Benevity Joins Over 2,400 CEOs in a Commitment to Advance Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace

Company pledges to support a coalition representing more than 21 million employees globally toward positive change


CALGARY, Alberta – September 7, 2023 – Benevity Inc., the leading provider of global corporate purpose software, today announced it has joined CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion, the largest CEO-driven business commitment to advancing diversity and inclusion within the workplace. As one of more than 2,400 chief executives who have joined the coalition, Benevity CEO Kelly Schmitt is committed to cultivating a workplace where diverse perspectives and experiences are embraced and where employees feel empowered to be their authentic selves. 

 

If a company is serious about diversity, equity and inclusion, they need to be serious about creating the conditions in which people from all backgrounds, genders, abilities and circumstances can be successful.

— Kelly Schmitt, Benevity CEO

“If a company is serious about diversity, equity and inclusion, they need to be serious about creating the conditions in which people from all backgrounds, genders, abilities and circumstances can be successful. At Benevity, we’ve worked hard to build and nurture a culture that creates a sense of belonging at its core. One big step towards that is our parental leave program, which tackles the big social issue of gender inequity, using our workplace as a place to push the boundaries and learn, while ensuring equal opportunities for all genders. We hope other companies can join us in these kinds of actions,” said Schmitt. 

Since the launch of its parental leave program, Benevity has seen positive outcomes for gender equity, including:
  • 35% of co-parenting leaves are taken by men, creating new bonding opportunities, shared domestic roles and reducing the stigma of men taking leave.
  • 79% of women who stayed with Benevity after parental leave have had a promotion, demonstrating that women can have both a family and a career.
Additionally, Benevity is one of 51 signatories led by women CEOs. The collective has already shared more than 1,900 actions and tangible learning opportunities, creating collaborative conversations about advancing diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace. 

Some key actions CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion members have committed to include: 
  • Continuing to cultivate workplaces that support open dialogue on complex, and sometimes difficult, issues related to diversity and inclusion.
  • Implementing and expanding unconscious bias education.
  • Sharing best known — as well as unsuccessful — actions.
  • Creating and sharing strategic inclusion and diversity plans with boards of directors.

 

 At Benevity, we’ve worked hard to build and nurture a culture that creates a sense of belonging at its core. One big step towards that is our parental leave program, which tackles the big social issue of gender inequity, using our workplace as a place to push the boundaries and learn, while ensuring equal opportunities for all genders. 

— Kelly Schmitt, Benevity CEO

Benevity’s recent The State of Workplace DEI report revealed that DEI remains a focal point for employees, regardless of geographic region, gender, race or ethnicity, with 66% of employees believing their companies should dedicate more time and resources to DEI initiatives than they currently do. The report also found that 91% of employees felt Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) have a greater impact on inclusivity than traditional DEI and unconscious bias training, which is where a lot of DEI budgets are invested. By joining other advocates for diversity, equity and inclusion, Benevity will continue to lead critical conversations and play a meaningful role in addressing these important societal issues.

The CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion was formed by CEOs and leaders from Accenture, BCG, Deloitte US, The Executive Leadership Council, EY, General Atlantic, KPMG, New York Life, Procter & Gamble, and PwC. The coalition represents over 21 million employees globally from companies of various sizes and industries. 

About Benevity
Benevity, a certified B Corporation, is the leader in global corporate purpose software, providing the only integrated suite of community investment and employee, customer and nonprofit engagement solutions. Recognized as one of Fortune’s Impact 20, Benevity offers cloud solutions that power purpose for many iconic brands 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 22 languages, Benevity has processed more than $12 billion in donations and 58 million hours of volunteering time to support 418,000 nonprofits worldwide. The company’s solutions have also facilitated 900,000 micro-actions and awarded 1.2 million grants worth $18 billion. For more information, visit benevity.com.

About CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion
CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion™ is the largest CEO-driven business commitment to advance diversity and inclusion within the workplace. Bringing together over 2,400 CEOs of America’s leading organizations, the commitment outlines actions that participating companies pledge to take to cultivate a workplace where diverse perspectives and experiences are welcomed and respected, employees feel comfortable and encouraged to discuss diversity and inclusion, and where best known—and unsuccessful—actions can be shared across organizations. Learn more at CEOAction.com and connect with us on Twitter: @CEOAction.

Media Contact:
Zamira Tasneem│Media & Communications Manager │ 1.416.451.6511 │ press@benevity.com