United Nations Global Compact Index
“WPP has joined the United Nations Global Compact to reaffirm our commitment to its 10 principles on human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. We are working to integrate these principles into our strategy, culture and operations, and we are committed to collaborating with our clients, suppliers, the UN and others on these issues and to sharing our progress with stakeholders through our Sustainability Report.”
Sir Martin Sorrell, Group chief executive
We joined the United Nations Global Compact in 2015, and are committed to its 10 principles covering the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. This report is our first Communication on Progress against the Global Compact Principles, covering the year 2015. This table provides a summary of our approach in each area and links to where further information and performance data can be found in our report.
Human rights and labour
- Human rights and labour
- Principle One
Businesses should support and respect the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights.
Principle Two
Make sure they
are not complicit in human rights abuses.
Principle Three
Businesses should uphold the freedom
of association and the effective recognition
of the right to collective bargaining.
Principle Four
The elimination of all forms of forced and compulsory labour.
Principle Five
The effective abolition
of child labour.
Principle Six
Eliminate discrimination
in respect of employment
and occupation.
- Summary of approach
-
Respect for human rights is a fundamental principle for WPP and we take steps to prevent, identify and address any negative human rights impacts associated with our business as well as looking for opportunities to positively promote and support human rights.
During 2015 we published a human rights policy statement. This reflects international standards and principles including the International Bill of Human Rights, the UN’s Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights,
the International Labour Organization’s Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and the Children’s Rights and Business Principles. Our commitment is also explained our Code of Business Conduct, our Sustainability Policy, and our Code of Business Conduct – Supplier Version.
Employees
Our main human rights impact is as a major employer in 112 countries and we aim to embed respect for human rights into our employment practices. This includes providing safe workplaces, selecting and promoting our people on the basis of their qualifications and merit, preventing discrimination and encouraging diversity. We recognise the rights of our employees to freedom of association and collective bargaining and will not tolerate discrimination, harassment or any form of forced, compulsory or child labour.
Employees can report concerns or suspected cases of misconduct including those relating to human rights through our third party-managed Right to Speak facility, overseen by our internal audit department.
Suppliers
We expect suppliers to adopt similar human rights standards to our own
and all major suppliers are asked to sign our Code of Business Conduct – Supplier Version. This includes requirements relating to labour practices (such as wages, anti-harassment and discrimination and health & safety), human rights (including no child, forced or bonded labour) and social impacts (such as anti-bribery and corruption). We assess suppliers in key areas of our supply chain on sustainability risks, including human rights risks.
Wider impacts
Our companies provide creative services to organisations involved in protecting and promoting human rights, often on a pro bono basis. This
is our main opportunity to positively promote human rights. We report
the value of this work and publish recent examples in our Pro bono book.
- Location in
our reporting
- Human rights
Our ethical standards
Diversity and inclusion
Health, safety and well-being
Supply chain
Social investment
Pro bono book, wpp.com/probono/2015/
Policies
Environment
- Environment
- Principle Seven
Business should support a precautionary approach to environmental challenges.
Principle Eight
Undertake initiatives
to promote greater environmental
responsibility.
Principle Nine
Encourage the
development
and diffusion of
environmentally
friendly technologies.
- Summary of approach
- We aim for WPP to be a low-carbon and resource-efficient Group and we support a precautionary approach to environmental challenges such as climate change. Our approach is summarised in our Sustainability Policy.
We focus on:
- Energy use and climate change: building and IT energy use,
business air travel, videoconferencing and carbon offseting
- Resource use: paper, water and waste management
We have set targets to help us improve performance, including our climate change target to reduce our per head carbon footprint to 1.8 tonnes by 2020, a 47% reduction since 2006. We report our progress annually.
Suppliers
We aim to select suppliers who meet high environmental standards and
we work with suppliers on environmental issues.
Working with clients
Our companies work with clients on environmental campaigns designed to raise the profile of greener products and services and engage consumers
on sustainability issues. We have also analysed the carbon footprint of our value chain and are exploring how we can work with clients to reduce the carbon footprint of media campaigns.
Our companies provide pro bono creative services to organisations involved
in environmental protection. We report the value of this work and publish recent examples in our Pro bono book.
- Location in
our reporting
- Sustainability in marketing
Environment
Supply chain
Social investment
Sustainability policy
Pro bono book, wpp.com/probono/2015/
Anti-corruption
- Anti-corruption
- Principle 10
Businesses should work against corruption in all its forms, including extortion
and bribery.
- Summary of approach
- The WPP Code of Business Conduct provides the framework for how
we operate. It establishes the values and ethical standards that all
our companies must implement, including zero tolerance for bribery
or corruption. It is supported by detailed policies on anti-bribery
and corruption, gifts and entertainment and the appointment
of third-party advisors.
Senior managers in all our companies and our business partners and major suppliers are asked to sign a copy of the WPP Code of Business Conduct each year to confirm they will comply with its principles. We have a Group-level committee that meets regularly to discuss ethical and compliance issues including risks relating to bribery and corruption.
Our online training on anti-bribery and corruption covers the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and UK Bribery Act on issues such as hospitality
and gifts, facilitation payments and the use of third-party advisors.
All employees are required to complete the training and over 200,000 employees have done so since 2013.
Acquisitions and sensitive countries
Our due diligence process for acquisitions and expansion into new markets includes a review of ethical risks including those relating to bribery and corruption, human rights or ethical issues associated with client work. We take steps to ensure that acquired businesses embed our policies and undertake our anti-bribery training.
Suppliers
Suppliers must comply with our Anti-Bribery and Corruption Policy and
our procurement professionals work with suppliers to ensure our policy
is implemented.
- Location in
our reporting
- Our ethical standards
Supply chain
Code of Business Conduct