I helped put on this event at work.

Saatchi & Saatchi Healthcare Communications Goes Green

Underscores commitment to Vision of Inspiring Healthier Living

NEW YORK, July 26, 2007 /PRNewswire/ -- Saatchi & Saatchi Healthcare Communications (SSHC) yesterday held their first-annual planet-saving event, greenGIG, to inspire all employees to live a healthier lifestyle, both inside and outside the office. "This is a significant step towards achieving our vision to inspire healthier living," said SSHC President, Sam Welch.

"Importantly, this is an employee-driven initiative and not a management directive. Our employees formed an ECO committee called grassroots, in their desire to truly make a difference and build a more environmentally-friendly work atmosphere so that all SSHC employees can work and live in a cleaner, more environmentally-friendly world."

"Our hope is that greenGIG and all the efforts of grassroots moving forward will really educate and inspire people to take action both here at SSHC and at home," added Joanna Jacobs and Kel Arguello, ECO committee founders and co-directors.

Grassroots represents a cross-section of SSHC, with members from each of its agencies and from across different departments including creative, strategic planning, art buying, production, account management and operations.

Yesterday's event, greenGIG, was intended to educate all SSHC employees and inspire them on how to live a greener life outside the office. A range of speakers dedicated to the environmental cause as well as retail vendors who are supporting the environmental movement with their own products and business practices participated in the event.

Activities commenced with a presentation by grassroots and Sam Welch. Tishman Speyer Director of Sustainability, Steven Piguet and Thomas Scarola, Director of Engineering, Domestic Development, spoke on the collaboration with SSHC to help them achieve their vision. Other notable speakers included Miguela Craytor, Deputy Director, Sustainable South Bronx, a nationally recognized organization recently featured in Newsweek; and Theresa Pletchon, a teacher from PS 86, Kingsbridge Heights Bronx, who attended with schoolchildren who had produced art work showing how important the environment is for all of us.

As part of its collective mission, grassroots, in partnership with SSHC, will create a plan to seek measurable results in critical areas such as energy usage and waste. Changes will include changing the type of paper the company purchases to leasing environmentally-friendly company cars. These action plans will include establishing benchmarks and setting clear reduction goals to monitor SSHC's progress.

About Saatchi & Saatchi Healthcare Communications (SSHC)

SSHC, a member of Publicis Healthcare Communications Group, consists of three separate agencies providing integrated and holistic solutions to its accounts. Saatchi & Saatchi Consumer Health and Wellness specializes in direct-to-consumer, interactive communications and consumer marketing. Saatchi & Saatchi Healthcare Innovations, a mid-size agency, delivers groundbreaking ideas and creative client solutions. Saatchi & Saatchi Healthcare Advertising, the largest of the three groups, offers diversified expertise and services and specializes in strategic brand marketing and advertising. Web site: http://www.saatchihealthcare.com