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.

What is your name and title?

Masami Sato, Founder and CEO at B1G1 (BUY1GIVE1).

Briefly (1-2 sentences) describe your current role.

I am the founder and CEO of B1G1, a social enterprise and a global giving initiative that helps businesses around the world integrate effective giving into their everyday activities and create great impacts in the world. Founded in 2007, B1G1 has worked with thousands of businesses and those businesses have created more than 200 million giving impacts to date.

How did you get here? Please share any quick stories from past work experiences.

20 years ago, I became an entrepreneur. Travelling around the world, being touched by the spirit of people, and discovering the joy of sharing food with others, I decided to start a food business. My first business was a fast-food takeaway shop in Christchurch, New Zealand. And over the next 2 years, I managed to purchase another food business, improved those two businesses, sold them and moved to Australia to start a new business. I wanted to have a food company that made a positive difference in the world. My food company in Australia eventually became a wholesale frozen meal producer, and we were distributing packaged frozen meals to over 150 stores in three states. But as an owner of a growing business, I had no time or sufficient funds to do what I really wanted to do — to help feed and educate disadvantaged children. We wanted to build a soup kitchen when we become more ‘successful’.

One day, a simple idea came to me: “What if we just gave one meal for every meal sold?” I discovered that it costs only about 25 cents to give a meal through a school lunch program through an experienced NGO in India (India was one of the countries I used to backpack in and was confronted by the fact there were so many street children). With this approach, we could start making a difference every day instead of waiting for a grand success in the future. Several months later, we decided to sell our food business and move to Singapore to start B1G1 (which stood for the idea of “buy 1 give 1”). We imagine a world where everything businesses did make a difference.

It’s been more than 13 years since then. And today, the world of B1G1 is no longer just an imagination. We have coffee shops that give access to life-saving clean water or nourishing meals for every drink and food they serve. We have accounting firms, consultants and coaches that help educate children, support social entrepreneurs or help women start their own businesses. We have health practitioners who provide access to life-saving medication or access to good hygiene for every patient they care for. And these are just examples. The real stories are endless.

We see this as the ‘power of small’. We cannot change the world alone. But together small businesses can help transform many things in the world.

In your opinion, what’s the #1 decision or move you’ve made that has helped advance your career?

Realising that I don’t have to do it alone. Instead of always trying to do big things (what’s not achievable for a long time), we can start something small today and do it everyday. Having a big goal can be important but appreciating our everyday progress is also very important. At the end of the day, we never know what will happen tomorrow.

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned this past year?

Evolving quickly whenever circumstance challenges us to change. It’s important to have clear plans. But sometimes, our plans don’t work out as expected. So, balancing between having great goals, good strategy and solid plans with being flexible and adaptable is important (and critical too).

What’s the number one challenge you face as a woman in your industry?

I don’t think I experienced much discrimination or disadvantage because of being a woman. If anything, I think I somewhat benefitted from the fact that I’m a woman. But this is probably because of the industry I’m in (‘giving’ industry  ), the countries I’ve lived in and the type of companies we’ve worked with. If anything, being a mum while running a business created more challenges for me. Juggling these two major responsibilities can be very challenging for many women who have children.

Do you have any mentors? What does mentorship mean to you?

Yes. I used to think I didn’t really need a mentor (or a coach) and I thought I just needed to keep learning from every experience, mistakes and lessons. But in the past few years, I started to actively reach out to people I really admire and look up to, and asked them to mentor me or be an advisor to our initiative. Since I started that, the pace of progress became much faster because these advisors and mentors helped me question my own thinking and approach. And it’s not so much about receiving specific input for the challenges we face. But it’s more about creating a new level of accountability – to keep growing to become a better leader by learning from all different positions, perspectives and unique experiences.

What advice do you have for women who are just starting their career?

If a new entrepreneur tried to do everything alone, it can be really overwhelming. Until you have a team, you really need to wear so many hats in your business and it can be stressful. There are days you feel lost, discouraged and defeated. So, breaking down your goals into small steps and setting priorities matters. And it is also good to operate with a sense of joy and gratitude everyday (rather than frustration and guilt) no matter where you are at in your journey.

If you can appreciate your everyday small progress, the entire journey can be much more meaningful and rewarding. Knowing that you are on the right path makes you feel ok about failures and unexpected challenges.

What is one thing companies can do, big or small, to help create an environment that advances women into leadership positions?

I think it’s good for businesses to understand the real value of having female leaders. Many companies today try appointing more female leaders because of the fear of being criticised. But I think more businesses would naturally create diversity in their workforce if they simply understood the value people with different backgrounds and circumstances bring to the mission of the company. And it’s not just about gender diversity. Having diverse perspectives and contributions from people with different cultural backgrounds, personalities, experiences, and circumstances are very important in holistic business development. In order for that to work, we need to create a culture of understanding, open-mindedness and empathy. This is the way companies can also create long-term sustainability within their own business AND in the world. And perhaps female leaders can bring more of these perspectives naturally because of the background of being ‘nurturers’ in their families and communities.

What is one thing you hope to accomplish in the next year?

We have worked with 3,000 businesses so far and these businesses have created more than 200 million giving impacts together. While this is a great feat, we are looking at scaling our work much more over the next decade. Our goal is to reach 1 million businesses by the end of 2030 and make a big dent toward all of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. In this coming year, we are looking at some important partnership development, working with various businesses networks and establishing specific regional models.

Is there a cause that is particularly close to you? If so, why this cause and how did you get involved?

Initially, I wanted to ensure that all the children in the world have access to resources like nourishing food, medical care, education and opportunities to thrive. And fundamentally, that’s how I got into business.

I also deeply care about the bio-diversity and the eco-system of the environment. But there are so many issues I care about too. I think that the level of trust and caring in our communities really matter. I believe that there is nothing we cannot achieve together if we felt connected and came together to help each other. And I’m sure everyone cares about something. Working on B1G1 is a perfect way I can help every business and every person in the world to be part of the solution for many important issues in the world.

When did your company join Pledge 1%? What does your impact program mean to you?

We already allocate a budget to give to different causes for every business activity we have. For example, every book we publish (even as a digital book) plants trees or helps educate disadvantaged children. We work on carbon offset for our activities and want to make these things easy for other businesses to do. We also engage our team in important debates and giving activities. We talk about how to improve our own business activities and resource management so that we can make our company more socially responsible and environmental too. Being part of other social movements is important for us to keep improving our standards. And we look forward to connecting many more like-minded businesses and causes in the world through that.

After all, we cannot do it all alone. But together we can make a huge impact.

What do you like to do outside of the office? Any interesting (or unique) habits or interests?

I love running. So, I run every day. I particularly love running in nature. It gives me time to connect with the surrounding and I get lots of ideas while running. I also do things like growing hydrophobic herbs and veggies inside the house because I love nature (I used to do farming in Japan) and we cannot have a house with a garden in Singapore. My hobby changes over time too because I’m not really attached to anything specific. I enjoy life quite simply. 

Are you reading/listening to anything interesting at the moment? Please share your most recent favorite book or podcast!

At the moment, I’m reading Jim Collin’s “BE 2.0 – Turing Your Business into an Enduring Great Company” and it’s great.

What’s been the one (or two!) things that have helped you navigate this past year? Any tips or tricks to dealing with remote work?

Having a group of new mentors and also taking on a business degree in Leadership. Last year, our team worked remotely most of the time (and we saved our travelling time), so I actually had more time to work on my own personal development. It was GREAT.

As part of our summer learning series on ESG, our third session briefly tackled how our panelists got started on their ESG journeys and how they approached their materiality assessments in their respective companies. Read the recap below and access the workshop resources here. 

In Part 2 of our summer learning series on ESG, we learned that materiality assessments are a crucial part of your ESG journey. Whether you’re using internal information collected through customer surveys and employee meetings or hiring a consultant for external accountability, crafting an ESG roadmap is affected by multiple factors that impact the short- and long-term value of your company.

In this third session, Kari Hayden Pendoley moderated our conversation with Corrie Conrad of Box, Alessandra Clará of Unity Technologies, and Andi C. Trindle Mersch of Philz Coffee as they talked about their companies’ approach to conducting materiality needed for their ESG initiatives. Here are our 3 takeaways from the event:

1. Materiality is constant iterative learning. Upon considering the relevant ESG issues to your company and industry, it’s important to keep an open mind as you explore your options. This means you may just keep doing what you’re doing, rather than starting over. The important part is to focus on your company’s priorities and current environment; you don’t need to change just because everybody else is doing the same.

2. Empower your stakeholders through tasks and responsibilities. Know your audience— whether their mindset is driven by cost savings, reputational risk, or customer loyalty—and modify your materiality pitch in a way that resonates with particular stakeholders in your company. Once they’re sold to the idea, form a working group committee that is responsible for something, even if it’s a page on the annual report or a statement on the website.

3. Peer benchmarking helps to identify where you are and where you want to be. One of the things you can’t capture through qualitative interviews with internal folks is the future of the new C-suites or future customers you want to have. While doing materiality, it’s important to pause and look back to see that your core values, mission, and vision are still reflected in the analysis.

To learn more about the specific tactics used by our panelists in making ESG a priority in their company, watch the full recording of the conversation below. Don’t forget to join us for the LAST session on August 26th, 1:30PM PT/ 4:30PM ET!

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.

What is your name and title?

 Joni Roberts, Founder and Chief Evolution Officer at Evolution University.

Briefly (1-2 sentences) describe your current role.

My role is to empower changemakers to evolve our world through education, everyday actions, and entrepreneurship. I help people make meaningful change for themselves, their companies, and the world by aligning their purpose and actions to social and environmental sustainability initiatives such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

How did you get here? Please share any quick stories from past work experiences.

Education became a surprise love of mine 13 years ago after returning from an entrepreneurial venture in Romania. Now I combine both of these passions into creating a more joyful, prosperous, and sustainable world with my startup school for changemakers.

In your opinion, what’s the #1 decision or move you’ve made that has helped advance your career?

To keep learning and growing even when your career isn’t where you want it to be. Diversify your skill set and be agile and adaptable to new opportunities when they arise. Sometimes saying “yes” came from necessity and those experiences made me better by pushing my boundaries. Embrace what shows up and see where it goes.

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned this past year?

That the world can come together to solve tough problems. We witnessed and experienced how from the top down and the bottom up, nations and citizens participated in managing and solving one of the biggest health and economic crises humanity has faced. 

I believe this is the beginning where over the next decade we will draw on the best of humanity to reimagine and recreate a world that is much better than the one we have now. It will be hard, and it will also be the most exciting thing we will have ever achieved as a global community.

What’s the number one challenge you face as a woman in your industry?

Being underestimated.

Do you have any mentors? What does mentorship mean to you?

Mentoring is the way we spread knowledge and uplevel humanity. We see this happening in the natural world all the time. Educators have many opportunities to influence others in positive ways and I enjoy it immensely. I look to people across many fields for inspiration and knowledge. Personally, I would like to have a mentor to help guide me and my company to the next level.

What advice do you have for women who are just starting their career?

Surround yourself with people who see the best in you and help you to cultivate your passion and purpose. Receive feedback from people whose opinions you value. Not everyone is qualified to give constructive feedback. Some people are dealing with their own unresolved stuff and may be projecting that on you.

What is one thing companies can do, big or small, to help create an environment that advances women into leadership positions?

Whenever I see an executive team or board of directors that is all or nearly all men, it’s a red flag for me because the decision-making will be based on a narrow set of perspectives. We all need to think like this, then do something about it where we can.

What is one thing you hope to accomplish in the next year?

Evolution University is a startup. I balance goals and intentions with what I cannot plan for that emerges. For example, my goals for the summer were to develop two new courses. Instead, I developed a new EVOLVE Framework in sustainability featuring a Compassion-Centered Stakeholder Approach. The ideas were sparked from a blog article I wrote. Another example is a comment I made on a Simon Sinek post, which led to sharing out a leadership practice I created a few years ago. That became a book I just published called Celebrations, Appreciations & Frustrations: A simple, yet powerful practice for bringing MORE connection and authenticity to our relationships. I am very happy with these developments, although I did not plan for them. What I did do is create a foundation of knowledge cultivated over years from where these ideas can spring forth.

Is there a cause that is particularly close to you? If so, why this cause and how did you get involved?

I believe compassion is the foundational mindset for creating better relationships and a better world. It’s not just about being kind as compassion can also be fierce by taking a stand for something you believe in. I got involved in compassion training in 2012 by founding MOREcompassion after going through some challenging personal relationships. I wanted my relationships to be better. A compassion mindset is what I believe will transform our experiences with one another and the world we share. 

A MOREcompassion course for people and the planet is available for free on Evolution University as part of our spirit of giving and provides a way to generate discussions and competencies for individuals and teams.

When did your company join Pledge 1%? What does your impact program mean to you?

Being a member of Pledge 1% is automatic for any company I am a part of or when advising others. Evolution University was incorporated in January 2020 and joined Pledge 1% in February 2020. 

From experience, I know that when you give, you grow. It’s a reciprocal energy exchange.

What do you like to do outside of the office? Any interesting (or unique) habits or interests?

I am all about nature immersions. This is how I decompress, get grounded, and ready for the next project. I live in Florida on the St. Johns River and near to the ocean, springs, and forests. I go for hikes, swims, and love to camp. It’s magical. 

What’s been the one (or two!) things that have helped you navigate this past year? Any tips or tricks to dealing with remote work?

I’ve worked remotely most of my career. What I love about 2020 is how the world got onboarded with Zoom meetings and virtual conferences. I was able to attend conferences in the past year that I otherwise would not have due to time constraints and travel costs. It’s opened up more opportunities for global knowledge sharing and collaborations. This is part of the upside of 2020 that we can take with us into the future.

Originally published on PR Newswire.

SAN FRANCISCO, July 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Blend (NYSE: BLND), a leader in cloud banking solutions, today announced the launch of Blend Impact, a program focused on increasing access and equity in housing and financial services. The program brings together Blend’s non-profit, industry, and community ecosystem partners to help drive equitable outcomes in access, sustainability, and social good.

“Blend’s mission is to expand access to the world’s financial resources, and we are committed to creating a more inclusive financial services ecosystem for everyone,” said Nima Ghamsari, co-founder and head of Blend. “Historically, access to financial services and opportunities for transferable wealth have not been equally available to all. We have designed the Blend Impact program to enable our teams to drive meaningful change in the industry to address these systemic flaws and build better lives for those in the communities we serve.”

The initiatives that are part of the Blend Impact launch include:

• Equitable Ecosystem Initiative (EEI): Together with its customers and partners, including DHI Mortgage, Blend has established an initiative focused on building technology that enables financial inclusion and economic opportunity, exploring homebuyer education, additional language support, and alternative data sources for credit underwriting as potential areas of work with partners and customers.

“DHI Mortgage continues to focus on making homeownership accessible for all and we are proud to partner with Blend in the Equitable Ecosystem Initiative (EEI),” said DHI Mortgage President and CEO Sonya Luechauer, “We are excited about the opportunity to collaborate with Blend and others in the EEI to improve lending solutions for minority homebuyers.”

Over the course of the pandemic, Blend has allocated over $450,000 to groups that work to address socio-economic, systemic, and social issues throughout the United States. Some of this money was donated to organizations and nonprofits including the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, National Alliance to End Homelessness, National Urban League, Asian Pacific Fund, Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund, and Indian Red Cross. Blend also helps fund organizations affecting change for the underbanked through partnerships with the National Bankers Association (NBA), HomeFree USA, and TechEquity Collaborative.

As a part of this initiative, Blend has offered access to its platform technology to Minority Depository Institutions (MDIs) and Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) at no cost.

“We are proud to be a partner of Blend Impact and provide our member banks an opportunity to increase their capital through new technology,” said Nicole Elam, president and CEO of the National Bankers Association. “We know that marginalized communities have a better opportunity at economic equality when supporting the institutions that support them.”

Blend has also deposited $5M into a bank with a plan to invest all interest on the money into the bank’s MDI Initiative, directly benefiting an MDI the bank has partnered with.

• Blend Gives Back: Alongside Blend’s commitment to building equitable products, we encourage employees to support causes of their choice by offering 24 hours of paid time off for participating in volunteer programs within their communities. In addition, this program will allocate a day of service each year for volunteering time towards a designated cause across the company. Blend’s focus for 2021 is on causes rooted in ending homelessness and its day of service was conducted in June with employees volunteering across food banks and non-profit organizations focused on ending homelessness.
  
  


• Pledge 1%: In May 2021, Blend joined more than 1,500 other companies in pledging one percent of product development and employee time toward supporting the Equitable Ecosystem Initiative. This commitment helps shape Blend’s thinking around environmental, social, and governance activities and initiatives.

In addition to these initiatives, Blend Impact activities also include commitments to supplier diversity, in-kind event sponsorships, corporate philanthropy, and regulatory engagement, among others. Blend will continue to examine other areas where it can drive specific and effective changes to increase access to housing and financial services, specifically in the areas of corporate governance and environmental impact.

For more information on Blend and the Blend Impact program, please visit blend.com or email blend-impact@blend.com.

About Blend

Blend’s cloud banking platform is designed to power the end-to-end consumer journey for any banking product from application to close. Our technology is used by Wells Fargo, U.S. Bank, and over 290 other financial services firms to acquire more customers, increase productivity, and deepen relationships. Through our software, we enable our customers to process an average of more than $5 billion in loans per day, helping consumers get into homes and gain access to the capital they need to lead better lives. To learn more, visit blend.com.

Media Contact:

Natalie Pridham

blend@methodcommunications.com

August 10, 2021 – Forbes’ The Cloud 100, the definitive list of the 100 top private cloud companies and the 20 rising stars poised to join their ranks, announced today that Guild Education, a mission-based company providing opportunities for America’s workforce through education, has received the prestigious Pledge 1% Impact Award.

The Pledge 1% Impact Award recognizes one company out of the Cloud 100 that is going above and beyond to have a positive impact. We are delighted to recognize Guild Education for their leadership in setting aside equity for impact, and for their ongoing commitment to helping large employers extend education benefits to their thousands of employees.

In addition, Guild has been one of the leading voices in the fight against the pandemic and is an active member of the Pledge 1% COVID-19 Coalition, a group of companies who are working together to respond to and help others navigate today’s health, social, and climate crises. Guild Education CEO Rachel Carlson is also a co-founder of Stop The Spread, a movement to provide a suite of information related to critical pandemic needs, such as PPE supplies, the development of novel therapies, and vaccine equity.

Not only that, but Guild Education has joined other Pledge 1% members in formalizing their equity pledge on the path to IPO, setting aside company equity to fund their corporate philanthropy programs in the future. This trend is becoming the new normal and paving the way for companies to step up and fill the gap to solve the most pressing issues of our time. Already over $1 Billion in new philanthropy has been ignited by Pledge 1% companies setting aside equity, including roughly 30% of the companies who exited the Cloud 100 list.

In honor of their work and dedication to social impact, Salesforce Ventures and Bessemer Venture Partners will be donating $10,000 to Guild Education’s nonprofit of choice.

Guild is joining past Pledge 1% Impact Award winners DocuSign, Twilio, Slack, Procore, and Canva, and are one of many Pledge 1% member companies recognized at the Cloud 100. We congratulate the following Pledge 1% members for making this year’s list: 6sense, ActiveCampaign, Automattic, AvidXchange, Canva, Celonis, Collibra, Culture Amp, Dataminr, Flutterwave, LaunchDarkly, Notion, OwnBackup, Rubrik, Samsara, Shippo, and Workato. You can learn more and view the full list here. 

We are so proud of the Pledge 1% companies on The Cloud 100 list and our wider member community for all that they have done and continue to do to leverage their business as a force for good!

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.

What is your name and title?

Rachel Mellers, Co-Founder at Apéro Label.

Briefly (1-2 sentences) describe your current role.

I am the co-owner and director of Apéro and drive the creative spaces of the business including Art Direction and all of our Design & Production.

In your opinion, what’s the #1 decision or move you’ve made that has helped advance your career?

Before starting Apéro I worked for a small fashion business, which was an invaluable experience, as I was thrown in the deep end and wore a hundred different hats in a day, meaning I had to learn a lot of different areas of the business. This sort of understanding was pivotal in helping me grow my skill set. From there I got a job working under a really strong mentor, which helped me perfect some of my more specific skills in design and production. Getting a strong mentor in an area that I was wanting to focus on, helped me go to a new level in my confidence, knowledge, and hands-on abilities.

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned this past year?

After developing and dealing with a chronic illness for most of 2020 the biggest lesson I learned was to never take health for granted. It is one of the most important gifts we have and we should be grateful for our good health every day.

What’s the number one challenge you face as a woman in your industry?

I often feel the need to justify how hard I work and how much I do in the day to day to men in my world, and this mindset of striving just to be “on the same level” as men and justifying how much women are capable of is something I am working on breaking.

Do you have any mentors? What does mentorship mean to you?

A mentor to me is someone I admire, not only for their skill set but for their general character and attitude toward the things they do. The people I want to mentor me and be around are those that ignite a greater passion in me and push me to want to be better at my craft and as a person.

What advice do you have for women who are just starting their career?

Where possible, intern as much as you can in different sectors of the field you are wanting to get into. The more you do this the more you will learn about what you like and don’t like doing before you even hit the workforce. It will give you more of a clear path and clarity in your career and help you connect with people in the industry that you can call on later down the track. If you can find a mentor or someone you admire working in the industry, take them out for a coffee and pick their brain as much as possible too.

What is one thing companies can do, big or small, to help create an environment that advances women into leadership positions?

First and foremost companies need to make sure they have women in those leadership and senior positions. I have had discussions with girlfriends (as recent as this year) who work with all-male bosses and this has led them to feel they can’t aspire to one day have one of the more senior leadership roles in that business. Subconsciously it made them feel they would be disqualified from the running and if they wanted to progress they would need to move to a new company – how crazy is that?

Is there a cause that is particularly close to you? If so, why this cause and how did you get involved?

I am super passionate about a million different things but particularly focused on causes that empower women. We have been giving a percentage of our sales to Women’s Community Shelters since we started Apéro and I see it as a real privilege and joy to get to do the donation every month. WCS helps women in need, particularly those who are homeless or have suffered from domestic violence situations and helps provide them with a safe environment and practical/emotional support. It’s an amazing cause to be a part of.

When did your company join Pledge 1%? What does your impact program mean to you?

2020

What do you like to do outside of the office? Any interesting (or unique) habits or interests?

I have recently started swimming and love it. I wouldn’t say I have unique hobbies, but love going out for a good meal, spending time with friends, going to the beach, running, bingeing a good tv series, shopping, morning walks with my dog, painting, going for saunas…

Are you reading/listening to anything interesting at the moment? Please share your most recent favorite book or podcast!

I love listening to the How I Built This podcast every week. Its stories about entrepreneurs and how they built these amazing businesses from the ground up. It’s very inspirational.

What’s been the one (or two!) things that have helped you navigate this past year? Any tips or tricks to dealing with remote work?

Slack – I have found this channel an awesome tool for easy communication with staff and creating different channels for different areas in the business, that can be easily looked back on.

As part of our summer learning series on ESG, our second session went into further detail on how to get started, with speakers providing specific steps they took within their companies to guide us in our ESG journey. Read the recap below and access the workshop resources here. 

Integrating sustainability into your business has never been more important. The pandemic, racial injustice, and catastrophic natural disasters that we experienced in the last year not only forced many businesses to step up and help; it created a new sense of urgency for companies to adopt new missions centered around ESG. This is allowing us to look at long-term company performance and align them with corporate sustainability goals. 

Part 1 of our summer learning series discussed the tangible benefit that ESG brings to companies and how it can help create goals that reflect your company’s values and stakeholders’ interests. We were delighted to have Olivia Khalili of PagerDuty speak with Erin Baudo Felter of Okta, Danielle Conkling of Silicon Valley Bank, and Josh Whitney of Anthesis Ventures to share their insights on their ESG journeys and how they see their programs evolving as the business environment adapts. Here are our 4 takeaways from the event:

1. Don’t do ESG by yourself.

Social impact isn’t enough in the complex world of ESG. Understanding the people who care about your ESG disclosures is the first step, and for many companies, they will be your customers, employees, and investors. Discuss the specific issues they want to see addressed and talk to relevant departments within your company who will form your working group or committee.

2. Use data to tell a story and get buy-in.

Whether you’re using internal information collected through customer surveys and employee meetings or hiring a consultant for external accountability, materiality assessments are a crucial part of your ESG journey. The data doesn’t have to be scientific to tell a story, but it needs to be anecdotal or quantifiable.

3. ESG is evolving.

The most important part of early-stage ESG work is getting people on board. Setting up an accountability structure can start with one team, but understanding ESG is a task that will touch all areas of your organization. Catching up on trends, new learnings, and being open to change can make the difference and help you get things done. 

4. Be tactical in your communications.

Forming allies in the executive team is helpful once you start communicating your long- and short-term ESG goals. A zero-budget tactic is to build momentum by writing up what you’re doing, whether it’s a page on your website or a thought leadership piece. 

To know more about the ESG roadmaps used by Okta and Silicon Valley Bank, watch the full recording of the conversation below. Don’t forget to join us for the next session on August 12th, 1:30PM PT/ 4:30PM ET of our ESG Summer Learning Series!

Originally published on Blend. Written by Nima Ghamsari, Head of Blend.

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.

What is your name and title?

Malinda Gagnon, Founder + CEO at Uprise Partners.

Briefly (1-2 sentences) describe your current role.

I’m the Founder and CEO of Uprise Partners. Uprise is a consultancy and investment firm. We help business leaders launch, scale, and operate their organizations.

How did you get here? Please share any quick stories from past work experiences.

I’ve been in business strategy and communications for 20 years. At Google, I was fortunate to be on the ad technology organization’s founding team in the Cambridge, MA office.

At WPP/GroupM, the world’s largest media investment holding company, I started two organizations. I founded and led a consulting practice advising clients such as Procter & Gamble, General Electric, Volkswagen, Unilever, Land Rover Jaguar, Allergan, Walmart, and many others. I then founded and led the Product Development and Technology group to expand their technology and services portfolio.

In your opinion, what’s the #1 decision or move you’ve made that has helped advance your career?

I didn’t know what I wanted to do when I left WPP/GroupM in 2017. I knew my career had plateaued there, and it was time for me to move on – but that’s all I knew. I planned to take some time off to figure out my next step. Part of that discovery process was interviewing at other companies. A pivotal moment for me was during a final round interview at a major consulting firm. They asked me what I envisioned for myself in five years. I said, without hesitation (and one could say, in this context, without tact as well!), “I want to run my own company.” It was clear to me when I walked out of that interview, that running my own company was my next step. Why wait five years?

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned this past year?

Just keep going and have faith in what you’re doing. Sometimes it may feel like each day doesn’t bring change or progress, but it does. I’m experiencing the tipping point now when all of the small right steps are adding up, and big things are happening.

What’s the number one challenge you face as a woman in your industry?

Now that I have my own company, I feel that being a woman doesn’t hinder me. I can now more easily create my own destiny.

When I was at WPP/GroupM, I felt challenged as a woman more acutely. I had to advocate for myself and fight for the promotions and roles I knew I deserved. I also had to fight for the pay I deserved fiercely, and I know I still didn’t surpass male colleagues who were in similar roles.

Do you have any mentors? What does mentorship mean to you?

At WPP/GroupM, I had a few tremendous mentors. A couple, in particular, served as my sponsors as I started the two organizations that I led while I was there. Mentorship to me is a supporter, a sounding board, and offering advice. Being a sponsor is advocating for someone when they aren’t in the room. These people were both my mentors and my sponsors. I knew they had my back. I’m incredibly thankful for them.

What advice do you have for women who are just starting their career?

As women, we have to stand up for what’s ours and not accept any less. If you find you’re at an organization that’s not valuing you after putting in the effort to change that, it’s time to move on. They don’t deserve you. Vote with your feet.

What is one thing companies can do, big or small, to help create an environment that advances women into leadership positions?

The big things a company can do to advance women into leadership positions is twofold:

1) Examine the criteria that go into promoting women into leadership roles and ensure that masculine leadership qualities don’t sway that criteria. Often women are not perceived as leaders because they have a different leadership style than men, which doesn’t at all mean they will be less effective – it’s just different.

2) Invest in leadership training, presentation skills training, networking, and mentorship opportunities for women. This will help women feel more confident with sharing their skills and connect them with people who can help their careers.

The little things a company can do to advance women into leadership positions are the everyday aspects of culture and make a big difference over time. These things include:

• Notice if a woman hasn’t contributed in a meeting and ask what she thinks.
• Notice if a woman is being talked over in a meeting (maybe because her voice is softer or she’s not as aggressive) and ask whoever interrupted to pause because you would like to hear what she has to say.
• Give a woman an assignment that will help her shine and earn the respect of her colleagues.
• Notice if a woman takes the task as note-taker in a meeting or starts to clean up the conference room afterward. This is not her default role and needs to be shared by everyone.

What is one thing you hope to accomplish in the next year?

My theme for this year is to be a better listener and a better teacher. Each year, I set a theme for myself based on how I need to grow personally and professionally and what my team and family need from me. Here’s my blog post on why I chose it and some reflections on that.

Is there a cause that is particularly close to you? If so, why this cause and how did you get involved?

I’m passionate about promoting wellness so people can live full lives and realize their potential. We can only give from a full well. I’m a yoga and meditation teacher and have a donation-based practice called Yogamoto. It’s my passion.

I’ve been practicing since I was a kid with my mom and started taking classes in high school. My meditation and yoga practice is essential for me to feel grounded and well – physically, mentally, and spiritually. I start every day with meditation and prayer, and it makes a tremendous difference for me. It helps me show up as my best self every day.

When did your company join Pledge 1%? What does your impact program mean to you?

Uprise joined Pledge 1% in our first year of the company’s existence. It’s important for my co-founder, Brian Gagnon, and I, to commit to core values from the beginning to build the company we want. Uprise has also been quick to offer retirement and health benefits because of this philosophy. We are a team that believes in caring for each other and giving back, and I want each person who joins the team to be excited about that. It’s part of who we are.

Here are some of the things we’ve done in the past as a 1% organization:

• Sponsor Green Up Day in our local community. We promoted the event to pick up trash around the neighborhood and put on a BBQ for participants afterward.
• Financial donation to Black Girls Code
• Donation of computer equipment to a local high school
• Volunteer as mentors with multiple startup accelerators and as session educators
• Volunteer each year as judges in a local high school startup pitch competition
• Volunteer yoga teacher with Maine Adaptive Sports & Recreation

What do you like to do outside of the office? Any interesting (or unique) habits or interests?

I love the outdoors – hiking, skiing, camping, riding my motorcycle. I’m also a yogi and yoga teacher.

Are you reading/listening to anything interesting at the moment? Please share your most recent favorite book or podcast!

I’m listening to a Pema Chodron book called Smile at Fear. She’s such a wealth of wisdom. I read a lot of her books.

What’s been the one (or two!) things that have helped you navigate this past year? Any tips or tricks to dealing with remote work?

I’ve worked remotely for many years to this past year hasn’t been a difficult transition for me. My top tips and tricks for dealing with remote work are:

• Set work boundaries for yourself – with both time and space. Have work hours and a workspace. Even if that workspace is a corner of the room, and at the end of the day, you close your computer and notebook and push in your chair, that’s enough to signal that work is over. We tend to work longer hours when we work at home, and that can lead to burnout.

• Over-communicate and pass the baton with your colleagues. Remember, with remote work – out of sight is out of mind. Stay connected. When you finish something, don’t just send a note to your colleague and move on; get confirmation they understand they now have the baton. That ensures close communication, and nothing gets lost. When you’re remote, communication has to be more conscious and more frequent because it won’t happen naturally by running into that person. This doesn’t mean more meetings! It does mean having a good chat program like Slack or Microsoft Teams – email and calls won’t work alone.

• Schedule team happy hour or game time. We have a fantastic culture at Uprise, and we grew a lot in the past year. I haven’t met half our team in person! We still have a great culture because we have time to connect, and we keep it fun and informal. Every Friday, we have Celebrations and Lessons Learned, which is also a happy hour (drinks optional!). We informally share the ups and downs of our week. We also have game time when we plan online games together. It’s really fun.