Today, UM announced the launch of its third global, first-ever virtual Impact Day. Over 100 UM offices closed to give employees the day to volunteer their time and resources to philanthropic organizations and important societal movements around the world. The team has carefully pivoted Impact Day into a virtual experience to ensure the safety of employees while still empowering them to make an impact in their communities.

“This year, we’ll be sharing our media skillset out to small businesses across Canada that are run by the BIPOC community, creating and distributing playbooks and consultation sessions for free,” said Shelley Smit, President, UM Canada. “It goes without saying that small businesses have been hit hard this year, but if you’re Black, Indigenous or a Person of Colour, we recognize that there could be the added challenge of being under-funded and under-represented as a small business owner. On UM Impact Day, we’re offering pro-bono advice, research, insights and best practices to assist these businesses in their media/marketing efforts.”

Originally launched in 2016 under UM’s corporate social responsibility initiative, Better World, the agency’s annual day of service represents its core values of Care and Community. UM employees will share Impact Day content on social media using the hashtags #UMBetterWorld and #UMImpactDay. 

After its US launch in 2016, Impact Day was globalized in 2018 when, over the span of 36 hours and six continents, nearly 5,000 volunteers gathered within their respective communities to restore public gardens, beautify facilities for war veterans, revitalize local parks, protect endangered wildlife, assist elderly residents, pack school bags with supplies for children and more. The Better World platform unites the family of UM offices under a single umbrella to inspire each other, share best practices and create connections across borders that lead to a better world.

Read more in Media in Canada.