ViacomCBS Releases 2020 Social Impact Review - “2020 in Focus”
ViacomCBS announced today the release of its 2020 Social Impact Review – 2020 In Focus – providing a snapshot of the company’s social impact strategy last year. As a company passionate about entertaining and informing the world, their approach to social impact was rooted in making the most of the company’s core strengths and assets:
- Unleashing the power of ViacomCBS content
- Creating inspiring cultural moments
- Reaching diverse audiences across the globe
- Empowering employees
- Continuing to build on a legacy of social impact.
“2020 was a year of rising to the occasion: one in which ViacomCBS had to demonstrate who we are as a company and how we show up for our employees, audiences, communities and partners around the world,” said Bob Bakish, ViacomCBS President and CEO. “We faced one of the worst health crises in a generation and a racial reckoning that continues to reverberate across our society. In true ViacomCBS fashion, we responded quickly and strengthened our commitment to social impact by building on our legacy of driving change and using our power as a global content creator for good.”
The ViacomCBS 2020 Social Impact Review highlights the company’s commitment as one of the world’s largest content creators to making social impact a top priority across the entire organization. And while this work has been woven into the fabric of ViacomCBS for decades, the report shares how ViacomCBS harnessed this energy in 2020 to make a real difference in the following focus areas:
- Company Response to COVID-19
- Social & Racial Justice
- Mental Health
- Civic Engagement
- Giving Back
The report highlights the company’s commitment through actions such as:
- $100M committed in March 2020 to help support those impacted by COVID-19, including non-staff employees on ViacomCBS productions, as well as through third-party community partners.
- Launched #AloneTogether, a massive social and talent-led campaign that included over 174,000 TV spots and social media posts to educate audiences about the importance of social distancing and drive unity through entertainment despite the pandemic.
- Committed nearly $19M through the BET COVID Relief Fund in collaboration with United Way.
- In response to the watershed moments of racial injustice, ViacomCBS stood up for what’s right by deepening and expanding commitments to advance equality and combat social biases.
- On June 1, 2020, ViacomCBS channels went dark in honor of George Floyd and to pay tribute to other victims of racial violence.
- Pledged $250M+ by MTV Entertainment Group over the next 3 years to fuel the growth of content led and produced by BIPOC & women-owned & operated production companies.
- Collaborated with a coalition of media and entertainment companies, mental health experts and organizations to create a first-of-its-kind Mental Health Media Guide as a resource for content creators to use to help expand positive mental health portrayals.
- Spearheaded a coalition of over 2,700+ partners—including Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, Univision, BET, YMCA and United Way—to achieve record-breaking early voting turnout in 2020 and drive more than 3 million votes cast on Vote Early Day.
- Empowered employees and families in 20+ offices and regions globally to engage with 75+ community partners for the company’s first-ever fully virtual day of service.
“This is what we do best at ViacomCBS. As we continue this work, we are committed to doing our part to cultivate meaningful and lasting change in our communities and helping eradicate hate worldwide. We know our work isn’t done, and that there is much more to do. We’ll continue to lean into our history to accelerate our journey, and we’ll update you regularly to share our progress.” – Bob Bakish, ViacomCBS President & CEO
The full ViacomCBS 2020 Social Impact Review is available to view and download.
About ViacomCBS
ViacomCBS (NASDAQ: VIAC; VIACA) is a leading global media and entertainment company that creates premium content and experiences for audiences worldwide. Driven by iconic consumer brands, its portfolio includes CBS, Showtime Networks, Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, BET, Paramount+, Pluto TV and Simon & Schuster, among others. The company delivers the largest share of the U.S. television audience and boasts one of the industry’s most important and extensive libraries of TV and film titles. In addition to offering innovative streaming services and digital video products, ViacomCBS provides powerful capabilities in production, distribution and advertising solutions.
For more information about ViacomCBS, please visit www.viacomcbs.com and follow @ViacomCBS on social platforms.
Media Contact:
ViacomCBS Corporate Social Responsibility
SocialResponsibility@viacbs.com
