Photos: More than 1000 UM staff hit streets for 'Impact Day'

IPG Mediabrands agency UM closed more than 60 offices in 40 countries on 19 July for Impact Day, part of its 'Better World' philanthropic initiative.

The event, which started two years ago, saw more than 1000 APAC staffers take part in volunteer community-service efforts, according to the agency.

“Being environmentally and socially conscious, finding ways to use our time, talent and resources to give back and help create a better world; these things sit at the very heart of our company values at UM," said Kasper Aakerlund, president of UM APAC. "I’m proud to see our people across the Asia-Pacific region and the globe work together in unison to make an impact to their local communities.”

Highlights:

• In India staffers worked on cleanup and painting in Saki Naka in Andheri, and took part in a 'Say no to plastic' initative in Delhi and Bangalore.
• In Singapore, UM worked with Willing Hearts, a soup kitchen that provides more than 5,000 meals every day.
• In Malaysia, team members worked on briefs from Malaysian Mental Health Association (MMHA), the Alzheimer’s Disease Foundation Malaysia (ADFM), and Yellow House KL; all groups which address urban issues and challenges faced by Malaysians.
• In Australia, Canberra staffers cooked for residents of HOME in Queanbeyan, while staff in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney worked with a variety of NFPs.
• In China, UM partnered with 宝贝爱蓝天 (‘Children Love Sky’), and the Shanghai UM office collected and recycled old jeans to handcraft into pencil cases for children.
• In Japan, staff participated in seven activities throughout the day, including volunteering at local schools, giving a library and playroom a makeover, helping elementary school children cross the street safely, delivering trees and flowers, volunteering at a local senior care home, and hosting a food drive.
• In Thailand, the team donated housewares and medicine to people in need and served lunch and ice cream to more than 400 children.
• In Hong Kong, staff supported the Hong Kong Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service.
• In Philippines, staff did some “plogging” (picking up plastic waste while jogging) then built eco-bricks from the plastic bottles and trash collected, which can be used to build stools, benches and tables for less fortunate communities.