Exposing Anti-White Harassment + Discrimination in US Media Companies
FAQs
Havas Group
FAIL
havas.com
TYPE: Global Advertising & PR Company
INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS: The European Union, BlackRock, Vanguard Group, State Street Corp, JPMorgan Chase, Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment Management Llc, Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc., et al.
OWNER: The Bolloré Group
SUBSIDIARIES: Abernathy MacGregor Group, Annex88, Arnold Worldwide, BETC Paris, Buzzman, Camp + King, Conran Design Group, Gate One, H4B Chelsea, Havas, Havas Chicago, Havas CX, Havas Edge, Havas Formula, Havas Formulatin, Havas Gemini, Havas Health & You, Havas Helia, Havas Life, Havas London, Havas Media, Havas Media Network, Havas New York, Havas People, Havas Play, Havas PR network, Havas Street, Havas Worldwide San Francisco, Health4Brands (H4B), Jacques, Lynx, Red Havas, Republica Havas, Search Laboratory, TED Consulting, and TRPTK.
2024 REVENUE: $2.95 billion
HEADCOUNT: ~23,000
200 Hudson Street
New York,NY 10013
and
200 Madison Ave
New York, NY 10016
payton.green@havas.com
+1 212 886 4100
+1 917 520 7666
James Wright, Global CEO Red Havas
connect@havas.com
hmncomms@havasmn.com
Havas Group's DEI* initiatives, overseen by CEO Yannick Bolloré and implemented by global HR and Talent leadership including Patti Clarke and Céline Merle-Béral, divisional CEOs Donna Murphy and Peter Mears, and Global Chief Chief of Staff Shazzia Khan (who led DEI and CSR with a remit spanning Havas's main divisions) raise concerns about potential discrimination against White employees. Following societal pressure in 2020 and internal reviews showing low Black representation, Havas North America, influenced at the time by figures like former NA Director of DEI Necko Fanning, launched specific programs explicitly aimed at benefiting certain racial groups over others. In the UK, Sharon Annafi, a Black woman, was appointed UK Group DEI Lead in June 2021. The Havas #CommitToChange plan, developed in the US, explicitly focused on employees identified as Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC), and included measures to accelerate careers specifically for "non-white employees.” It reserved internship percentages for "diverse talent" and prioritized BIPOC individuals for leadership development and mentorship. Such race-conscious preferential treatment, even if intended to promote diversity, directly conflicts with the principle of equal opportunity for all and potentially violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which broadly prohibits employment decisions based on race. The mandatory "All In" bias training and the Havas Emerge program target "diverse" emerging leaders for mentoring. These initiatives, by definition, differentiate employees based on race and allocate resources preferentially, potentially violating the principle of equal opportunity mandated by Title VII and NYSHRL § 296. The 2020 NA DEI Advisory Committee was led by leaders like Julianna Akuamoah (a Black woman), Jorge Plasencia (a Hispanic man), and Blake Winfree (a Black man). The explicit use of labels like "BIPOC" underscores this racial categorization, superficially segregating White employees from the intended benefits of these specific programs. The practice of segregating employees into BIPOC versus White groups can be seen as problematic as it creates distinctions based on race that could foster division, disparate treatment, and a hostile work environment. Furthermore, the likely existence of race-based Employee Resource Groups, without a corresponding group for White employees, reinforces an environment where race is a primary organizing factor, which could contribute to feelings of exclusion among White staff. While explicit racial hiring quotas are not confirmed for the US, the stated goal of mirroring audience diversity, combined with tracking racial data and potential adoption of practices like mandatory diverse candidate slates (seen in Havas UK), creates a significant risk that hiring and promotion decisions could be unlawfully influenced by race, disadvantaging White candidates. Mandatory DEI and "cultural competency" training, implemented under leaders like Necko Fanning and Claire Telling (former NA CPO), also presents legal risks. The focus on racial equity and systemic issues raises concerns. DEI training risks being seen as harassment of White employees under EEOC and NYSHRL (§ 296) standards if it fosters a hostile environment or implicitly targets them racially through discussions that frame Whites as inherently privileged or complicit in systemic inequality. The lack of transparency regarding US training curricula prevents a definitive assessment but highlights a potential vulnerability. Havas's own internal communications acknowledge the shifting, contentious landscape surrounding corporate DEI, and past lawsuits against Havas, such as those alleging racial discrimination in Boston (settled 2020) and Chicago (dismissed 2022), highlight the company’s vulnerability to employment-related claims. The responsibility for these potentially discriminatory or harassing policies and practices ultimately lies with the leadership team, including Yannick Bolloré, Patti Clarke, Céline Merle-Béral, Donna Murphy, Peter Mears, Shazzia Khan, and those formerly in key implementation roles.
Havas Group instructs companies on DEI practices.
*Equity in DEI is the practice of giving preferential treatment or resources to certain groups based on race, gender, or other identities to achieve equal outcomes, often at the expense of fairness or merit. DEI Equity, with its focus on redistributing opportunities and resources to achieve equal outcomes across identity groups, mirror’s Communism’s emphasis on dismantling incorrectly perceived oppressive structures to enforce egalitarian results, prioritizing group identity over individual merit.
This information is based on publicly available information, including websites, case studies, and news articles from a recent period. To ensure you have the most accurate and current information, please refer to the company's official announcements. The information provided on this website is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice; consult a licensed attorney for specific legal guidance.
It is illegal and contrary to public policy for any organization, including nonprofits, to instruct companies on discriminatory or harassing practices, potentially resulting in serious legal and financial repercussions such as lawsuits for facilitating discrimination, reputational harm, loss of IRS tax-exempt status, and investigations by state and federal civil rights authorities.
DieDEI.co is waiting on internal materials for a fuller picture of Havas’ DEI program. Follow us on social and subscribe to our newsletter for updates.
CLIENTS INCLUDE: adidas, adidas Originals, Adobe, Air France, Air Wick, Aktion Deutschland Hilft, Ali Forney Center, ALMA, Allegra, Alpine, American Cancer Society, American Express, Amazon Web Services, APSI, Asahi, Asda, Associated British Foods (Ryvita), Aston Martin F1, Bank of America, BBC, Beam Suntory, Beiersdorf (Eucerin, Aquaphor), BETC, Bethesda, BNY Mellon, Bosch, BP, Britain's Beer Alliance, British Red Cross, Brooklyn Film Fest, Burger King France, CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably), Camel Cigarettes, Canal+, Campos Coffee, Carl Buddig, Carling, Carrefour, Celio, Chevron (referenced in legal context), Citigroup, Citroën, Collegium Pharmaceutical, Coors Light, CORE Water, Costco, d-CON, Danone, Danone (Evian, Silk), De Beers, Department for Education (UK), Diageo, DIDI, Disney, Distance, Dolce & Gabbana USA, Domino’s, Doom Bar, Dr. Scholl’s, Dream, Dreams, Durex, Easy-Off, Edgewell Personal Care, EDF / EDF Energy, EE, Ella's Kitchen, ellaOne, Evian, ExxonMobil (engagement denied by Havas London), Fidelity, Fiji Tourism, Finish, Fondation Anne de Gaulle, Gaviscon, Giant Foods, Goodyear, Google, Gran Centenario Tequila, Green Mountain Coffee, Grizzly Snuff, GuideWell Mutual Holding Corp, Hana, Harman / JBL, Heathrow Airport, Heetch, Heineken USA, Heinz, Hitachi Digital Services, Homebase, Hormel/MegaMex, Hyundai/Kia (Innocean), IBM, Imperial Oil and Gas, Jaguar Land Rover, JBL, JBG Smith, JLL, John West, JPMorgan Chase, Kenvue (OGX, Imodium, Rogaine), Keurig, Keurig Dr Pepper, KFC, Klarna, K-Y, La Prensa Newspaper, Lacoste, Laughing Man Coffee, LEGO, Lemsip, L’Enfant Bleu, Lime-A-Way, Lincoln Financial Group, Lotto.com, Lundbeck, LVMH, Maersk, Madri, Major League Baseball, Mastercard, Matalan, McCafé, McDonald's, McKinsey & Co, Merck, Michelin, Mike’s Amazing, Miller Brewing Company, Molson Coors, Mondelēz International, MoreThan, National Association of Realtors, Natural American Spirit, New Balance, New Covent Garden Soup, New York Presbyterian, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, Nike, NTT Data, Nubian Jak Community Trust, NYX Professional Makeup, OFX, Old English, Optrex, PayPal, PepsiCo, Pernod Ricard, Perrigo, Peugeot, Pfizer, Pfizer (noted as a lost client impacting 2024 results), Phoenix Petroleum Philippines, PIMCO, PNC Bank, Pravha, Proximo, Puma, Q8 (Kuwait Petroleum International), Rainforest Lab, Randstad, reckitt, Reckitt Benckiser, Reckitt (Vanish, Durex, Finish, Gaviscon, etc.), Rekorderlig, Resolve, Rid-X, Ryvita, SalesPreso, Samsung (HARMAN), Sanofi, Santander Bank, Shakira (via past management), Sharps Brewery, Shell, Silk, Stags’ Leap, Starbucks, Staropramen, Staybl, Target, Technip, The FA, The Harris Project, The Humane Society of the United States, The Open University, Tilda Rice, TikTok, Tony's Chocoloney, TotalEnergies, Toyota, TripAdvisor, Twill, U.S. Bank, Unilever, UNITED24, Vanish, Vattenfall, Vuse, Walmart, Wells Fargo, Women’s Rugby World Cup, Wolverine Worldwide, Woolite, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, etc.
PARTNERSHIP MEMBERS INCLUDE: BBC Creative Diversity, Creative Equals, People of Colour in Communications (POCC), Black Young Professionals (BYP) Network, The 3% Movement, Allyship & Action, UN Women, He For She, etc.
HAVAS MEDIA CLIENTS INCLUDE: Carrefour, Dove, Naturgy, Puma, L’Enfant Bleu, Viatris, etc.
ANNEX88 CLIENTS INCLUDE: adidas, Axiom Space, Bloomingdale’s, Boss Hugo Boss, buy buy Baby, Core, Courvoisier, Danone, Green Mountain, Hyatt, JBG Smith, Keurig, La Roche-Posay, L’Oréal, Ralph Lauren Fragrances, reckitt, Stags’ Leap, Wells Fargo, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, etc.
HAVAS FORMULA CLIENTS INCLUDE: Jaguar Land Rover, Schlage, Maui Jim, Turbo Tax, Sony, Panda Express, Sun-Maid, Jim Beam, Armor All, Norwegian Cruise Line, Sterling, Jaeger-Lecoultre, Cox Automotive, Acxiom, Nestle, buoabo, Justin’s, Criteo, Pottery Barn, Pop Chips, RE/MAX, Save A Lot, Shure, SodaStream, EESA, Wahl, Del Monte, Ledge, American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Suntory Global Spirits, Republic Services, MEC, mixbook, Lytx, Element Six, Wayfair, etc.
TRPTK CLIENTS INCLUDE: Cronos Group, Diageo, Endeavor, Estée Lauder Companies, Harman, JBG Smith, LVMH, Mariott International, Mars, Microsoft, T Mobile, etc.
HAVAS PEOPLE CLIENTS INCLUDE: Akamai, AXA, Bank of America, BP, Cleveland Clinic, Credit Suisse, Deloitte, IHG, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Pfizer, WSP, etc.
REPUBLICA HAVAS CLIENTS INCLUDE: Amigos For Kids, Azamara, Biogen, Google, Goya, NBC Universal Telemundo, Santa Margarita, Sedano’s Supermarkets, Toyota, Walmart, etc.
HAVAS PLAY CLIENTS INCLUDE: BKT, Canal+, Carrefour, Coca-Cola, Coty, EE, Fidelity, Harman, Hyundai, Kia, LIV Golf, Louis Vuitton, Orange, Puma, Red Bull, Unilever, World Rugby, etc.
HAVAS CX CLIENTS INCLUDE: Beam Suntory, Bel Brands USA, BNY Mellon, Citi, Fitbit, JBG SMITH, Keurig Dr Pepper, Lacoste, Liberty Mutual Insurance, Lincoln Financial Group, Loews Hotels, Lotto.com, Michelin, NewYork-Presbyterian, NTT DATA, Reckitt, Schmidt Futures, Stags' Leap, Starbucks, TD Ameritrade, TreeHouse, William Grant & Sons, Wells Fargo, etc.
NOTE: Client lists are subject to change. This information is based on publicly available information, including websites, case studies, and news articles from a recent period. To ensure you have the most accurate and current information, please refer to the company's official announcements.