Akamai Foundation and Employee Resource Groups Unite
Written by Kara DiGiacomo, Executive Director, Akamai Foundation and Marco Irizarry, Global Manger, Diversity, Inclusion and Social Responsibility
On Giving Tuesday, we celebrate joining others in a global movement to give, collaborate, and transform communities and the world. As we think about how 2020 has challenged us in immeasurable ways, we have experienced an extraordinary amount of change, uncertainty, loss, and conflict.
That said, during these challenging times, we also draw inspiration from seeing so many people connect with others in new ways to focus on the well-being of others. One such unique collaboration is the pilot Akamai Foundation and Employee Resource Group (ERG) collaborative program built on coming together to drive positive social change year-round. The joint initiative combines the energy and passion of our global ERG members with the community partnerships and social impact of the Akamai Foundation. Forged by a common goal of connecting and unifying diverse groups, the program is built to strengthen community partnerships, drive inclusion and belonging, and engage employees in supporting organizations and programs they are passionate about.
In establishing our partnership, we ventured into unknown territory, uncertain about the outcome. We could not have predicted our pilot year would present a global pandemic, economic fragility, and social unrest. What we quickly grew to realize is that giving is a very real extension of Akamai’s mission to connect the world. This has inspired and challenged us, and we turned to giving as a way to heal and grow while supporting the frontline nonprofit organizations and workers serving others so selflessly.
In total, 20 global nonprofits were selected by our 11 Akamai ERGs and awarded a total of $110,000 in social impact grants. It has been energizing to partner together and invest in important programs that propel underrepresented and underserved groups, and we see it as an essential step in building upon existing inclusion and diversity education and outreach efforts.
In that same spirit of connecting and giving back, we invite you to give with us at AkamaiGiving.com, a matching gift program open to everyone. Akamai ERGs curated a list of 12 nonprofits focused on human rights and racial equality around the world. Contributions to these charities are available for a matching gift — make a donation through the program and we will double it.
This is just the start of a continued partnership between the Foundation and Akamai’s ERGs, working together to support nonprofit organizations that make a difference. We can’t wait to see how our grants benefit our communities! #GiveWithAkamai
*** This is a Security Bloggers Network syndicated blog from The Akamai Blog authored by Kara DiGiacomo. Read the original post at: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheAkamaiBlog/~3/2ApoMV3tipA/akamai-foundation-and-employee-resource-groups-unite.html
