Publicis Groupe Australia has announced a strategic partnership with Cancer Council, focusing on its 'Working with Cancer' initiative. The initiative aims to create a supportive workplace environment for people living with cancer. This is a significant move, considering that over 40% of new cancer cases occur among Australians of working age (20-64).

The partnership will concentrate on activating the 'Working with Cancer' pledge within Australian workplaces. The pledge calls for 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. Each pledge consists of initiatives to ensure a smooth transition back to work, ongoing support, and fostering a culture of understanding and empathy.

The partnership's areas of focus also include cancer survivorship, as by 2040, it's predicted that 1.9 million Australians will be living with or beyond a cancer diagnosis. The two organisations will work together to encourage companies in Australia to join the 'Working with Cancer' pledge.

Publicis Groupe’s global launch of the 'Working with Cancer' initiative in January last year has so far seen over 1,300 companies worldwide sign the pledge, including Toyota, Adobe, Disney, Google, Unilever, LinkedIn, L’Oreal, Amazon and PwC. Publicis Groupe’s pledge includes securing the job and salary of any employee who has cancer for at least one year; individually accompanying all employees when they return to work; providing access to an internal community of volunteers (peers) properly trained to provide adequate support and offering custom support for all employees in a caretaker role for a patient in their immediate family.

Sarah Hosking, CEO of Cancer Council NSW, commented on the partnership, "We are thrilled to have partnered with Publicis Groupe Australia to support the 'Working with Cancer' global pledge as a local partner. In Australian workplaces, at least half, if not more, of people living with cancer experienced a change in their ability to work after they were diagnosed. It is vital that workplaces are able to support their employees during and after cancer, and we’re excited to be working with Publicis Groupe to help raise awareness of this need. We also know that people who care for someone with cancer are often absent from work, with 8.6% reporting they had to cease working altogether. Our shared commitment to making a positive impact on the lives of cancer survivors is the reason we are so excited to partner with Publicis Groupe and ensure no one walks alone, getting the support they need when facing the challenges that cancer brings."

According to Michael Rebelo, Publicis Groupe ANZ CEO, "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."