How These Companies Upskill their People to Stay Ahead
Professional Development Programs that Upskill on the Job
As an employee during a time of endless technological advancement, it can be stressful to keep up with the ever-growing list of resume-boosting skills. Investing time and money outside of work to hone them can get complicated.
That’s why it’s key to find a company that cares about upskilling if you want to stay sharp. Upskilling is when companies train employees in new and relevant skills necessary for the future, usually through training programs and continued education.
Collective Insights —
“Collective Insights continually invests heavily in our technical and business skillsets. Delivering high-quality services to our valued clients is critical. We strategically plan the direction of these services and the skillsets required to provide them. Therefore, building a team of highly capable technical consultants is a top priority.
Collective Insights creates customized training plans to develop individual capabilities to meet the increasing demand. We budget training and exam investments to eliminate the cost burden for our team. We also provide tuition reimbursement to assist our team with continued education. Additionally, Collective Insights implements a focused mentorship program to guide junior team members and offers ready access to relevant technologies in our labs so that everyone can exercise their knowledge with hands-on tools.”
Learn more about Collective Insights here.---
Logicworks —
“One way Logicworks tackles continuous learning is through our Certification Reimbursement Program. Regardless of position or seniority, we will reimburse employees for any pre-approved “work-related” certification exams like the AWS Cloud Practitioner or AZ-900 Azure Fundamentals, and once a certification is achieved, we’ll provide a one-time bonus. This encourages our teams (both technical and non-technical) to keep expanding their ever-growing toolbox while earning a few extra bucks along the way. Currently, 75% of our employees hold at least one AWS, Azure, Terraform, and Kubernetes certifications and many have gone on to complete more advanced-level certifications.”
Learn more about Logicworks here.---
Waters Corporation —
“At Waters, organizational growth is fueled by the development of each one of us. With opportunities all around, your continuous development is achieved and especially effective through a routine of ongoing learning. Waters launched a flexible learning program called iLearn, which is our enterprise-wide self-directed learning platform, bringing you state-of-the-art online content. A learner-centric design allows our diverse workforce the flexibility to choose how they want to learn: watching or listening to video courses, reading an e-book, or listening to an audiobook. This makes learning very flexible. An extensive library of industry-leading content is available in several languages for our international audience: English, French, German, Japanese, Mandarin, Portuguese, and Spanish.
Waters also recognizes the benefit of furthering your development through additional education that is work-related. The Educational Assistance Program is a reimbursement plan, which reduces some of the financial burden on the employee. Waters will reimburse you up to $5,250 each calendar year of employment for tuition, books, and registration and lab fees, provided the course has been pre-approved by Waters and a passing grade is submitted at the conclusion of the class.”
Learn more about Waters Corporation here.---
Stem Disintermedia —
“Stem encourages all employees to pursue educational opportunities that will further develop and hone their professional skills. One significant way we do this is by offering an annual $400 Learning & Development stipend. Employees can use the stipend towards courses, seminars, books, tools, equipment etc. to help them master a new skill or expand interests within their field. Led by our CEO & executive team, Stem has directly invested in individual and programmatic training/development that aims to ensure every person - especially those that have been historically marginalized - are given the opportunity and roadmap on how to thrive within Stem.”
Learn more about Stem Disintermedia here.---
Cummins —
“Our workforce is our most valuable resource, and the company is only as successful as the people we employ. Our Leaders are empowered to support the development, upskilling, and continued education of our employees to enable them to reach their full potential. This is achieved through the balance of on-the-job experiences, enterprise learning, functional-driven competency development, employee-generated content, and a learning infrastructure that utilizes emerging technologies to deliver relevant content on demand. Our Global Education Assistance policy is available to all of our employees, aiming to eliminate barriers that limit personal contribution and personal growth through company-supported access to ongoing education.”
Learn more about Cummins here.---
Helm —
“As a learning organization, Helm nurtures people's innate curiosity, encouraging continual growth and investing in developing our team’s skills. Helm offers internal workshops and training on people management, leadership, and DEIB. We also sponsor conferences and courses on subjects like data science, AI, and NFTs. Helm promotes knowledge-sharing within and across teams through monthly lunch-and-learns and a collaborative information center, and all Helm employees are eligible for a professional development stipend for their continued education and growth. Since everyone has unique abilities, Helm strives to provide the programs, tools, and environment to optimize those abilities and help everyone succeed.”
Learn more about Helm here.---
Okta —
“Okta is prioritizing and up-leveling our continuous learning.
Okta has taken its support further by providing additional resources and partnerships for all of the ERG (Employee Resource Groups) by supporting their projects to bring awareness, education, and (hopefully) peace to employees.
For example, POCC (People of Collective Cultures) has created workshops to help us all learn the history of SO MANY races/cultures and communities in America. Through learning, the desire of Okta (and ERGs) is that education and support will help us all understand generational trauma, differences, and current struggles of many.”
Learn more about Okta here.---
UKG —
“UKG recognizes that talent is equally distributed, but opportunity is not. That’s why our Upskill program places value on the transferrable skills that candidates bring to the table, not just their experience.
Whether you served your country, stepped away from work for family, lacked educational opportunities, or decided to pivot your career in a new direction, we believe there is more than one path to success.
As a UKG Upskill program participant, you are hired as a full-time employee and provided training that will enhance your skills and prepare you for a meaningful career at UKG.”
Learn more about UKG here.---
Veracode —
“At Veracode, career growth and upskilling are central to our culture. In addition to role-specific training and upskilling, we offer a selection of structured in-house development courses for both managers and individual contributors such as Managing for Success and Leading at all Levels. We also offer a wealth of self-paced learning opportunities through our internal Veracademy, free access to LinkedIn Learning, dedicated professional development days, and tuition reimbursement for those that participate in furthering their education.”
Learn more about Veracode here.---
DreamSpring —
“DreamSpring offers a robust employee development and education program designed to provide both formal and informal support to employees interested in professional development, upskilling, and pathways to leadership or specialization.
Our management track prepares employees for leadership positions, working to enhance their team and project management. The expert track defines pathways toward deeper subject expertise including trainings, certifications, and expanded responsibilities.
Informal opportunities, such as webinars, conferences, job shadowing, and volunteer work are available to grow skills and networks. DreamSpring also maintains partnerships with local universities to offer a wide range of classes, programs, and opportunities.”
Learn more about DreamSpring here.---
Zapier —
“Zapier wants all employees to do their best work in a role they love, with a sense of opportunity, purpose, and equity. We offer career plans to every employee, access to our internal job board to see which jobs in other departments are/will be available, and support for potential career jumps. Zapier also has internal career coaches available to 100% of employees who request one, two unique training programs for current employees interested in technical recruiting or engineering, and our Next Play Program, aimed at helping employees find their next job—at Zapier or beyond.”
Learn more about Zapier here.---
Deloitte —
“Deloitte University is one of the most visible and important investments we make in our people. It’s where learning meets leadership. It’s where years of knowledge, experience, and values are fostered and passed on. And it’s where we develop leaders who make an impact that matters for each other, our clients, and the communities we serve.”
Learn more about Deloitte here.
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Expedia Group —
“We believe learning happens anytime and anyplace, and that everyone is a learner and a teacher. We provide employees with opportunities to develop professionally, create learning experiences to facilitate skill development, and support employees in applying and teaching each other new skills. Our learning programs and products cover performance and leadership, tech and product, commercial, learning communities, and resources specific to roles and responsibilities.”
Learn more about Expedia Group here.---
ScienceLogic —
“At ScienceLogic, we prioritize our employees at a holistic level. We provide enrichment opportunities for all ScienceLogicians via learning resources, employee training programs, and other tools to support our employees’ quest for continuous learning and development. Also, for the first time, ScienceLogic hired a group of recent college graduates as part of its College Hire Program. The program aims to:
- Create a strong network of college hires
- Introduce what our company does and how we talk about it
- Provide an overview of our product and what problems it solves for our customers
- Reflect on our core values
- Introduce the different departments and discuss how they all cross-collaborate
- Learn about our individual strengths and how they apply to our work style”
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Back Market —
“Back Market offers the possibility of training path to all employees consisting of:
🎓 Internal Online Corporate University to spread knowledge and share our Back Maker's skills
🎯 Open training catalog, short-listed external training providers
5 pillars drive our upskilling vision:
- ONBOARDING: Enable new hires to discover all they need to know during their first weeks
- LIVE: Aims to support employees in becoming the best in their position
- GROWTH: Aims employees to reach their Mid Term North Star position
- MOVE: Our career pivot promotes internal mobility
- FREEDOM: Master Class & Soft Skills Workshop are planned quarterly, open self-registration for ALL
At Back Market, 41 nationalities work together. English should be a no-brainer for all, that's why we provide 15 private English classes with a teacher + unlimited access to online exercises. Our English Busuu challenge also rewards our best students each month.”
Learn more about Back Market here.---
Pluralsight —
“At Pluralsight, we emphasize the importance of lifelong learning, both in our product and in our culture. We offer various opportunities that support the continued learning and upskilling of our team members, including;
- Complimentary Pluralsight skills subscription
- Tuition reimbursement benefit
- Dedicated career weeks - featuring workshops, panels, and presentations that help team members grow their careers
- Protected learning time
- Mentorship programs
- DevOps Academy - designed to prepare team members for an entry-level DevOps engineer role
- Company-hosted learning series - centered on topics like leadership and change management
Whether it be upskilling, reskilling, or learning something new, we believe in investing in skills development and facilitating growth experiences that help team members reach their goals.”
Learn more about Pluralsight here.---
Ribbon —
“At Ribbon, we know that education is a continuous journey. To support our teams in their growth, we provide a $500 annual stipend for folks to use in any way to expand their knowledge. For some, this means buying books and resources about how to be a better manager or even a better ally. For others, it means attending conferences with their teams. No matter how you take advantage of the stipend, we trust our team is using it to expand their horizons and become better professionals and leaders.”
Learn more about Ribbon here.---
CHG Healthcare —
“At CHG, we live with purpose. Putting People First is not just our core value. It is our culture. We focus on the whole person professionally and personally. CHG offers foundational training at headquarters for every new employee along with people-driven, leader-guided career pathing throughout their career. Career training involves mentorship programs, extensive training programs for leadership, departmental training, DEI bias training, and tuition reimbursement.”
Learn more about CHG Healthcare here.---
McMaster-Carr —
“McMaster-Carr offers a culture of development that caters to the curious people we hire. Project assignments intentionally offer opportunities to explore technology in ways that broaden or deepen expertise. Engineers also build professional skills and knowledge in ways that extend beyond their project assignments and roles. Leveraging our 100% paid tuition benefit to pursue advanced degrees and extracurricular studies, attending conferences, joining or co-leading guild discussions, and participating in internal DevTalks provide people with many opportunities to learn and explore their diverse interests.”
Learn more about McMaster-Carr here.---
Datadog —
“Our Talent Development team empowers Datadogs to unlock their highest potential through global offerings and opportunities. Using a future-first approach, they curate, develop, and deliver quality learning moments and career development programs that are accessible and useful for everyone. Their team supports the development, launch, and continued delivery of training programs that will advance the company’s performance and strengthen our culture! #DatadogLife”
Learn more about Datadog here.---
Novelis —
“At Novelis, embedding our cultural beliefs in everything we do is critical to our success. To educate our employees on these beliefs, we provide an immersive in-person culture workshop that is facilitated by our top leadership and addresses topics like how we give and receive feedback, recognize and reward our colleagues, and maintain open lines of communication across functions. The content is cascaded down through all our 17 North American manufacturing facilities thanks to our network of Culture Champions. Our people are our greatest asset, and culture workshops are how we deepen our investment in their success. ”
Learn more about Novelis here.---
BlackRock —
“Our people have the opportunity to master their role anytime, anywhere, through virtual and classroom courses that help them up their game while gaining the skills and knowledge needed to be a high performer and leader at BlackRock.
The BlackRock Academies: Development programs focused on client relationships, technology, investments, leadership, management skills, and more.
Professional Networks: Employee-led networks that provide resources, mentorship, learning, and development opportunities. For example, the Associate Development Program was created by the Women's Initiative & Allies Network.
Leadership Programs: Invite-only programs to grow leaders through executive coaching, sponsorship, hands-on work, and more. Our flagship programs include the Women, Black, and Latinx Leadership Forums for women, Black and Latinx Managing Directors, respectively, as well as Enterprise Leadership Acceleration at BlackRock for Directors, and Professional Preparation for Elevated Leadership for Vice Presidents..”
Learn more about BlackRock here.---
Riot Games —
Women@Riot, a professional and personal development program for women and gender-diverse Rioters, focuses on mentorship, coaching, and networking. The program holds quarterly global workshops that cover topics like negotiation, self-advocacy, building resilience, knowing your story, and mentor/mentee relationships. Additionally, they host monthly virtual coffees with Rioters across all levels that help foster a true sense of community between participants all over the world. They also bring in guest speakers like Kim Scott, author of Radical Candor, who talked to Rioters about how they can apply this management philosophy at work.”
Learn more about Riot Games here.---
Nestlé —
“At Nestlé, we are striving for a more sustainable future, towards a healthier planet, a stronger and more responsible society, and a thriving economy. This year we are upskilling all of our employees at all levels to help make progress on our sustainability journey. One of the ways we do this is by incorporating sustainability into our employee skill-building and education opportunities. This year, our employees are upskilling through a Fundamentals of Sustainable Food and Beverage Packaging course on our internal learning platform. All areas of the business are working on building sustainability into everything we do in order to help create a more sustainable future.”
Learn more about Nestlé here.---
Collins Aerospace —
“At Collins Aerospace, we’re deeply committed to your health, well-being, and success. Our Employee Scholar Program empowers you to develop new skills through job-related certifications or full degree programs. By investing fully in your lifelong learning, we’re supporting your development and helping you push the boundaries of what you can achieve as we redefine aerospace, together.”
Learn more about Collins Aerospace here.---
RebelMouse —
“At RebelMouse we believe that people can achieve their fullest potential by staying curious and open to learning. That's why we offer our leaders the opportunity to be challenged by experienced professionals that could mentor them in their growth journey. We combine in-house and external training sessions with PowerToFly Mentorship Program not only as a solid ground to develop their skills but also to share their struggles and insightful ideas with mentors that guide them in recurring 1 on 1 meetings for 6 months. The results keep showing up, we have two mentored leaders that got promoted recently and we can see that they are excited to move the needle to where it matters most for the company and for their career!”
Learn more about RebelMouse here.---
Kiva —
“One of Kiva’s core values is: Grow Your Career, Grow Your Mind — boredom isn’t an option.
Kiva allows people to create a personal impact across the world:
Through experiential learning, digital collaboration, and the power of human connections, Kiva U provides a platform for young people to take action and change lives via microfinance and financial inclusion.
An internship at Kiva gives you 6 months of hands-on learning with an innovative, internationally recognized nonprofit that has tech startup in its DNA — develop your professional skills, while making lifelong friends.”
Learn more about Kiva here.---
Nokia —
“At Nokia, our approach is to inspire all of our employees to take control of their own learning journey. We show them the vast array of learning opportunities available; whether it’s with formal training, on-the-job training, or by working together with their coach or mentor, we ask: “what do you want to learn now to improve performance in your current role?” and “what do you need to prepare you for your next career move?” either way we put them into the driver’s seat.”
Learn more about Nokia here.---
Google —
“At Google, you’ll find a range of opportunities to grow, connect, and give back at every stage of your career including, educational reimbursement, a Googler-to-Googler peer learning and coaching platform, donation matching and time off to volunteer, employee resource groups for underrepresented employees and their allies, and Internal Googler community groups and local culture clubs. The video above highlights how a Googler founded the ERG Buddy Program at Google, which pairs new Googlers with mentors in their employee resource groups to support them on their career journeys.”
Learn more about Google here.---
Elastic —
“We believe in providing Elasticians with the opportunity to continue to learn and develop throughout their careers. As we evolve as a company, we want our Elasticians to evolve with us. Our Learning and Development team curates courses in Elastic Academy, our in-house development program, which allows Elasticians to level up, minimize any skill gaps, and stay curious.
For managers, there is a specific training path on leadership, and we also provide all Elasticians with access to LinkedIn Learning, so they can choose what they’re interested in and take courses that align with their development goals.”
Learn more about Elastic here.---
ServiceNow —
“At ServiceNow, we’re dedicated to helping employees live our People Pact-- live your best life, do your best work, and fulfill our purpose together. To help employees learn and grow, we offer 1:1 life coaching, education reimbursement, and department-specific courses. We also have a dedicated Talent Development team that offers programs to employees of all levels that focus on agility, innovation, inclusion, and trust. Some of these programs include Future Readiness, led by Harvard Business Professor Frances Frei; Strive, our yearlong leadership development program; and Launchpad, our professional development program for early career employees.”
Learn more about ServiceNow here.---
1Password —
“1Password happily supports employees with upskilling and continued education through several means. Each employee receives an annual training budget to put towards their goals and pursuits, whether for courses, books, or any other learning materials. Additionally, 1Password provides a monthly "Learning Nook" session where we discuss topics ranging from security and career skills to mental health and accessibility. Finally, our very own 1Password University gives team members the chance to enroll in an ever-growing list of eLearning courses, with classes on wellness, professional development, team training, and more.”
Learn more about 1Password here.---
uShip —
“uShip maintains very healthy professional development budgets for each employee to use towards continuing education, certifications, conferences, courses, etc. We’ve paid for our developers to become AWS certified. We also provide unlimited access to LinkedIn Learning and actively promote our internal and external (with PTF) mentorship programs to foster career growth. We’re proud to have so many tenured employees that have moved and advanced through multiple departments as they’ve grown their skills here.”
Learn more about uShip here.---
Esri —
“At Esri, growing your career can take many different directions. Employees have many opportunities to explore their interests and development needs with colleagues and leaders throughout the organization, and that’s where the magic happens! Employees collaborate with other teams and work on projects that develop and challenge them. Not sure what your interests are? We have a dedicated Employee Development team that offers resources on technical skills, personal development, competencies, and more. Want to take it to the next level? Esri offers tuition assistance to obtain your degree at a lower cost.”
Learn more about Esri here.---
Nike —
“At Nike, we know that there’s no finish line on the path to greatness. That’s why we believe in empowering teammates to own their careers, growth, and development.
From on-demand learning and development platforms to mentorships, DE&I education, upskilling programs, and tuition support, we invest in foundational and functional learning experiences to support employees throughout their careers.
Click here to learn more about our development opportunities and other Nike benefits: https://jobs.nike.com/benefits”
Learn more about Nike here.---
UnitedHealth Group —
“At UnitedHealth Group, UnitedHealthcare and Optum we are committed to providing our people with rewarding development and career growth opportunities. Our global diversity, equity and inclusion team is dedicated to enhancing the employee lifecycle from onboarding to retirement, promoting development and inclusion throughout. We also value continuing education and support our employees as they upskill for career advancement. And we always empower team members to find out what it means to do your life’s best work.”
Learn more about UnitedHealth Group here.---
Cockroach Labs —
“At Cockroach Labs, we value communication as represented in one of our values, Communicate Openly and Honestly. As our company went remote and returned as a distributed workforce, it’s clear how important communication is to working effectively, from collaborating with your team to telling stories to inspire to sharing information across departments. Throughout the year, we facilitate workshops focused on a communication skill, some topics include:
- Speech Coaching - how we can use our voice to influence
- Listening Skills - how we must listen first to understand
- Designing Visual Slides - how we can inspire with a visual story”
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The Recycling Partnership —
“The Recycling Partnership staff are curious, dedicated professionals, always eager to pursue growth. We understand that personal development drives professional growth. Consistent with our Pursue Growth and Learning Core Value, we launched an initiative called the Partners in Progress Program (PiPP) to enhance Partnership employees’ individual experiences and help connect their roles to real purpose. PiPP encourages two-way conversations around Core Values, Goals, Growth, and Feedback to help Team Leads understand what motivates and drives each employee and enable The Partnership to support these motivations while encouraging employees to own their career growth and professional development.”
Learn more about The Recycling Partnership here.---
CrowdStreet —
“At CrowdStreet, our Builders are empowered to engage in continuous skill development and education both internally and with outside resources. Every employee is eligible for a learning and development reimbursement that can be used for certifications, conferences, professional association dues, and external courses and training sessions. StreetSmart, our internal learning platform, offers a robust and diverse content library of more than 4,000 on-demand learning experiences that cover a wide range of topics that support both personal and professional development.”
Learn more about CrowdStreet here.---
CDW —
“At CDW, our coworkers are empowered to reach their highest potential, and we are focused on providing them with a wide variety of tools and development opportunities to help them achieve their career aspirations. Across our global operations, our LAUNCH orientation program sets the foundation for a continuous learning journey from day one. Our suite of leadership training and development programs allows us to develop and nurture internal talent by providing the resources our coworkers need to advance in their professional journey. In addition, all coworkers have access to LinkedIn Learning and professional development sessions provided by our business resource groups.”
Learn more about CDW here.---
PagerDuty —
“We believe all Dutonians (PagerDuty employees) are leaders and take pride in our People First goal. We prioritize our people, design whole human experiences, and make development equitable. We invest in learning that provides employees with modern leadership skills and behaviors by connecting Dutonians to real-time and relevant experiences that amplify career growth, performance, and opportunity. This happens because of our amazing people managers, leaders, and HRBPs who continually support individual and team development. More broadly, our People Development Team works to cultivate and manage key employee moments that matter to help PagerDuty realize our vision, purpose, and mission.”
Learn more about PagerDuty here.---
SumOfUs —
“At SumOfUs, we cultivate and foster an organizational culture where we encourage people to bring their whole selves. We prioritize learning and development for all staff through stipends, clear growth paths, and a dedicated learning and development department. We have different types of funding available for learning and development, (e.g. individual learning funds, anti-oppression coaching grants, and team training grants). We are also dedicated to investing in our managers and are currently piloting a management learning lab. As SumOfUs grows and evolves, we want our people to grow and evolve alongside us so they feel empowered to go out, fight for people over profit and make change in the world.”
Learn more about SumOfUs here.---
PwC —
“Since 2017, we’ve upskilled our people through “New World, New Skills.”, our $3B investment to equip them with the digital skills, tools, and training needed to thrive in a tech-first workforce. Building on that, we launched My+, our biggest and boldest reimagination of our people experience, with development as a key pillar and leadership upskilling opportunities like our Inclusive Mindset Badge. Beyond PwC, we’re investing $125M to support 25,000 Black and Latinx college students to prepare for and begin an in-demand career through our Access Your Potential program — aspiring to hire 10,000 into roles at the firm by 2026.
Learn more and explore career opportunities at PwC.”
Learn more about PwC here.---
Guru —
“One of Guru’s core values is to Seek and Share Knowledge — we believe that when we share what we know and lift others as we rise, we build a culture of knowledge that makes us all a little bit better. Be transparent: share the good and the bad, and offer insight into decision-making processes. Take risks and experiment; every setback is a learning experience. Seek diverse views for better outcomes—embrace diverse experiences, backgrounds, and skill sets to make us stronger and smarter. Nothing revolutionary was ever created in an echo chamber.
Guru empowers you to make choices about your future and take steps to make that happen. We offer a $1,500 professional development stipend to give you the learning and education you need to take you further along in your career. We offer up to $10,000 in tuition reimbursement for tenured employees.”
Learn more about Guru here.---
Teachers Pay Teachers —
“Learning is central to our culture at TPT! We actively create opportunities for employees to gain experience, develop skills, and learn from each other.
Since 2019, TPT has offered a mentorship program that matches employees with mentors across the company, building relationships and creating pathways toward career aspirations. It’s not unusual for employees to pivot onto new teams, as open roles are often posted internally before externally.
Employees receive PD stipends yearly, reimbursing purchases such as subscriptions, conferences, and workshops. Our engineering teams gather on Fridays for “Engineering Learning Fridays,” and broader tech teams attend weekly Demos to share insights.”
Learn more about Teachers Pay Teachers here.---
Netskope —
"To support our employees with upskilling & continued education, our company implemented Netskoper U. Netskoper U is an online Learning & Development Program in partnership with Coursera. Netskoper U offers more than 7,000 courses and guided processes on topics ranging from machine learning, digital marketing, and leadership presence, to playing the guitar and learning a foreign language. The most popular course amongst Netskopers is Python for Everybody, alongside modules like AWS Essentials, Programming with Google Go, Kubernetes, and even Spanish Vocabulary. The course catalog ranges greatly whether you're interested in learning how to Program with JavaScript, or wanting to understand The Science of Well-Being - there's a course for everyone!"
Learn more about Netskope here.---
Skedulo —
At Skedulo, employees receive a yearly learning & development stipend to access books, courses, and other resources to support their learning of choice. We also have a career development mentoring program focused on expanding networks, gaining new knowledge and insights, and building new skills. Apart from forming a mentoring connection, participants are invited to attend professional development workshops and conversations throughout the six-month program.
For our people managers, we offer a training series focused on leadership in alignment with our core values. We are also intentional about our diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging foundations training which is offered throughout the year."
Learn more about Skedulo here.
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Samsara —
“Samsara believes in the power of feedback to not just build better products but develop as professionals. We have performance reviews every 6 months where employees reflect and are given feedback on their current strengths and areas of growth. We encourage creating Personal Development Plans to facilitate career growth conversations with managers.
Additionally, we provide a wealth of internal training resources along with a professional coaching membership via Bravely and a quarterly stipend to spend on the professional growth opportunities of your choice.”
Learn more about Samsara here.---
Workiva —
“Workiva employees have constant access to self-paced learning opportunities via Degreed, our learning library. Our internal Micro Lesson Monday and Wellbeing Wednesday series provide timely, educational resources every week. We also provide employees experiential learning and leadership opportunities within our Business Employee Resource Groups (BERGS), our R&D team’s annual conference: LINK, Workiva's Annual Amplify User Conference, and PowerToFly's Pride: Championing LGBTQIA+ Leaders and Allies event. Workiva sponsors and hosts workshops and programs including DiSC, Crucial Conversations, Inclusive Leadership, Women of Workiva, and Accelerating Leadership to encourage the growth and development of our most valuable resource: our employees.”
Learn more about Workiva here.---
Wolters Kluwer —
"At Wolters Kluwer, we provide everyone with the support they need to broaden their skills, develop their potential and achieve their goals. Our approach helps every employee grow, helping them develop greater satisfaction in the job they do, develop a strong sense of purpose and develop their career. Our tailored learning programs help people identify and develop the skills and interests that will help them now and in the future. Everyone at Wolters Kluwer has potential and we ensure they can realize it!"
Learn more about Wolters Kluwer here.
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Relativity —
“All Relativity employees are promised the opportunity to accelerate the trajectory of their careers through transparent development conversations, feedback and coaching, and access to curated live and on-demand content for skill development. We also invest in targeted skill development opportunities for specific audiences, such as our newest program focused on Relativity’s Next Gen Leaders. In this year-long journey aimed at preparing team members for the next generation of leadership at Relativity, participants develop skills aligned with Relativity’s Leadership Expectations through live learning labs with members of our Executive Team, virtual cohort discussions, and focused on-the-job application.”
Learn more about Relativity here.---
Northrop Grumman —
“Northrop Grumman offers many resources to help you further your career. My Learning Experience is the primary point of access for all learning and development, providing a personalized experience built on your interests and interactions. Through career planning, job experiences, leadership development programs such as Women in Leadership and technical programs such as Women in Science and Engineering, there’s something for everyone.
We also encourage employees to continue their education to enhance skills and knowledge as they progress in their careers by taking advantage of Northrop Grumman’s Education Assistance benefits. Explore our Total Rewards Gateway to learn more about our offerings.”
Learn more about Northrop Grumman here.---
Autodesk —
“Learning. Growing. Developing your skills. Expanding your horizons. All great ways to stay engaged and inspired—both in life and in your job. At Autodesk we have these resources to support our employee’s ongoing evolution:
- Tuition Reimbursement
- Professional Association Fee Reimbursement
- Career Coaching by BetterUp
- Mentorship and Leadership Development Programs
- Online Tools and modules: self-guided content and curriculums
- Instructor-led courses”
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Splunk —
“Technology evolves at lightspeed, that's why Splunk empowers our employees to keep their skills sharp with on-site and online courses.
We also provide management training and connect optimal professional pairings through our global employee mentorship program.
Splunk employees are supported through career growth and development with ongoing and personalized coaching across orgs, access to the School of Splunk for skill development, and are encouraged to take courses at accredited educational institutions with reimbursement programs in place.
To learn more about life at Splunk, our benefits, and exciting career opportunities, please visit splunk.com/careers”
Learn more about Splunk here.---
Audible —
“At Audible, we provide opportunities for ongoing growth and development through resources that are relevant and useful for employees’ career journey. This ranges from formal programs like our career journey workshops and flagship manager training, to access to many Amazon resources focused on certifications, coding boot camps, and builder programs, to fully supporting employees’ education through tuition reimbursements. Additionally, through events delivered by our impact groups such as Women in Tech, access to learning platforms like Edcast and LinkedIn learning, and informal events such as the SDE career day, employees have many opportunities to grow and develop themselves and their careers.”
Learn more about Audible here.---
Moody's Cooporation —
"As a global integrated risk assessment firm, we invest in our people throughout the employee life cycle to build an adaptive, engaged, diverse and inclusive workforce. We are committed to helping our employees develop the skills needed to thrive today and in the future. As part of that commitment, employees across the organization grow their skills and expertise with access to Moody's University, our robust learning hub with resources across a wide spectrum of domains-- enterprise, leadership, business-specific and technical. These resources are complemented by our continuing education and innovation programs through academic partnerships and our employee educational assistance program."
Learn more about Moody's here.
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SoftwareONE —
"SoftwareONE unlocks the potential of every employee by helping them realize their personal growth and career ambitions. We have many upskilling and continuous learning opportunities, including our Emerging Leader program that focuses on growing future leaders and helping them develop a strategic mindset. SoftwareONE also has on-demand learning topics, including how to develop technical and soft skills. Our strategic partnership with Harvard Business School helps us analyze the impact of skillful conversations. We also collaborate with McKinsey to help historically marginalized talent with the support they need to accelerate their career growth and leadership progression."
Learn more about SoftwareONE here.
How Collective Insights’ Shibani Roy Combines Business Consulting and Tech
For Shibani Roy, a Manager at Collective Insights, listening to her mood and energy level is key to finding a work-life balance.
“I like to be outside in my free time,” she explains. “When I'm feeling energized, I'm probably planning things with friends and family, watching an Atlanta sporting event, or going on a hike to enjoy the sunshine. Sometimes work requires long hours in front of my laptop.”
When she’s feeling calm she’ll enjoy life at a slower pace. “I might listen to some music or watch a movie, and have some time to myself.”
No matter her mood during her time off, Shibani always brings enthusiasm and motivation to her team. We sat down with her to learn more about how she built a career within tech as a consultant and now manager.
Pursuing a Career in Computer Engineering
Shibani was always a curious child. “I would try to fix things like toys and put them back together,” she shares. With the mind of an engineer, she naturally gravitated towards computer engineering as she matured. “In high school, I took a computer engineering course, and it taught a lot of hands-on, knowledge-based problem-solving. And that gave me a lot of satisfaction.”
When she reached university she knew the route she wanted to pursue, but didn't have a specific career in mind. “I didn't even know what a degree in computer engineering meant. I assumed it had to do with building computers, trying to understand the back end, coding, and how to create programs,” she confesses.
After graduating with her degree, she went the traditional career route of working a 9-to-5 job but soon learned it wasn’t a great fit. She found that she wasn't growing the way she wanted to.
Then one day someone mentioned to her the possibility of doing consulting work and the change of pace it could offer. “It might require some traveling,” she retells, “and bring some diversity around projects, industries, and clientele to help me really figure out what I wanted to do.”
So, she decided to try out consulting.
Stepping into the Tech World as a Consultant
Shibani ended up leaving her corporate job to pursue consulting full-time.
“I joined a consulting firm and I ended up loving every minute of it,” she shares with glee. “I was in multiple industries, different projects, and meeting so many different people up to C-levels and leadership.”
What gave Shibani the confidence to make this career shift was a supportive network and a unique skill set.
Within her network, Shibani has family and friends that have supported her throughout her life and helped her maintain a positive attitude. “I couldn't have gone this far without them,” she states. "Good changes happen when you're surrounding yourself with good people and good context. The right people in your life help set your path and career. No one can do it alone.”
What solidified her role in consulting were her particular skills. “I came from a client perspective where I knew what doesn't work and then jumped to consulting where I was the vendor, and could say here's how it should work. Coming with both of those experiences helped me be successful.”
Over time, her success encouraged her to realize her potential and set her sights on bigger goals. Yet when she wanted to pursue those goals she noticed a few barriers.
“I came from a large consulting firm where seniority and moving up the ladder takes a very long time,” she admits.
Shibani was willing to put in the dedication and had a vision for her next steps. “I wanted a role that people can look up to and try to follow," she explains. "It's not just about leading, it's about encouraging and showing motivation. I was ready for that next step.”
This next step would mean leaving her corporate job. She was looking for a smaller firm, where her work could impact the whole company and she was ready to move into a managerial role.
Becoming a Manager at Collective Insights
She eventually found Collective Insights where she was able to obtain the opportunities she was looking for. Collective Insights is a management and technology consulting firm that focuses on clients, culture, and community.
When stepping into this new role, she focused on building relationships between her and the other consultants on her team. “You want to create trust and build strong bonds,” she advises. “I think trust is a crucial part of any leadership role. Feeling as though your team can lean on you and vice versa creates a sense of team belonging. You can say all the right things, but trust is that glue that holds everything together."
One of her strategies for building this trust is connecting with her teammates on a more personal level. In addition to taking advantage of different opportunities, “I started expanding project teams, and working with others. And that helped me showcase the knowledge I bring to the table and how I can help this place grow,” she explains.
Once the trust was established she focused on building camaraderie within her team. "I try to show them we can talk about issues or frustrations. We can talk about where one might need more help. I saw a whole new dynamic after that.”
Creating an environment of open communication has allowed her to see the effects of her work. “I can be part of a team and show them what we're trying to accomplish and how that impacts the whole account, not just the project,” she shares.
Diversity in the Tech Space
Being able to relate to and support her team was a skill Shibani carried over from her days consulting. “In consulting, you have different teams and you have to learn different communication dynamics. You learn about different cultures and backgrounds.”
At Collective Insights, they understand the value of having a diverse workforce. Something that Shibani didn’t see when she first started working in tech. “I graduated in ‘04 and back then, the ratio of men to women in the tech space and corporate America was majority men.”
Now she has seen the needle move throughout her career. “With my experiences with different industries and clients, I can see a difference between when I first started consulting to now," she explains. "There are more women in leadership roles, even executive leadership roles.”
She particularly sees this change within Collective Insights. “There are so many types of backgrounds. It's amazing to see how diverse we are and how we all work together cohesively,” she shares with excitement. "I can see myself being here long-term and helping us grow. It's amazing.”
Advice for Women Breaking into the Tech World
Although the tech world is diversifying, there is still room to grow. For those women who are trying to enter the tech field, Shibani offers this advice:
- Be open to opportunities outside of your comfort zone. According to Shibani, these are growth opportunities. “You might think ‘this has nothing to do with my background’ but it could be something new that helps expand your portfolio,” she says.
- Be resilient. “There's a lot of discouraging people and experiences that might deter you,” she states. “You might want to change your mind as far as a career path, but disappointments or failures are going to happen.” Shibani advises not to take them personally. Instead “use them as a growth opportunity. Put it in your back pocket as a learning experience.”
- Be honest with yourself. “Ask yourself ‘Is this place for you?’ and follow your gut,” she encourages. Being true to yourself will help guide you in those moments of making difficult career choices or pivoting into a new role. "I think any woman in technology or consulting will be happy with who they are if they listen to themselves.”
If you are looking to combine consulting with tech, check out current openings at Collective Insights.
40 Companies Making Positive Environmental Impact
Environmentally Friendly and Sustainable Companies
Sustainability is more important now than ever.
Companies use huge amounts of our planet’s resources, and they in turn have huge impacts — positive and negative ones. While a few generations ago, it seemed as if the Earth’s resources were infinite, we now know how false that is.
That’s why it’s critical that sustainability be at the integral to a company’s makeup, prioritizing protecting the resources we do have left and having positive impacts on the environment.
We asked some of our partner companies to share what they do to promote positive environmental impact and sustainability. For some of them, solving environmental issues is part of their core DNA and others have taken on initiatives outside of their own business objectives to leave the world a better place than how they found it. Keep reading to hear what they said!
Collins Aerospace —
As a leader in technologically advanced and intelligent solutions for the global aerospace and defense industry, Collins Aerospace is in a unique position to make a positive impact on sustainable aviation. We innovate for – and with – our customers to drive more sustainable solutions.
Collins Aerospace has joined in the Fly Net Zero commitment announced in October 2021 by the Air Transport Action Group (ATAG) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA). As an active supporter of the industry’s goal to achieve net-zero civil aviation carbon emissions by 2050, our commitment is stronger than ever. At Collins our sustainability roadmap focuses on three pillars:
1. Engagement with our stakeholders - our customers, suppliers, shareholders, communities and employees – to collaboratively set the standards for a sustainable future of the aviation industry in terms of Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) performance.
2. Our Technology Roadmap focusing on innovative and disruptive solutions to improve aircraft energy and operational efficiency and to enable alternative power sources, in particular Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF), hydrogen and hybrid-/electric propulsion.
3. Our Industrial Road Map focusing on sustainable production and products – including GHG reductions through energy efficiency and use of green energies, substitution or reduction of chemical substances, reduction of water consumption as well as recycling and waste management.
For more information please refer to our website at https://www.collinsaerospace.com/Sustainability
Learn more about Collins Aerospace here.
Okta —
Okta’s climate strategy is focused on reducing emissions in 4 ways: reducing consumption, electrification, purchasing renewable electricity to match 100% of our global office and workforce electricity consumption, and engaging our vendors, as over 90% of our emissions are from our value chain. We strive to incorporate equity into our work. For example, we purchase renewable energy certificates (RECs) with a social benefit, such as CA Bright Schools Solar and energy justice RECs - community solar that reduces electricity costs for low-income residents via Solar Stewards.
To learn more, check out our January 2022 blog, and our webpage.
Learn more about Okta here.
Vanguard —
Established in 2012, Vanguard's community gardens are planted, maintained, and harvested by crew volunteers who donate the produce raised to local food banks, pantries, and centers.
Gardens in Pennsylvania and Arizona raise a variety of produce, including tomatoes, peppers, spinach, lettuce, zucchini, carrots, and eggplant.
In addition, the community garden teams host periodic garden parties, workshops, and cooking demonstrations, where crew can learn more about what is being planted, ask questions about their own personal gardens, and network with other volunteers. All produce is grown organically, so there are opportunities to learn the latest in organic agriculture.
Learn more about Vanguard here.
Nokia —
Sustainability is a key component of Nokia’s strategy and purpose of creating technology that helps the world act together. We believe digitalization and connectivity solutions are critical to resolving many of the global problems facing society.
We take a two-pronged approach. We maximize our handprint while minimizing our footprint across environmental and social issues, supported by robust governance and responsible and ethical business practices.
We realize we cannot do this alone, and we call for accelerated digitalization and enhanced connectivity, greater multi-party, multi-discipline collaboration and the establishment of sustainable platforms that encourage innovation.
Learn more about Nokia here.
Enersys —
EnerSys is the global leader in stored energy solutions for industrial applications and has been for over 100 years. At our core, EnerSys delivers solutions that meet our customers’ most critical energy services and storage challenges. We also enable our customers to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and provide affordable and reliable access to energy – often referred to as “climate technology.” Our products support a wide range of industries and applications, from ensuring the reliability of broadband in rural communities to powering submarines and satellites to the manufacture and distribution of food supplies and critical health infrastructure.
Learn more about Enersys here.
Google —
At Google, we are celebrating the opening of our Bay View office — an all-electric, net water positive campus with the largest geothermal installation in North America. To deliver on our commitment to operate every hour of every day on carbon-free energy by 2030, we prioritized renewable energy and maximized the solar potential of our buildings. Bay View’s first-of-its-kind dragonscale solar skin and nearby wind farms will power it on carbon-free energy 90% of the time. The campus is also on track to be the largest project certified by the International Living Future Institute (ILFI).
Learn more about how we applied human-centered and sustainable design to the workplace.
Learn more about Google here.
Waters Corporation —
Waters has committed to reducing its Scope 1&2 greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) 35% from a 2016 baseline by 2025. As part of this commitment, we are increasing our use of renewable energy, phasing hybrid and electric vehicles into our service fleet, and incorporating green building principles into our facilities management practices. We are also taking steps to measure and reduce the environmental impact of our products, our packaging, and our supply chain. In addition, we encourage our employees around the world to be sustainability leaders in their communities. For more information, please see our most recent Sustainability Report.
Learn more about Waters Corporation here.
Pluralsight —
As a global company, Pluralsight is committed to positive corporate citizenship and to continuously improving efficiency as we scale. We’ve implemented several initiatives that will help reduce our carbon footprint, including new remote/hybrid work policies and we’ve recently signed a climate pledge that sets us on the path to becoming carbon neutral. Through this pledge we plan to set clear greenhouse gas (GHG) annual reduction targets and also invest in ways to proactively offset the balance of our GHG emissions to achieve net zero. This plan will also support our team members in their involvement in local sustainability initiatives.
Learn more about Pluralsight here.
Expedia Group —
In 2019, Expedia Group partnered with UNESCO to create the UNESCO Sustainable Travel Pledge which aims to promote sustainable travel, community resilience and heritage conservation globally. Signatories can learn about sustainable practices for their business, and together we can drive positive change in the travel industry for future travelers. The UNESCO Pledge now has 4,200 hotels committed to concrete, transparent and achievable action.
Learn more about Expedia Group here.
UKG —
At UKG, we care deeply about our environmental impact and our responsibility to take care of the world in which we live and work. Our primary environmental impacts relate to our own energy consumption, as well as the energy consumption of UKG hardware products, our business travel, and the consumption of natural resources through our activities and procurement processes. Our recent and ongoing efforts to reduce our environmental footprint, including both our own corporate output and the sustainability and environmental practices of our trusted suppliers and vendors, are a critical component of our ESG Initiative.
Learn more about UKG here.
CDW —
CDW is committed to protecting the environment by continuing to find ways to manage our business with increasing efficiency and understanding the full extent of our environmental impact.
Our efforts include participating in multiple electronics recycling programs, consistently meeting and exceeding our waste diversion goal of 90% at our US distribution centers, and implementing smart packaging solutions that maximize both product protection and material efficiencies.
We also recognize that our greatest opportunities to impact the environment lie in our supply chain and our ability to work with our partners to address issues such as climate change and waste reduction. For example, more than 75% of our US shipments are handled by carriers with Net Zero emissions targets.
https://www.cdw.com/content/cdw/en/about/overview/esg2021/environmental.html
Learn more about CDW here.
Moody’s —
At Moody’s, we are doing our part to protect the environment and tackle climate change. We are committed to achieving net-zero emissions in our operations and value chain by 2040 – 10 years earlier than the Paris Agreement goals – and to aligning our relevant products and services to net-zero. We also offer market participants climate solutions to help them better understand the risks and opportunities presented by climate change and the transition to a low-carbon economy. Learn more about Moody’s efforts and progress in our 2021 Stakeholder Sustainability Report and 2021 TCFD Report.
Learn more about Moody’s here.
Wolters Kluwer —
At Wolters Kluwer we’re not only helping our customers create a safer, cleaner world - we’re doing it ourselves!
In 2021, Wolters Kluwer launched a sustainability program called ENGAGE and to celebrate the contributions employees made, this year we held the Global Sustainability Awards.
Colleagues in our Enablon business won an award for partnering with volunteer organisations around the globe including Chicago Region Tree Initiative in the US, SUPclean-up in the Netherlands, and the Calthorpe Community Garden in the UK.
80 Enablon volunteers spent more than 300 hours planting trees and clearing litter from waterways and beaches, helping raise awareness across Wolters Kluwer of the importance of sustainable practices while giving back to local communities.
Learn more about Wolters Kluwer here.
Novelis —
As the world’s largest recycler of aluminum, sustainability is implicit in everything we do at Novelis. Our ambition is to be the world’s leading provider of low-carbon, sustainable aluminum solutions that advance our business, industry and society toward the benefits of a circular economy. We’re guided by our sustainability goals, which will ultimately lead to a reduction in energy intensity, a reduction in water use, and a reduction of waste sent to landfills by 2026. Cultivating a diverse and engaged employee base will be our greatest enabler in achieving these goals.
Learn more about Novelis here.
Sun Life —
Sun Life views climate change as a defining issue of our time. We’re working to address climate change and supporting the transition to a low-carbon economy. We have set a goal to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 for both our investments and operations. We're also committed to integrating climate strategies across our businesses and working collaboratively with our Clients, stakeholders, and the industry at large, towards this common goal.
To help us expand on our commitments and strategies, Sun Life recently appointed Paula Haschig as our new Vice-President, Climate Change. Learn more in our latest Sustainability Report.
Learn more about Sun Life here.
Splunk —
Key to solving the world’s most pressing issues: climate, health equity, poverty, racial justice, and education, is data.
With customers around the globe, Splunk is uniquely positioned to help solve some of the world’s toughest challenges.
Splunk has committed to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and we are proud to advance our climate journey with a data-driven approach, building on our support for the Paris agreement.
Splunk is a proud signatory to the Business Ambition for 1.5° Campaign, and part of the UN Climate Champions’ Race to Zero Campaign and the We Mean Business Coalition.
#SplunkLife
Learn more about Splunk here.
GoTo —
GoTo is committed to maintaining carbon neutrality. Our permanent move to a remote-centric workforce has reduced Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions across all scopes. To account for the shift in our employees’ work locations, we purchase certified offsets for the emissions they generate during work hours, both in the office or at home, as well as for necessary corporate travel. We also procure 100% renewable electricity for our global operations by purchasing Green-e certified RECs to match our global electricity usage. Our data centers have high ratings from Greenpeace and we engage our global employees through our Global Green Team.
Learn more about GoTo here.
Raytheon Technologies —
As part of Raytheon Technologies’ Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) vision, Raytheon Intelligence & Space (RI&S) is working toward ambitious goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, conserve energy and water, minimize waste, and increase renewable electricity by 2025. Our ESG strategy guides all that we do, and particularly emphasizes purposeful connections with community. For example, over the past year RI&S has participated in various events like community clean-ups in McKinney, Texas; a food bank packing line in Plano, Texas; an Earth Day plant seed swap in Goleta, California; and a leadership team clean-up at the Santa Barbara Zoo.
Learn more about Raytheon Technologies here.
Autodesk —
From greener buildings to cleaner cars, smarter factories to bigger blockbusters, Autodesk technology is used by millions of people to design and make millions of things that impact billions of lives.
At Autodesk, sustainability is about making that impact positive across three impact opportunity areas: Energy & Materials, Health & Resilience, Work & Prosperity.
All this begins by being a better business ourselves. When we improve the impact of our own operations, we gain the knowledge and credibility to help our customers improve theirs. And by building a culture of belonging, together we thrive.
Learn more about Autodesk here.
PagerDuty —
We take a very broad view of sustainability and social impact, with our environmental focus rooted in both our climate responsibility and systemic, environmental justice concerns. Last year we launched our climate justice grantmaking program; with input from our EnviroDuty affinity group, we selected four incredible climate justice organizations to support: Earth Guardians, Earth Hacks, The Solutions Project, and OpenAQ. We are also taking our own responsibility seriously, reporting our first greenhouse gas inventories and preparing to set targets in line with the global need to limit warming to 1.5°C to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement.
Learn more about PagerDuty here.
American Express —
American Express is committed to advancing climate solutions and enhancing its operations and capabilities to meet customer and community needs in the transition to a low carbon future. In 2021, the company committed to net-zero emissions by 2035 and has been CarbonNeutral® powered by 100% renewable electricity across its global operations since 2018. The company set a goal to pilot low-carbon product innovations and is making new digital products and services available to help customers understand their carbon footprint. To support climate action through community giving, the company will provide at least $10 million by 2025 to backing low-carbon communities.
Learn more about American Express here.
Esri —
At Esri, we believe that it is everyone’s duty as global citizens to protect our world’s resources. As a business, Esri practices sustainability by operating on solar power in many of its buildings, using electric cars for corporate vehicles, providing EV charging stations for employees, donating and planting trees in the community, and more. Some of Esri’s key initiatives are conservation and sustainability. Influencing and partnering with customers to build a sustainable future through geographic information system (GIS) technology is what drives us. You can read more about these initiatives at https://www.esri.com/en-us/about/about-esri/why-we-do-it.
Learn more about Esri here.
Pitney Bowes —
In 2021, Pitney Bowes was named a Climate Leadership Award winner. We have committed to be carbon-neutral in our operations by 2040. We are also proud to announce that we have increased our share of electricity from renewable sources such as wind and solar power.
Learn more about Pitney Bowes here
BlackRock —
BlackRock has a multi-pronged strategy to address climate-related risks and promote positive environmental impact. One commitment that we’re proud of is The BlackRock Foundation's recent commitment of $100 million to Breakthrough Energy's Catalyst Program, which will help accelerate the development of climate solutions necessary to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
In addition to our strategies as an asset manager and as a company, our people play an important role in creating and leading sustainability within our offices. Our Green Team Network is responsible for stewarding conservation efforts throughout our offices and within the communities in which we operate. The 49 teams organize activities including elimination of single use plastics, rebuilding our local ecosystems, taking personal responsibility for our own net zero journeys, matching donation opportunities, educating all employees on climate and environmental issues, and so much more!
Join us as we provide financial security and overall well-being of people and communities around the world.
Learn more about BlackRock here.
Kiva —
We loan because… we want the world to be a better place
At Kiva, our mission is to connect people through lending to alleviate poverty, and this mission extends beyond just financial poverty. We aim to help increase access to basic services as well, from clean water and sanitation, to getting sustainable energy in homes. Green loans on Kiva help borrowers switch to environmentally friendly products that reduce pollution, promote sustainable practices and help families succeed. Read more about this HERE
Made of individual kiva lenders who are concerned about the environmental impacts of their loans, this is a forum to notify each other of environmentally sustainable loans that are needing funding. Sustainable development projects include recycling, solar, re-use, organic agriculture, health, etc.
Learn more about Kiva here.
Cummins —
Cummins is committed to powering a healthier environment, stronger communities, and robust and inclusive economies. Our PLANET 2050 environmental sustainability strategy, and our Destination Zero™ product strategy are driven by decarbonization and circular economic principles that promote economic growth while using fewer of the world's resources.
Learn more about Cummins here.
1Password —
Finding new ways to help the planet and the people around us is some of the most important work we do at 1Password. This year, in celebration of Earth Day and giving back, we partnered with Evertreen and sponsored the planting of 10,000 trees. Additionally, in support of the Sustainable Ocean Alliance sending hundreds of youth to the UN Ocean Conference Youth and Innovation Forum, we created custom reusable tote bags for each attendee. We also participated in a water bottle giveaway in partnership with Ocean Bottle, with one reusable bottle preventing 1000 plastic bottles from entering the ocean. We know there is always more to do to support our planet, and we're excited to continue doing the work alongside these partners.
Learn more about 1Password here.
Samsara —
Samsara is in a unique position where we help our customers to be more efficient, safe, and sustainable by delivering actionable insights that improve their operations.
“Our customers keep the world running. Our solutions help them digitize their operations so that they can cut greenhouse gas emissions, reduce safety and security incidents, and make the world a better place.” - Sarah Patterson, CMO at Samsara
For example, a transportation solutions customer saw a 50% reduction in vehicle idling and a 2% increase in fuel efficiency—resulting in 150,000 gallons of fuel saved and over $500,000 in savings per year.
Learn more about Samsara here.
uShip —
The biggest thing we’ve done is go 100% remote for those that want to, and we are currently downsizing our office space. Prior to going remote, we issued monthly green credits to those that used public transportation or biked/walked to work. When we had chefs, they used local farms and purveyors. We were also the first commercial customer of Lettuce Grow and had several hydroponic towers on site from we which we harvested our greens for lunch. Participation in community service and clean ups of our local water ways is also an important part of our charity work.
Learn more about uShip here.
Relativity —
“Our sustainability approach at Relativity is to provide our employees with the tools, resources and working groups they need to be more sustainable in both their work and personal lives. We focus on growing responsibly as a company in regards to sustainability metrics, our carbon footprint, and so on – but we also focus on educating and empowering our employees to make thoughtful decisions in their work and home life and become stewards of a sustainable future. We strongly believe that the impact of our sustainability program should be far reaching beyond our offices.”
— Amanda Fennell, Chief Security Officer and Chief Information Officer
Learn more about Relativity here.
SumOfUs —
SumOfUs is 20,425,844 people stopping big corporations from behaving badly.
On environmental justice & sustainability — we believe in safeguarding our communities and the planet from the impacts of climate change. We advocate for Indigenous land rights, the safety and wellbeing of climate refugees, reducing plastic waste and water pollution, and preventing habitat destruction
HERE are some of our current campaigns we’re very proud to share with you.
Learn more about SumOfUs here.
ServiceNow —
As a purpose-driven company committed to long-term value creation, ServiceNow has made Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) a strategic imperative across our organization. With digital experiences that make work flow across the complex ESG landscape, ServiceNow is making progress and driving sustained impact for the planet. We’ve achieved 100% renewable electricity and carbon neutrality in business operations, travel and work from home. Additionally, we’re engaging in responsible procurement—33% of our suppliers by spend have set or committed to science-based targets.
Join a sustainability-focused company that makes the world work better. Explore ServiceNow careers and learn about our ESG strategy here.
Learn more about ServiceNow here.
Collective Insights — Community Connection at Collective Insights
At Collective Insights, our community is more than just something we are part of. You'll find us lending a hand or sharing a donation, but more than that, we're invested in making an impact! From the beginning, giving back to our city has been an integral part of Collective Insights' mission.
Chattahoochee River Keepers (CRK), one of our main community partners, has a mission of ensuring there is enough clean water in the Chattahoochee River now and for future generations. Collective Insights partners with CRK annually to serve alongside hundreds of volunteers to keep our community clean.
Watch to learn more about how we support our Atlanta community through short-term initiatives and long-term sustainable efforts.
Learn more about Collective Insights here.
Pax8 —
Pax8 provides positive environmental impact by recycling, utilizing power management in all of our suites, auto shutdown of lighting and appliances. We use environmentally friendly kitchen utensils and supplies. Our environmental group organizes e-waste events for all of our hardware that has reached end of life, as well as several other events to help clean up the environment.
Learn more about Pax8 here.
Workiva —
As a leader in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) reporting, sustainability is part of who we are at Workiva. To reduce our environmental impact and provide a way for our employees to safely dispose of electronics, we’re hosting a company-wide E-Waste drive in August. We’re also piloting a new initiative to power down our offices on select Fridays to measure the potential impact we can have in reducing our carbon footprint. By eliminating single-use plastics in all our offices, along with recycling in many of them, we’re doing our part to take care of the planet.
Learn more about Workiva here.
Light & Wonder — Every day is Earth Day at Light & Wonder!
As part of Light & Wonders commitment to invest in our planet and serve as environmental stewards, hundreds of employees come together annually to support a local community cleanup as a partner in The Great Global Cleanup. Employees globally participate in the flagship volunteer program and worldwide campaign to remove millions of pieces of trash from neighborhoods, beaches, rivers, lakes, trails, and parks — reducing waste and plastic pollution, improving habitats, and preventing harm to wildlife and humans. Light & Wonder employees take action on Earth Day each year to participate and mobilize with thousands of volunteers globally to keep our communities and clean and healthy.
Light & Wonder also supports The Canopy Project, funding reforestation efforts worldwide that plant trees across vast ecosystems, with many species completely reliant on them for their survival. Reforestation is an effective method to fight against climate change while also maintaining the many benefits forests provide. Light & Wonder donated more 7,500 trees in the last year alone and remains committed to support reforestation and community rehabilitation projects for a more sustainable future.
#LNWCSR
Learn more about Light & Wonder here.
Back Market —
We're rebels with a cause.
Spurred into action by the megatons of e-waste (electronic waste) we produce each year thanks to our collective obsession with new tech, Back Market is challenging people to rethink their tech consumption.
Since 2014, through the sale of refurbished smartphones, Back Market has prevented:
- The emission of 580,144,582.08 kg of CO2
- The use of 1,878,480,190 kg of raw materials
- The consumption of 498,015,680,400 L of water
- The production of 1,274,162.93 kg of electronic waste
Learn more about Back Market here.
McMaster-Carr —
At McMaster-Carr, an e-commerce company with five US facilities, we are increasingly aware of the limits of natural resources. Although our operations are not particularly burdensome on the environment, we do our part to create a sustainable economy by focusing on reducing energy and emissions, leveraging recyclable materials, reducing waste and water use and offering our customers products that support sustainability. Specifically, at McMaster-Carr we have achieved reducing energy consumption and emissions by 15% and 25% respectively over a five-year period and continues to divert more than 90% of waste from landfills.
Learn more about McMaster-Carr here.
Northrop Grumman —
Northrop Grumman incorporates environmental sustainability into our business process and operations and prioritizes strong environmental management.
- We are committed to achieving net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in our operations by 2035. To do this, we will continue to emphasize efficiency, invest in low and zero carbon energy solutions and incentivize operations-related emissions reductions through the company’s non-financial metrics.
- Our company completed installation of our newest solar power-generating system at our Rolling Meadows, Illinois, site in 2021.
- Also in 2021, we adopted additional processes to help our employees remain safe amidst the pandemic, while continuing efforts to reduce our environmental footprint, and using our past performance to help shape future goals with sustainability at the forefront.
- Learn more about our commitment to environmental sustainability.
Learn more about Northrop Grumman here.
CULTURE IN THE TIME OF COVID-19
Below is an article originally written by Tatum Bass, and published on January 20, 2021. Go to Collective Insight's page on Powertofly to see their open positions and learn more.
Culture in the Time of Covid-19
When I began writing this entry on culture in the time of Covid-19, I initially had a doom and gloom outlook on the future of organizational culture. However, through deeper insight and conversations with colleagues and clients, I realized that the pandemic has instead provided an opportunity for companies. This time and the challenges brought with it have provided organizations a cultural diagnostic in and of itself. The measures companies have taken to address Covid-19 put a microscope on culture that exposes things more visibly than ever before. Think about how you have defined your culture and look back at the past year. Is your organization’s definition of culture still reflected in your workforce?
In our model of organizational culture at Collective Insights, culture is an interconnected system of elements that carry the instructions for company growth, development, and day-to-day functioning. Of the six elements, place is a key component of the system, and place has been substantially altered for most of us since March. “Place” is the geography, architecture, aesthetic design, and physical location of your organization that inherently impacts the values and behaviors of people in your workplace. However, our new “workplace” during the pandemic is within the confines of an individual’s home or a transformed space that adheres to the restrictions of Covid-19. It is no longer the shared, in-person location we traditionally identified as the work-“place”. Since organizational culture is an interconnected system of elements, this dramatic shift in place puts significant strain on the five other elements:
- Behaviors – those actions that the company encourages, discourages, accepts, or rejects
- People – the individuals we work with, hire, and retain
- Values – a set of beliefs held by the company that explicitly define expected behaviors for how work is done
- Purpose – the company’s “reason-for-being”
- Stories – those narratives shared and passed down by employees
When nurtured the right way, these elements can align successfully with your strategy to create a powerful combination. Right now, all companies have had to develop strategies to deal with the operational, financial, and human capital (e.g. employee fatigue) strains that have arisen due to the pandemic. In concert, leadership is faced with the stark reality of whether or not their Covid-19 strategy is consistent with the values and purpose of their company culture.
Make a deliberate effort to focus on your company’s purpose and values. Do your current actions and decisions align with your purpose and values?
Consider if leadership decisions and actions, especially in handling the impact of the pandemic, reflect the purpose and values that define your company’s culture. Is your company doing what it says it believes in? Are leadership behaviors, especially in decision making, reflecting what they say their culture stands for?
Have there been actions or decisions that conflict with your organization’s purpose and values?
If so, how can you address these contradictions in leadership behaviors and the impact such actions have had on the “current” culture (i.e. cultural climate) in comparison to the culture the company says it upholds? This is key to prevent lost trust from your employees and customers.
How can leadership avoid making these contradictions in future decisions and actions?
If you cannot avoid these contradictory decisions to keep your business operating, then address each decision with upfront communications that incorporate the language, tone, and spirit of your culture and values.
Show empathy, transparency, and awareness of the conflicts. Bring your customers and employees along the journey with you, to help them see why leadership had to make the difficult decisions they did, and hopefully maintain (or even grow) their trust in your organization along the way.
Leaders should act as “advocates” of your company values and exhibit these in their communications and actions as frequently and consistently as possible.
What is the story being imprinted on the “organizational mind” of your company right now? Is it the narrative you want to be shared and passed down in the coming years?
Write the story taking place right now the way you want it to be remembered. There is no doubt this moment in time, and the way it is handled, will be personally remembered for years to come. This 2020 narrative will be imprinted on the “organizational mind” forever – passed down by current, previous, and potential employees and customers.
How are employees interacting in this new virtual environment? Are new mediums and cadences being put in place, and do they effectively bring your culture and values to life?
Redesign your company’s “socialization process” to take advantage of the current all-virtual environment. Bring employees together from across the organizational hierarchy to talk about the culture, what is going well and not well, so they are able to get to truly know colleagues from across the company. This redesign facilitates exposure to a wider, more varied set of experiences in understanding your company.
Research has shown that culture is more about shared values – making sure all employees believe they share the same organizational culture – than physical artifacts and place. All-remote companies argue that their model is more effective in communicating and facilitating shared values across the organization than in the in-person model, claiming how seldom a coincidental watercooler chat will occur between individuals on another floor or building.
In closing…
This year and all of the challenges brought with it have put the magnifying glass on leadership action and the culture that is truly being upheld within organizations. Use this time to reflect on your organization and better understand how your culture manifests itself within the workforce. For instance, if your organization claims to foster collaboration and initiatives, and you see ad hoc teams popping up, then your people and their behaviors are reflecting the values defined within your culture. However, if you see aspects of your people, stories and behaviors that do not reflect your organization’s definition of culture, it is time to reevaluate and take serious consideration of if and how your culture is being upheld during this shift in environment and working conditions.
Consider, if the challenge is maintaining your current company culture in this new normal or if the challenge is tweaking, or even reinventing, your culture to meet the new normal. If you are a leader, use the guide above to steer through the evaluation and solutioning process. If you are a current or prospective employee, use this guide to assess the organization’s handling of culture in one of the most challenging times in our history. You decide if their approach aligns with the values, purpose, and stories written on the walls, website, and employee handbook purported by the leadership and company itself.