Winner: FleishmanHillard - FH4Inclusion
FleishmanHillard sought to celebrate its 70th anniversary in a way that spoke to who the company is and what makes it unique, while uniting employees under a single, global rallying cry that would make a lasting impact and carry into its next 70 years. As the agency toasted its milestone anniversary, it also wanted to renew its commitment to making a difference in its communities—acting as one company, but giving flexibility to its approximately 2,700 colleagues in over 85 offices around the globe. As the anniversary date approached, CEO John Saunders sent an email to employees requesting input on how best to celebrate the occasion. The overwhelming response was a desire for employees to get involved in their individual communities in a meaningful way. As the agency looked at ways to support the wide variety of communities its employees inhabit, team members couldn’t find one specific charity or organization that would resonate equally in all its markets. So instead of focusing on a charity, FleishmanHillard focused on a problem: social exclusion. Social exclusion can be found in any community, and can be defined as a process by which certain groups are systematically disadvantaged because they are discriminated against on the basis of their ethnicity, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender, age, disability or location.
Operating under this umbrella of social inclusion, agency employees from each office identified non-profits, charities and organizations that champion social inclusion. The initiative dedicated $2 million in pro bono work toward social inclusion projects during its anniversary year. Project areas include: supplying food and shelter for underserved adults and teens in Atlanta, Dallas and Los Angeles, supporting college and career preparedness for disadvantaged teens, women and minority youth in urban areas and helping prepare and support refugees and migrants as they assimilate in Miami and Germany. Upwards of 400 employees from more than 40 offices have contributed over half a million dollars in pro bono services today, and the program is only getting started.