We have partnered with Publicis Groupe Australia’s Working with Cancer Initiative

We are pleased to announce a new partnership with Publicis Groupe Australia, to support the Working with Cancer Initiative locally in Australia. As a strategic partner of the pledge, we’re thrilled to be joining with Publicis Groupe to raise awareness of the need to build supportive workplaces for people living with cancer.

With more than 40% new cancer cases occurring within Australians of working age (20-64), this partnership is focused on raising awareness of the need for workplaces to consider how they are supporting people affected by cancer in the work environment, and encouraging businesses to consider how they can engage with the Working with Cancer Pledge.

The Pledge

Established in 2023, Publicis Groupe asked leaders from companies, health care providers, and non-for-profits across the globe, to stand together and pledge to provide a more supportive, and recovery-forward culture at work for people with cancer.  
 

The pledge requires organisations to declare their intent to improve cancer support for their employees, follow up with cultural and organisational actions, and put plans in place to raise awareness of the support they offer to their teams, breaking the stigma of cancer in the workplace.

Ultimately, each pledge consists of initiatives to ensure a smooth transition back to work, ongoing support, and fostering a culture of understanding and empathy.

You can find out more about the Working with Cancer Pledge here.

The Partnership 

Thanks to Publicis Groupe’s generous support, this partnership will be helping fund Cancer Council’s vital cancer Information and Support services, particularly services that offer support around cancer in the workplace.

How we will work together:

• Raise vital funds through Publicis staff fundraising initiatives for people affected by cancer
• Train Publicis Groupe staff and clients in how to navigate cancer in the workplace
• Update and refresh vital cancer information and support resources for the wider community, and
• Encourage companies in Australia to join the Working with Cancer Pledge and make a substantial and positive impact on people’s lives

How together, we will improve the lives of cancer survivors

We will focus on cancer survivorship as by 2040, it’s predicted 1.9 million Australians will be living with or beyond a cancer diagnosis, thanks to life-saving cancer research and improved cancer care. This means an increased number of cancer survivors facing long-term impacts from treatment will be in need of ongoing support.

Dr Vanessa Johnston, Director of Cancer Information and Support Services has said “Through collaboration we’re excited to provide training for Publics Groupe employees staff on how to have sensitive conversations with people affected by cancer and to offer and promote Cancer Council support services to employees and their families who are navigating the challenges of cancer. On average, we have over nine thousand enquiries come to our 13 11 20 Information and Support health professionals a year, just in NSW. However, we know that with almost 1 in 2 Australians being diagnosed with cancer before the age of 85, there are a lot more people in need of support, and shining light on this need through this partnership is so important.”

Partnering with a like-minded organisation like Publicis Groupe, means Cancer Council will be able have a widespread impact on raising awareness of the need to build awareness of cancer in the workplace, helping support the ongoing need of people going through a cancer diagnosis while at work, or supporting a family member or loved one who has been impacted by cancer.

Publicis Groupe Australia CEO Michael Rebelo said, “Cancer Council and Publicis Groupe both share a commitment to making a positive difference in the lives of those affected by cancer. We hope that through this partnership, we can reduce its impact on individuals and the community whilst offering the support people need. By working together, we aim to create a more substantial and lasting impact on the lives of those affected by cancer in the workplace.”

Our thanks go out to Publicis Groupe Australia for their generous commitment to this work and in leading the Working with Cancer Pledge across Australia – it is only thanks to generous partners like Publicis Groupe that we are able to support the thousands of Australians impacted by cancer every day.

If you need to talk about cancer, call Cancer Council on 13 11 20