the average Spaniard does during the summer. The team created a suite of communication materials, including social media content that highlighted the number of trips, distance in kilometers and preferred destinations of Spanish people during the summer months. The Spanish vacation statistics were contrasted with the treacherous journeys of European refugees. THE RESULTS: As part of earned media efforts, Weber Shandwick secured interviews between key Spain for UNHCR executives and top-tier Spanish radio and TV stations. The campaign resulted in outstanding top-tier coverage in Spanish media and social media buzz. Ultimately, Spain for UNCHR exceeded the initial objective and obtained over 1.3 million signatures worldwide with Spain leading the way with over 500,000 signatures. o 39 IMPACT PROJECT: PRO BONO PARTNERSHIPS MAKING THE CASE FOR: RALLYING EMPLOYEES TO SHOW #WECARE ORGANIZATION: Breast Cancer in India THE CHALLENGE: Deepawali (Diwali) is the Hindu festival of lights celebrated by millions of By Shannon Pinto, Content/Planning, people across India every Mumbai autumn. It is one of the most popular festivals of Hinduism and spiritually signifies the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, knowledge over ignorance, and hope over despair. Last year, Diwali was celebrated in the month of October, and it happened to coincide with the National Breast Cancer Awareness month. Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women, worldwide. But it is also the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women, after lung cancer, according to the Center for Diseases Control and Prevention. In India, breast cancer accounts for 25 - 31 percent of all cancers in women. The average age of developing breast cancer has also undergone a significant shift from 50 - 70 years to 30 - 50 years. Before the day's celebrations began, Weber Shandwick India CEO Valerie Pinto made an announcement to highlight the importance of breast cancer awareness. In each office, Weber Shandwick challenged colleagues to spread awareness within their networks and encourage their loved ones to go for regular check-ups. Colorful, festive decorations (i.e., Rangoli) were displayed throughout the workplace and colleagues were invited to wear pink to show their support for the cause. Employees were also encouraged to share through social media engagement using the hashtag #WeCare to catalyze discussions around breast cancer and raise awareness about the vital health issue. THE RESULTS: The internal campaign culminated with a day of celebration and education across the region. Our workspaces were illuminated with bright pink lights, and our staff was immersed in Breast Cancer education. #WeCare helped spread awareness of the deadly disease among our colleagues in India and beyond. o OUR APPROACH: As part of the 2016 Diwali celebrations, Weber Shandwick's India team rallied for more awareness of breast cancer across our offices. Weber Shandwick Mumbai celebrates Diwali with pink lights and decorations for Breast Cancer awareness. 40 Engaging on Purpose 41 MAKING AN IMPACT AWARDS Weber Shandwick's Making an Impact initiative is our annual awards program that recognizes the contributions made by our colleagues who give back to communities around the world. 42 Engaging on Purpose Namaste students enjoying a nutritious afternoon treat. MAKING THE CASE FOR: LEARNING THE "NAMASTE" WAY 2016 MAKING AN IMPACT AWARD WINNER, BREAKTHROUGH CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR Thirteen years ago, Namaste Charter School opened in southwest Chicago with a mission to By Cathy Calhoun, Chief Client Officer, change the Chicago trajectory of underserved kids' lives. Namaste was one of the first schools in the country founded on research that proves that kids who have access to healthy food and regular physical activity perform better academically -- a perfect match for Weber Shandwick's expertise in, and passion for, food and nutrition. Today, 80 percent of Namaste's 485 students (grades K-8) are Hispanic and the majority are from low income households. Beyond the kids enrolled in school, Namaste is deeply committed to sharing best practices through its "Learning the Namaste Way" program that is offered to teachers and administrators nationwide. Namaste wants to fundamentally change the way we look at educating all children for lifelong success. Over the past thirteen years, Weber Shandwick has tackled numerous projects for the school, from elevating the profile and vision of Namaste's founder, Allison Slade, to prepping the school's building the night before it first opened. Weber Shandwick sponsored the annual Teacher Appreciation Day, created multiple pieces of video content, helped develop the school's website, provided social media counsel to staff, and managed and sponsored fundraising events. Weber Shandwick employees have also served on both the associate and the main board of directors and volunteered in the classroom, continuing to extend the relationship between the school and firm. Namaste students are outperforming many other public schools in the city, getting accepted into Chicago's selective enrollment high schools and going on to college, even earning scholarships. Often they are the first generation in their families to move on to higher education. But most importantly, we are helping Namaste communicate how the school's innovative model instills healthy habits and life skills that will have an ongoing impact on student success. o 43 THE JOURNEY TO GERMANY: WELCOME HOME, REFUGEES Steffi (left) and Mortaza (right) enjoying a pedal boat ride ALI CAME FROM KABUL WHERE HE WAS A TAILOR. In Germany, 2016 MAKING AN IMPACT AWARD WINNER, OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUAL IMPACT IT'S MONDAY MORNING. I PACK MY BAG FOR THE DAY. I don't really need much for the office, By Steffi Vogl, Account Director, Munich 44 but I'm not going home immediately after work. I have more plans for today. On Mondays, I give German lessons at Munich Integrates, a volunteer group which offers language courses and theater workshops to refugees living in Germany. I learned about the association through Facebook in the winter of 2016. At that time, the daily news was full of "the largest refugee wave," with individuals migrating from Africa and across the Mediterranean Sea to Europe. Reporters talked about crisis, crowded emergency accommodations and a lack of resources. Several thousand refugees arrived via trains in Munich and elsewhere on a daily basis. Behind most of those people, including many families with children, were weeks-long journeys through numerous African and European countries. Often they only had the clothes that Engaging on Purpose leave. An ongoing curriculum is difficult to maintain. But we try our best. Today, there are only four students so we can work productively in two groups. By now I am very familiar with some of the faces in front of me. Last Friday, a federal holiday in Munich, I met Abdul, Hamid, Ali and Mortaza. We meet outside of class every now and then. I suggest a place to visit in or around Munich, and if they agree, we explore the region together. Last week, a trip to the mountains was on the agenda. Only a few students are willing to travel so far out of Munich. And the German countryside is so great! After a onehour train ride, we hiked to the top of the Schliersberg Alp and then wound down the mountain on the summer funicular followed by ... pedal boat rides on the Schliersee lake. It was so much fun! Mortaza said, "Steffi, today we are all very happy!" I ACCOMPANY THEM TO THE DOCTOR. SOMETIMES WE COOK TOGETHER AND GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER'S CULTURE BETTER. BUT THE FOCAL POINT OF OUR MEETINGS IS ALWAYS FUN. MAKING AN IMPACT AWARDS they wore and the bags that they could carry. The luckier ones still had their mobile phone. It was often the only connection to family and friends left behind. I helped give the refugees a warm welcome to Germany at the Munich ZOB (central bus station). Why there? SEVERAL THOUSAND REFUGEES ARRIVED VIA TRAINS IN MUNICH AND ELSEWHERE ON A DAILY BASIS. BECAUSE MANY REFUGEES stranded in Munich wanted to move north to Denmark or Sweden with their families. And because at ZOB, there was warm, vegetarian soup, black tea with six spoons of sugar, candy, warm clothes, toys, a heated room, medical care and even children's safety seats for the long bus ride ahead. Even though the arrivals' history was often tragic, the mood at the ZOB was uplifting. Our translators, refugees themselves, spoke with the displaced in Arabic, Dari or Pashto and helped break the ice. And of course, a friendly smile from us, the ZOB Angels, helped make things more positive. I pack a sandwich, some fruit, last week's notes and my German-language text book with the materials for today's course into my bag. Last week we discussed the topic of job applications. At the end of the class there were some additional questions so over the weekend I created exercises to answer them. On my lunch break, I talk with my colleague Sophie. We're teaching the German class together, so we discuss today's lesson. The plan is set. We have prep materials for job interviews. At 6:30 p.m., like every Monday, we travel through the Munich city center to the neighborhood of Giesing, where our German class takes place. Our students from Syria and Afghanistan are already waiting for us. Some can speak German quite well while others cannot write numbers. New people join while others he would like to do that, too. However, he lacks language skills, and his professional education is not recognized in Germany. Facing daily challenges with local bureaucracy and authorities, it is good for Ali and his friends to form relationships with local citizens. Sometimes I accompany them to the doctor. Sometimes we cook together and get to know each other's culture better. Or when the administrative paperwork causes more problems than it solves, they sometimes ask me for advice or assistance. But the focal point of our meetings is always fun. Today's class is also entertaining. In a role play exercise, the participants write an email to a potential love interest. Every now and then I hear some words in foreign languages, uncertain whispers, and confused looks, followed by laughter. "Steffi, I do not understand," says one student, Hamid, laughing to me. "Can't I just say, 'I love you' right away?" After two hours, the class finishes for the day. "See you next week," I say to the class. o A birthday cake for Steffi from Radwan, a confectioner and refugee from Syria 45 MAKING AN IMPACT AWARDS SAVING INDONESIAN TIGERS WITH THE WORLD WILDLIFE FUND 2016 MAKING AN IMPACT AWARD FINALST, BREAKTHROUGH CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR By Billy Chailani, Editor, Jakarta In 2016, Weber Shandwick Indonesia joined forces with World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in Indonesia to bring awareness to the critically endangered status of Sumatran tigers. According to current estimates, there are only 371 members of the tiger subspecies left in the wild. To support an ongoing global initiative that WWF has been running since 2010, Weber Shandwick was tasked with training local stakeholders to communicate about the issue. These activities were undertaken with one goal: Transform the people in the area to become representatives who can educate people about the alarming issue. Even the local children were encouraged to develop their storytelling and writing skills through special classes and workshops. 46 Engaging on Purpose The hands-on trainings were followed by a large-scale media event that included nearly 30 local influencers who encouraged the audience to "adopt" paper-mache tiger cubs. Each cub represented one of the last tigers in the wild. By symbolically adopting a tiger, donors were able to support Sumatran tiger conservation efforts. In May 2016, representatives from Weber Shandwick Indonesia traveled to Rimbang Baling. Weber Shandwick ran community engagement workshops to empower locals and strengthen their communication skills, creating powerful advocates for the local tiger populations. "River Ambassadors" were trained in public speaking and charged with spreading the messages of water conservation and its impact on tiger extinction. Weber Shandwick Indonesia's work allowed WWF to spread awareness of declining wild tiger populations to regions untouched by previous global campaigns. And, in 2016, wildlife experts reported that wild tiger populations around the world had increased for the first time in over 100 years, with the population growing from 3,200 to 3,890. 47 48 Engaging on Purpose DIVERGE: A leading online magazine for the advertising, media, marketing, public relations and the communications industry. Weber Shandwick supported the launch of Diverge as a founding partner. LAGRANT FOUNDATION: A nonprofit organization based in Los Angeles and established in 1998 to address the lack of diversity in the advertising, marketing and public relations fields. Weber Shandwick President Gail Heimann proudly serves on the board of directors of the LAGRANT Foundation. RON BROWN SCHOLARS: African American high school seniors who demonstrate outstanding promise are selected to become a part of this program, which focuses on encouraging leadership and civic engagement, while promoting academic excellence. Weber Shandwick has been a sponsor of the program since 2011. Weber Shandwick Chairman Jack Leslie serves as Chariman, Board of Trustees and Judith Harrison, Weber Shandwick Senior Vice President, Diversity & Inclusion, serves on the Board of Advisors. COLORCOMM: An organization for women of color in all areas of communications including public relations, corporate communications, advertising print media, broadcast, digital and more. Weber Shandwick has been a sponsor of ColorComm since it was founded in 2013. Judith Harrison, Weber Shandwick Senior Vice President, Diversity & Inclusion, serves on the Advisory Board. CONCORDIA: A nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that builds meaningful partnerships for positive social impact. Weber Shandwick has been a pro bono partner of Concordia Summit since 2016. THOUGHT PARTNERSHIPS Weber Shandwick is proud to partner with a variety of leading organizations to help advance its corporate citizenship efforts. LEADERSHIP CIVILITY IN AMERICA 2016: The sixth installment of Civility in America from Weber Shandwick, Powell Tate and KRC Research finds that civility continues to be a societal issue. Nearly all Americans, 95 percent, say civility is a problem, with three-quarters (74 percent) saying civility has declined in the past few years. ALWAYS-ON TRANSPARENCY: The second report in the five-part Innovation Trends Report series explores the role of transparency in building trust, credibility and the right to operate for corporations, nonprofits, foundations and government entities. GENDER FORWARD PIONEER (GFP) 2016 INDEX: Measures the percentage of women in senior management positions at Fortune Global 500 companies. According to the GFP Index, only 10.9% of senior executives at the world's largest 500 companies are women. Not one company has an equal representation of men and women in their top ranks, and nearly 40% have an all-male senior leadership team. 2016 CIVILITY IN AMERICA THROUGH THE GEN Z LENSES: Looks at civility through a generational lens to better understand how different segments of society perceive and experience the actions of other Americans. BSR: A global nonprofit business network collaborating with more than 250 member companies and other partners to build a just and sustainable world. Weber Shandwick has supported a multiyear partnership with BSR. THE DAWN OF CEO ACTIVISM: The survey of American adults gauges awareness of and attitudes toward CEOs speaking out on important societal issues. The research found that nearly 40% of American adults believe that it is a CEO's duty to engage with and speak out on hot-button issues. TAYLOR BENNETT FOUNDATION: Seeks to address the need for greater diversity in the public relations industry by encouraging black, Asian and ethnic minority graduates to pursue a career in communications. Weber Shandwick runs a 10-week paid internship training program as part of this partnership. PURPOSE-DRIVEN DATA: The third report in the five-part Innovation Trends Report series explores how organizations can better leverage purpose-driven analytics to achieve social and environmental goals through strategic data-driven communications and storytelling. CREATIVE PIONEERS: Facilitates one-year apprenticeships for young professionals seeking digital and creative careers. Weber Shandwick offers paid opportunities to Creative Pioneers each year. MILLENNIALS@WORK: PERSPECTIVES ON DIVERSITY & INCLUSION: Examines three different generations' experiences and attitudes towards diversity and inclusion in the workplace. finds that one-third of all employees report there is more diversity in their workplace than in their personal lives. MEDIA TRUST: A communications charity that believes in the power of media to change lives. Weber Shandwick is proud to offer a paid 12-week internship to four individuals from socially disadvantaged backgrounds each year, providing them with a stepping stone into PR. PURPOSE DECODED: Purpose Decoded is where you can find insights from Weber Shandwick's global Social Impact team on building purpose-driven brands, engaging advocates and demonstrating social impact. Visit impact.webershandwick.com for more information. 49 AWARDS THROUGH 2016 CSR A-List, PRNews (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016) Best PR Firm Diversity Initiative, 4 out of 6 years, PR Council/ PRWeek Diversity Distinction in PR Awards (2012, 2013, 2015, 2016) Global Digital Agency of the Year, Global Creative Agency of the Year (with Prime), The Holmes Report, Global SABRE Awards (2016) Global Agency of the Year, PRWeek Global Awards (2015, 2016) Most awarded public relations firm, Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity (2016) PR Agency of the Year, PRWeek U.S. Awards (2015, 2016) Large Agency of the Year, PRWeek U.S. Awards (2015, 2016) Digital Consultancy of the Year, The Holmes Report, EMEA SABRE Awards (2016) Company of the Year: Advertising, Marketing and Public Relations, German Stevie Awards (2016) PR Agency of the Year, German Stevie Awards (2016) Middle East Agency of the Year, Middle East Public Relations Awards (2016) U.K. Business Superbrand, 10th year in a row (2016) Nordic Consultancy of the Year (with Prime), The Holmes Report, EMEA SABRE Awards (2016) Iberian Consultancy of the Year, The Holmes Report, EMEA SABRE Awards (2016) China Agency of the Year & India Agency of the Year, Mumbrella Awards (2016) South East Consultancy of the Year, The Holmes Report, APAC SABRE Awards (2016) Communications Agency of the Year, TOP Mega 10 Brazil Awards (2015, 2016) For more information contact csr@webershandwick.com 50