Public Policy

Overview
Team
Political activities policy
Oversight & compliance
Transparency

Overview

Nielsen engages with government officials, industry associations and experts on public policy issues important to our business and to our clients’ businesses.

We anticipate and identify legislative and regulatory developments, work with internal and external stakeholders to develop policy positions and engage with policymakers to ensure our views are considered. We promote DATA FOR GOOD℠ by sharing both data and our insights about markets and consumers in the public policy arena.

Government Relations and Public Policy Team

Joseph Fortson, SVP Government Relations and Public Policy

Kenny LaSalle, Sr. Manager, Government Relations & Public Policy

Marie De Cordier, Director, Government Relations & Public Policy Europe

Political Activities Policy

Standards of Business Conduct

All Nielsen employees follow Nielsen’s Code of Conduct. It is based on following the principles of integrity, honesty, fairness, respect and reliability.

Political contribution policies and criteria for assessing candidates

Nielsen employees may not make political contributions on behalf of Nielsen, except through the Nielsen PAC as discussed below. Accordingly, as enunciated in our Code of Conduct, Nielsen employees may not use Nielsen funds to make political contributions or seek reimbursement for political contributions.

Nielsen does not currently use corporate funds to make political contributions; including to candidates, political parties, PACs SuperPACs, political committees, 527 groups, ballot question committees, 501(c)(4) organizations, or to pay for independent expenditures. Nielsen maintains a federal PAC, which allows eligible Nielsen employees to pool their resources and support candidates whose positions are consistent with Nielsen’s. Nielsen PAC contributions are never made in return for, or in anticipation of, an official act.

Nielsen PAC will consider various factors before making a contribution, including whether a candidate:

Is in a state or district where Nielsen has significant numbers of employees and major operations;
Is in a congressional leadership position;
Is on a committee that works on legislation that is important to Nielsen; or
Is on a congressional caucus that represents multicultural constituencies.

Nielsen PAC currently makes contributions only to federal candidates.

Oversight and Compliance

Nielsen’s Public Policy and Government Affairs team interacts with government and elected officials to explain our products and promote the use of measurement to create thriving markets and communities. Nielsen also has Ombuds and Legal teams to ensure compliance with our Code of Conduct and all relevant campaign finance, lobbying, and government ethics laws and to make associated filings and reports. Nielsen has implemented procedures throughout its organization whereby employees may report concerns about legal violations or other misconduct.

The Nielsen PAC Steering Committee–a bipartisan group of senior Nielsen leaders–provides oversight of all Nielsen PAC activities and makes all contribution decisions. The Treasurer of Nielsen PAC and the Company’s Legal team oversee compliance with relevant law. Nielsen management periodically reviews with the Board of Directors its government affairs and political activities policies and the Board provides oversight of all Nielsen political activity.

Transparency

PAC and lobbying Disclosure

Detailed reports of Nielsen PAC’s contributions can be found below:
THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC FEDERAL POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (NIELSEN PAC)

Detailed reports of Nielsen lobbying activity can be found below:
Senate Office of Public Records – lobbying reports
Clerk of the House of Representatives – lobbying reports

Memberships and sponsorships

Nielsen belongs to or supports a number of trade associations and membership organizations. We choose these memberships and sponsorships by determining that the organizations can help advance the use of information to create thriving markets and communities or other issues of importance to Nielsen, that they can partner with us to shape meaningful policy discussions, and that they can help us engage with key constituencies. Nielsen’s sponsorship or collaboration with a third-party organization does not mean we endorse the organization’s entire agenda or the views of its leaders or members. Nielsen restricts all payments to trade associations and membership organizations by informing the recipient that the payment from Nielsen may not be used to intervene in any election, directly or indirectly. This restriction does not apply to lobbying expenses or the administrative costs of operating a PAC. Nielsen does not contribute to any special solicitations or assessments made by third party groups to pay for political activity. The following is a listing of the kinds of trade associations and other membership groups with which we work:

Public policy