Publicis Groupe has announced a new phase of its Working With Cancer initiative, following research linking supportive employment with improved quality of life for people living with cancer.
The announcement was made on February 4, 2026, in Mumbai, after findings from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and the Mayo Clinic reinforced evidence that continued employment, or a return to work after diagnosis, is associated with better long-term outcomes for cancer survivors.
Working With Cancer was launched at the World Economic Forum in Davos three years ago and now includes more than 5,000 companies worldwide, covering over 40 million employees. The programme encourages employers to adopt open and flexible workplace practices for staff undergoing cancer treatment and recovery.
A review led by Dr. Victoria Blinder, oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and Dr. Gina Mazza, Associate Professor of Biostatistics at Mayo Clinic, examined multiple studies on employment and cancer recovery. The review found that employed cancer survivors reported higher health-related quality of life compared with those not working, alongside better physical functioning and lower levels of anxiety and depression five years after diagnosis. Dr Blinder noted that workplace conditions can influence these outcomes, highlighting the role of flexibility and appropriate accommodations.
Data cited in the review showed that employed survivors reported around 28% higher overall quality of life at five years, with physical functioning approximately 29% higher than those not employed. In one study, employed participants were about 3.7 times less likely to report moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms and 2.4 times less likely to report moderate-to-severe anxiety.
In response, Working With Cancer has developed an AI-powered coach aimed at helping organisations apply these findings in day-to-day workplace support. Available to companies that sign the Working With Cancer pledge, the tool is designed to help employers communicate and adapt workplace, benefits and health policies to individual employee needs.
The AI coach is built using large language models and includes safeguards to prevent medical diagnosis. Companies can upload their own internal policies so guidance reflects actual workplace provisions. The system draws on curated resources from Working With Cancer partners and does not retain data beyond each session, with privacy and anonymity built into its design.
Alongside the launch, Working With Cancer is rolling out a global campaign encouraging more employers to join the pledge. The campaign includes a film created by Publicis Conseil and supported by up to $100 million in pro bono media from partners including Disney, Google/ Youtube, Zeta Global, TikTok, NBCUniversal, Paramount, iHeartMedia, Westwood One, Clear Channel Outdoor, Captivate, Screen vision, and NCM.
Directed by Kailee McGee, a stage IV cancer survivor and filmmaker, the campaign features cancer survivors from a range of industries, including CEOs and employees from companies such as Walmart, L’Oréal, Pfizer, Barclays, Accenture, and Carrefour, discussing the role work played during treatment.
The campaign also includes photography by Sandro Miller, a portrait photographer and stage 4 cancer survivor, and will be displayed in a Times Square out-of-home takeover on February 4 to mark World Cancer Day.
