Nielsen's 2021 Responsibility Update Highlights ESG Commitment Through Change
Includes Nielsen’s expanding focus on diversity, equity & inclusion, fostering the well-being and development of its people and looking forward as a media-focused company
Through a historical and pivotal 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic and separation into two companies, Nielsen has remained strongly committed to its environmental, social and governance (ESG) priorities and performance. Today, Nielsen has published its 2021 Interim Responsibility Update to provide its stakeholders with a snapshot of its ESG journey through this unprecedented year.
The world collectively faced the deadly and disruptive COVID-19 pandemic, which brought personal, social and economic devastation to so many. In the United States, the ongoing reality of deep systemic racism continued to be fully and painfully revealed, resulting in a social justice movement that has reverberated globally. At the same time, our company also underwent profound changes, as we announced the spin-off of Nielsen Global Connect (now known as NielsenIQ), which was completed in March 2021.
The Interim update focuses on highlights across the key areas of Nielsen’s ESG strategy, including diversity, equity & inclusion (DE&I), human capital, environment, community engagement, data privacy & security and governance. This update also includes a refreshed Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) index.
Highlights from Nielsen’s 2021 Interim Responsibility Update include:
- Expanded focus and commitments on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I), including a commitment to fight racism with action and a small business support website to connect Black-owned small businesses with Nielsen resources. Nielsen also stood up for public policies like a permanent Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals solution and the removal of a proposed U.S. Census citizenship question.
- Prioritized the health, safety and well-being of employees around the world during COVID-19, providing additional paid sick leave, remote work stipends and other programs, in addition to implementing strict safety protocols. The company also expanded mental health programming and support, including a Mental Health Hub, a Time Back Challenge and a Mental Health Day Away.
- Achieved the environmental goal to ensure that 0% of electronic waste (e-waste), processed through Nielsen’s infrastructure team, goes to landfills.
- Donated over $25 million in pro bono work, skills-based volunteering and in-kind giving in 2020, more than doubling the annual goal of $10 million. Nielsen employees also logged almost 393,000 volunteer hours from 2016 through 2020, surpassing the goal of 300,000.
Our full Global Responsibility Report, released in May 2020, provides an account of our ESG approach through 2018-2019, including supplemental data for the reporting frameworks most relevant to Nielsen: the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) and the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). Nielsen now moves forward as a media-focused company, continuing its ESG strategy and setting new ESG goals aligned with its purpose to power a better media future for all people.
To stay up to date on Nielsen and its ESG efforts, follow the company on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Media Contact:
Meg Chari
Director, Corporate Media Relations, Nielsen
ABOUT NIELSEN
Nielsen Holdings plc (NYSE: NLSN) is a leading global data and analytics company that provides a holistic and objective understanding of the media industry. With offerings spanning audience measurement, audience outcomes and content, Nielsen offers its clients and partners simple solutions to complex questions and optimizes the value of their investments and growth strategies. It is the only company that can offer de-duplicated cross-media audience measurement. Audience is EverythingTM to Nielsen and its clients, and Nielsen is committed to ensuring that every voice counts.
An S&P 500 company, Nielsen offers measurement and analytics service in nearly 60 countries. Learn more at www.nielsen.com or www.nielsen.com/investors and connect with us on twitter.com/Nielsen, linkedin.com/company/nielsen, facebook.com/Nielsen and instagram.com/lifeatnielsen.
