Publicis Groupe launches Working With Cancer initiative in the Philippines in partnership with AC Health and PMAP

Publicis Groupe has announced a major milestone for its global “Working with Cancer” (WWC) initiative in the Philippines, where it has partnered with Ayala Healthcare Holdings Inc (AC Health) and the People Management Association of the Philippines (PMAP) to drive the WWC Pledge forward.

The global WWC initiative aims to eradicate the stigma of cancer in the workplace by encouraging major corporations to sign a ‘pledge’ to provide a more supportive, and recovery-forward culture at work for people with cancer.

The WWC Pledge was originally unveiled earlier this year in Davos, spearheaded by Arthur Sadoun, the Global Chairman and CEO of Publicis Groupe and global clients including McDonald’s, Nestlé, PepsiCo, and more. Sadoun has been open about his cancer diagnosis and created the Pledge to push for significant concrete organizational action when it comes to supporting those dealing with chronic disease. The initiative is also supported by leading cancer charities and organizations, including the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), MacMillan Cancer Support, and the Gustave Roussy Institute.

The signed MOA between Publicis Groupe Philippines, AC Health and PMAP aims to create a more supportive professional environment for all cancer fighters, caregivers, and survivors – providing them with the essential job security and care they need throughout their careers.

Joanne Abrihan-Ty, Chief Finance Officer at Publicis Groupe Philippines, said: “We’re incredibly grateful to formalize our alliance with AC Health and PMAP as we move to rally the most influential companies to build the most open, supportive, and recovery-forward work cultures for employees. In a world where one in every two people will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime, we believe that WWC should be a movement for all businesses, big or small.”

PMAP is the largest organization of HR and Talent leaders in the Philippines, representing more than 1,800 companies including most of the Top 500 corporations.

PMAP President Ma. Elizabeth Nasol said: “This cancer support initiative, born out of the collaborative effort of the founding partners, carries a profound message – that cancer should never be a personal problem. Through this collaboration, we pledge to encourage our member organizations to provide comprehensive support in the face of cancer – a shared challenge that ensures that those affected by it will never have a solitary journey.”

AC Health is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Ayala Corporation, which aims to provide every Filipino accessible, affordable, and quality healthcare. Ayala Corporation includes Ayala Land, Globe, BPI, and the Healthway network of hospitals and clinics.

Paolo Borromeo, President & CEO of AC Health, said: “We are excited about our role in helping the Working With Cancer movement grow because we recognize our responsibility and obligation, as healthcare providers and employers, to provide the best care and environment to our employees for cancer screening, treatment, and recovery. Together, we can do much to revolutionize cancer care in the workplace setting.”

Dave Drilon, Chief Digital Officer of Publicis Groupe Philippines, added: “With the intent of providing better cancer care in the workplace, there’s certainly a need for greater awareness and action. We must work closer with companies to ensure these programs get implemented. The formalization of the pledge with our founding partners AC Health and PMAP is but the first step to growing this movement in the country – something we will nurture for many years to come – and we look forward to working with more businesses and institutions in this undertaking.”

Since announcing the WWC initiative in January 2023, companies and partners around the world have shown support for the #workingwithcancer pledge.

Amrita Randhawa, CEO of Publicis Groupe Singapore and Southeast Asia, said: “The Philippines team have made an incredible effort to scale the WWC initiative such that it makes industry-wide and client-wide impact. As a team, this is what we are focused on in Southeast Asia: inviting and bringing together industry and client bodies to make sure this initiative creates scalable workforce change.”

For more information about WWC, please visit Workingwithcancerpledge.com.