Manila, Philippines – Following their commitment to breaking the cancer stigma in the country, the Publicis Groupe has recently teamed up with Ayala Healthcare Holdings and the People Management Association of the Philippines (PMAP) to establish a global cancer-oriented initiative.
Called “Working with Cancer” (WWC), this project will work towards reducing the cancer stigma in the workplace through a pledge of commitment agreed upon by major corporations. This will also follow a written agreement with the concerned groups, affirming a more supportive and recovery-forward culture at work for people with cancer.
The WWC initiative is supported by some leading cancer charities and organisations such as Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), MacMillan Cancer Support, and the Gustave Roussy Institute. It is headed by Arthur Sadoun, the Global Chairman and CEO of Publicis Groupe and their global clients.
Speaking about this significant milestone, Joanne Abrihan-Ty, chief finance officer at Publicis Groupe Philippines, said, “We’re incredibly grateful to formalise 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.”
Ma. Elizabeth Nasol, president at PMAP also expressed her enthusiasm about the project, stating, “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 organisations 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,” she added.
Meanwhile, Paolo Borromeo, president and CEO of AC Health, commented, “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 revolutionise cancer care in the workplace setting.”
Apart from this, chief digital officer at Publicis Groupe Philippines, Dave Drilon 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,” he ended.
Furthermore, several partner companies have also shown their support for the project since its announcement in January 2023.
In particular, Amrita Randhawa, CEO at 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.
