谷歌母公司Alphabet新任董事会主席:创新需要这三类人美国时间的2月1日,Google 母公司 Alphabet 在季度财报会议上宣布,任命资深董事约翰·亨尼斯(John Hennessy)为新任董事会主席,取代长期担任这一职务的埃里克·施密特(Eric Schmidt)。
约翰·亨尼斯是谁?小探此前曾经撰文介绍过,亨尼斯从2000年到2016年担任斯坦福大学校长,并于2004年加入Google董事会,并从2007年起就开始担任董事会的首席独立董事。
今天,小探就再来跟大家重温一下这位被网景创始人马克安德森誉为“硅谷教父”大牛的思想,以及斯坦福和谷歌的故事。
斯坦福跟谷歌结缘的故事
硅谷作为全世界创业的中心,是创业者心目中的圣地。斯坦福大学就是硅谷创新不得不提的一个重要驱动力量。
可以说,斯坦福大学为硅谷的形成和崛起奠定了坚实的基础,培养了众多高科技公司的领导者,其中就包括谷歌、惠普、雅虎、特斯拉、Firefox、艺电、Sun、NVIDIA、思科、及eBay等公司的创始人。
我们都知道,谷歌的两位创始人拉里·佩奇(Larry Page) 及谢尔盖·布林(Sergey Brin)都曾就读斯坦福大学。这也是他们在斯坦福读书时发明的。
亨尼斯就曾经讲述过斯坦福跟 Google 的故事。在亨尼斯看来,虽然拉里.佩奇提出的一些研究观点令他在斯坦福导师特里·维诺格拉德(Terry Winograd)摸不着头脑,但是特里还是从里面挑出了网页搜索这个相对最靠谱的方向。
Google 最早其实是对电子数据库里进行检索,Page Rank 算法就是借鉴了学术界里引用(citation)次数的思路,不过在网页上citation变成了超链接。Google 不是第一个搜索引擎,但是 Google 诞生后搜索质量就立马超越了当时的其他搜素引擎。
PageRank 专利最早是由斯坦福大学申请专利,当 Google 成立后,斯坦福大学技术授权办公室同意将 PageRank 专利许可给 Larry Page 及 Sergey Brin,因此Google 可以使用 PageRank 技术直至2011年。
斯坦福大学拥有教授及学生的在校期间的研究成果,但它通常会将这些专利许可给发明者,让他们可以使用。由于 Google 初期并没有足够现金,因此斯坦福大学决定持有 Google 的极小部分股份作为条件,这对双方而言是双赢,后来斯坦福也因此获得上亿美元的回报。
亨尼斯认为,这就是斯坦福大学崛起的一个重要原因:找到最好的人,然后给他们自由,让他们自己做决定。斯坦福大学的教授和学生有着充分的学术自由,虽然斯坦福也会有重点和优先的研究方向,但是不会去规划具体的研究日程和研究细节。
斯坦福的秘密武器
在过去十几年做校长的时间里,约翰·亨尼斯毫无疑问把斯坦福大学变成了最好的学校,是目前为止世界上最伟大的教育家之一。
2011年,时任美国总统奥巴马曾邀请乔布斯、扎克伯格、时任Google CEO Schmidt 等科技行业领袖共进晚餐,亨尼斯是唯一受邀参与的非商业领袖,可见他在硅谷的影响力非同一般。
那么斯坦福大学是如何在硅谷崛起的过程中扮演关键角色的呢?这位斯坦福老校长曾讲了两个关键,第一是斯坦福如何在学校内提倡创新,第二是斯坦福如何将科研成果转化为产品。
那么,斯坦福大学是如何在学校内鼓励创新的?
最关键的是人!
约翰·亨尼斯表示创新需要几类人:有远见的预言者、探索者、无畏的执行者。
有远见的预言者能够看到一项技术可能带来的革命性变化,他们能够从一而终,致力于将新技术的使用门槛降低,通过各种方式将成本降低、把新技术普及。
革命性的技术出来后,大家可能都不清楚应用场景和机会在哪里,探索者就会通过各种尝试将新技术应用于可能的场景。
无畏的执行者则是通过不懈的努力将愿景变成现实。
有远见的预言者的典型例子是吉姆·克拉克(Jim Clark)。吉姆·克拉克是斯坦福大学电机系副教授,他的天才在于他洞察未来发展趋势的才能。一旦捕捉到趋势,就果断地创建公司,并组织一批人才进行开拓。
在看到图形技术特别是 3D 图形技术的巨大潜力后,在 1982 年,克拉克创办了利用软件和硬件加速来显示 3D 图像的公司 SGI,SGI 成为世界领先的好莱坞视觉特效和 3D 图像生产商,成了整个 3D 行业的缔造者。
1993年,在看到图形浏览器的巨大潜力后,克拉克又找到了 Mosaic 的开发者马克·安德森,这是互联网上第一个普及和易于使用的浏览器。后来,克拉克和安德森一起创立了网景通信公司。网景于1996年IPO,克拉克500万美元的投资赚到了20亿美元的收益。
在第二点技术转化时,亨尼斯强调技术转化(transfer technology)其实最重要的是人的转化(transfer people)。
技术是死的,但技术的发明人一定是最懂这项技术的人,知道这项技术的优缺点,而且是最愿意把时间和精力奉献到这项技术上的人。
而且,一项技术出来后距离真正的商业化还有很长一段路,往往需要技术发明人以创业者的心态持续的投入。
亨尼斯也讲到了惠普的故事。当年惠普创办的时候,都没有风险投资,在车库里创业。他们当时建了一栋办公楼叫Redwood Building, 这栋楼建的风格有点像商场。两位创始人心里想的是,如果惠普失败了,就把这栋楼用来开百货商店。
斯坦福大学认为,学校里学生是非常关键的,他们给研究生的经费比教授更多,斯坦福校友是创业的主力,同时斯坦福也持续的给学生投入。
创新浪潮并不连续
亨尼斯认为,创新的浪潮总是一波接一波的到来,而不是连续的。
比如,1940-60年代是电子时代,诞生了惠普等公司,1960-80年代是集成电路(IC)时代,诞生了英特尔、AMD、英伟达等巨头,1975-85年代是微处理器和VLSI时代,诞生了SGI、SUN、MIPS等公司。1985-2000年代则是互联网时代,诞生了Cisco、雅虎、谷歌等巨头。而2015-201X则是社交和移动时代,诞生了Snapchat、Instagram等公司。
而如今是人工智能的时代,人工智能将会带来翻天覆地的变化。可以说,这跟谷歌宣布的“All in AI ”战略有相符合之处。
这是节选自硅谷密探携手长城会创始人、董事长文厨的节目《小邮差看世界》第二期——斯坦福前校长约翰·亨尼斯。更多精彩回放可以看会密探此前文章:独家 | 斯坦福老校长揭密斯坦福如何缔造硅谷传奇?文章里有我们和长城会、第六日创造联合推出的视频,长城会董事长文厨与约翰·亨尼斯进行对话。
资讯
2018年02月11日
资讯
2018年50个最佳工作场所一览 The 50 Best Workplaces for Giving Back in 2018
By FORTUNE EDITORS February 9, 2018
现今,员工对企业的要求越来越多,而不再仅限于对薪水和身份的需求 - 他们希望自己的工作有正面的影响。但是现在的企业慈善捐款往往只是公关活动。但对于以下这些公司来说,并非如此,这些公司所做的超越了他们的使命,他们捐出现金,贡献专业知识以及大量志愿时间。“财富”合作伙伴Great Place to Work,梳理了成千上万的员工调查,通过员工评选出了在变革创新方面做的最好的企业,汇集出了以下50家美国公司名单。
Increasingly, employees are asking for more from companies than just a paycheck and an ID badge—they want to know their work has a positive impact. But corporate philanthropic contributions these days often seem like little more than PR campaigns. Not so at these companies, which truly go above and beyond in their mission to give back—donating cash, expertise, and lots (and lots) of volunteer hours. Fortune partner Great Place to Work combed through hundreds of thousands of employee surveys to compile the following list of the U.S. companies that workers say are doing the best job at making a difference.
Click here to read more about the list, and find out more about how the ranking is compiled here.
1. Salesforce
Courtesy of Salesforce
Employees say:
“Salesforce really cares about giving back to the community. You get additional time off specifically for volunteering, and my manager strongly encourages me to take it, and takes her time herself. I feel like I can trust executives to ‘put their money where their mouth is’ when they make commitments. For example, Marc Benioff himself personally supports a variety of causes, as well as advocating for them publicly.”
“Salesforce’s dedication to Volunteer Time Off and other philanthropic initiatives is unlike anything I’ve experienced or even heard about at other companies. It is an important part of our culture from top to bottom.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
U.S. headquarters: San Francisco
Industry: Information Technology
Worldwide employees: 27,070
Total Philanthropic Donations: $177,200,000
Offers PTO for Volunteering: Yes
Offers Employee Matching Funds: Yes
2. Bank of America
Courtesy of Bank of America
Employees say:
“Our volunteer efforts are second-to-none. We are encouraged to engage in our community as a way to make our city better. This means discussions about economic mobility, race relations, hunger and literacy, and any other issue that we feel personally inspired to support. Each employee is given two hours a week to volunteer to help spark that process.”
“The company is constantly looking for ways to contribute to the community. Recently we had a book drive and donated over 450 books to a local community outreach center.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
U.S. headquarters: Charlotte, N.C.
Industry: Financial Services & Insurance
Worldwide employees: 200,000
Total Philanthropic Donations: $176,173,927
Offers PTO for Volunteering: Yes
Offers Employee Matching Funds: Yes
3. Cisco
Courtesy of Cisco
Employees say:
“The community service program is outstanding, whether donating funds or time. Five work days annually for giving back to the community is generous. I love reading the stories of how employees have chosen to use their time around the world. The matching gift program is extremely generous, and the funds provided for volunteer hours is so beneficial.”
“I love the unique week of time off we get to volunteer in the community.That shows that Cisco is committed to being a part of the community and makes me proud to work here.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
U.S. headquarters: San Jose, Calif.
Industry: Information Technology
Worldwide employees: 72,063
Total Philanthropic Donations: $309,400,000
Offers PTO for Volunteering: Yes
Offers Employee Matching Funds: Yes
4. Merck
Courtesy of Merck
Employees say:
“Volunteering with community programs (individually or as part of a group) is both encouraged and supported with financial gift programs to these organizations and time away from work to support the community (for instance the United Way Day of Action). To me, this shows that “Merck gives back” is not just a slogan, but a way of doing business and being a good neighbor and citizen in the local community.”
“It’s great that they encourage you to volunteer during work hours. Volunteering gives you the personal satisfaction of knowing that you’re helping out while making you feeling more fulfilled. It makes you a more well-rounded person.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
U.S. headquarters: Kenilworth, N.J.
Industry: Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals
Worldwide employees: 69,000
Total Philanthropic Donations: $910,600,000
Offers PTO for Volunteering: Yes
Offers Employee Matching Funds: Yes
5. Nvidia
Photograph by Joshua A. Wise
Employees say:
“Nvidia is committed to supporting our community and making it a better place to live. Several years ago we opted out of holiday parties and instead spent that money and hundreds/thousands of employee hours to invest in refreshing schools nearby with facelifts, new equipment, sod, murals, new paint. It brings Nvidian’s together for a common good, benefits schools in dire need of an upgrade and is a great team building activity. That is just one example.”
“Instead of spending money on a Christmas holiday party, we volunteer and help out the local community in our yearly event called Project Inspire. We team up to tackle things like improving local high school classrooms or enhancing playgrounds.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
U.S. headquarters: Santa Clara, Calif.
Industry: Information Technology
Worldwide employees: 10,771
Total Philanthropic Donations: $8,320,000
Offers PTO for Volunteering: Yes
Offers Employee Matching Funds: Yes
6. Deloitte
Courtesy of Deloitte
Employees say:
“Deloitte is committed to its communities in which it does work—especially looking for opportunities to support underprivileged members of the community. Not only do we set aside Impact Day, but we also actively support individuals pursue their passions with local charities.”
“Deloitte invests in being a good member of its community, wherever we are. Impact Day, a day of service, is an amazing keystone event, but community service also is supported and encouraged throughout the year.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
U.S. headquarters: New York City
Industry: Professional Services
Worldwide employees: 87,091
Offers PTO for Volunteering: Yes
Offers Employee Matching Funds: Yes
7. Intuit
Courtesy of Intuit
Employees say:
“There is a sense of community. Whether it is to answer the call of urgent help needed by a local non-profit or to help one of our own, the company is full of great people who rally together to help. For example, an organization that helps homeless teens had their pantry robbed. One of the Intuit employees found out and started an immediate food drive and everyone started contributing. That’s just one example.”
“I’m very proud that one of our values is “We Care and Give Back,” this is a genuine value, from the special weeks of service Intuit holds to the fact that we have up to 32 hours a year we can spend on volunteer activities to serve our community.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
U.S. headquarters: Mountain View, Calif.
Industry: Information Technology
Worldwide employees: 8,223
Total Philanthropic Donations: $49,554,024
Offers PTO for Volunteering: Yes
Offers Employee Matching Funds: Yes
8. AbbVie
Courtesy of Abbvie
Employees say:
“AbbVie lets employees participate in events that benefit the community: Helping a local school set up its renovated library; assisting with cleanup a nearby state park; many other things too. ”
“AbbVie goes above and beyond to give back to the communities in which its employees work and live, and encourages employees to participate by volunteering (allowing time off to do so). ”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
U.S. headquarters: North Chicago
Industry: Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals
Worldwide employees: 27,910
Offers PTO for Volunteering: Yes
Offers Employee Matching Funds: Yes
9. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Courtesy of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Employees say:
“In terms of non-profit philanthropic organizations, the fact that we focus on impact investing sets us apart to some degree. Every dollar that we invest with our partners is scrutinized to ensure that it is directly impacting a root cause of inequity. That makes it easy to see the line between one’s work and the benefit it provides. This feeling that you are providing genuine value to the world community is intensely satisfying.”
“We have 3:1 matching gifts for employee charitable donations including a new program to honor employee anniversary milestones at 5, 10, 15, 20, etc. years by giving $5,000+ for employees to donate. ”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
U.S. headquarters: Seattle
Worldwide employees: 1,531
Total Philanthropic Donations: 9,522,950
Offers PTO for Volunteering: Yes
Offers Employee Matching Funds: Yes
10. Autodesk
Courtesy of Autodesk
Employees say:
“The way this company cares about the community, I’ve never been involved with another company that gives so much back. They offer so many ways for employees to be involved with volunteering, matching donations, even donating money to match volunteer hours. ”
“The Autodesk Foundation is unique in my experience, and engages with the community in ways that benefits the community and is consistent with Autodesk’s core strategies—it’s a model for how corporations can and should add value to the community.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
U.S. headquarters: San Rafael, Calif.
Industry: Information Technology
Worldwide employees: 8,794
Total Philanthropic Donations: $20,900,000
Offers PTO for Volunteering: Yes
Offers Employee Matching Funds: Yes
11. Dixon Schwabl
Courtesy of Dixon Schwabl
Employees say:
“As someone new to the company, I love seeing how compassionate everyone is. I have yet to come across someone working here that isn’t involved with helping others in our community. I love that, it is so beautiful. I have also seen people band together to help one another during personal strife, without any hesitations. The people here, starting from the very top, are amazing! I am so glad that I am here and a part of this wonderful group of people. ”
“Each year we are given one free day of PTO to volunteer in the community. They also organize group volunteer opportunities based on people’s interests quarterly. This has allowed me to get involved in organizations I wouldn’t have had a chance to.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
U.S. headquarters: Victor, N.Y.
Industry: Advertising & Marketing
U.S. employees: 120
Total Philanthropic Donations: $1,600,000
Offers PTO for Volunteering: Yes
Offers Employee Matching Funds: Yes
12. NuStar Energy
Courtesy of NuStar
Employees say:
“Nustar also cares about the community and being able to help others, this is very genuine as it comes from the top. They also participate and donate to help others less fortunate. This is an amazing company to work for. ”
“The emphasis on giving back to the community is what drew me to NuStar in the first place. There are several opportunities for many different causes at any given time. There is something for everyone!”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
U.S. headquarters: San Antonio, Texas
Industry: Transportation
Worldwide employees: 1,684
Total Philanthropic Donations: $9,030,223
Offers PTO for Volunteering: Yes
Offers Employee Matching Funds: Yes
13. Cadence
Courtesy of Cadence
Employees say:
“Many of us like to volunteer for community services, and the company recently expanded the volunteer time-off program and corporate matching of donations.”
“Cadence’s desire to help the community and allow employees to take additional time off to support their local charities demonstrates the company’s desire to give back and allow for good work/life balance. ”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
U.S. headquarters: San Jose, Calif.
Industry: Electronics
Worldwide employees: 7,126
Offers PTO for Volunteering: Yes
Offers Employee Matching Funds: Yes
14. VMware
Courtesy of VMware
Employees say:
“Aside from its ability to adapt and continually make industry changing contributions, this place is so philanthropic and conscious of society and the Earth. I have never felt so much inspiration to give back to my community or to adjust my lifestyle to be less of a strain on the Earth. And the best part is the company rewards you for doing so. I give this credit to our leader, Pat Gelsinger, who truly lives the values he speaks.”
“VMWare gives so much back to the community. I’ve been here 4 months and have already done Habitat for Humanity during work hours and at new hire training we did a charity event assisting the homeless in the Bay Area.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
U.S. headquarters: Palo Alto, Calif.
Industry: Information Technology
Worldwide employees: 21,098
Total Philanthropic Donations: $7,456,480
Offers PTO for Volunteering: Yes
Offers Employee Matching Funds: Yes
15. Patagonia
Courtesy of Patagonia
Employees say:
“Placing value on the environment and humanity above company profits—using the least harmful factories, using the least harmful methods to obtain raw materials for products, endorsing and supporting eco-friendly people & organizations, being a platform for positive social change through communications and rallying on the website and in interviews with the press, encouraging employees to enjoy time in nature and with each other during the workday, providing employees with opportunities to come together to work on community efforts as part of their workday, etc., etc.—carrying out all of these practices and ending up as an extremely successful company creates a very rare and positive example for the world, and it also creates a feeling of pride in me to be working for such a company.”
“Environmental activism in every store, opportunities to be involved with grassroots environmental groups. Great support in planning fun and creative events for the community.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
U.S. headquarters: Ventura, Calif.
Industry: Retail
Worldwide employees: 2,120
Total Philanthropic Donations: $10,900,000
Offers PTO for Volunteering: Yes
Offers Employee Matching Funds: Yes
16. Ultimate Software
Courtesy of Ultimate Software
Employees say:
“Ultimate also gives back to the community on a regular basis, and invites all employees to join, by giving us paid time off for community service outside our standard PTO. We also have various community service groups that are open to anyone in the company, for a variety of causes.”
“We do so many charity events, for example at a recent conference we raised money for a hospice care facility that cared for a former employee who recently passed and as a team building activity we all built 100 bikes for Kids in Distress.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
U.S. headquarters: Weston, Fla.
Industry: Information Technology
Worldwide employees: 3,792
Total Philanthropic Donations: $2,244,000
Offers PTO for Volunteering: Yes
Offers Employee Matching Funds: Yes
17. Genentech
Courtesy of Genentech
Employees say:
“Genentech Gives Back is not just a banner but a philosophy to take time to give back locally to our community. I really look forward to the time dedicated to give back to my community and know that this attitude prevails from coast to coast within our Genentech family.”
“I love how much Genentech cares about giving back to the community. This is one of the reasons why I am so proud to work here. I know that giving back to the community locally as well as globally is one of the values that Genentech keeps at heart.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
U.S. headquarters: South San Francisco
Industry: Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals
U.S. employees: 15,064
Offers PTO for Volunteering: No
Offers Employee Matching Funds: Yes
18. Roche Diagnostics
Courtesy of Roche
Employees say:
“We are encouraged to attend events such as the Keep Indianapolis Beautiful event and the Roche Open (proceeds go to charity) even though they occur during working hours.”
“Roche continually looks for ways to enrich its employees’ lives and positively impact the community. Volunteer opportunities abound and Roche’s strategic giving is impressive. ”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
U.S. headquarters: Indianapolis, Ind.
Industry: Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals
Worldwide employees: 94,000
Total Philanthropic Donations: $8,000,000
Offers PTO for Volunteering: Yes
Offers Employee Matching Funds: Yes
19. Texas Health Resources
Courtesy of Texas Health Resources
Employees say:
“One of the reasons Texas Health Resources is a great place to work is because our employees not only care for one another but they also care about the surrounding community. A unique example of this would be the THR Associates Campaign as well as the Employee Community Giving Campaign. Every year THR employees are given the opportunity to participate in the Associates Campaign; which helps fund select programs throughout the THR System. Additionally, employees can donate to local North Texas nonprofit organizations that share THR’s Mission, Vision, and Values during the Employee Community Giving Campaign. ”
“THR is a community focused organization, not just when it comes to healthcare, but about serving the community overall. We have FREE shred day and time off to volunteer with any organization we choose and I can’t say enough about that! ”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
U.S. headquarters: Arlington, Texas
Industry: Health Care
U.S. employees: 21,686
Total Philanthropic Donations: $871,602,176
Offers PTO for Volunteering: Yes
Offers Employee Matching Funds: No
20. Elevation Church
Courtesy of Elevation Church
Employees say:
“This organization encourages growth and community with staff gatherings and events to commemorate significant milestones in our church. I have never worked for an organization that cares so much about the wellbeing of their employees and their families like this organization does.”
“I love that what we do changes people’s lives and we keep that in front of ourselves constantly. We talk about stories of life change in department meetings, at all-staff meetings and we’re encouraged to share them with any volunteer teams we lead.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
U.S. headquarters: Matthews, N.C.
Worldwide employees: 5
Total Philanthropic Donations: $5,657,422
Offers PTO for Volunteering: Yes
Offers Employee Matching Funds: No
21. Kronos
Courtesy of Kronos Incorporated
Employees say:
“Kronos truly cares about giving back to the community. They often sponsor work days at local schools, encourage local volunteering and donate to charities.”
“Kronos invests in the community. I love it that the company sponsors it and makes it happen; the company isn’t just giving people a ‘volunteer day’ each year and leaving it to us to figure out how to spend that day.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
U.S. headquarters: Lowell, Mass.
Industry: Information Technology
Worldwide employees: 5,274
Offers PTO for Volunteering: Yes
Offers Employee Matching Funds: Yes
22. Stryker
Courtesy of Stryker
Employees say:
“Stryker is committed to the community and giving back to a number of organizations. It is great to see the highest level of management volunteering in the community, donating both time and money. I also think the work we do with Operation Smile is amazing and life changing for the patients as well as the volunteers.”
“We are encouraged to contribute to making healthcare better as well as making our community better and serving those around us, and we do it as teams and as individuals and certainly more than two days per year in the majority of peoples’ cases!”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
U.S. headquarters: Kalamazoo, Mich.
Industry: Manufacturing & Production
Worldwide employees: 28,933
Total Philanthropic Donations: $38,900,000
Offers PTO for Volunteering: Yes
Offers Employee Matching Funds: Yes
23. Veterans United Home Loans
Courtesy of Veteran United Home Loans
Employees say:
“The company gives constantly. Much of the focus is on the community and culture here. We have numerous fun events, groups, and opportunities to get involved on a personal level. I am in a Dad’s group and a Bible study every week. I ride with a group of about 100 folks in the MS150 in the fall. Pretty awesome stuff!”
“How we give back—we give back to the community through volunteer hours to large donations like no other company I have encountered. We also give back to our employees with an outstanding culture of recognition and fun. It truly is unique. ”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
U.S. headquarters: Columbia, Mo.
Industry: Financial Services & Insurance
U.S. employees: 2,419
Total Philanthropic Donations: $9,571,000
Offers PTO for Volunteering: No
Offers Employee Matching Funds: Yes
24. Workday
Courtesy of Workday
Employees say:
“Community involvement—there have been numerous times when out and about while wearing a Workday t-shirt that I have been approached about some of the volunteer work I or other workmates have been involved—just random people thanking us…makes you feel good and when they ask about what Workday does it surprises them that a tech company gives back so much ”
“Workday offers so many opportunities to volunteer and help the community. I’ve always wanted to do some of these things but always made an excuse. Workday gives you the avenue to do this and encourages it. Working here has made me a better person. ”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
U.S. headquarters: Pleasanton, Calif.
Industry: Information Technology
Worldwide employees: 7060
Total Philanthropic Donations: 3424426
Offers PTO for Volunteering: Yes
Offers Employee Matching Funds: Yes
25. American Transmission Company
Courtesy of ATC
Employees say:
“ATC supports the community. We are given 15 personal days which can be used for sick OR for volunteering! I’ve been here only 2 months and I’ve already participated in one day of volunteering with my team, and have been invited to participate in another. My manager discussed with me before I started that because my children’s school is a 503(c) organization, I can use that time to volunteer for their school. And as if that wasn’t good enough, you can roll those days over if you don’t use them.”
“I very much enjoy the volunteer activities that are encouraged. I feel great personally after volunteering. And I very much appreciate the shared experience it allows me to have with the people that I spend most of my time with 5+ days a week.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
U.S. headquarters: Waukesha, Wis.
Industry: Manufacturing & Production
U.S. employees: 659
Total Philanthropic Donations: $737,305
Offers PTO for Volunteering: Yes
Offers Employee Matching Funds: Yes
26. Voya Financial
Courtesy of Voya Financial
Employees say:
“There is a big emphasis on helping the community as well as our customers. There is month-long giving campaign each year to encourage employees to donate to charities, paid time off is given to participant in volunteer activities, and a big part of our annual review is based on how we have improved the lives of our customers.”
“The company culture is very community and volunteer oriented. The commitment from senior management to give back to all the communities we do business in is truly amazing and gives employees a great deal of pride.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
U.S. headquarters: New York City
Industry: Financial Services & Insurance
Worldwide employees: 6,601
Total Philanthropic Donations: $6,680,430
Offers PTO for Volunteering: Yes
Offers Employee Matching Funds: Yes
27. Crowe Horwath
Courtesy of Crowe Horwath
Employees say:
“Crowe management and employees genuinely care about one another, and this caring internal community transcends into a caring spirit for the external community. Crowe is very involved in community financial and volunteer support—possibly one of the greatest contributors to various organizations in the area!”
“I think the atmosphere of giving back to the community sets this company apart. The company goes to great lengths to make sure that each employee has the opportunity to serve their community in any way they can.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
U.S. headquarters: Chicago
Industry: Professional Services
U.S. employees: 3,600
Total Philanthropic Donations: $1,650,000
Offers PTO for Volunteering: Yes
Offers Employee Matching Funds: Yes
28. West Monroe Partners
Courtesy of West Monroe Partners
Employees say:
“The Fischer Fellowship sponsors employees for 6 weeks to 6 months to volunteer for meaningful global causes. This program supports a handful of candidates annually, and is a concrete example of West Monroe’s commitment to the people at our firm and the global community we are part of.”
“West Monroe Partners provides ample opportunities to give back to the community while rewarding those who do to gain additional PTO. This motivates the employees to be part of the community but in a meaningful way.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
U.S. headquarters: Chicago
Industry: Professional Services
Worldwide employees: 850
Total Philanthropic Donations: $750,000
Offers PTO for Volunteering: Yes
Offers Employee Matching Funds: Yes
29. Adobe Systems
Courtesy of Adobe
Employees say:
“There are almost weekly listings of ways that we can, and are encouraged, to contribute back to the community. Ranging from charitable donations to volunteer work to even organizing events of our own. I know that other companies also do this, but I have not seen it so openly on display with regular reminders not only on our intranet but also in the elevators and in weekly company emails. I feel that there is a very sincere fostering of giving back to the community.”
“They have always given back to the communities where we operate. They match employee donations up to $10,000 a year. When really bad things happen in the world, they sometimes will match employee donations 2-1. Hard to beat that.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
U.S. headquarters: San Jose, Calif.
Industry: Information Technology
Worldwide employees: 17,373
Total Philanthropic Donations: $37,867,480
Offers PTO for Volunteering: No
Offers Employee Matching Funds: Yes
30. Old Navy
Courtesy of Old Navy
Employees say:
“What makes Gap Inc. a great place to work is the emphasis it puts on community. The company strives to give to the community not just financially but also from a hands on approach. There is constantly a community volunteer or outreach program going on. If you volunteer on your own outside of work, the company will match your hours and give a donation to your non-profit for the time you volunteer, which is AMAZING!”
“The amount of community service and volunteering that we do as a brand is amazing. From a store level upward the differences we make in our communities is absolutely amazing, and something I am extremely proud of. ”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
U.S. headquarters: San Francisco
Industry: Retail
Worldwide employees: 57,115
Offers PTO for Volunteering: Yes
Offers Employee Matching Funds: Yes
31. Baird
Courtesy of Baird
Employees say:
“Baird not only encourages us to have a positive impact on the community they help facilitate. The provide time to volunteer in the community. They also provide financial resources, through the charitable giving matching program. This is important to me because we a successful company and we should be giving back in as many ways as possible. Through their commitment to community, Baird provides opportunities to every employee no matter what your role may be in the company.”
“I love the fact that we have Baird Cares Days and can use them to volunteer in the community. We also have a full week dedicated to giving back to the community. I am also very happy that we have matching contributions for our charitable gifts.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
U.S. headquarters: Milwaukee, Wis.
Industry: Financial Services & Insurance
Worldwide employees: 3,338
Total Philanthropic Donations: $4,332,147
Offers PTO for Volunteering: Yes
Offers Employee Matching Funds: Yes
32. American Express
Courtesy of American Express
Employees say:
“American Express makes a great effort to have employees feel connect to each other and to the community. We do office wide events such as family movie night as well as volunteer activities as a team/department at least once a quarter. This helps us stay a tight knit group who has more in common that just a job.”
“I really appreciate the Serve2gether program. I’ve been active in my community and I’ve applied for a grant ($500) from AXP for the last few years for Keep Taylor Beautiful. $500 is a lot of money for a small non-profit that uses 100% volunteer labor!”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
U.S. headquarters: New York City
Industry: Financial Services & Insurance
Worldwide employees: 54,879
Total Philanthropic Donations: $36,000,000
Offers PTO for Volunteering: Yes
Offers Employee Matching Funds: Yes
33. Cornerstone OnDemand
Courtesy of Cornerstone OnDemand
Employees say:
“Its dedication to maintaining a strong culture is key for the organization. Even as it grows, things change, but the culture seems to remain the same, which is great! The Foundation is also something that really sticks out about the organization. How we assist others in need like disasteready.org, etc. Just recently our company matched all funds that we, as employees, contributed towards the Hurricane Disasters in Houston, etc. Really cool how we interact with the non-profit community!”
“Cornerstone consistently encourages employees to get involved in the community. I was able to participate in SPARK, a mentorship program that pairs us with students in under-served communities to educate them on the benefits staying in school.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
U.S. headquarters: Santa Monica, Calif.
Industry: Information Technology
Worldwide employees: 1,952
Total Philanthropic Donations: $150,000
Offers PTO for Volunteering: Yes
Offers Employee Matching Funds: Yes
34. Clif Bar & Company
Courtesy of Clif Bar & Company
Employees say:
“ Having a company that not only has values, but leverages them, celebrates them and keeps them alive in the organization is great. Clif Bar goes one step (or ten steps) further with the Aspirations. They give life to everything we do and serve as a barometer for the success and decision criteria for everything we undertake as a company. Using the aspirations has led us to not only expand our business but to also work to the greater good even without a direct gain for the company; only because it is the right thing to do for the world. For example fighting for the rights of farmers in our supply chain. It could end up costing us more, but it’s the right thing to do for those farmers and humanity as a whole. Never before have I seen a company operate with such a higher purpose.”
“There are many opportunities to get involved with things I care about. Community service projects are hosted frequently. I can also donate bars or money (matched up to $2K) to an organization of my choice. I love this! ”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
U.S. headquarters: Emeryville, Calif.
Industry: Manufacturing & Production
Worldwide employees: 1,111
Total Philanthropic Donations: $8,916,263
Offers PTO for Volunteering: Yes
Offers Employee Matching Funds: Yes
35. SAP America
Courtesy of SAP
Employees say:
“SAP does great things for the community and really puts an emphasis on giving back. We have lots of service opportunities internally that make us feel like we are making a difference in the world, not just within our company.”
“The company also encourages employees in supporting non-work activities. These are typically charitable or community improvement events. These make the employees feel connected to the community, supportive and proud of SAP in its participation.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
U.S. headquarters: Newtown Square, Pa.
Industry: Information Technology
Worldwide employees: 84,962
Total Philanthropic Donations: $4,350,000
Offers PTO for Volunteering: Yes
Offers Employee Matching Funds: Yes
36. Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
Courtesy of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta
Employees say:
“As an organization, I truly believe that Children’s is mission-driven in all that we do. While I am non-clinical, I am reminded everyday of the important work that we do here. When children have nowhere else to turn, we are their advocates. When families experience the worst-case scenario, we support them. Our nurses, physicians, volunteers, and other staff all care deeply about the children we care for. It is not uncommon for our staff to volunteer their free time at the hospital, because they want to do more for our patients. Children’s may not be perfect, but it is an absolutely incredible organization that is dedicated to making children’s lives better. I am proud to work for Children’s—too many times to count, I’ve been stopped while wearing Children’s-branded clothing, always someone expressing admiration and gratitude for the work we do.”
“Children’s is filled with caregivers and volunteers whose efforts provide an overwhelmingly positive atmosphere for patients and parents in their times of greatest weakness. The difference we make in people’s lives is visible on their faces.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
U.S. headquarters: Atlanta
Industry: Health Care
U.S. employees: 9,090
Total Philanthropic Donations: $205,500,000
Offers PTO for Volunteering: Yes
Offers Employee Matching Funds: No
37. Capital One Financial
Courtesy of Capital One Financial
Employees say:
“The opportunity to give back to the community in volunteerism is encouraged, even during working hours. There are always several opportunities available, for varying different skill levels, including on-site opportunities. Recently I was able to sign up to assist in the build of the various components needed to construct wheel chair ramps, and I was able to do it onsite, and then go back to my desk & continue my regularly scheduled work. Where else are you able to do that?”
“I’m excited about the community efforts Capital One has in the community. I love seeing the company I work for take an interest in my city by investing resources in supporting local interests, like recycling and composting through local farms.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
U.S. headquarters: McLean, Va.
Industry: Financial Services & Insurance
Worldwide employees: 47,148
Offers PTO for Volunteering: Yes
Offers Employee Matching Funds: Yes
38. PricewaterhouseCoopers
Courtesy of PwC
Employees say:
“PwC cares. They care for us, the team members, as well as the community at large. It feels good to see the way our leadership responds to all of the issues of the nation. This goes for our local leadership also. I look forward to coming to work each morning, so something must be going well.”
“PwC is a great place to work because it is a company that invests in you and the community and gives you a lot of diverse opportunities to learn and grow as a professional while making a difference in solving problems.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
U.S. headquarters: New York City
Industry: Professional Services
Worldwide employees: 223,000
Total Philanthropic Donations: $98,296,033
Offers PTO for Volunteering: Yes
Offers Employee Matching Funds: Yes
39. Synchrony Financial
Anthony Collins Photography
Employees say:
“Synchrony cares about the community and its employees. The company strives to promote others by encouragement and training. I know this from my own personal experience. I started in Customer Service and when the opportunity presented itself to move to Fraud, my manager worked with me to ensure I would be ready to grow. When I was selected for the position, I began to volunteer more and become more active with the community.”
“We have lot of volunteering activities, which gives us an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of many underprivileged children. I feel this unique trait makes this a great place to work.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
U.S. headquarters: Stamford, Conn.
Industry: Financial Services & Insurance
U.S. employees: 9,488
Total Philanthropic Donations: $5,190,175
Offers PTO for Volunteering: Yes
Offers Employee Matching Funds: Yes
40. Novo Nordisk
Courtesy of Novo Nordisk
Employees say:
“The Novo Nordisk Triple Bottom Line is not something management just talks about—everyone is aware of it and is encouraged to do everything to make it happen. Most department meetings involve an activity to give back to the community. There are many opportunities to be involved in giving back.”
“I’ve never worked for a company that cared so much about giving back to the community and giving employees time off from work to do that. I’ve participated in more social giving program in the last two years here, than my 20 year career.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
U.S. headquarters: Plainsboro, N.J.
Industry: Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals
Worldwide employees: 40,522
Total Philanthropic Donations: $9,000,000
Offers PTO for Volunteering: Yes
Offers Employee Matching Funds: Yes
41. Cooley
Courtesy of Cooley
Employees say:
“Cooley is special because they truly care about giving back to the community. The Boston office raised $33,718 for the Greater Boston Food Bank as part pf the Legal Food Frenzy competition. With the money Cooley raised, it was enough food to provide approximately 101,154 meals to people in need throughout Massachusetts. Cooley won the ‘Most Raised Overall by a Law Firm’ for a record setting third year in a row.”
“There are many opportunities to give back to the community, whether by working with Rebuilding Together, encouraging pro bono work, fundraising for families during Christmas, among many other things!”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
U.S. headquarters: Palo Alto, Calif.
Industry: Professional Services
Worldwide employees: 2,055
Total Philanthropic Donations: $37,420,973
Offers PTO for Volunteering: Yes
Offers Employee Matching Funds: No
42. Edward Jones
Courtesy of Edward Jones
Employees say:
“The company also focuses on giving back to the community, we have two major campaigns for United Way and Arts and Education but help many other organizations throughout St. Louis throughout the year. Edward Jones provides several volunteer projects that associates can help out with during the year and provides one day a year we can volunteer with any organization we want.”
“The firm has a HUGE heart and gives back to the community in so many ways: United Way, Junior Achievement, Race for the Cure, LGBT walk, AHA, St Louis Arts, etc. There are many opportunities to get engaged and you are given the time to get involved.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
U.S. headquarters: St. Louis
Industry: Financial Services & Insurance
Worldwide employees: 44,039
Total Philanthropic Donations: $11,200,000
Offers PTO for Volunteering: Yes
Offers Employee Matching Funds: No
43. World Wide Technology
Courtesy of WWT
Employees say:
“Every employee is offered and encouraged to take an extra day of paid time off, called a ‘Day of Caring’ to give back to the community in whatever your service passion might be. It is encouraged to take this day with your team to make a stronger impact in the community. This is in addition to the matching charitable contributions from the company.”
“One of the big reasons I came to WWT was because of their commitment to community and giving back. This is something I am committed to personally and I enjoy working for a company who shares the same values.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
U.S. headquarters: St. Louis
Industry: Information Technology
Worldwide employees: 4,200
Offers PTO for Volunteering: Yes
Offers Employee Matching Funds: Yes
44. Ernst & Young
Courtesy of EY
Employees say:
“EY also cares about our Community and gives back. Once a month we have a denim day. We donate $5 to a Non-profit organization (different every month) and get to wear jeans to work that day to represent the organization we donated to. We also have Connect Day every year where EY employees volunteer their time for the day and give back to the community. EY also participates in 5k run/walks and we run the absolute best Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day Event every year in April.”
“It’s a broader purpose of using what we do as an organization to make the world overall a better place. I believe this purpose unites our people. One specific example is EY Connect Day when everyone spends a day volunteering as a group.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
U.S. headquarters: New York City
Industry: Professional Services
Worldwide employees: 228,041
Total Philanthropic Donations: $55,598,683
Offers PTO for Volunteering: Yes
Offers Employee Matching Funds: Yes
45. SAS Institute
Courtesy of Steve Muir
Employees say:
“SAS provides us many opportunities to volunteer within the community. I was able to help with meal kits for seniors through the foodbankcenc. I really enjoyed it and can’t wait to help again! We also collect several donations throughout the year for various charities. It feels great to help our community out!”
“Our company demonstrates caring for our earth and community. I feel a sense of pride when I see my company name on exhibits at the state art and science museums. I think the education department contributes strongly toward public school curriculums.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
U.S. headquarters: Cary, N.C.
Industry: Information Technology
Worldwide employees: 14,136
Offers PTO for Volunteering: Yes
Offers Employee Matching Funds: Yes
46. Baptist Health South Florida
Courtesy of Baptist Health South Florida
Employees say:
“To build a cancer program, the hospital created a brand new center and moved physicians, staff, technology, and infrastructure into a place to deliver high quality care. To ensure that care was provided to all members of the community, the hospital partnered with its neighboring children’s hospitals in the community to guarantee that all children who needed treatment at our facility with proton therapy could receive it (without regard for insurance coverage and ability to pay). The hospital provided everything needed to provide multidisciplinary care (pediatric anesthesia, pediatric nurses, pediatric social worker, child life specialist) and whatever it could not provide, it worked with its partners to provide. There is no health care institution who has done so much for our most important patients, our children. This is a truly outstanding place to work.”
“There is a great focus on creating an workforce that is engaged and is able to contribute to its community. At the end of the day, our leaders care that we are able to do a good job and provide great care to our patients.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
U.S. headquarters: Coral Gables, Fla.
Industry: Health Care
U.S. employees: 16,210
Total Philanthropic Donations: $301,000,000
Offers PTO for Volunteering: No
Offers Employee Matching Funds: Yes
47. Prometheus Real Estate Group
Courtesy of Prometheus Real Estate
Employees say:
“We have amazing benefits, and most of the company leadership is exceptional. We truly care about our local communities and give back, and try to do things differently from the industry.”
“There is a great focus on creating an workforce that is engaged and is able to contribute to its community. At the end of the day, our leaders care that we are able to do a good job and provide great care to our patients.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
U.S. headquarters: Coral Gables, Fla.
Industry: Health Care
U.S. employees: 16,210
Total Philanthropic Donations: $301,000,000
Offers PTO for Volunteering: No
Offers Employee Matching Funds: Yes
47. Prometheus Real Estate Group
Courtesy of Prometheus Real Estate
Employees say:
“We have amazing benefits, and most of the company leadership is exceptional. We truly care about our local communities and give back, and try to do things differently from the industry.”
“I really enjoy working with my fellow Prometheans and enjoy what I do. With the volunteer programs such as Porch and other events, I feel a sense of satisfaction helping those in need.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
U.S. headquarters: San Mateo, Calif.
Industry: Construction & Real Estate
U.S. employees: 504
Total Philanthropic Donations: $128,625
Offers PTO for Volunteering: Yes
Offers Employee Matching Funds: No
48. Principal
Courtesy of Principal
Employees say:
“I think Principal has an extremely inclusive environment. We have employee resource groups who are always open to new members and want more people to get involved. Principal finds a way to make an imprint in the community with United Way and the Principal Charity Classic, and many other diverse sponsored events (to mention a few).”
“Principal will give their employees Paid Time Off to volunteer with their favorite organizations throughout the year. To me, it doesn’t get much better than a company that opts to help you grow as an individual, as a family, and as a community.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
U.S. headquarters: Des Moines, Iowa
Industry: Financial Services & Insurance
Worldwide employees: 14,690
Total Philanthropic Donations: $13,200,000
Offers PTO for Volunteering: Yes
Offers Employee Matching Funds: Yes
49. American Fidelity Assurance Company
Courtesy of American Fidelity Assurance
Employees say:
“The Oklahoma Blood Institute brings their staff to our office, five times each year, and American Fidelity allows our Colleagues paid time off to donate blood, at work. American Fidelity was recognized this year for our 100th blood drive with OBI. We have five donors who have been donating blood at American Fidelity since 1984. American Fidelity has the longest tenure of blood drives with the Oklahoma Blood Institute within our city. Five donors have donated over 100 times.”
“T-shirt days are always popular and our company incorporated a charitable donation with the activity, allowing colleagues to nominate the charities. Blood drives, food drives, and school supply drives are other great ways we help our neighbors.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
U.S. headquarters: Oklahoma City, Okla.
Industry: Financial Services & Insurance
U.S. employees: 1,826
Total Philanthropic Donations: $1,620,643
Offers PTO for Volunteering: Yes
Offers Employee Matching Funds: Yes
50. Hunton & Williams
Courtesy of Hunton & Williams
Employees say:
“I have only been working here for 8 months now but I think the dedication to client service and community service and the positive attitudes of everyone here makes this a fantastic place to work . It is a fun environment and people are friendly and approachable and good hearted to the core.”
“Hunton is always willing to support employees who want to invest in the community. I felt strongly about supporting the charitable work of a non-profit, and not only did the firm match my contributions, but individual partners gave as well.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
U.S. headquarters: Washington, D.C.
Industry: Professional Services
Worldwide employees: 1,432
Total Philanthropic Donations: $25,988,740
Offers PTO for Volunteering: Yes
Offers Employee Matching Funds: No
Methodology
Fortune‘s research partner, Great Place to Work, selects the Best Workplaces for Giving Back rankings based on feedback from 386,278 employees at Great Place to Work–Certified organizations. Employees completed Great Place to Work’s anonymous Trust Index survey, answering a detailed questionnaire that includes questions about how proud they are of their impact on the community, the difference they feel they make, and whether their work has special meaning. Results from the survey are highly reliable, having a 95% confidence level and a margin of error of 5% or less.
To select the list, Great Place to Work considers organizations’ policies regarding paid time off for volunteering and the extent to which they contribute generously to community and charitable causes through corporate donations and employee fund-matching programs. Final rankings are primarily based on employees’ own feedback on over 50 survey questions, with special emphasis on their connection to the organization’s community impact. Rankings reward organizations where not only the majority of their employees are proud of their community involvement, but these experiences are widely shared within the organization, regardless of who they are or what they do in the organization. Results take into account the complexity of the employee population and performance relative to peers.
To learn more about Great Place to Work Certification and be considered for Best Workplaces lists published by Fortune, visit greatplacetowork.com.