Exposing Anti-White Harassment + Discrimination in US Media Companies
FAQs
UM Worldwide (Universal McCann Worldwide)
FAIL
umww.com
TYPE: Global Media Agency
INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS: Capital Research and Management Company, BlackRock, The Vanguard Group, Parvus Asset Management Europe Ltd., Mawer Investment Management Ltd., Capital International Ltd., Amundi Asset Management, Janus Henderson Investors UK Ltd., Geode Capital Management, et al. (via parent company IPG)
SUBSIDIARIES:
OWNER: Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. (IPG)
Subsidiaries:
REVENUE: $537.8 million (est)
HEADCOUNT: 2,700-5000 (est)
100 West 33rd Street
New York, NY 10001
pr@umww.com
+1 212 883 4700
UM Worldwide, a global media agency under Interpublic Group (IPG), implements robust Diversity, Equity,* and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, led by Black man Chief Equity & Inclusion Officer Jeff Marshall and historically shaped by former Global COO/CEO USA Black woman Deidre Smalls-Landau, with oversight from Global CEO Eileen Kiernan (TBC) and the current US CEO (TBC). UM’s DEIB framework emphasizes external talent pipeline programs like the Media 101 Certificate Program targeting BIPOC/non-White students and marketplace equity initiatives like the Equity Upfront to boost Black-owned media investment, alongside internal efforts like the equity-focused DEB Council and Unity 20/40, which aimed to align agency demographics with projected U.S. diversity by 2020. These initiatives, driven by IPG’s ESG commitments and client/supplier DEI expectations, emphasize equity.* From the perspective of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and New York State Human Rights Law (NYSHRL § 296), such race-conscious practices risk discriminating against White employees by fostering a hostile work environment, particularly if training implicitly targets Whites as inherently privileged or complicit in systemic racism. The equity-focused framework, reinforced by investor pressure from firms like Vanguard and BlackRock, and Smalls-Landau’s racial justice advocacy, heightens legal and social scrutiny for potential harassment or unequal treatment, holding Marshall, Kiernan, and IPG leadership accountable for compliance failures. It is unlawful and against public policy for any organization to train companies on how to discriminate. Such activities could lead to severe legal and financial consequences, including lawsuits for aiding and abetting discrimination, damage to reputation and credibility, and potential investigations by state and federal civil rights agencies.
Parent company Interpublic Group (IPG) embeds Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) as core to its corporate strategy, implementing initiatives like targeted recruitment and promotion for underrepresented groups, unconscious bias and racial equity training, partnerships with organizations focused on building talent pipelines from Historically Black Colleges and Universities, media spending commitments to Black-owned businesses, and Business Resource Groups (BRGs) such as those for Black and Asian employees, while linking executive compensation to DEI metrics; however, these efforts risk violating New York State's Human Rights Law (§ 296) by potentially creating unequal opportunities for White applicants and employees, fostering a hostile work environment through training that may frame Whites as inherently privileged, excluding non-members from BRG benefits, and prioritizing diversity outcomes over merit-based decisions, which could disadvantage White-owned businesses and employees.
*DEI "equity" involves prioritizing certain racial, gender, or identity groups with targeted resources or opportunities to ensure equal outcomes at the cost of fairness and individual merit. DEI’s equity focus shares some similarities with communism and socialism in its group-based, redistributive approach, and with totalitarianism in ideological coercion.
Institutional investors like Capital Research and Management Company, BlackRock, and The Vanguard Group, increasingly emphasize Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors, including diversity and inclusion metrics, in their investment stewardship and proxy voting guidelines. This external pressure from major parent company Publicis Groupe’s shareholders likely serves as a significant driver for Razorfish's public commitments and strategic focus on ESG and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB). Consequently, accountability for the design and impact of DEI initiatives rests primarily with the company's leadership and board, who must navigate these influential investor expectations.
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.
DieDEI.co is waiting on internal materials for a fuller picture of UM Worldwide’s DEI program. Follow us on social and subscribe to our newsletter for updates.
AGENCY PARTNERSHIPS: AAF (American Advertising Federation, Kinesso, MAGNA, Vox Media, 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.