Original article here

Author: Ripple

Ripple is deepening its commitment to giving back by joining Pledge 1%, a global movement of companies making positive social impact through their business. Through its Ripple Impact initiative, Ripple is pledging 1% of profits to advancing blockchain innovation, improving access to financial services, scaling carbon markets, and employee-driven local impact.

Since launching Ripple Impact in 2018, Ripple has donated more than $180 million globally to support partners and initiatives that address critical challenges like building financial resilience  in emerging markets, delivering humanitarian aid, and championing blockchain research and development in academia. 

“Ripple has long demonstrated leadership in leveraging blockchain technology for social good and philanthropy,” said Jan D’Alessandro, Chief Legal & Philanthropy Officer at Pledge 1%. “With a proven track record of advancing financial inclusion, supporting humanitarian aid, and driving innovation through impactful programs like UBRI, we are thrilled to welcome Ripple to the Pledge 1% global movement and look forward to the impact they will continue to make.”

“Joining Pledge 1% reflects Ripple’s commitment to creating meaningful change through partnership and collaboration with mission driven organizations,” said Ken Weber, Vice President of Social Impact & Sustainability at Ripple. “Our goal is to build a more inclusive and sustainable financial system by leveraging Ripple’s resources, technology and talent. We are proud to stand alongside a growing global community of companies dedicated to creating lasting impact.”

Advancing Blockchain Innovation 

At the foundation of Ripple Impact’s mission is building financial resilience and blockchain innovation. With $80 million committed to the University Blockchain Research Initiative (UBRI), Ripple has partnered with more than 50 leading academic institutions across 26 countries including the University of California Berkeley and University College London. UBRI has supported more than 1,500 blockchain research projects and 600 new or expanded fintech courses. 

In emerging markets, Ripple’s long-term partnership with Mercy Corps Ventures has provided investments into 50+ fintech startups, and helped secure $500m in follow-on funding. The recently announced Unlocking Opportunity collaboration will continue to help close the funding gaps for entrepreneurs in Africa, Latin America, and Asia and pilot scalable services built on XRPL for unbanked and underbanked communities.

Ripple has historically partnered with leading humanitarian aid organizations and provided rapid-response funding to organizations such as UNHCR and World Central Kitchen in moments of crisis. Through a new collaboration with the International Rescue Committee, Ripple plans to pilot the use of its blockchain payments products, including soon-to-be-launched RLUSD stablecoin, to enhance the speed and traceability of humanitarian aid delivery.

Financing Climate Action and Empowering Employees

Ripple has remained ambitious in its commitments to sustainability. The company has pledged $100 million to scaling voluntary carbon markets and funding new solutions that enhance transparency and efficiency in carbon credit trading. 

In its journey to net-zero carbon by 2030, Ripple recently joined Block, Samsara, and BlackRock in the strategic purchase of Sustainable Aviation Fuel certificates (SAFc), an effort that will directly add sustainable aviation fuel to Alaska Airlines flights, achieving an estimated 75% reduction in carbon intensity compared to traditional jet fuel.

Ripple fosters a culture of giving by empowering employees to make a difference year-round with its donation-matching program and active local engagement. Ripple employees collectively volunteer thousands of hours annually with nonprofits including Stephen and Ayesha Curry’s Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation in the San Francisco Bay Area, which focuses on promoting children’s health, education, and access to nutritious food. In London, Ripple’s partnership with Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity is raising funds for a groundbreaking new children’s cancer center. 

These initiatives reflect Ripple’s dedication to driving meaningful change both globally and locally.

Original article here

Author: tekFinder

Today we’re proud to announce that tekFinder has officially joined Pledge 1% – a global movement of over 18,000 members that inspires, educates, and empowers companies to be a force for good.

tekFinder’s commitment to making a positive impact started in 2023 with the launch of tekFoundation, our free tech volunteer recruitment service designed to bridge the gap between skilled tech professionals and charities in need.

Since its inception, tekFoundation has successfully assisted 25 different charities across Australia in finding volunteers for various tech initiatives (e.g. website design/development, SEO audits, Google Ads Campaigns, & software consulting). Many of these smaller organisations unfortunately face significant cost and logistical barriers in finding quality tech talent. They may also lack the tech sector knowledge or connections to support their search.

“Recognising these hurdles, I realised we could apply our experience and passion for recruitment towards making an impact in our own way. What started as supporting a few charities with free tech recruitment snowballed into the decision to fund the launch of an entirely new sister organisation, contributing well over 1% of tekFinder’s profits to get it off the ground.”  – Nick Shepherd, CEO of tekFinder and Co-Founder of tekFoundation.

We’ve since registered tekFoundation as its own not-for-profit company, applied with the ACNC, brought on co-founder Joni Fleischer to manage day-to-day operations, and appointed a board of directors with diverse knowledge and experience to support strategic direction and governance (Dr Robert Winter, Aidan Beanland, and Lucy Timms).

WHY PLEDGE 1%?

By becoming a Pledge 1% member, tekFinder not only formalises our commitment to social responsibility but also joins a global community of change-makers dedicated to giving back. This collaboration will allow us to amplify our efforts and share best practices with like-minded organisations, enhancing our ability to effect meaningful change.

WHAT’S NEXT?

Looking ahead, we see promising potential to expand our impact through additional tekFoundation initiatives. One such initiative is to launch mentorship programs that will not only upskill the charities we support but also assist newer entrants into the workforce. By providing these individuals with valuable skills and experience, we aim to help them secure better job opportunities and foster their professional growth.

We’re also looking to focus on those skilled in tech but facing barriers to entering the job market, such as migrants and asylum seekers. By equipping these individuals with the tools and connections they need, we hope to facilitate their successful transition into meaningful employment.

The tekFinder and tekFoundation teams are eager to embark on this new chapter and to be joining the Pledge 1% community. Our commitment to social impact is stronger than ever, join us on this journey as we strive to make a lasting difference!

Author: Randall Ward, Co-founder and CEO of Appfire

On this Giving Tuesday I want to take a moment to talk about the other side of community and philanthropy: sharing my perspective from the receiving end of charitable giving and the transformative impact even the smallest gestures can make.

I lost my dad to cancer when I was 7 and my sister and I were raised by a single mom. We lived in a rundown apartment and my mom had to make really tough tradeoffs on a monthly basis, like “Do we want hot water, or toilet paper and essentials?” We lived slightly above the poverty line of $9,862 in 1982 which meant we were labeled as “low income,” or a family whose total income was less than 200% of the poverty threshold. Because of this, we didn’t qualify for relief programs and at the time there weren’t many anyway. Today that line is $31,200 for a family of four.

The United States is considered the richest country in the world, and yet in 2024, 37.9 million (11.5%) American families live in poverty. Add another ~93 million (29%) Americans who live with incomes less than double their poverty threshold. This translates to 40% of the U.S. population who are disconnected from the social safety net and in need of assistance programs to unlock basic human needs such as food, housing, medicine, mental health care, employment, transportation, and education.

Although statistically we were poor, we were fortunate to live in a community with many selfless people who gave generously. Whether donating money, clothing, food, transportation, shelter, or time, they gave often, sometimes without knowing the magnitude of their giving. These are just some of the ways that support took shape:

• The Bariteau family provided daycare so my mom could work two jobs. Daryl Bariteau helped raise me and to this day, I consider her my “other mom.”


• The Hsia family donated money necessary for me to join and participate in Scouting and afterschool programs, and Dr. Hsia was the single most influential person in my life while growing up. Dr. Hsia taught me the importance of integrity and of keeping my word, pushed me to see things through, reminded me that patience through collaboration is a critical skill, showed me that small course corrections lead to big changes over time, and provided so many more lessons like these that I was able to apply while growing Appfire years later.


• The Dyers donated money so we could join the ski program, an activity I still enjoy today.


• The Davis family donated food that they grew, their children (older than us) gave us their hand-me-down clothing, and when I was a teenager Mr. Davis hired me to work on their farm and taught me to drive.


• The Batsons gave my mom a loan to start her own business, a third job to help bring in supplemental income, and paid for us to go on camping trips. Bob Batson taught me engineering principles and at 15, I worked with his startup, Electric Vehicles of America, helping convert small pickup trucks from gas to electric. This was decades before Tesla and still one of my fondest childhood memories.


• Jean Haynes paid for our instruments so my sister and I could join the band and choir. My sister spent much of her older teenage years circling the globe in a traveling choir. I still play music. Jean also helped me buy my first car and then years later loaned me money to go to college.


• The Seeleys and Crowthers allowed me to sleep on their couches for a two-year period, from age 15 until 17 when my mom was hospitalized and I became homeless.


• Steve Morrissey became a father figure, mentor, and coach.


• The McMahons checked on my mom, sister, and me frequently and gave selflessly in so many ways: time, food, and, while I was homeless during high school, a place to sleep at their house 2-3 times per week. Their daughter Kerri became my best friend, and as teens, we talked on the phone every day for hours.

These are the givers I knew, but there were countless others too — some anonymous and some that I wish I could remember today to honor them in memory.

My life was positively shaped and changed by these generous givers to whom I credit many of my interests and passions, as well as my creativity, success, and my own philanthropic efforts through Pledge 1%, Appfire Town, and more — and without whom I would have walked a very different path.

On this Giving Tuesday and every day that you are able, I challenge you to give back in whatever way you can. Your giving can make a difference in the lives of millions of families, just like my own, that are in need today, tomorrow, and beyond.

About Randall

Randall Ward is the co-founder and CEO of Appfire. He is committed to helping teams everywhere tackle their biggest challenges by breaking down silos, boosting productivity, modernizing their tech stacks, and adding value to the platforms they already have. He began his career as a telecommunications signaling engineer and spent the past 25 years building and scaling software companies, from early-stage through IPO and acquisition, including Boston Communications Group (1996) and Net.Genesis (2000). He has consulted and worked for Boston Scientific, Oracle and Vodafone, and helped architect MIT’s OpenCourseWare platform. Randall also held a technology advisory role for LFM/SDM, one of MIT Sloan School of Management’s most prestigious programs, and worked as a visual learning researcher at Stanford University. He is an investor and advisor to emerging enterprise software companies in the US and Australia and is actively involved with investments in virtual workspaces, AI advancements in healthcare, and software automation. He firmly believes that making a positive impact is integral to business and proudly serves as a member of the Pledge 1% Global Visionary Council.

About Appfire

Appfire is the leading global provider of software that enhances, extends, and connects the world’s leading platforms to make work flow any way teams want to work, from planning to product ideation, product development, project delivery, and beyond. Appfire increases the value of platforms such as Atlassian, Microsoft, monday.com, and Salesforce, enabling teams to thrive and do their best work together. With more than one million users, Appfire’s popular solutions are helping teams with Enterprise Collaboration, DevOps, Workflow & Automation, Product Portfolio Management, IT Service Management (ITSM), Document Management, Business Intelligence and Reporting, Administrative Tools, Agile Tools, Developer Tools, Time Tracking, Publishing, and Integrations. Appfire has been selling its popular software products on the Atlassian Marketplace since it first launched in 2012, and today Appfire has the most widely adopted portfolio of Atlassian apps across tens of thousands of customers worldwide. Learn more at www.appfire.com.

 SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Today, global movement Pledge 1% kicks off its 10-year anniversary celebration, highlighting a decade of empowering businesses of all sizes to leverage their assets for good. With more than 18,000 companies across 130 countries taking the pledge to set aside a percentage of staff time, product, profit, or equity, Pledge 1% has ignited $2.4 billion of philanthropy in equity commitments alone since its inception.

Coinciding with its anniversary celebration, Pledge 1% is also announcing its Global Visionary Council, a group of influential executives across industries who have not only led their companies to join the Pledge 1% movement, but also actively inspire other industry leaders to  set aside equity to sustainably fund long term social impact.

Those on the 14-member GVC include Atlassian Co-Founder and Board Member Scott Farquhar, Braze and Rubrik Board Member Yvonne Wassenaar, DocuSign Board Member and Former CEO Dan Springer, PagerDuty CEO Jennifer Tejada, Salesforce Chief Philanthropy Officer Suzanne DiBianca, Toast Board Member and Former CEO Chris Comparato, Twilio Founder and Former CEO Jeff Lawson, Battery Ventures General Partner Neeraj Agrawal, Bessemer Venture Partners Sameer Dholakia and Byron Deeter, SV Angel Founder & Managing Partner Ron Conway, Appfire CEO & Co-Founder Randall Ward, Coalition Co-Founder and Lookout Founder John Hering, and G2 CEO and Co-Founder Godard Abel.

Providing a flexible framework, tools, and networking opportunities, Pledge 1% has inspired  companies like Reddit, Chime, Twillio, Canva, and Airwallex to integrate social impact into their business in multiple ways. Over the last 10 years, more and more companies have been setting aside equity to enable their social impact to grow with their business, and Pledge 1% has built a powerful ecosystem across CEOs, investors, banks, stock exchanges, and more, all collaborating to support these companies in their decision.

Through the power of our community and with the leadership of our GVC, our growing ecosystem continues to be a force multiplier for social impact, and we may see in the next decade that setting aside equity for social impact is as common as setting aside equity for the employee pool leading up to an IPO.

“Our vision for the future is to create a flywheel of growth, using our movement to integrate social impact into every company’s DNA,” said Pledge 1% Chief Executive Officer Amy Lesnick. “As we enter a new chapter of corporate philanthropy, I’m looking forward to harnessing the power of this incredible ecosystem to ignite billions in new philanthropy and empower thousands of companies around the world to leverage their assets for good.”

“Joining Pledge 1% is one of the best decisions a founder can make,” said Atlassian Co-Founder and Board Member, Scott Farquhar, who is one of the founders of the Pledge 1% movement.  “Atlassian took the pledge early on, well before we were successful. As we grew, we raised tens of millions of dollars for great causes, gave away our product to non profits, and provided our staff with an outlet for philanthropy. When I talk with new employees, they rate our philanthropy as one of the top three reasons they joined Atlassian.”

Today’s 10-year anniversary kickoff celebration culminates with Amy Lesnick and Scott Farquhar ringing the  NASDAQ closing bell and a reception of over 65 CEOs and tech leaders. The event marks the beginning of a yearlong campaign of new programming and initiatives for the organization to inspire and empower decades of impact to come. To learn more about Pledge 1% and to take the pledge, visit www.pledge1percent.org. 

About Pledge 1%

Pledge 1% is leading a global movement to embed social impact into all businesses. Providing a simple, flexible framework for setting aside staff time, product, profit, and/or equity, Pledge 1% encourages and empowers companies of all sizes to leverage their assets for good. To learn more about Pledge 1%, please visit www.pledge1percent.org

What other Pledge 1% supporters are saying:

• “We have this wildly optimistic belief that there is enough money, goodwill, and good intentions in the world to solve most of the world’s problems. Our Two-Step plan is integral to Canva’s DNA: Step 1: Become one of the most valuable companies in the world. Step 2: Do the most good we can. Pledge 1% was absolutely instrumental in helping us get started.” – Melanie Perkins and Cliff Obrecht, Co-Founders of Canva


• “When we built Toast with a purpose to enrich the food experience for all, we also committed to Toast.org to focus on solving critical food issues that impact communities across the nation. Having the support of the Pledge 1% ecosystem of GVC members, Boardroom Allies, and others along our path to IPO made it easy to set aside meaningful assets to fund our social impact efforts.” – Chris Comparato, Board Member and Former CEO of Toast


• “Pledge 1% is the ultimate force multiplier. A company can take the pledge and leverage its assets (product, people, profit, equity) for good in ways that reinforce one another. Then, their impact grows over time with the business. And, for CEOs like myself who have taken the pledge, motivating other CEOs to join can amplify our impact, often translating into tens of millions of dollars to fund social good – an extraordinary return on your philanthropic time!” – Sameer Dholakia, Partner at Bessemer Venture Partners, Former CEO SendGrid


• “As a longtime supporter of Pledge 1%, it has been amazing to watch the movement ignite … Social impact is among the most inspiring parts of my job, and I imagine taking part will be essential for top VCs in years to come.” – Rich Wong, Partner at Accel

Norah Perez

Salesforce Practice Manager, VALiNTRY360
Orlando, FL, USA

If you could describe yourself in one word, what would that be and why?
Advocate. My team of consultants, our clients, my executive leadership team (and heck, my family and friends) can all tell you that I strive to understand peoples’ goals, dreams, and motivations, and then work on how I can help advocate for them and support them in their journeys. Helping those around me reach their personal and professional objectives and potential has allowed me to establish authentic trust-based relationships, which in turn have positively impacted my life and career.

Pledge 1% provides a framework for businesses to do good. Do you think it’s important for today’s corporate leaders to prioritize social impact? If so, why?
I think it’s critical for corporate leaders to prioritize social impact for a variety of reasons, not least of which is the fact that customers, clients, and employees are looking at the impact of companies they’re vetting to give their business to or work for, and making decisions based on whether the companies are forces for good in their broader communities or not.

Do you give back to the community with your team and work? If so, what does this look like?
VALiNTRY360 has a deep commitment to supporting the communities around us. Each year our team engages in different community service activities as a team and company, for example packing personal care and health packs for the local unhoused population, purchasing and donating bulk food essentials to the Second Harvest Food Bank, donating conference room space to a local non-profit board that supports local youth in the foster care system, etc.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
As a type A person, I’ve always liked to plan ahead and clearly envision my path towards professional growth.

However, early in my career I read a quote by Condoleezza Rice that recommended not holding too tightly onto a rigid plan for your future because some of the best growth comes from veering off of your expected path to seize an unexpected opportunity. Since then, I’ve made it a point to take unexpected opportunities, resulting most recently in leaving a 13-year career in higher education administration and entering into the world of Salesforce consulting. By being open to changing my path, I’ve found a career that I absolutely love, professional growth that motivates me every day, and a company that trusts and empowers me as a woman leader in the tech field.

Not holding too tightly onto a rigid plan for your future because some of the best growth comes from veering off of your expected path to seize an unexpected opportunity.

This year’s International Women’s Day themes are focused on investing in women and inspiring inclusion. What can we do to make today’s workplaces more equitable and inclusive for women?
I feel that the most impactful way of making today’s workplaces more equitable and inclusive to women is to promote and hire women into leadership roles in companies. By doing so women can finally see ourselves represented in leadership spaces, giving voice to our unique contributions as well as our critical perspectives, and increasing our ability to form impactful mentor and advocate relationships at work. I know that my addition as a Latina woman to the leadership team at VALiNTRY360 has brought an entirely new perspective to the executive spaces, helping our company increase awareness and support of issues faced by underrepresented members of our team and field.

What advice do you have for women who are just starting their career?
Don’t let fear or insecurity get in the way of your success or of your choices. You are enough. You do have what it takes. That voice in your head that’s telling you that you aren’t and don’t is called Imposter Syndrome. It’s lying to you, and listening to it will keep you from reaching the heights you’re destined for.

What are you looking forward to this year? Are there any goals (personal or professional), activities, or experiences you are excited about?
I’m looking forward to starting sessions with a woman-focused executive coach this year, as well as attending a Women’s Leadership Retreat later this year to help me hone my executive presence, set strategic goals to propel my team’s success, and build a network of women leaders who I can be in relationship with and call on in the future.

Original article here
Author: Olo for Good

Olo Inc. (NYSE:OLO), a leading restaurant technology provider, today announced the launch of “Round Up Donations,” enabling guests to effortlessly contribute to charitable causes during checkout. Piloted in collaboration with Tropical Smoothie Cafe, this feature allows guests to round up their order total to support No Kid Hungry, a national campaign working to end childhood hunger in America, or other nonprofit campaigns and organizations Olo brands wish to support.

Round Up Donations is now accessible to all Olo customers who use its white-label ordering platform Serve, a fully responsive web experience designed to optimize the user experience for guests on any device. With the ability to customize the donation prompt with their chosen charity, restaurants can easily incorporate charitable giving into their digital ordering experience and engage guests in meaningful social impact. The opportunity to donate has resonated strongly with guests, with 10% choosing to round up their orders to donate to No Kid Hungry through Tropical Smoothie Cafe. In the short time since enabling Round Up Donations on Serve, Tropical Smoothie Cafe has raised over $7,000.

“Round Up Donations represents a significant step forward in our mission to leverage technology for positive change,” said Noah Glass, Founder & CEO of Olo. “By integrating charitable giving seamlessly into the dining experience, we’re not only supporting crucial causes like No Kid Hungry but also empowering our restaurant partners to make meaningful differences in their communities. Even more, we’re offering guests the opportunity to strengthen their relationship with brands they love while satisfying their craving to make a positive impact on the world.”

Max Wetzel, CEO of Tropical Smoothie Café, LLC, expressed enthusiasm for the initiative: “At Tropical Smoothie Cafe, we’ve always been committed to inspiring better in the communities we serve and encouraging our guests to do the same. Olo’s Round Up Donations feature aligns perfectly with our values, allowing our guests to join us in making a tangible impact on childhood hunger with every order.”

Both Olo and Tropical Smoothie Cafe deepened their commitment to ending childhood hunger by signing No Kid Hungry’s CEO Pledge to End Summer Hunger, a transformative, urgent movement uniting powerful leaders and brands across industries. The Pledge is revolutionizing the fight against childhood summer hunger by increasing the number of children receiving summer meals from 2.8 million to 30 million nationwide.

“The introduction of Round Up Donations on Olo’s Serve platform marks a pivotal moment in our fight against childhood hunger,” said Susan Karlen, Associate Director of Partnership Development at No Kid Hungry. “By partnering with industry leaders like Olo and Tropical Smoothie Cafe, we’re able to extend our reach and impact to ensure more children have access to the nutrition they need to thrive. We look forward to partnering with additional restaurants through Olo’s extensive platform of over 400 brands.”

This feature development is part of Olo’s broader Olo For Good program, launched in 2021, which dedicates 1% of the company’s time, product, and equity to causes such as ending hunger, promoting diversity and inclusion, and supporting environmental sustainability.

To learn more about Round Up Donations, visit olo.com/contact/request-demo.

About Olo | Hospitality at Scale™

Olo (NYSE: OLO) is a leading restaurant technology provider with ordering, payment, and guest engagement solutions that help brands increase orders, streamline operations, and improve the guest experience. Each day, Olo processes millions of orders on its open SaaS platform, gathering the right data from each touchpoint into a single source—so restaurants can better understand and better serve every guest on every channel, every time. Over 700 restaurant brands trust Olo and its network of more than 400 integration partners to innovate on behalf of the restaurant community, accelerating technology’s positive impact and creating a world where every restaurant guest feels like a regular. Learn more at olo.com.

About Tropical Smoothie Cafe®

Tropical Smoothie Cafe is a national fast-casual restaurant brand built on a mission to Inspire Better®, a commitment that starts with our better-for-you food and smoothies and extends to inspiring better in the communities we serve. Born on a beach in 1997, today Tropical Smoothie Cafe has more than 1,500 locations in 44 states. For the fourth year in a row, the brand was ranked #1 in the Smoothie/Juice Category by Entrepreneur Franchisee 500. For 11 consecutive years the brand has received the Franchise Times Fast and Serious award, and in 2024 the brand’s FUND Score was 905, one of the top scores for franchise concepts analyzed by FRANdata.

About No Kid Hungry

No child should go hungry in America. But millions of kids in the United States live with hunger. No Kid Hungry is working to end childhood hunger by helping launch and improve programs that give all kids the healthy food they need to thrive. This is a problem we know how to solve. No Kid Hungry is a campaign of Share Our Strength, an organization committed to ending hunger and poverty.

Mansi Busi

Head of Delivery & Engagement, TechForce Services
Sydney, Australia

If you could describe yourself in one word, what would that be and why?
Passionate – I am passionate to really get to know the problem statement of my clients and prospects and provide them with the best solution fit.

Pledge 1% provides a framework for businesses to do good. Do you think it’s important for today’s corporate leaders to prioritize social impact? If so, why?
Absolutely – Big companies have significant influence and resources, which can be used to drive positive social change. Prioritizing social impact allows big companies to fulfil their corporate social responsibility and contribute to the betterment of society in several ways. It enhances the company’s long-term Sustainability, reputation and employee engagement and retention.

Do you give back to the community with your team and work? If so, what does this look like?
Our Company is very passionate about making sure we are continuously working for social causes – we have worked in Foodbank Volunteering as a team activity (FoodBank is feeding everyday people in need throughout Australia), we have also done a 17kms walk to support Cancer research and St. Martins school. I personally invest a few hours every week on a Friday with my local meals on wheels packaging and delivering food for the aged care community in our council.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Don’t be afraid of change, its only with change comes great possibilities!

This year’s International Women’s Day themes are focused on investing in women and inspiring inclusion. What can we do to make today’s workplaces more equitable and inclusive for women?
Let’s make more leadership position open and more excepting of women.

For entry level positions let’s create a more encouraging environments for women starting in corporate world with more self development and also technical training in their field.

What advice do you have for women who are just starting their career?
It’s ok if you do not know something, there is so much information available today don’t be afraid to pick up something new and learn as you go.

What are you looking forward to this year? Are there any goals (personal or professional), activities, or experiences you are excited about?
Yes, focus more of personal health and fitness goals and also getting some more salesforce certifications under my belt.

Don’t be afraid of change, its only with change comes great possibilities!

Mitul Patel

Founder & CEO, Creatique Technologies Pvt. Ltd.
Ahmedabad, India

If you could describe yourself in one word, what would that be and why?
Curious – I am always curious to figure out what can I do to make my customers’ life better. I join in meetings to check-in with customers and resolve their issues and provide them innovative solutions that can help them in their day-to-day functions.

Pledge 1% provides a framework for businesses to do good. Do you think it’s important for today’s corporate leaders to prioritize social impact? If so, why?
Yes, a Leader is successful when she can pass down the ladder and uplift the life of people in all possible ways.

Do you give back to the community with your team and work? If so, what does this look like?
We provide Free Virtual Salesforce Training to people – currently we are training 10 people. We enable them to become equipped in Salesforce so they get jobs!

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Don’t be satisfied with your success!

This year’s International Women’s Day themes are focused on investing in women and inspiring inclusion. What can we do to make today’s workplaces more equitable and inclusive for women?
Lead by example – the company should have women leaders who practice inclusion along with other leaders within the company.

Women Leaders should be promoted within the company and their ideas should be appreciated in company-wide settings.

What advice do you have for women who are just starting their career?
Do not stop Learning! Keep going – and you will always get better at what you are.

What are you looking forward to this year? Are there any goals (personal or professional), activities, or experiences you are excited about?
So many – hiring at least 10 team members, travelling to Iceland, doing 30 Go-Lives!

A Leader is successful when she can pass down the ladder and uplift the life of people in all possible ways.

Neha Juneja

Co-founder, IndiaP2P

Mumbai, India

If you could describe yourself in one word, what would that be and why?
Persistent. I am a serial entrepreneur having built large, social ventures. I see value in building scalable solutions to big problems and recognize that doing so takes time and overcoming many challenges along the way. All revolutions need tenacity and time.

Before starting IndiaP2P, I co-founded Greenway Grameen – India’s largest clean cooking enterprise with nearly 10 million users. Lack of access to clean cooking i.e. cooking on biomass & charcoal is grave health & climate concern and affects nearly 2.5 Bn people globally.

Pledge 1% provides a framework for businesses to do good. Do you think it’s important for today’s corporate leaders to prioritize social impact? If so, why?
It’s almost critical for businesses to have a clear, positive impact today. I say critical because its essential to survival. Customers, employees and other stakeholders all expect the time and patronage they give to brands and companies should also lead to positive outcomes for society.

Do you give back to the community with your team and work? If so, what does this look like?
We run and impact driven enterprise. At IndiaP2P our founding thesis is that women business owners are the necessary lever for economic prosperity and social progress. As an organization we unlock capital for women and small business owners by enabling retail investors to invest directly in this asset class.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
To consciously try and imagine the future and see how you and your work can help make it better.

This year’s International Women’s Day themes are focused on investing in women and inspiring inclusion. What can we do to make today’s workplaces more equitable and inclusive for women?
While it may seem a cliche but role models make a huge impact. Having women leaders and operators in the workforce automatically enables more women to join and thrive. Specifically with regard to investing in women owned ventures – I think a lot of work needs to be done for removing biases that exist amongst VC/PE operator.

What advice do you have for women who are just starting their career?
Visualize your goals and seek help without hesitation.

What are you looking forward to this year? Are there any goals (personal or professional), activities, or experiences you are excited about?
I am very excited about 2024 being the year where IndiaP2P scales to become the largest digital finance provider for women business owners in India.

Visualize your goals and seek help without hesitation.

Original article here
Author: FPT Software

FPT Software announced that it has joined the Pledge 1% movement, reinforcing its dedication to corporate social responsibility and community engagement. Alongside its parent company, FPT Corporation, the company has made significant strides in its work dedicated to philanthropy and social initiatives, especially through the Corporation’s CSR sponsorship of 205.2 billion VND in 2023 – over 2.2% of its profit before tax of the same year.

Pledge 1% is a global movement aimed at creating a new standard for companies of all sizes and stages to positively impact society. Companies can pledge some percentage of their product, profit, equity, or staff time to charitable activities. Over 18,000 companies in more than 130 countries have utilized Pledge 1%’s flexible framework, generating half a billion dollars in new philanthropy.

By taking this pledge, FPT Software joins Fortune 500 companies and PEOPLE’s 100 Companies that Care like Salesforce and Atlassian, in dedicating a modest share of today’s achievements to a significant future impact. Other notable participants include global leaders in technology, such as Adobe, Slack and Udemy, leveraging their business as a force for good. 

In alignment with the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals, FPT Software demonstrated a strong commitment to corporate social responsibility and contributed to FPT Corporation’s 2023 CSR sponsorship that benefited 83,753 individuals across Vietnam, as well as its inaugural “Happy Run – Happy Footprints” race that attracted 191,000 participants globally, raising 3.6 billion VND to build school facilities in underserved areas. FPT Software’s employees are also encouraged to participate in the annual initiative of donating one day’s salary to the FPT People’s Fund for the Community, as well as the annual blood donation festival, which underscores the importance of solidarity and community well-being. 

Volunteer programs are organized across all FPT Software offices worldwide. The company also contributes to CSR efforts by fostering an inclusive work environment for over 30,000 employees globally, with over one-third being female. These efforts have earned the company several accolades, including an EcoVadis Silver Rating in 2023, an ESGBusiness Award for Job Creation in 2024, and recognition as a Great Place to Work in Vietnam, Japan, Singapore, Germany, the Philippines, and the US.

“FPT Software has always been proactive in supporting not only our partners, customers, and employees but also the well-being of the broader community. Before joining the Pledge 1% Movement, we already invested in initiatives that create positive social impact and contribute to a brighter future for all. In alignment with this program’s mission, we will continue to foster welfare and happiness in communities worldwide,” said Mdm. Chu Thi Thanh Ha, Chairwoman of FPT Software. 

“We are thrilled to welcome FPT Software to the Pledge 1% community and to see the continued global expansion of the movement,” said Amy Lesnick, CEO of Pledge 1%. “FPT Software’s industry leadership and commitment to driving positive social impact make them an invaluable partner as we work together to transform business into a force for good.”