Omnicom Group Inc – Lobbying Governance & Transparency

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Lobbying Governance

Overall Assessment	Analysis	Score
Moderate	Omnicom Group articulates some governance around indirect lobbying to support alignment with its climate change objectives but does not disclose comprehensive oversight or direct lobbying processes. The company’s U.S. Political Contributions Policy, “adopted in 2021,” sets “standards governing consideration and approval for our agencies to engage in political activities” at all levels of government and assigns a committee that “make[s] recommendations to the Board with respect to the Company’s Political Contributions Policy” and “report[s] its activities to the full Board on a regular basis.” The policy also commits to disclosing “payments to U.S. trade associations receiving more than $50,000 in dues or contributions” and “the amount of such dues or contributions used for lobbying or other political activity.” In the context of its climate change strategy, Omnicom states that it “reviews the agenda of these associations to ensure activities are aligned with corporate strategies” before making annual payments. However, the company does not disclose a dedicated climate lobbying audit or third-party review, no procedures for aligning its own advocacy are described, and we found no evidence of a named individual or formal body specifically overseeing the alignment of climate-related lobbying activities. View Sources	C

Overall Assessment

Analysis

Score

Moderate

Omnicom Group articulates some governance around indirect lobbying to support alignment with its climate change objectives but does not disclose comprehensive oversight or direct lobbying processes. The company’s U.S. Political Contributions Policy, “adopted in 2021,” sets “standards governing consideration and approval for our agencies to engage in political activities” at all levels of government and assigns a committee that “make[s] recommendations to the Board with respect to the Company’s Political Contributions Policy” and “report[s] its activities to the full Board on a regular basis.” The policy also commits to disclosing “payments to U.S. trade associations receiving more than $50,000 in dues or contributions” and “the amount of such dues or contributions used for lobbying or other political activity.” In the context of its climate change strategy, Omnicom states that it “reviews the agenda of these associations to ensure activities are aligned with corporate strategies” before making annual payments. However, the company does not disclose a dedicated climate lobbying audit or third-party review, no procedures for aligning its own advocacy are described, and we found no evidence of a named individual or formal body specifically overseeing the alignment of climate-related lobbying activities.

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Lobbying Transparency

Overall Assessment	Analysis	Score
Limited	Omnicom Group provides only limited transparency on its climate-related lobbying. The company describes a few engagement activities—such as partnering with the UN Global Compact and "facilitated a private sector roundtable at Anthropy 2023 with businesses headquartered in the U.K."—which indicate that it uses indirect mechanisms like events and surveys to raise issues, but it does not name any specific government bodies or policymakers it tries to influence. Nowhere in its disclosure does Omnicom identify particular climate policies, bills, or regulations it has lobbied, nor does it clarify whether these roundtables or partnerships were tied to concrete legislative proposals. Likewise, the company gives no clear statement of the policy changes or regulatory outcomes it seeks through these activities; its references to topics such as vaccine equity or early education are presented as general awareness-raising rather than targeted policy advocacy. As a result, readers gain only a partial view of Omnicom’s lobbying approach and virtually no insight into the specific climate policies or outcomes it is pursuing.	D