What does an effective speak up strategy look like in advertising?
-Like many other companies, advertising giant M&C Saatchi had a whistleblowing hotline in place for employees to raise concerns about workplace misconduct. But the company’s head of HR found that it was not an effective method for getting employees to speak up, leaving the firm vulnerable to unreported risk.
Encouraging internal reporting is encouraging ethical behavior
-Many well-meaning financial institutions strive to maintain a positive reputation for ethics, fair dealings and tight controls. But many rely on an antiquated system for employees to report misconduct and fraud.
How advertising is dealing with new HR challenges in 2020
-Emily Hawkins, Group People Director at M&C Saatchi, gave an insight into how the advertising giant has responded to COVID-19 and the growing focus on equality.
June may almost be over but the need for equality isn’t
-As a wake up call, the systemic racism exposed through the Black Lives Matter movement during a month traditionally used to call attention to discrimination against the LGBT+ community means hitting ‘snooze’ is not an option.
Employees know discrimination reporting needs fixing
-In a letter to executives, Adidas employees asked for the “creation of an anonymous platform where employees can report instances of racism and discrimination, and for protection against retaliation”. Like many companies, Adidas has a hotline in place that is supposed to fit this purpose. But the employees are calling out the ineffectiveness of these archaic tools.
US firms banned from firing workers for being gay or trans
-Gay and transgender employees won a significant victory in the US Supreme Court this week after a federal ruling barred employers from firing workers for being gay or trans.
OSHA increases COVID-19 reporting requirements for all companies
-In recognition of the unique challenges posed by COVID-19, the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has increased its demands on employers for recording coronavirus-related illness.
Growing calls for action over racial injustice at work
-After many enterprises came forward in solidarity with the Black community, calls for companies to now take action are rising in volume amid concerns that outside of social media posts and diversity reports, structural bias remains entrenched.
Speak up. Listen up. Stand up. Wake up.
-Inequality is not new. It’s been an issue for a very long time. It’s a global issue; it’s a personal issue; and it’s very much a business issue.
Speaking about it is one step. Listening is another. Standing is yet another. Acting is the crucial step. And if anyone had any doubts: we now need crucial steps.
US DOJ focuses on effectiveness of misconduct reporting programs
-On June 1, 2020, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) updated its guidelines for Federal prosecutors, encouraging them to evaluate the effectiveness of corporate misconduct reporting tools and whether they are working actively and effectively.
