AT OMNICOM, WE KNOW WHAT WE DO IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN WHAT WE SAY.
Our strategy for meaningful change at Omnicom, OPEN (Omnicom People Engagement Network) is how we build a more diverse, inclusive and equitable global organization for our 70,000+ employees.
Across the world, organizations continue to grapple with how to deconstruct decades of inequitable norms and rebuild cultures and systems to be more inclusive and equitable. We know that progress is not made by enhancing what is-progress is made by advancing what will be. Authentic change comes from a long-term investment in DE&I. And that means an investment in people.
We are opening our minds, systems, processes and our doors to embrace new ideas, new talent and most importantly, new possibilities. To us, being OPEN means justice, diversity, equity and inclusion (JEDI) is a transformative business-value driver for our organization and our clients. It means making permanent and profound changes in how we think, speak and, most importantly, how we act.
In 2020, we launched OPEN 2.0, our action plan to achieve systemic equity throughout Omnicom and beyond. Our ambition means we must be focused with consistent, committed action. Two years later, we have seen a transformation in our business, excitement from our employees, and evolutions in our client relationships.
Last year, we built on our momentum to challenge norms, confront injustice and dismantle systemic inequity. We released our inaugural DE&I report- Responsibly Relentless, Equity for All – a manifestation of the work that thousands of colleagues pursued to make Omnicom better.
We have established leadership structures, engaged employees and set equity-related key performance indicators to measure our advancement, maintain transparency and hold ourselves accountable. We are walking side by side with our clients to produce work that is innovative and inclusive. The scope and scale of our investment in DE&I distinguishes us not only in our industry, but in the global marketplace.
Our people make us strong. Together, we’re the change that our industry has needed for so long. An industry where people have agency, where our humanity comes first. As communicators, we have the power to catalyze and drive organizational change. That’s exactly why we’ve invested in a leadership structure at Omnicom that integrates DE&I across all parts of our business where our top leaders are held accountable for its progress. Just as important, our DE&I leaders report to – and collaborate with – their CEOs, as a valued part of the C-suite. With a sense of purpose and intention, our team of more than 50 Omnicom DE&I leaders along with our ERG leaders, are enacting meaningful and substantial change and fostering a culture where people feel seen, respected and valued.
Through culture, collaboration, client engagement and community, Omnicom is an OPEN space. Delivering on our commitment to equity requires transparency and action. That is why Omnicom has taken a data-driven approach to DE&I that holds us accountable for our ambitions. Every Omnicom agency is required to determine specific actions, with deadlines, to advance our KPIs. Executive compensation at Omnicom and its agencies is determined, in part, by our progress against them.
Doing “the work” is not a box to tick or a badge to wear, it’s a way of conducting business, a way of living, that forever welcomes all voices and perspectives to the table. Our position as a global leader in marketing communications enables us to make it happen at scale. The work must continue. We are not letting up. Our goals are big because the culture of accountability Omnicom has created continues to push us to iterate, to evolve and never be satisfied.
