New Kind is a Certified B Corporation
New Kind is committed to business as a force for good. And we’re on a mission to help technology companies build the infrastructure of the future.
- Accelerate customer evolution — not just solve technology problems.
- Collaborate for mutual benefit — not just compete.
- Humanize communication — not just promote.
- Guide with systems — not just standards.
To help them serve, sell, and scale with soul — forging a sustainable path for every business.
We focus on enterprises building today’s digital infrastructure. These companies have the ability and opportunity to impact everything that’s built on their platforms. We seek to shape how they fit in the world. Helping them create foundational meaning for those they serve. Making business human and generating new futures for all people and the planet.
Putting it into action
New Kind became a certified B Corporation in 2019, joining a global community of companies that use business as a force for good. As we prepare to recertify – a process we’ll go through every 3 years – we’re reflecting on what being “a force for good” looks like at New Kind. What are we doing to improve the value that we create for our clients? How do we best support our team? Evolve our policies and practices? Influence the well-being of our community? And act as good environmental stewards?
Here are some highlights from this year. And plans for what’s next.
In 2022 we:
Launched New Kindness, our new community service initiative. We give our time, our talent, and our money to causes that align with our mission. This year we organized three community service events, piloted a Matching Gift Program to amplify monetary donations made by team members, and worked with our first New Kindness pro bono client — a local company battling against “brandfill” (branded merchandise that ends up in the landfill). Learn about why this effort matters so much to us. Ideas for our next pro bono client? Drop us a line.
Strengthened our client experience listening program. We consistently gathered feedback after each project experience and designed an internal learnings dashboard to give teams quick access to survey results and key insights. With a clear view of data collected over time, we’re better equipped to see and identify broader patterns. That allows us to dig deeper into the source of those insights, explore what we can immediately act on to better serve our clients, and celebrate what is going well (so we can keep that up!)
- 9 client feedback surveys sent in 2022
- Average survey response rate of 56%, a 19% increase over 2021 (by industry standards, 50% is considered excellent)
- 93% of our ratings are “excellent” and “exceptional”
- Our 12-month average NPS Score is 87, a 2 point increase over last year (by industry standards a score over 70 is considered excellent)
Hardened our Data Privacy and Security procedures. We consulted with cybersecurity experts, enhanced our policies, and trained our team on industry best practices.
Inspected our hiring process and made the following improvements: More inclusive, non-gendered language in open job descriptions. Jobs posted on a wider variety of job boards to reach diverse candidates. Recruiting software automatically removes photos from applicant profiles to limit unconscious bias. Next? Increase the diversity of candidates in every stage of our hiring process, from the pool of initial applications through final rounds of interviews.
Declared US Primary Election days meeting-free to give us, and the client teams we work closely with, flexibility to get to the polls.
Observed Juneteenth, not only by taking the day off from work for the first time, but also by sharing resources, encouraging reflection on the terrible toll of slavery, and recommitting to our shared work to ensure racial justice, equity, and equality in America.
Enhanced Parental Leave Policy, extending the number of paid weeks for both moms and dads and adding the flexibility to alternate periods of work and leave to help transition back to work if a new parent chooses.
Conducted an ethics-focused risk assessment on our business and formalized a Code of Ethics to govern our work as consultants. The code includes a commitment to avoid any exploitation, appropriation, or stereotyping of underrepresented or historically oppressed people or groups. And because we’re running at the speed of tech, we are also committing to continuously reflect on our role in the industry and evolve practices and policies.
Maintained our “digital first” mindset brought on by the pandemic, and didn’t travel for business engagements. Though our clients may be thousands of miles apart, we haven’t booked business flights since 2020 and know the planet is breathing a sign of relief from the reduction in travel. When business travel is essential, we will explore purchasing carbon offset credits equivalent to the amount of emission we are responsible for.
Committed to continuing working from our homes. We’re not lonely though! We all live in the Raleigh-Durham metro area and make an effort to see each other. We wrote a Virtual Office Environmental Stewardship tip sheet filled with planet-friendly tips for working from home and compiled a growing list of local resources.
We know that even a remote team that delivers services rather than manufactured products isn’t all leafy green. In 2023 we will map our entire business ecosystem looking for opportunities to favor clean energy, reduce emissions, and adopt other sustainable practices.
. . .
We’re going to make this annual compilation a habit. Reflecting on the ground we’ve covered this year has energized us for the work ahead!
As you put your own ideas into action, feel free to reference our documentation below and build on anything you find useful.