Pledge 1%’s #WomenWhoLead series celebrates female leaders who are paving the way for the next generation. While our featured leaders come from a variety of backgrounds and industries, they are united in their efforts to promote equality for all women in the workplace. We’ve asked them to share a bit about their journey to success, as well as lessons they’ve learned along the way.
Jacqui Meskell
Founder and CEO , Huggnote
Limerick, Ireland
What is your current role? Briefly describe in 1-2 sentences.
Two time ‘Digital Trailblazer of the Year’ and ‘Female Entrepreneur of the Year’ finalist, Jacqui Meskell is founder and CEO of Huggnote – a messaging app for expressing emotion through music. Huggnote has users in 205 countries.
This year’s International Women’s Day theme is “Embrace Equity.” What does this mean to you? How can we build workplaces that are more equitable and inclusive?
To me ’embracing equity’ signals a moving beyond a time when achieving gender parity was something that needed to be ‘worked into’ a pre-existing model for work – as an afterthought or ‘tick box’ exercise – to a time when it is inherently woven into the fabric of any company’s DNA. Of course this takes time but the best way to ensure workplaces are more equitable and inclusive is to shout very loud about the benefits of doing so. The key driver for business decisions is success – and bottom line is that diversity pays. All the research is clear that it leads to higher cash flows, higher revenue, lower staff turnover… the list goes on.
Do you have any mentors or role models who have helped you on your personal journey?
I grew up in a female-centric household with 3 sisters and a working Mum, all of whom inspire me daily – and a Granny who was as strong as she was kind, the traits of a great leader. My Dad was what we’d now call an incredible ‘ally’ – always my biggest cheerleader. I have a strong female founder network and that peer support is a game-changer. As regards role models, I’m hugely inspired by those who were underestimated initially but succeeded – and without compromising their sense of self. I’ve always rejected the message that women should conform to a ‘masculine’ standard to do well and these women prove that their fierce feminity is in fact a business superpower – Sarah Blakely, Rihanna, Jessica Alba, Bozoma Saint John, Miranda Kerr, the entire Kardashian clan, Melaine Perkins – there are so many. Also founders like Arbia Smiti in France, who after having built and sold her first start-up opted to create a second with a strong social purpose with Fintech-for-good start-up Rosaly. When women win – everyone gains.
What’s the best piece of advice you ever received?
‘Win gold and wear it!’ My Granny – an amazing woman used to say her parents used to say this to her. And its actually later in life that I understand the wisdom she was trying to impart. It’s actually so important – especially for women, who are often conditioned to play small and prize modesty at all costs. But we are not helping ourselves or society at large by dimming our light. My Granny’s words remind me to stay true to myself, work hard and own my success. We all need to do better at this. We all have talents. We all need to feel better about using them. That’s how we inspire others to the same.
The past few years have brought many new and unprecedented challenges. What keeps you motivated or inspires you to stay optimistic?
Little things that help to shut out the noise because honestly that’s how we have to view these challenges. We have to focus on what we can control. Life is what you make it (another saying of my Granny) so I make a conscious effort to enjoy simple moments, meditate, spend time in nature, be present. Anything that gives me perspective. Hanging with my niece and nephew, who are such rays of sunshine in my life – reminds me how important it is that we adults keep it together – so we are able to do what’s needed to pass a better world on to them.
Pledge 1% helps companies of all sizes and stages leverage their assets for social good. Why do you think it’s important that companies prioritize social impact? Do you have any specific stories or examples from your work or colleagues you can share?
This is such an interesting question because the research shows that women owned businesses tend to have more of a ‘social good’ foundation. We tend to solve meaningful problems. I’ve yet to come across a female founder who’s trying to find yet another way to deliver pizza – not that there’s anything wrong with that – but I do think its yet another stellar reason to empower women to step into the ring. With Huggnote, a friend of mine had a miscarriage and I wanted to be there for her but couldn’t – and then a song on the radio brought back so many happy memories of us, I realised that if there was a way to digitally gift-wrap it and send it to her – it would say everything words couldn’t. And so my sister and I created a way to do that. It wasn’t about ‘how can we get rich’ or make the next cool thing. We wanted to make a difference in people’s lives. Nothing makes us happier than hearing from users how Huggnote meant so much to them it made them cry! Knowing that we’re helping people in 205 countries say those words that mean the most like ‘I love you’ or ‘I’m sorry’ is the best feeling in the world. We’re so proud to have won awards for our ‘Social and Sustainable Impact’ – every Hugg sent instead of a greeting card for example, saves 140g CO2e, so Huggnote has the potential to make a real difference to the planet too. This matters so much to us. And we’re only getting started.
If you could describe yourself in one word what would that be and why?
Multifaceted’. I have an MPhil in International Peace Studies, am a yogi and a have a strong social conscience. But I’m also smart, strategic, ambitious and not afraid to speak up or get things done. This duality is I believe a superpower and why women make such great leaders.
Do you have any unique or useful life hacks to help get through your day?
Music – I use music a lot throughout my day as it’s the best way to alter your mood. I also love to work with music – if you hear ‘deep house’ music from my office you’ll know I’m probably working on excel spreadsheets; jazz means I’m being creative I’m also adamant that we have to look after ourselves first before we can be there for anyone else – especially taking care of our mental and physical health. I’m a qualified yoga teacher and can’t overestimate the difference yoga has made in my life. On busy days I’ll just do it from bed so it’s done before my day even starts. On really busy days I’ll do Zach Bush’s ‘4 Minute Workout’ (if it’s good enough for Elle McPherson!).
Do you have any go-to apps or tools use love to use?
Honestly, Huggnote – I use it almost every day because its fast but makes such an emotional impact. I send my niece and nephew morning Huggs they can play when they wake up to start their day with some positivity – or to just cheer up a friend, or say Happy Birthday. Also Shazam – it’s always on my phone so I can identify a piece of music in seconds. Work-wise definitely Canva, Trello, Zoom and of course my trusted Google calendar!
What are you looking forward to this year? Are there any goals (personal or professional), activities, or experiences you are excited about?
I feel like I’ve been in a protracted period of sewing seeds and now I see everything come to fruition, which is really exciting. As the founder of an early-stage company my personal and professional life are very interlinked and so one goal is to do better with having some boundaries around that. Professionally – we have big plans for the company this year, which I can’t say much about but we’re so ready for the challenge.
Pledge 1%’s #WomenWhoLead series celebrates female leaders who are paving the way for the next generation. While our featured leaders come from a variety of backgrounds and industries, they are united in their efforts to promote equality for all women in the workplace. We’ve asked them to share a bit about their journey to success, as well as lessons they’ve learned along the way.
Tracy Young
CEO and Co-Founder, TigerEye
Remote, USA
What is your current role? Briefly describe in 1-2 sentences.
I am the co-founder and CEO of TigerEye.
This year’s International Women’s Day theme is “Embrace Equity.” What does this mean to you? How can we build workplaces that are more equitable and inclusive?
Equity means acknowledging that we don’t all start from the same place. In practice, equity is important because it creates a level playing field for all employees to succeed based on their skills and abilities, regardless of their gender, race or background. This not only promotes diversity and inclusivity in the workplace but also leads to better decision-making, increased innovation, and ultimately, improved business performance. We must avoid the typical “it’s a pipeline problem” response and be more invested and strategic on recruiting diverse candidates.
Do you have any mentors or role models who have helped you on your personal journey?
Carol Bartz, George Hu, Bob Tinker, Holly Liu, Maria Alegre
What’s the best piece of advice you ever received?
My co-founder of PlanGrid, Antoine Hersen, gave me his copy of “On the Shortness of Life” by Seneca before he passed away. The book contained his final letter to me, “Life is short. Take care of Ralphie. Don’t be afraid to try new things. Never do anything that makes you unhappy.”
The past few years have brought many new and unprecedented challenges. What keeps you motivated or inspires you to stay optimistic?
Building a better company with TigerEye. We want to show the world that a productive company can also be a caring one.
Pledge 1% helps companies of all sizes and stages leverage their assets for social good. Why do you think it’s important that companies prioritize social impact? Do you have any specific stories or examples from your work or colleagues you can share?
Everyone needs help today and it’s our responsibility as business leaders to step up. Pledge 1% is a massive impact opportunity to help our community.
If you could describe yourself in one word what would that be and why?
Mom – it’s my #1 job.
Do you have any unique or useful life hacks to help get through your day?
I drink tea and listen to jazz.
Do you have any go-to apps or tools use love to use?
TigerEye, Signal, Spotify
What are you looking forward to this year? Are there any goals (personal or professional), activities, or experiences you are excited about?
Launching TigerEye to the world.
Pledge 1%’s #WomenWhoLead series celebrates female leaders who are paving the way for the next generation. While our featured leaders come from a variety of backgrounds and industries, they are united in their efforts to promote equality for all women in the workplace. We’ve asked them to share a bit about their journey to success, as well as lessons they’ve learned along the way.
Clara Perez
Founder & CEO, Radical One
Santiago, Dominican Republic
What is your current role? Briefly describe in 1-2 sentences.
As the CEO of a start-up, I play several roles, including understanding client needs, assisting my team’s professional growth, and occasionally rolling up my sleeves and joining the action to provide great value to each of our clients.
This year’s International Women’s Day theme is “Embrace Equity.” What does this mean to you? How can we build workplaces that are more equitable and inclusive?
It means that you use your knowledge, skills, and network to teach and change society so that it is a more fair and just place for all. Regardless of gender, race, religion, origin, or background, everyone is welcome.
What’s the best piece of advice you ever received?
In today’s world, you can’t keep everyone happy. Sometimes you will have to choose who you will disappoint; When you make the decision, ensure it’s not you.
The past few years have brought many new and unprecedented challenges. What keeps you motivated or inspires you to stay optimistic?
Teaching others that they, too, can grow and develop, even in the face of adversity, is what keeps me motivated.
Pledge 1% helps companies of all sizes and stages leverage their assets for social good. Why do you think it’s important that companies prioritize social impact? Do you have any specific stories or examples from your work or colleagues you can share?
At Radical One, we do well by doing good. Sharing, whether it is money, time, or knowledge, is how we provide others with the same opportunity we were given.
A few years ago, I mentored a young professional twice a week over a period of six months. He was eager and excited to learn the skills and trades he would need to get a job. The work we did bore fruit, and he was able to pass his first certification exam. We had no idea at the time that this milestone would be a game changer. He is now in charge of a group of developers and is helping others get into the field.
If you could describe yourself in one word what would that be and why?
Curious.
What are you looking forward to this year? Are there any goals (personal or professional), activities, or experiences you are excited about?
I’m excited to help build a community at work and in life that values diversity, inclusion, and equality.
Pledge 1%’s #WomenWhoLead series celebrates female leaders who are paving the way for the next generation. While our featured leaders come from a variety of backgrounds and industries, they are united in their efforts to promote equality for all women in the workplace. We’ve asked them to share a bit about their journey to success, as well as lessons they’ve learned along the way.
Jaime Brown
Vice President of Operations, Appluent Business Solutions
Phoenixville, PA, USA
What is your current role? Briefly describe in 1-2 sentences.
As the Vice President of Operations, I’m responsible for overseeing the operations team and ensuring Client Success while assisting in company growth.
This year’s International Women’s Day theme is “Embrace Equity.” What does this mean to you? How can we build workplaces that are more equitable and inclusive?
To ‘Embrace Equity’ is to ensure there are fair opportunities and treatments for all individuals within an Organization. To practice this, you must first be aware that these barriers and advantages do exist. Once you accept and understand that, you can start working towards improving these situations for all individuals.
Do you have any mentors or role models who have helped you on your personal journey?
My family. My family is very hard working, supportive, and encouraging. Everyone is constantly striving to do their best and work hard which has been a great environment to grow up in. The environment they provided has shaped me into who I am today both professionally and personally.
What’s the best piece of advice you ever received?
Never stop learning or growing as a person. I always strive to continue to learn and improve on myself. Whether it is learning from failing, learning from other individuals or learning from difficult situations. It is important to stay open minded and find ways to grow and improve in every aspect of your life. Things happen out of our control and the best we can do is take that experience and learn something from it. I do believe everything happens for a reason and part of that is to help us learn and grow.
The past few years have brought many new and unprecedented challenges. What keeps you motivated or inspires you to stay optimistic?
The last few years have been incredibly challenging on everyone. We have experienced situations that we have read about in our history books but I never thought we would experience in our lifetime. Some of the situations we have been handed is out of our control. If it is out of our control, the best we can do is adapt and stay positive. Understand that things and situations change throughout our lives and we need to adapt with that. We can take a moment to be upset or sad about a situation but then we need to adjust and continue on. Life it too short to not be optimistic about the future. To quote Dave Matthews Band “Whatever tears at us, whatever holds us down, and if nothing can be done, we’ll make the best of what’s around” which I think is a great quote to live by.
Pledge 1% helps companies of all sizes and stages leverage their assets for social good. Why do you think it’s important that companies prioritize social impact? Do you have any specific stories or examples from your work or colleagues you can share?
It is extremely important for companies to incorporate social impact in their organization. Finding time for individuals to help contribute can be difficult in their daily lives but if organizations give their employees the option to contribute all together we are increasing the impact. Our company schedules days throughout the year where we volunteer and donate our time to help local organizations.
If you could describe yourself in one word what would that be and why?
Reliable. You can rely on to do what is expected of me in my professional life. You can rely on me to be there for you if you need a friend. And my family can rely on me to be there for them always.
Do you have any unique or useful life hacks to help get through your day?
I wouldn’t say it is unique but I personally find it useful. I enjoy incorporating music into my day. It really helps me focus and ‘get in the zone’ to make my day most productive.
Do you have any go-to apps or tools use love to use?
Being in the technology space, I love apps and tools that make my job responsibilities easier. I regularly use Salesforce, Conga and Slack in my day to day but there is one tool in particular that stands out called FilePulse. FilePulse layers on top of the Salesforce and alerts me when new files or file versions are created. This tool helps keep me in the loop with Sales for large quotes are being generated and when new Statement of Works are executed. I get a notification so I can prepare on the Operations side appropriately for resources. In addition, when a client uploads a new file into our Community for a support case we get a notification to help support them faster. If you use Salesforce, I would definitely recommend looking into this app.
What are you looking forward to this year? Are there any goals (personal or professional), activities, or experiences you are excited about?
I’m excited to start enjoying experiences again such as travel, sporting events and concerts. It has been difficult the last few years with these activities disappearing and I’m going to enjoy the events we took for granted previously. Hopefully we can celebrate another World Series appearance – Go Phillies!
Pledge 1%’s #WomenWhoLead series celebrates female leaders who are paving the way for the next generation. While our featured leaders come from a variety of backgrounds and industries, they are united in their efforts to promote equality for all women in the workplace. We’ve asked them to share a bit about their journey to success, as well as lessons they’ve learned along the way.
Florencia Cattelani
COO, CloudGaia
Martínez, Buenos Aires, Argentina
What is your current role? Briefly describe in 1-2 sentences.
The COO is a manager with broad responsibilities that range from managing day-to-day operations to providing strategic advice. They oversee daily administrative and operational functions, reporting directly to the CEO and being second only to this person for company affairs.
This year’s International Women’s Day theme is “Embrace Equity.” What does this mean to you? How can we build workplaces that are more equitable and inclusive?
It’s a fact that diverse teams give better results. In my opinion, the first thing we should do is to start being conscious of our bias. And second, reach out to minorities, understand different cultures and which things we should do differently. Mix teams, try to build some in company spaces (i.g. internal projects) where we define mixed teams (from different areas, backgrounds, cultures, nationalities, gender). Include in the holiday calendars holidays from different religions.
Do you have any mentors or role models who have helped you on your personal journey?
Liz Wiseman
What’s the best piece of advice you ever received?
“Winners never quit, and quitters never win.”
The past few years have brought many new and unprecedented challenges. What keeps you motivated or inspires you to stay optimistic?
Every challenge is an opportunity to learn something new, to explore different ways of doing things, to probe yourself that you can adapt. My purpose in life is to never stop learning. I feel alive when I have new stuff to learn.
Pledge 1% helps companies of all sizes and stages leverage their assets for social good. Why do you think it’s important that companies prioritize social impact? Do you have any specific stories or examples from your work or colleagues you can share?
Companies are a big change engine. We have the power to change people’s life and we need to use this power in an intelligent way. I had the chance to support students during the pandemic. You can see more details here.
If you could describe yourself in one word what would that be and why?
Resilient
Do you have any unique or useful life hacks to help get through your day?
I give prizes to myself when I accomplished my tasks. For example, I’m a huge fan of Diet Coke. If I have to finish a presentation, I motivate myself by saying “when you finish, you’ll be rewarded with a huge glass of Diet Coke”.
Do you have any go-to apps or tools use love to use?
What are you looking forward to this year? Are there any goals (personal or professional), activities, or experiences you are excited about?
I’m in the process of moving abroad while raising a toddler and working as a COO. My goal is to survive
Pledge 1%’s #WomenWhoLead series celebrates female leaders who are paving the way for the next generation. While our featured leaders come from a variety of backgrounds and industries, they are united in their efforts to promote equality for all women in the workplace. We’ve asked them to share a bit about their journey to success, as well as lessons they’ve learned along the way.
Paulwyn Devasundaram
Founder, Medoo
Sydney, NSW, Australia
What is your current role? Briefly describe in 1-2 sentences.
Founder of Medoo. We’re an early stage startup building software to support coaches (and managers, therapists or anyone who takes on a coaching role) accelerate the growth process for their clients and help them reach new heights of inner development.
This year’s International Women’s Day theme is “Embrace Equity.” What does this mean to you? How can we build workplaces that are more equitable and inclusive?
Embracing Equity to me means putting the humans (staff & customers) above all else. I truly believe that doing so will create the space for the business to thrive.
Embracing Equity to me also means taking the long term view, and consistently making progress towards creating workplaces where everyone feels a sense of belonging. This means being intentional about the kind of workplace culture we want to create, being intentional about modelling the behaviours that cascade down from leadership, and being intentional about the incentives for career progress.
None of this is easy, it takes time and consistent effort. But these consistent efforts will compound over time!
Do you have any mentors or role models who have helped you on your personal journey?
– Anu Bharadwaj, President of Atlassian
– Emma Jones, Founder of Project F
– Brendan Humphreys, Head of Engineering at Canva
What’s the best piece of advice you ever received?
“Be brave and courageous, because all you have is now” – Ronni Kahn
The past few years have brought many new and unprecedented challenges. What keeps you motivated or inspires you to stay optimistic?
I love what we are building at Medoo, and it’s easy for me to stay motivated because I am passionate about what we are building.
This is not to say that I’m doing this all on my own: I have an incredible amount of support from friends, family, old and new colleagues, to name a few. They have given me their time, expertise and support, often for free, because they believe in what we are building.
Pledge 1% helps companies of all sizes and stages leverage their assets for social good. Why do you think it’s important that companies prioritize social impact? Do you have any specific stories or examples from your work or colleagues you can share?
We’re a pre-revenue startup at the moment, so we pledged 1% of our time. Last year, we did a cleanup dive in Sydney as part of our 1% activity. It opened our eyes to the sheer volume of pollution in our oceans, and it was heartbreaking to see the impact that it has on our beautiful marine life.
While this one dive may not make the biggest difference, we believe that every little bit matters. And we’re ever more motivated to increase our impact work, as we scale up our business. Imagine what we could do if every business contributed in some way! This is why I love Pledge 1%.
If you could describe yourself in one word what would that be and why?
I’m going to break the rule and use two words ‘Blue Flame’: A flame that burns hot and bright, and yet is cool and soothing at the same time.
I think this captures the feeling that I try to create within my inner self, and what we hope people can create for themselves with Medoo.
Do you have any unique or useful life hacks to help get through your day?
Life hacks’ implies to me that there is some little trick or small thing that unlocks a magical level of productivity or success.
I don’t think life works this way, and the reality is pretty simple: consistent effort gets rewarded. Humans are terrible at being consistent, so a person who shows up every single day, and makes progress will create a compounding effect that gets rewarded over time.
Do you have any go-to apps or tools use love to use?
Medoo
What are you looking forward to this year? Are there any goals (personal or professional), activities, or experiences you are excited about?
We’re launching Medoo to the public very soon! And we’re planning to apply to YC this year.
Pledge 1%’s #WomenWhoLead series celebrates female leaders who are paving the way for the next generation. While our featured leaders come from a variety of backgrounds and industries, they are united in their efforts to promote equality for all women in the workplace. We’ve asked them to share a bit about their journey to success, as well as lessons they’ve learned along the way.
Roshawn Blunt
President, Corsaire
La Jolla, CA, USA
What is your current role? Briefly describe in 1-2 sentences.
I am the founder and president of Corsaire Corporation, a Black-woman-owned small business tailored to clients in the life sciences sector.
This year’s International Women’s Day theme is “Embrace Equity.” What does this mean to you? How can we build workplaces that are more equitable and inclusive?
I can only hope that the term “Embrace Equity” is not just a platitude but rather a sentiment that takes root and drives individuals to acknowledge that differences exist, and such differences require different levels and types of resources, needs and/or opportunities.
Organizations can embrace equity first by acknowledging that, due to historic systems and current mechanisms of oppression, not everyone is starting from the same place. Organizations can embrace inclusion by fostering a sense of belonging among people of different backgrounds, valuing their experiences and identities, and welcoming everyone equitably as decision-makers.
While there can be a strong financial return on investment when you achieve a workplace that values equity and inclusion, striving for that goal also comes with costs in terms of time, energy, and resources. Organizations that want to be more equitable and inclusive should set priorities, revise processes, and/or adjust targets as needed. The reality is, though, that it is very difficult to quantify all the ways that equity initiatives increase productivity, improve retention, attract better talent, help build better products, and connect you with customers. And frankly, some equity initiatives will result in no additional profit—but that doesn’t mean they aren’t worth doing. If an executive team is convinced that embracing equity can be a critical strategic initiative only if it drives revenue or saves money, or if the executive team doesn’t actively champion the work via financial investment, it’s very difficult to make tangible progress.
Do you have any mentors or role models who have helped you on your personal journey?
There have been many times in the formative years of my career when I stumbled. I found out later—sometimes much later—that Kathryn West, a legend in the oncology advocacy world, had reached out to provide silent assistance. What you do as a mentor or role-model when you see that your mentee’s career may be is “stalled” on the way up may be far more important. Kathryn actively monitored my career progression and intervened, without my knowledge, where appropriate and necessary, to ensure that my “stumbles” did not become “derailers.” I miss her every day.
What’s the best piece of advice you ever received?
If you don’t like the rules of the game, you have three choices: be unhappy playing the game—even if you’re good at it; change games; or move up the ranks, become the commissioner, and change the rules.
The past few years have brought many new and unprecedented challenges. What keeps you motivated or inspires you to stay optimistic?
It’s laughter—I stay motivated by finding a way to have fun and laugh as much as possible. One of my mantras is: Take your work seriously, but not yourself.
Pledge 1% helps companies of all sizes and stages leverage their assets for social good. Why do you think it’s important that companies prioritize social impact? Do you have any specific stories or examples from your work or colleagues you can share?
Press releases and public statements touting equity and inclusion are akin to thoughts and prayers for change. As a Black business owner with a company mission to illuminate paths to healthcare access for members of marginalized communities, I’ve learned that corporate America may not always make good on its pledges. Prioritizing social impact is only meaningful if we materialize such commitments and drive actual measurable change.
I’ve found that, as a consultant working in corporate America and the pharmaceutical industry specifically, my opportunity to make an impact in this arena is unique. My organization helps companies navigate the pharmaceutical value chain. In doing so, we can simultaneously help our clients consider business factors through the four types of social impact: clear, high, wide, and deep. Further, we suggest deliberate initiatives they can enact while advancing their business goals. For example, in order to address the long-standing challenges presented and created by the underrepresentation of various racial groups in clinical trials, the DEPICT Act requires drug companies to submit diversity action plans for registrational trials. Access to life-changing therapies for all communities is too important for this legislation to fail in its overarching purposes. Therefore, each time we work together with our clients to understand the unique circumstances and needs of different consumer groups and find ways to address such differences in an ethical and meaningful way, we help that company reach tangible business goals while taking steps towards equity and ultimately towards equal access to health care.
If you could describe yourself in one word what would that be and why?
Enigmatic. I once had a colleague who said I am the definition of Bushnell’s Law: easy to learn and difficult to master.
Do you have any unique or useful life hacks to help get through your day?
Because my business is client services, I have to plan my day knowing that one of my clients might have an emergency that I need to help resolve. So I keep a few hours on my calendar each day free for that. Should an emergency or unexpected critical task present itself, I don’t have to juggle my schedule or work extended hours to handle it. And if nothing else takes precedence, I have time to get ahead on my work or make progress on a personal initiative.
Do you have any go-to apps or tools use love to use?
No, I am a bit of a technology Luddite. And sometimes a pencil and a notebook are really all you need to get a lot accomplished.
What are you looking forward to this year? Are there any goals (personal or professional), activities, or experiences you are excited about?
On the personal front, I set a goal to treat myself in 2023 to a concert or performance at least once a month. I am ahead of schedule and have been able to see some amazing artists already; what’s more, I have some exciting big-name events I am looking forward to. See you in June, Lizzo!
Pledge 1%’s #WomenWhoLead series celebrates female leaders who are paving the way for the next generation. While our featured leaders come from a variety of backgrounds and industries, they are united in their efforts to promote equality for all women in the workplace. We’ve asked them to share a bit about their journey to success, as well as lessons they’ve learned along the way.
Chloe Watts
Internal Communications Lead, Atlassian Foundation, Atlassian
Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
What is your current role? Briefly describe in 1-2 sentences.
Creating communications that inspire Atlassian employees to make an impact on a global scale and in their own backyards through the Atlassian Foundation.
This year’s International Women’s Day theme is “Embrace Equity.” What does this mean to you? How can we build workplaces that are more equitable and inclusive?
My first job out of university was at an engineering firm where I used to receive emails addressed “Dear Gents”. We’ve progressed since then but still have far to go. I have a three-year-old son and a two-year-old daughter and I’m dismayed about the myriad ways that society constrains and shapes them according to their gender.
What’s the best piece of advice you ever received?
My dad is a sailor and taught me how to use the Southern Cross constellation to find due south.
The past few years have brought many new and unprecedented challenges. What keeps you motivated or inspires you to stay optimistic?
I subscribe to Future Crunch as an antidote to the fear-inducing news cycle.
Pledge 1% helps companies of all sizes and stages leverage their assets for social good. Why do you think it’s important that companies prioritize social impact? Do you have any specific stories or examples from your work or colleagues you can share?
I love that Pledge 1% challenges the notion that you work all your life, build your wealth and then give back to those who are less fortunate. The belief is that businesses can, and should, bake social impact into their DNA from the very beginning.
Do you have any unique or useful life hacks to help get through your day?
I don’t look at my phone after 8pm. Would recommend!
What are you looking forward to this year? Are there any goals (personal or professional), activities, or experiences you are excited about?
I’ve started ocean swimming. It reliably delivers these lovely, unique endorphins – I think perhaps it’s a combo of the exertion, cold water and seeing so much horizon.
Originally posted on ir.newrelic.com
New Relic Announces Goal for Net-Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 2030
New Relic, the all-in-one observability platform for every engineer, announced its goal to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030 and a commitment to set near-term science based GHG emissions targets. New Relic’s GHG emissions targets will be submitted to the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi), joining the more than 2,200 companies worldwide that are leading the transition to a net-zero economy through emissions targets grounded in climate science.
With this announcement, New Relic is the first observability company to set a net-zero emissions by 2030 goal and aims to inspire its peers in the industry to do their part in reducing global GHG emissions and building a resilient, zero-emissions economy. New Relic believes that by adhering to science-backed emissions targets, the business will be well-positioned for long-term growth and competitive differentiation in the market, while doing its part to slow climate change and pave the path toward decarbonization.
“We have spent the past three years transforming our product and business model. Establishing science-based climate goals is the right decision and next step as we continue to future-proof our business,” said New Relic CEO Bill Staples. “This also allows us to evolve alongside our global customers who are making similar strides toward a net-zero future and consider it a must-have when choosing their technology providers.”
By selecting 2030 as the target, New Relic is allowing for rigorous work around achieving and maintaining its goals through operational reductions and high quality carbon removals. This target aligns with guidance from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), who warned that global warming must not exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial temperatures by 2040 to avoid the most catastrophic impacts of climate change.
Focus areas for reductions include:
- Vendor Engagement on Climate – Work with vendors across their operations to understand and reduce their emissions.
- Internal Efficiencies and Tracking – Continue to improve GHG emissions calculation with Watershed Climate to have a fine-grained understanding of the company’s footprint worldwide.
- Reduced Operational Footprint – Continually assess the operational footprint and ensure climate is part of its business criteria when it comes to operations.
- Internal Policy Setting – Introduce and update internal policies across the business to ensure climate is a shared responsibility.
Recent emissions successes include:
- Purchased reforestation credits from Trees for Global Benefits in Uganda to remove 100% of the carbon dioxide associated with New Relic global offices’ natural gas usage.
- Purchased renewable energy certificates representing 100% clean energy for New Relic global offices and employee WFH footprints. These included US Green-E certified renewable energy certificates from the Lindahl Wind Project and international energy attribute certificates from locally-sited projects aligned with New Relic’s international footprint.
New Relic is taking additional steps as part of its broader, comprehensive climate strategy. This includes reviewing its GHG emissions inventory with Watershed Climate, developing a plan to reduce emissions for facilities and assets, setting incremental targets, and reporting on its progress. New Relic is focused on improving the efficiency of its own cloud use and inspiring its customers, partners, and suppliers to do the same. New Relic has also contributed the Cloud Optimize app to the open source community to help organizations optimize cloud services, reduce costs, and improve the efficiency of their cloud usage.
New Relic released its inaugural ESG impact report in July 2022. The report encompassed New Relic’s approach to ESG, including making significant achievements in pay equity across race and gender, obtaining HITRUST certification to strengthen data security and privacy, measuring Scope 1, 2 and 3 greenhouse gas emissions, and providing more than $6.5 million in product and discounts to nonprofits and students to expand equitable access to technology.
To learn more about New Relic’s approach to ESG, please visit https://newrelic.com/about/environmental-social-governance.