The IPA has named 67 media and advertising companies that have demonstrated commitment to their employees’ mental health and wellbeing.
Coinciding with Mental Health Awareness Week, each organisation has been awarded an IPA People First badge of honour as part of The People’s First Promise launched by IPA president Josh Krichefski this year.
Accredited companies had to supply evidence of activity that supported their people’s mental health and wellbeing under the categories of “empower”, “support” and “prevent”.
Four of the big six networks were awarded, comprising agencies from WPP, Interpublic, Omnicom and Havas. Independents including Bicycle London, Bountiful Cow, Craft Media, Electric Glue and the7stars were also recognised.
The IPA aims to drive more companies and media owners to sign up to the People First Promise.
Krichefski, who is EMEA and UK CEO at WPP’s GroupM, said: “Congratulations to all these companies who have successfully gained their People First Promise. These trailblazers have made a public declaration — to their current and future talent, and to clients — that they take active steps to protect, empower and support the mental health and wellbeing of their people.”
This initiative is “just the start”, he added, and new IPA research showed there was “more work to be done” to raise awareness of mental health and wellbeing resources and support.
At The Future of Audio and Entertainment last month, Krichefski and It Takes A Village founder Chloë Davies discussed mental health and inclusion with The Media Leader‘s Future 100 Club.
Talking points included issues holding back diverse talent retention, which is currently more of a problem than attracting talent at entry level.
The Future 100 cohort had previously identified DE&I and talent retention as key priorities for leaders in 2024 in a survey run by The Media Leader.
Future 100 rate ‘diversity’ and ‘retaining talent’ as industry priorities
Below average
A new IPA survey, conducted by Ipsos, found that less than half of respondents from member agencies believed the ad industry was “doing enough” to support employee mental health (48%) or wellbeing (47%).
This was lower than all adults surveyed outside advertising, where considerably more than half thought their industry was doing enough for employee mental health (60%) and wellbeing (61%).
Krichefski said: “By all of us playing our part in this area, not only do we improve individual lives, but we raise the reputation and pull factor of our companies and our industry by making it clear that we invest in creating supportive and inclusive working environments. In short, we all win.”
