With Dreamforce just around around the corner, we are proud to see Pledge 1% member Simplus leading by example and making giving back a core part of their booth activation.

This will be Simplus’ first year having a booth at Dreamforce, and they are making a big splash with their #SimplusGives campaign.  Rather than giving out the traditional event swag, they are inviting visitors to do something that matters and to join them in giving back.  Attendees can choose to give to one of three worthy causes:

• One Day of School


• One Meal


• One Gallon of Clean Water

The concept is simple: instead of getting, join Simplus in giving.

In addition to these causes, Simplus is going green and all of their collateral will be 100% paperless.

Ryan Westwood, CEO of Simplus, explains, “One of our core values is accountability, and we feel we need to be accountable to our community as well as to Simplus. We are dedicated to supporting corporate philanthropy and are excited to utilize Dreamforce as a vehicle to promote some great causes through #SimplusGives.  We want to be not only recognized as the leader in Salesforce Quote to Cash implementations, but also as one of the most generous Salesforce partners.”

We are thrilled to see Simplus’ commitment to Pledge 1% and to giving back.  Make sure to stop by booth #1745 next week – we promise you will not leave feeling empty-handed!

If you would like to learn more about Simplus and their Dreamforce 2016 activities please visit: www.simplus.com/dreamforce

Last night, September 28, Pledge 1% partnered with The Boston Foundation to launch Pledge 1% Boston, a pilot regional model for the movement. The event started with resounding enthusiasm as Accomplice founder Jeff Fagnan took the stage and announced that Accomplice will pledge 1% of their carry in perpetuity to two local nonprofits InnerCity Weightlifting and Resilient Coders. 

Jeff spoke about the tech sector’s potential to give back, and the power that companies can have when we give back together.  “Change will only happen with ‘we’,” he explained, “and by people joining micro-movements like Pledge 1% Boston.  The message is – don’t join me, join we!”

Jeff was joined on stage by other prominent Boston investors, entrepreneurs, and leaders, who are now serving on The Boston Foundation/Pledge 1% Boston Innovation Economy Leadership Council, including  John Simon, Managing Director of Sigma Prime Ventures, and C.A. Webb, Co-Founder and Partner of _Underscore, all who shared their vision for Pledge 1% Boston and offered to coach, mentor, and collaborate with new members.  Each leader spoke about their role in the movement and took personal ownership for driving greater giving to the Boston community.

The Innovation Economy Council and Pledge 1% Boston is headed up by Tim Smith at The Boston Foundation in partnership with Pledge 1%.  We are also fortunate to have the support of TUGG, the GreenLight Fund, and other Boston organizations.  By uniting seasoned VCs, Pledge 1% members, and other members of the Boston tech community, Pledge 1% Boston is creating a new model to engage and empower entrepreneurs as a force for good in the greater Boston area.  

And, to Jeff’s point, Boston companies are building this movement together.

Already 12 companies have taken the pledge, including Accomplice, Gravyty, Ovuline, and others.

Some key takeaways from the speakers:

• John Simon, Managing Director of Sigma Prime Ventures – Sign up and get started early.  Build Pledge 1% into company.  As CEOs, you take care of many constituencies, such as your staff, your Board, and your customers.  Your community should be one of those constituencies, and it is our job as leaders to give back.


• Paris Wallace, CEO of Ovuline and TechStars mentor – Think about all of the generosity that has impacted your life and consider giving 1%.  Think about your employees, who give 100% every day, your mentors, your Board, your partners–all of the people whose generosity has helped your company grow.  In the big picture, 1% is a small and great opportunity for you to pay it forward and give back to your community.


• Rich and Adam Martel of Gravyty – It’s on us to build the movement.  Ask one new person to take the pledge.  As we grow, so does our impact, and together we can encourage others to join us in giving back.

Pledge 1%’s CEO Amy Lesnick welcomed new members and kicked-off the night with hosts Kate Guedj, Vice President & Chief Philanthropy Officer of The Boston Foundation and Geeta Pradhan, President of the Cambridge Community Foundation.  

Last night proved that the Pledge 1% movement is alive and strong in Boston.  We are proud to partner with The Boston Foundation on uniting local leaders around Pledge 1%, and are delighted to welcome them to the larger Pledge 1% community!

If you are based in Boston or would like to #PledgeItForward by asking a Boston-based founder or company to join this local network, please contact us and we would be happy to connect you!

Sep 26, 2016 By Naomi Morenzoni, Salesforce.org

At Dreamforce this year, you won’t be able to go far without seeing or hearing about Pledge 1%.  Inspired by Salesforce’s 1-1-1 Model, Pledge 1%encourages and challenges individuals and companies to pledge 1% of equity, product and employee time for their communities.

Earlier this month, Pledge 1% announced an exciting milestone—1,000 companies in 30 countries have joined the global movement to make giving back part of their DNA. In fact, over 20% of Dreamforce sponsors have taken the Pledge.

Interested in learning more about how you and your company can take a stand and get involved with the movement?  A number of Pledge 1% companies will be sharing their advice throughout the event and encouraging others to take the pledge. Check out the schedule below. See you there!

Wednesday, October 5

Attract Millennials With a Give Back Culture

9:45 – 10:15 AM at Moscone West, 1st Floor, Developer Forest | Innovation Theater

Millennials need to feel a sense of purpose. Studies show they want to make a difference in their communities, near and far. How can you cultivate a company culture that will attract, retain and motivate millennial employees and customers? Hear from Samasource, Copia, and SOMA Water on innovative ideas from Samasour to help you integrate giving back into your company culture.

Building a Company as a Platform for Change

11 AM – 12 PM at Moscone West Level 2

For years, business leaders have considered giving back something to do when they’ve “made it” – something to consider once their companies have achieved success. But the conversation is changing. Today, CEOs are seeing that by building philanthropy into a company’s DNA, it can drive true business value, in addition to incredible impact on communities around the world. Join us to hear from CEOs from Twilio, Atlassian and 6Sense who have made giving back at their companies an early priority.

Women’s Innovator Network

4 -7 PM at Rotunda in Neiman Marcus

Join the BlueWolf networking event and for every 5 attendees we’ll donate $25 and 1 hour of consultants’ time to the organization ChickTech. This donation is part of their Oledge and they will also be encouraging people to #PledgeItForward with their own pledges throughout the week of Dreamforce. Topics include the impact of gender diversity on the bottom line of businesses as well as strategies to combat unconscious bias and improve diversity. To request an invite click here.

Thursday, October 6

Salesforce LIVE

1:30pm streaming live at www.salesforce.com/video

Join us for an on-air broadcast to hear from DocuSign, Okta and GlassyBaby, three companies that have actively been involved in Pledge 1%.

1% to Change the World

3:30 pm at Partner Lodge Theater, Park Central Hotel

More than 150 Salesforce Partners have made a commitment to giving through Pledge 1%. Hear from BlueWolf and Vlocity, two Partners that have actively been involved in this movement and the impact they’ve seen in their companies and communities.

Friday, October 7

Community Campfire

10 AM – 12 PM at Dreampark

Drop by the Pledge 1% Community Campfire. Hear from other Pledge 1% companies on their success and share your own story. Not a Pledge 1% company? You can still be involved by either taking the Pledge or becoming at #PledgeItForward Ambassador.

By Grand Central Tech on September 22, 2016, originally published on their website in News

When Grand Central Tech started in 2014, we did so with the goal of creating a single point of density of the best technology companies in NYC. And with that goal came a twofold mission:

First, to provide GCT companies access to key resources at the very best terms possible, and materially accelerate their progress. Earlier this week, we announced the ongoing evolution of this component of our mission with the opening of the Hub, which expands our footprint to over 100,000 square feet and allows us to work with even later stage companies working on what we think are some of the most important challenges facing the world today. Apply here.

Second, to set an example for how New York could “do tech differently” by more fully integrating the tech sector into the broader economy/community that surrounds it in a way that wouldn’t detract from any company’s likelihood of success – but would in fact augment it.

To date, this twofold mission has been adopted enthusiastically by all of our participating GCT companies — something we’re deeply proud of. Last summer alone, we took on about 50 interns from local schools (thanks to GCT company Code2Work!), of which over 80% came from either 2 or 4 year community colleges. Drawing interns from a broader talent pool isn’t just “nice” to do; across the board ~80% of these interns were offered jobs afterward… Challenging preconceived notions around where talent comes from and what it tends to look like creates a strategic advantage for companies smart enough to do so.

Today, we’re excited to announce that Grand Central Tech is partnering with Pledge 1% — a global movement to integrate giving back into the DNA of companies of all sizes as early as possible. Launched a little over a year ago, over 900 companies in 30+ countries have taken the pledge to donate 1% of time, equity, profit, and/or product including Twilio, Atlassian, General Assembly, Salesforce, Box, Yelp, MediaMath, Appnexus, and Okta.

As part of our partnership, all GCT companies automatically qualify for inclusion in Pledge 1%, in recognition of all the hard work and time they’ve committed to giving back to the community and making New York the best place in the world to start and build a company.

We’re proud to partner with Pledge 1%, and encourage you all to take the pledge too. It only takes 30 seconds, and together we can continue to be an example to the rest of the world about how New York does tech. And, if you/your company can’t necessarily take the pledge outright, you can sign up to be an Ambassador!

To read the original article and to learn more about Grand Central Tech, visit: http://www.grandcentraltech.com/grand-central-tech-is-proud-to-partner-with-pledge-1/

You can also get involved and join our growing community at www.pledge1percent.org.

 
On Tuesday September 13, we celebrated reaching 1,000 members by kicking off a new campaign, #PledgeItForward, which asks YOU–our amazing Pledge 1% community–to invite others to join the movement. The day started with an on-stage announcement at TechCrunch Disrupt from Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce.com, and concluded with a dinner and fireside chat hosted by Accel‘s Rich Wong and Ryan Sweeney and featuring Scott Farquhar, Co-CEO and Founder of Atlassian and Co-founder of the Pledge 1% movement.
 
We were delighted to hear from Scott, who shared his story and personal experiences on Atlassian’s founding and growth, his biggest learnings as the company evolved, and their ongoing partnership with Accel.  Scott also talked about the importance of company culture.  “In the beginning, a company’s culture reflects the values of the founders,” explained Scott.  “As it grows, you need to be more deliberate.”

In particular, Scott shared his passion for Pledge 1%.  Scott and his Co-founder Mike Cannon-Brookes decided to pledge 1% in Atlassian’s earliest stages.  They integrated the values of giving back into the company’s DNA.  Those values have led to the creation of the innovative “freemium” model, whereby customers paid $10 for 10 licenses, with the proceeds from those licenses going to the nonprofit Room to Read.  As the company grew, this program grew with it and eventually led to millions of dollars donated to benefit girls in Cambodia.

Not only was this program benefiting communities around the globe, but it was helping Atlassian engage its workforce and customers.  Atlassian has been named “Australia’s best place to work,” listed as one of Fortune’s “top 100 best workplaces for Millennials,” and has been recognized as one of the “best medium sized workplaces in tech.”  And, according to Scott, customers love the fact that they can partner with a values based company and help make giving back a reality.

Scott believed so passionately in the importance of this program and its impact on Atlassian that he went on to co-found Pledge 1% with the goal of helping more founders and CEO’s understand that this is a smart decision not just for the world, but for their company’s success.  He envisions a future where giving back is as automatic as filling out the paperwork to incorporate your company.

At Pledge 1%, our community believes in that future as well, a future where pledging 1% is so normal, we don’t even need an organization or a movement to promote it.  We’re so fortunate to have a visionary leader like Scott as our Co-founder and evangelist.  Special thanks to Scott as well as Rich, Ryan, and the rest of the team at Accel for kicking off #PledgeItForward and for being a role model for other partners.

 

In December 2014, we launched Pledge 1% in order to start a philanthropic movement, encouraging companies around the world to use their resources to give back to their communities.

Today, we are excited to announce an exciting milestone—1,000 companies in 30 countries have joined Pledge 1%, committing to pledge 1% of equity, product, profit or time to make a difference in their communities. These companies range from innovative consumer startups like Harry’s to some of this year’s biggest tech IPOs like Twilio. Others include Salesforce, Atlassian, Box, Docusign, Yelp, Techstars, Foundry Group, Bluewolf, General Assembly, MediaMath, and many more.

Over the last twenty months working with entrepreneurs and founders to build philanthropy into their business models, we’ve confirmed what we’ve always believed about early-stage philanthropy: that any company, of any size, in any industry can use their companies as a platform to make the world a better place.

On this special day, we’re also thrilled to announce the launch of #PledgeitForward, a campaign to engage Pledge 1% members, partners and supporters in taking this movement to the next level.

Together we can change the status quo. We can create a new normal where ALL founders, regardless of company size or stage, feel empowered to integrate giving back into their company DNA.

#PledgeitForward is a call to action for YOU—the Pledge 1% community—to reach out to your peers and ecosystem of suppliers, partners, customers, contractors and employees and invite them to join you. Our goal is to reach 1250 pledges (that’s 25% growth) by Giving Tuesday, November 29th.

With help from an amazing team of Pledge 1% Ambassadors and support from our members we hope to increase our impact and raise general awareness for Pledge 1% worldwide.

To learn more about the campaign, see what other companies are doing, or download free new tools, digital badges, and materials to #PledgeitForward, visit the campaign headquarters site atPledgeitForward.today

Help us celebrate this 1000 pledge milestone. Share this with your network. Join Pledge 1%. Ask yourself how YOU can #PledgeitForward today.

To celebrate reaching 1,000 members and to help kick-off the campaign, we are offering YOU – our amazing Pledge 1% community – an additional BONUS PERK from now through September 27.

Any person that recruits a new pledge in these next two weeks will receive a free #PledgeItForward t-shirt.

Pretty cool, right?

Let’s get out those asks and show the world how our community can #PledgeItForward!

Step 1: Identify a Potential Pledge

Founders and companies—big and small—are welcome to join our community!  Here are some ideas for people you can ask:

• Your co-founder


• Other members of your accelerator or co-working space


• Classmates


• Advisors


• Independent contractors


• Fellow entrepreneurs


• Clients


• Neighbors/Family members


• Friends

Step 2: Ask Them to Take the Pledge

Email, call, text, tweet, tag, grab a coffee – do whatever you have to do to ask your peers to join you in pledging 1%.

They can sign up at pledge1percent.org.  It will only take a minute of their time, and our Pledge Success Manager will be in touch to help your new pledge get started!

Step 3: Let Us Know!

Email us or tweet using #PledgeItForward so we can thank you for recruiting a new pledge!  We are offering a variety of exciting perks to people who #PledgeItForward.  Don’t miss out on some great promotional opportunities and sweet swag!

When I perused Fortune’s latest “Change the World” ranking of companies tackling major societal problems over the weekend, I was dismayed to see how few information technology companies made the list. I wasn’t surprised, however, by the inclusion of cloud software giant Salesforce.

Philanthropy was baked into Salesforce’s business model when it was founded 17 years ago, when the company dedicated 1% of its equity, 1% of its employees’ time, and 1% of its product toward causes around the world. Even though many skeptics suggested that this sensibility would be downplayed as the company surpassed the $1 billion mark, it’s still a huge part of the $6.7 billion software giant’s corporate culture. The specific reason Salesforce (CRM, +1.76%) made this year’s list? Its willingness to spend $3 million on closing its gender pay gap, after discovering that 6.6% of its employees needed an adjustment.

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Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff has also made plenty of headlines over the past year as an outspoken critic of state laws in Georgia, North Carolina, and Indiana that threatened gay and lesbian rights. What you might not realize, however, is that there is a whole wave of up-and-coming companies—900 and counting—eager to follow in Salesforce’s footsteps through the “Pledge 1%” movement.

Two names stood out for me, because both of them are business software companies that managed to pull off successful IPOs within the past 12 months: Atlassian (TEAM, -0.29%), which co-founded the initiative along with Salesforce; and Twilio (TWLO, +1.11%), which took its pledge to donate 1% of its equity to corporate philanthropy and social causes during the run-up to its initial public offering. Yes, co-founder Jeff Lawson convinced his backers to dilute their investment by participating in the pledge.

Would it be such a bad thing if doing business to change the world became the new normal?