McCann is closed today, to reflect on race

In a note to staff on Wednesday, McCann Worldgroup CEO Harris Diamond told his team that the network is closing its offices on Friday, June 5 as a 'Day of Healing' related to the unjust killing of George Floyd and continued hatred represented in the current US protests.

"Black Americans have endured racism and intolerance for too long," Diamond wrote. "To stand in solidarity and to give each of us some time if even briefly to seriously separate from work and focus on the major societal issues involved, we will be closing our offices this Friday, June 5."

Diamond added in the email: "As a Day of Healing, this Friday is meant to be more than the proverbial moment of silence. Without the pressures of work, the entire management and leadership team hope that it can provide you with some opportunity to grieve and focus."

The decision to close its offices follows that of its holding company Interpublic Group. IPG, which was one of the first agency networks to post a black square on its social media account with the hashtag #blackouttuesday this week, will keep its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Group online on Friday for added support.

For Diamond’s full letter to staff—including his remark about how "as company there is more that we must do internally and we will"—read below.

To All,

Since I wrote to you on Saturday about the horrifying death of George Floyd, the significance of a legacy of racism and bias has come into even greater focus as people in the U.S. and around the world have joined in protesting the continuing hatred it represents and the tensions it has exposed that exist in too many of our communities. Black Americans have endured racism and intolerance for too long. To stand in solidarity and to give each of us some time if even briefly to seriously separate from work and focus on the major societal issues involved, we will be closing our offices this Friday, June 5.

In the course of our working lives, we form a strong sense of responsibility and loyalty to the people we work with, including colleagues and clients, and importantly to the underlying practices, principles and ethics of our company.

But each of us are part of a larger community. Beyond our work identities and commitments, we have broader responsibilities and it is critically important that we continually recognize, refresh, and dedicate ourselves to the core obligations and values that come with our human roles in the societies in which we live.

The impact of recent events has of course weighed most heavily on people of color, who have had to live their entire lives under the shadow of this discrimination. But all of us, myself included, need to reflect on the significance of these injustices and how we might become better allies. I also recognize that as a company there is more that we must do internally and we will.

As a Day of Healing, this Friday is meant to be more than the proverbial moment of silence. Without the pressures of work, the entire management and leadership team hope that it can provide you with some opportunity to grieve and focus.

IPG is also closing all of its corporate offices on Friday. And as support, IPG’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Group will stay online on Friday, to continue the conversation and offer support for everyone during this Day of Healing. The team will send out more details in the next 24 hours.

For anyone who cannot take this Friday off, please connect with your manager to ensure that there is another day you can take -- that day will not count as part of your PTO.

On behalf of the entire management and leadership team, I hope that the Day of Healing will be a valuable and meaningful one for you.

-- Harris