2020 In Focus: ViacomCBS Social Impact Review
By Bob Bakish | President and CEO, ViacomCBS
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. 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.
Across our organization, we took action that led to real results. We helped launch #AloneTogether, a massive social and talent-led campaign that included over 174,000 TV spots and social media posts to educate our audiences about the importance of social distancing and drive unity through entertainment despite the pandemic. In response to the watershed moments of racial injustice, we stood up for what’s right by deepening and expanding our commitments to advance equality and combat social biases. We went dark across our channels on June 1 to honor George Floyd and pay tribute to the victims and communities affected by racial violence. We used our platforms to help drive historic early voting turnout, with more than 3 million votes cast on Vote Early Day in the U.S. We engaged more than 75 partners so that ViacomCBS employees and their families could contribute over 7,500 volunteer hours through our global Virtual Community Day celebration.
This is just a snapshot of the impact ViacomCBS had last year. Our social impact strategy was rooted in making the most of our core strengths by unleashing the power of our content, creating inspiring cultural moments, reaching diverse audiences across the globe, empowering our employees and continuing to build our legacy. And while this work has been woven into the fabric of our company for decades, we’re proud to release this report and share how we harnessed this energy to make a real difference in 2020. We focused on the following areas:
- Our Response to COVID-19
- Social & Racial Justice
- Mental Health
- Civic Engagement
- Giving Back
At our core, ViacomCBS is made up of a team of doers and creatives looking to change the world. As a one of the world’s largest content creators, our commitment to social impact is a top priority.
This commitment starts with me, my senior leadership team and our Board of Directors, and extends across our entire organization. We also have some of the most powerful brands across every genre, format and demographic. And that brings a unique responsibility and opportunity to use our content, platforms and reach for action.
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.
