Benevity
Benevity, Inc. is a certified B Corporation helps hundreds of the world’s most iconic companies bring their corporate purpose to life. Their leading technology enables companies to engage their employees, customers and communities in “Goodness,” including online giving, matching, volunteering, positive actions and community investment.
Recipient of: Technology Company of the Year (30+ Employees)
Finalist for: Employer of the Year
Interviewee: Kimberly Dean
What’s your company’s story?
A long, long time ago (in 2008), in a galaxy far, far away (a single room), five intrepid co-founders came together to form Benevity. Benevity, Inc. became one of Canada’s first certified B Corporations and, today, they’re helping hundreds of the most iconic companies in the world bring their corporate purpose to life through “Goodness.” In early 2018, Benevity acquired TrustCSR, a UK-based corporate social responsibility consultancy, and Versaic Inc., a leading grants, donation and sponsorship management solution provider to more than 100 of the world’s largest companies. Around this time, Benevity also announced that General Atlantic, a leading global growth equity firm, had made a strategic investment in the company to continue to propel them into their next phase of growth. Last year, Benevity expanded their existing Canadian offices with a new space in Toronto and nearly doubling the Victoria team, all to support Benevity’s growing client community which now includes over 550 companies!
Who do you work with? What are some interesting projects you’re involved in?
Benevity works with leading global brands like NIKE, TripAdvisor, Microsoft and Apple to engage their people, customers and communities in “Goodness,” including giving, volunteering, positive actions and community investment.
A few of Benevity’s interesting projects include:
• Partnerships with Chic Geek and Next Gen Men, who continue to build a more vibrant, inclusive and diverse technology landscape. Benevity hosts inspiring talks, social events and more so women and men can learn more about tech.
• Benevity recently hosted 22 young women, in partnership with Operation Minerva, to learn more about STEM opportunities and hosted a meet up for IGDA Victoria.
What are you most proud of in the work that you do?
The people (and the impact they make!) is what makes Benevity proud. Doing good isn’t just what Benevity-ites do — it’s who they are. And together with their clients they are working every day to empower more people to do good, creating a network effect that has the power the change the world! Benevity-ites utilize their own software to enable donations to more than 2 million vetted charities around the world, and can receive volunteer rewards and matching on all donations 1:1 through the platform. Plus, Benevity’s base of 10 million users have donated over 3 billion dollars, and 15 million hours of volunteering time this year to almost 150,000 charities worldwide. Now that’s collective impact!
If your team had a theme song, what would it be and why?
“Imagine” by John Lennon.
“Imagine all the people / Sharing all the world…I hope someday you will join us / And the world will live as one.” Benevity believes in the power of small actions and the role of individuals. On a daily basis, the team reimagines how they can help empower every single person to become an agent of change—and it starts with their own people. Benevity-ites volunteer year-round, and frequently run internal campaigns for important dates like #GivingTuesday, National Volunteer Week, Pride Week, Earth Day, Bike to Work Week and more!
What are some hopes and dreams for your company?
Imagine a world where doing good was a part of everyday life. Facing the world’s biggest challenges—famine, disease, water crises, unprecedented natural disasters, religious and racially motivated attacks—it can be hard to believe that individual actions can have an impact. But Benevity believes in the power of small actions and the role of individuals. Benevity dreams of creating a culture of purpose where, through their newest positive actions module called Missions, they can empower every single person to become an agent of change in their own lives. It’s a pretty lofty goal, but Benevity has the people to make it happen.
Why is Victoria a great spot for your organization?
Benevity’s headquarters is in Calgary, but it could be said that their “heartquarters” is in Victoria. Cheesy, maybe, but Victoria is the perfect place for a company like Benevity—a tech-driven business with a strong social mission. Not only is the province home to leading post-secondary institutions where connections are made with many future Benevity-ites, but the people are kind, the weather is nearly perfect and the opportunity to make a big impact is abundant! The team in the Victoria office embodies what makes this community so great. They’re the most active users of Benevity’s own software across the company and they love making an impact for local charities like Green Teams, Soap for Hope and Our Place Society.