Former Shopify executive will help scale the team globally and further fuel Benevity’s diverse, purpose-driven culture

CALGARY, Alberta – August 30, 2021 – Benevity, Inc., the leading provider of global corporate purpose software, today announced Janeen Speer, former VP of Talent from Shopify, has joined the company’s executive leadership team as Chief People Officer. In this newly created role, Janeen will help build upon the company’s purpose-driven culture for Benevity’s rapidly growing, global team with a focus on finding the best people to power Benevity’s mission and continue creating an environment where they can thrive.

“With ESG trends, remote workforces and tight labour markets increasing demand for our solutions and services, it is critical for us to attract and retain exceptional talent. Our people and purpose-driven culture have powered our growth and innovation thus far, and are a key reason for our success and category leadership,” said Kelly Schmitt, CEO of Benevity.  

Janeen is one of a kind, with deep experience in scaling talent, culture and innovation, and we couldn’t be more excited to have her on board. With her leadership, we will add new talent to further fuel our growth, while retaining our unique, strong culture.

— Kelly Schmitt, CEO of Benevity

Janeen joins Benevity with more than 20 years of experience and proven expertise in leadership development, talent acquisition and talent management. No stranger to scale, Janeen most recently led a team of over 380 people at Shopify and supported the company in growing from 5,000 to 10,000 employees in 3 years. She has also held senior leadership roles at WestJet, Lululemon and Starbucks, all mission-driven brands focused on engaging diverse employees across international locations.

“I have grown my career in companies with a strong mission and culture, and having called Calgary home for more than 20 years, Benevity is a natural fit,” said Janeen Speer, Benevity’s new Chief People Officer. “It’s exciting to support the growth of another Canadian-born company with such a compelling, purpose-driven culture, and also to be part of the growing technology sector here in Calgary. I am thrilled to be joining at this pivotal point in Benevity’s trajectory and look forward to working alongside this innovative and passionate team who, like me, believe in the power of great technology to transform the world.”

Janeen’s appointment comes at a time of high growth for Benevity as the company looks to add 300 people this year, across several high-profile technology, product and client success roles. Her experience will help the company scale a hybrid workforce while ensuring that it retains its highly engaged and unique culture.

“Janeen’s addition to our executive leadership team demonstrates the importance we place on our people and our culture, as well as our ongoing commitment to diversity. While it perhaps shouldn’t be as noteworthy as it is, 75% of our executives are women, making us a stand-out in the technology sector and hopefully a role model for others.” 

—Bryan de Lottinville, Benevity Founder and Executive Chairperson.

Janeen joins Benevity’s growing executive team along with other recent additions and appointments, including Chief Data Officer Jane Moran, who joined in March 2021; Chief Impact Officer Sona Khosla, who was promoted in February 2021; and Chief Technology Officer Steven Woods, who joined in May 2020.

About Benevity

Benevity, a certified B Corporation, is a leading provider of global corporate purpose software, providing the only integrated suite of community investment and employee, customer and nonprofit engagement solutions. A finalist in Fast Company’s 2020 World Changing Ideas Awards, many iconic brands rely on Benevity’s cloud solutions to power their purpose in ways that better attract, retain and engage today’s diverse workforce, embed social action into their customer experiences and positively impact their communities. With software that is available in 20 languages, Benevity has processed more than 7 billion dollars in donations and 38 million hours of volunteering time, 340,000 positive actions and awarded one million grants to 303,000 nonprofits worldwide.

Media Contact: Andrea Davis │ Media & Communications Manager │ 1.403.966.5622 │ press@benevity.com