Omnicom Group Inc.

06/19/2017 | Press release | Archived content

Omnicom Expands Commitment To The U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) With The Launch Of Two New Multi-Year Global Partnerships

Theirworld and Girl Effect Become Signature Partners of Omnicom as it Continues to Tackle the Challenges of Ensuring Inclusive and Quality Education through the Common Ground Initiative

CANNES, FRANCE, June 19, 2017 - Omnicom is formalizing its pledge to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) #4 with the announcement today of two new, three-year global partnerships with leading NGOs - Theirworld and Girl Effect.

Since the launch of the Common Ground Initiative last year, Omnicom has been simultaneously supporting global and local education programs while managing several projects with its newest partners to further deliver on the important promise of SDG #4: "inclusive and quality education for all."

"We are committed to using the creativity, innovation and power of our people and agencies across the globe to help the UN achieve the SDGs," says John Wren, President and CEO, Omnicom Group. "Given our long history supporting educational initiatives, we are honored to be able to extend our support to two outstanding non-profits, Theirworld and Girl Effect, who share a similar mission - education for all."

Children's charity Theirworld uses research, pilot projects and campaigning to create global change and bring better health and education to children. They are at the forefront of testing and shaping new ideas to help give the most vulnerable children around the world a brighter future and the best possible start in life.

"A partnership with Omnicom gives a huge boost to the global movement to get every girl and boy in school," says Sarah Brown, President of Theirworld. "The engagement of such a vibrant network of clients, offices, staff and agencies worldwide has the potential to help transform how world leaders and communities all around the world prioritize the education of children, whoever they are and wherever they are born."

Girl Effect uses mass and social media, mobile technology and data to break down the negative social norms that hold girls and their communities back. Through brands for social change, the organisation provides girls the information and inspiration the information and inspiration they need to become co-creators of change in their own right.

"When girls have access to a quality education, not only do they rise, but they also lift the economic prospects of their whole community," says Farah Ramzan Golant, CEO of Girl Effect. "We are grateful to Omnicom because we both believe in the power of branded storytelling: To unleash real change, you need to unlock hearts and minds and enable new behaviors. This is where our two organizations can work collaboratively together to deliver real return on impact."

Watch the video to learn more about Omnicom's partnership with Theirworld and Girl Effect.

Omnicom will be discussing their partnership with Theirworld and Girl Effect as part of a CEO Panel session at The OMD Oasis during the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity (June 17-24), in Cannes, France, on Tuesday, June 20 and at a Common Ground reception later that evening. In addition, throughout the week of Cannes Lions Festival there will be an exhibit showcasing the efforts and progress of all Common Ground initiatives in the Palais des Festivals.

Theirworld (https://theirworld.org/) and Girl Effect (https://www.girleffect.org/) join a list of other admirable NGOs Omnicom employees and agencies are supporting to advance inclusive and quality education, including CARE, Room to Read, Project Literacy, IndeWe Learning Center in Illovo, Action Aid, Education Above All and RMHC/Hacer Scholarship Program, among others.

View Omnicom's 2016 Corporate Responsibility Report: https://csr.omnicomgroup.com