Tag: 3BL

Keysight’s worldwide community engagement programs tangibly demonstrate the company’s values and commitment to corporate citizenship, while directly supporting its social impact goals. The aim of these programs is to help build a better planet by contributing to the communities where Keysight operates and actively encourage employees to get involved in local and global volunteer efforts.

The company’s community engagement and investment goals are set annually at the corporate and local site levels and focus on the areas of STEM education — particularly for women and underrepresented minorities in technology — as well as health and human services, and environmental sustainability.

With a focus on strengthening local and global communities, Keysight ended FY 2023 having surpassed its annual citizenship goal by contributing more than $319 million in value through citizenship, giving, volunteerism, STEM education, and university engagements.

FY 2023 impact highlights: 

Donated more than $2.5 million to multiple organizations worldwide through the company’s matching of employee donations, community grants, disaster relief, and site-based community engagements. Through Keysight’s annual Giving Program, which provides employees a means to give to charities around the world through financial contributions, Keysight employees worldwide gave an additional $1.5 million.Supported relief efforts related to the earthquakes in Turkey and the wildfires in Maui, Hawaii in recognition of the role corporations play to partner with local civic bodies and non-governmental organizations during crisis events.Volunteered 1,440 hours in CSR and community engagement through the company’s ENGs in addition to individual employees and teams working together to volunteer in their local communities. All ENGs have volunteerism as a key element of their annual plans and are often aligned with the particular group’s values and corporate community focus areas. For example, in FY 2023, the Keysight LGBTQ ENG volunteered by coordinating local Pride parades; the ENUM participated in the company’s MESA partnership; and the Santa Rosa Caretakers ENG volunteered to assist in food donation efforts within their local community.Continued to support employee volunteerism at the company level through approved volunteer efforts during work hours (specifically four hours per month for North America employees), offering guidance and resources to implement volunteer activities, and supporting the Keysight After School program and multiple university engagements.

STEM education 

At the intersection of community engagement, citizenship, and volunteerism sit Keysight’s STEM education efforts that span primary and secondary school levels, technical skill learners, and university relations. The company’s efforts here also include targeted actions in support of our DEI program and goals. With the intention of helping drive community prosperity through higher-wage skills building, the company’s work in this space supports the development of a future skilled and diverse technology workforce not only for Keysight, but also its customers and the broader technology industry.

FY 2023 impact highlights: 

Engaged more than 1.8 million students, future engineers, and technology skill learners through these programs. With a target based on reach, the company continued to fine-tune strategic partnerships that began the previous year, resulting in more than 2.6 million STEM education engagements across FYs 2022 and 2023 combined.Delivered more than 1,000 STEM education experience kits to primary and secondary education students around the world as part of the company’s flagship Keysight After School program. This program provides materials and lesson plans across several electronics, physical, and earth-science experiments that employee volunteers deliver in school settings. After completing their experiments, students are encouraged to take their finished project with them, providing an opportunity for them to continue learning the concepts presented, share the project with family and friends, or show their teachers.Onboarded more than 660 paid university interns across technology and non-technology roles. This is just a part of Keysight’s robust university relations and engagement programs which span multiple support areas, including discounted and donated equipment, complimentary student software licenses, research partnerships, and opportunities to engage with our employee volunteers as guest professors and speakers.

Sofidel

For our Future magazine, we interviewed Regan Leggett, Foresight Lead at NielsenIQ, who shared with us the new horizons of retail, with a focus on how sustainability is increasingly shaping consumer choices.

Sofidel Group 

The Sofidel Group, headquartered in Porcari (Lucca), is one of the leading manufacturers of paper for hygienic and domestic use worldwide. Established in 1966, the Group is active in 13 countries, 12 in Europe and the United States (8 States), with over 7,000 employees, net sales of 3,129 million Euros (2023) and a production capacity of over one million tonnes per year (1,440,000 in 2023). “Regina”, its most well-known brand, is present on almost all the reference markets. Other brands include: Sopalin, Le Trèfle, Hakle, Softis, Nalys, Cosynel, KittenSoft, Nicky and Papernet. Sofidel is committed to reaching Net-Zero carbon emissions by the end of 2050.

www.sofidel.com

Sofidel

For our Future magazine, we interviewed Regan Leggett, Foresight Lead at NielsenIQ, who shared with us the new horizons of retail, with a focus on how sustainability is increasingly shaping consumer choices.

Sofidel Group 

The Sofidel Group, headquartered in Porcari (Lucca), is one of the leading manufacturers of paper for hygienic and domestic use worldwide. Established in 1966, the Group is active in 13 countries, 12 in Europe and the United States (8 States), with over 7,000 employees, net sales of 3,129 million Euros (2023) and a production capacity of over one million tonnes per year (1,440,000 in 2023). “Regina”, its most well-known brand, is present on almost all the reference markets. Other brands include: Sopalin, Le Trèfle, Hakle, Softis, Nalys, Cosynel, KittenSoft, Nicky and Papernet. Sofidel is committed to reaching Net-Zero carbon emissions by the end of 2050.

www.sofidel.com

As part of their ongoing “Industry Pulse” series, the Industrial Practice Group at Pedersen & Partners recently hosted a guest speaker session with Martino Gabellich, LYB Vice President Advanced Recycling and Low Carbon Solutions. Gabellich shared his extensive knowledge and the latest advancements in recycling technologies, particularly focusing on the complementary roles of mechanical and chemical recycling in fostering a sustainable future.

At LYB, Gabellich is responsible on a global basis for the development and oversight of the company’s strategy and business initiatives in this space. His focus is on new ventures, partnerships and a fast-growing portfolio of investments and new technologies. He is also a member of the LYB team focused on investments in venture capital funds.

Read the full conversation with Gabellich and Julia Casoli, Client Partner, and Sune Christiansen, Partner and Global Head of the Industrial Practice Group, Pedersen & Partners:

Industry Pulse – Sustainability & ESG in the Industrial Segment: In conversation with Martino Gabellich, Vice President Advanced Recycling and Low Carbon Solutions at LyondellBasell | Pedersen & Partners (pedersenandpartners.com)

As part of their ongoing “Industry Pulse” series, the Industrial Practice Group at Pedersen & Partners recently hosted a guest speaker session with Martino Gabellich, LYB Vice President Advanced Recycling and Low Carbon Solutions. Gabellich shared his extensive knowledge and the latest advancements in recycling technologies, particularly focusing on the complementary roles of mechanical and chemical recycling in fostering a sustainable future.

At LYB, Gabellich is responsible on a global basis for the development and oversight of the company’s strategy and business initiatives in this space. His focus is on new ventures, partnerships and a fast-growing portfolio of investments and new technologies. He is also a member of the LYB team focused on investments in venture capital funds.

Read the full conversation with Gabellich and Julia Casoli, Client Partner, and Sune Christiansen, Partner and Global Head of the Industrial Practice Group, Pedersen & Partners:

Industry Pulse – Sustainability & ESG in the Industrial Segment: In conversation with Martino Gabellich, Vice President Advanced Recycling and Low Carbon Solutions at LyondellBasell | Pedersen & Partners (pedersenandpartners.com)

Originally published in Principal Financial Group 2023 Sustainability Report

Advocating for financial inclusion

Inclusive financial access

We believe financial education and opportunity can lift up people of all backgrounds, all around the world. We’re working to reach them with information and resources that resonate with additional support from Principal® Foundation.

Our approach

It’s important to us to meet people where they are on their financial journey and develop pathways to economic mobility and financial empowerment. To do this, we need to better understand the barriers of reaching financial security across the globe—and why certain groups are more affected than others. This helps inform the role we can play to broaden access to financial security.

One of our core strategies is to better serve diverse businesses, which historically have had barriers to access financial products and services. In 2021, together with Principal Foundation,1 we committed to double the number of diverse small and midsized businesses (SMBs) we support through product access, capital access programs,2 community development, and financial education by 2025.

We’re working toward this goal by: 

Making insurance and savings products more accessible to diverse business owners.Advocating for more equitable access to capital for diverse businesses and entrepreneurs.Providing insights, education, and support for diverse SMBs to tackle common obstacles and take action on issues that are important to them.Providing financial education that empowers diverse SMBs to make informed financial decisions, manage risks, and position their businesses for long-term success and sustainability.

Our actions and performance in 2023 

Starting from a 2020 baseline, we aimed to support 14,614 diverse entrepreneurs and SMBs by 2025, with an annual target of 2,923. In 2023, we ended the year supporting 4,740 diverse entrepreneurs and SMBs, exceeding our annual target and achieving our five-year goal in our third year with a total of 14,745 diverse entrepreneurs and businesses supported.

We are excited to have reached this milestone before our goal date, but remain steadfast in our commitment to advancing our support for this business community. Therefore, we have set a new goal to triple the number of diverse SMBs we support by 2025, an increase of 30,000 diverse SMBs from our 2020 baseline.

Progress toward our updated 2025 diverse SMB goal:

Goal: 30,000Progress 2024: 14,745

Product access 

Out of our total number of SMB customers in the U.S. in 2023, 10.9%3 were owned by diverse business owners, namely women and people of color.

7.5% SMBs owned by women in 20233.4% SMBs owned by people of color in 2023

Between 2022 and 2023 we saw approximately a 3% increase in SMBs owned by women and a 6% increase for SMBs owned by people of color.

Capital access programs

In collaboration with First Women’s Bank (FWB), we’re advocating to increase financial security for more people, particularly women, who continue to be underserved. FWB is the only women-founded, women-owned and women-led commercial bank in the U.S. with a strategic focus on the women’s economy. As a Mission Partner, we’ve demonstrated our commitment to close the gender gaps that persist in pay, leadership, benefits, and access to capital. Our leadership teams have worked with First Women’s Bank to pursue sustainable public-private approaches to paid family medical leave through involvement in industry trade organizations.

Community development 

In 2023, we continued to strengthen our membership of the Small Business Digital Alliance (SBDA) by hosting an in-person event in Denver, with financial professionals and SMBs. The all-female panel explored the role digital tools and resources play in increasing financial wellness for employers and employees. Topics covered included what financial wellness means to small business owners, how digital tools can create efficiencies in business, and how digital tools and resources can help recruit and retain employees in a tight labor market. We also participated in two webinars hosted by the SBDA targeting the SMB market. One webinar focused on educating SMBs on how they can benchmark their benefits offerings, the real cost of employee benefits, and how they use benefits to improve company culture. The second webinar focused on how small businesses can prepare and safeguard their businesses against cybersecurity threats.

Financial education 

Principal Foundation furthers its financial education by providing funding to nonprofit organizations that support SMBs. An illustration of this support is our funding of 1863 Ventures’ 3Rs (Recovery, Rebuild, Resiliency) business development program. This national non-profit is dedicated to the business development of New Majority Entrepreneurs—individuals who have historically been marginalized. The 3Rs program offers financial education, business coaching, technical assistance, and access to capital. In 2023, they supported almost 1000 diverse owned businesses and entrepreneurs.

Additionally, this year Principal provided support to SCORE, a nonprofit organization that aims to foster vibrant small business success through education and mentorship based on their business lifestage, particularly women and people of color. Principal helped with the amplification of their web resources for women entrepreneurs, which have been viewed by almost 6 million visitors.

Find resources for women entrepreneurs here

Extending reach to international markets 

To reach a broader audience and extend greater financial access, our global offices provide local education and support to their communities.

Our Principal Investment Opportunities video series in Thailand provides investment outlooks, market updates, fund recommendations, and other key insights.

In 2023, Our Dejando Huella program in Chile donated a total of 717 hours in various activities related to inclusion and skills development for students in vulnerable schools, such as job preparation talks, job interview preparation, vocational mentorship, and digital literacy.

In Brazil, we have set a goal to impact 188,000 people through financial education programs by 2026. In 2023, we reached 144,542 people.

FuturEd, our free virtual financial education platform in Brazil, offers a course with three modules (financial planning, private pension, and investments), 19 lessons and more than two and half hours of content. Since it was created, FuturEd has been viewed 13,343 times.

In 2023, we launched the second season of Foca nos Sonhos (Focus on Dreams), our videocast series that talks to young people in Brazil about financial education in an uncomplicated and humorous way. All episodes are led by a digital influencer and have the participation of professionals who address stories, learnings, tips, and reflections on financial organization and planning for the future. The weekly videos can be viewed on Brasilprev’s YouTube or Instagram. The first season, released in 2022, reached more than 30 million people on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook. In 2023, that number reached 53 million people.

Global Financial Inclusion Index 

Clear and consistent measures of progress matter in financial inclusion. This means using data-driven insights to understand the barriers to financial security, and setting goals and establishing accountability to address gaps.

This year we continued our partnership with the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) to release the Global Financial Inclusion Index (Index). The Index ranks 42 markets on three clearly defined pillars of financial inclusion: government support, financial system support, and employer support. Now in its second year, the report provides a comprehensive and comparative evaluation of financial inclusion on a global scale.

This year’s results demonstrated that financial inclusion has improved globally. However, the world’s largest economies are generally stagnating or deteriorating in terms of financial inclusion, while financial inclusion is advancing most rapidly in markets developing technology- enabled financial systems.

Read more: Global Financial Inclusion Index: 2023 report (PDF)

What’s next 

We will continue our annual research with the Index which will help enable Principal and others in the industry to take more informed approaches to promoting financial inclusion and gain a clearer understanding of the barriers to financial security. The findings will help inform future products, services, investments, and philanthropic efforts to broaden financial access. We will also expand our support of diverse entrepreneurs and SMBs as we work toward our new goal.

To learn more, read the Principal Financial Group 2023 Sustainability Report.

1Principal Community Relations supports the communities where affiliates of the Principal Financial Group®, Des Moines, IA 50392 operates. Insurance products and plan administrative services provided through Principal Life Insurance Company®, a member of the Principal Financial Group, Des Moines, IA 50392. Principal Financial Group Foundation, Inc. (‘Principal® Foundation’) is a duly recognized 501(c)(3) entity focused on providing philanthropic support to programs that build financial security in the communities where Principal Financial Group, Inc. (‘Principal’) operates. While Principal Foundation receives funding from Principal, Principal Foundation is a distinct, independent, charitable entity. Principal Foundation does not practice any form of investment advisory services and is not authorized to do so.

2Capital access programs refer to investments in and grant-making to third-party organizations that provide access to capital. Grants are made from Principal® Foundation.

3Represents small and midsized businesses in the U.S. owned by women or people of color. Not captured here is approximately 0.1% of small and midsized businesses that are owned by people of color who are also women.

Insurance products issued by Principal National Life Insurance Co (except in NY) and Principal Life Insurance Company®. Plan administrative services offered by Principal Life. Principal Funds, Inc. is distributed by Principal Funds Distributor, Inc. Securities offered through Principal Securities, Inc., member SIPC and/or independent broker/dealers. Referenced companies are members of the Principal Financial Group®, Des Moines, IA 50392.​

3729199-082024

Originally published in Principal Financial Group 2023 Sustainability Report

Advocating for financial inclusion

Inclusive financial access

We believe financial education and opportunity can lift up people of all backgrounds, all around the world. We’re working to reach them with information and resources that resonate with additional support from Principal® Foundation.

Our approach

It’s important to us to meet people where they are on their financial journey and develop pathways to economic mobility and financial empowerment. To do this, we need to better understand the barriers of reaching financial security across the globe—and why certain groups are more affected than others. This helps inform the role we can play to broaden access to financial security.

One of our core strategies is to better serve diverse businesses, which historically have had barriers to access financial products and services. In 2021, together with Principal Foundation,1 we committed to double the number of diverse small and midsized businesses (SMBs) we support through product access, capital access programs,2 community development, and financial education by 2025.

We’re working toward this goal by: 

Making insurance and savings products more accessible to diverse business owners.Advocating for more equitable access to capital for diverse businesses and entrepreneurs.Providing insights, education, and support for diverse SMBs to tackle common obstacles and take action on issues that are important to them.Providing financial education that empowers diverse SMBs to make informed financial decisions, manage risks, and position their businesses for long-term success and sustainability.

Our actions and performance in 2023 

Starting from a 2020 baseline, we aimed to support 14,614 diverse entrepreneurs and SMBs by 2025, with an annual target of 2,923. In 2023, we ended the year supporting 4,740 diverse entrepreneurs and SMBs, exceeding our annual target and achieving our five-year goal in our third year with a total of 14,745 diverse entrepreneurs and businesses supported.

We are excited to have reached this milestone before our goal date, but remain steadfast in our commitment to advancing our support for this business community. Therefore, we have set a new goal to triple the number of diverse SMBs we support by 2025, an increase of 30,000 diverse SMBs from our 2020 baseline.

Progress toward our updated 2025 diverse SMB goal:

Goal: 30,000Progress 2024: 14,745

Product access 

Out of our total number of SMB customers in the U.S. in 2023, 10.9%3 were owned by diverse business owners, namely women and people of color.

7.5% SMBs owned by women in 20233.4% SMBs owned by people of color in 2023

Between 2022 and 2023 we saw approximately a 3% increase in SMBs owned by women and a 6% increase for SMBs owned by people of color.

Capital access programs

In collaboration with First Women’s Bank (FWB), we’re advocating to increase financial security for more people, particularly women, who continue to be underserved. FWB is the only women-founded, women-owned and women-led commercial bank in the U.S. with a strategic focus on the women’s economy. As a Mission Partner, we’ve demonstrated our commitment to close the gender gaps that persist in pay, leadership, benefits, and access to capital. Our leadership teams have worked with First Women’s Bank to pursue sustainable public-private approaches to paid family medical leave through involvement in industry trade organizations.

Community development 

In 2023, we continued to strengthen our membership of the Small Business Digital Alliance (SBDA) by hosting an in-person event in Denver, with financial professionals and SMBs. The all-female panel explored the role digital tools and resources play in increasing financial wellness for employers and employees. Topics covered included what financial wellness means to small business owners, how digital tools can create efficiencies in business, and how digital tools and resources can help recruit and retain employees in a tight labor market. We also participated in two webinars hosted by the SBDA targeting the SMB market. One webinar focused on educating SMBs on how they can benchmark their benefits offerings, the real cost of employee benefits, and how they use benefits to improve company culture. The second webinar focused on how small businesses can prepare and safeguard their businesses against cybersecurity threats.

Financial education 

Principal Foundation furthers its financial education by providing funding to nonprofit organizations that support SMBs. An illustration of this support is our funding of 1863 Ventures’ 3Rs (Recovery, Rebuild, Resiliency) business development program. This national non-profit is dedicated to the business development of New Majority Entrepreneurs—individuals who have historically been marginalized. The 3Rs program offers financial education, business coaching, technical assistance, and access to capital. In 2023, they supported almost 1000 diverse owned businesses and entrepreneurs.

Additionally, this year Principal provided support to SCORE, a nonprofit organization that aims to foster vibrant small business success through education and mentorship based on their business lifestage, particularly women and people of color. Principal helped with the amplification of their web resources for women entrepreneurs, which have been viewed by almost 6 million visitors.

Find resources for women entrepreneurs here

Extending reach to international markets 

To reach a broader audience and extend greater financial access, our global offices provide local education and support to their communities.

Our Principal Investment Opportunities video series in Thailand provides investment outlooks, market updates, fund recommendations, and other key insights.

In 2023, Our Dejando Huella program in Chile donated a total of 717 hours in various activities related to inclusion and skills development for students in vulnerable schools, such as job preparation talks, job interview preparation, vocational mentorship, and digital literacy.

In Brazil, we have set a goal to impact 188,000 people through financial education programs by 2026. In 2023, we reached 144,542 people.

FuturEd, our free virtual financial education platform in Brazil, offers a course with three modules (financial planning, private pension, and investments), 19 lessons and more than two and half hours of content. Since it was created, FuturEd has been viewed 13,343 times.

In 2023, we launched the second season of Foca nos Sonhos (Focus on Dreams), our videocast series that talks to young people in Brazil about financial education in an uncomplicated and humorous way. All episodes are led by a digital influencer and have the participation of professionals who address stories, learnings, tips, and reflections on financial organization and planning for the future. The weekly videos can be viewed on Brasilprev’s YouTube or Instagram. The first season, released in 2022, reached more than 30 million people on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook. In 2023, that number reached 53 million people.

Global Financial Inclusion Index 

Clear and consistent measures of progress matter in financial inclusion. This means using data-driven insights to understand the barriers to financial security, and setting goals and establishing accountability to address gaps.

This year we continued our partnership with the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) to release the Global Financial Inclusion Index (Index). The Index ranks 42 markets on three clearly defined pillars of financial inclusion: government support, financial system support, and employer support. Now in its second year, the report provides a comprehensive and comparative evaluation of financial inclusion on a global scale.

This year’s results demonstrated that financial inclusion has improved globally. However, the world’s largest economies are generally stagnating or deteriorating in terms of financial inclusion, while financial inclusion is advancing most rapidly in markets developing technology- enabled financial systems.

Read more: Global Financial Inclusion Index: 2023 report (PDF)

What’s next 

We will continue our annual research with the Index which will help enable Principal and others in the industry to take more informed approaches to promoting financial inclusion and gain a clearer understanding of the barriers to financial security. The findings will help inform future products, services, investments, and philanthropic efforts to broaden financial access. We will also expand our support of diverse entrepreneurs and SMBs as we work toward our new goal.

To learn more, read the Principal Financial Group 2023 Sustainability Report.

1Principal Community Relations supports the communities where affiliates of the Principal Financial Group®, Des Moines, IA 50392 operates. Insurance products and plan administrative services provided through Principal Life Insurance Company®, a member of the Principal Financial Group, Des Moines, IA 50392. Principal Financial Group Foundation, Inc. (‘Principal® Foundation’) is a duly recognized 501(c)(3) entity focused on providing philanthropic support to programs that build financial security in the communities where Principal Financial Group, Inc. (‘Principal’) operates. While Principal Foundation receives funding from Principal, Principal Foundation is a distinct, independent, charitable entity. Principal Foundation does not practice any form of investment advisory services and is not authorized to do so.

2Capital access programs refer to investments in and grant-making to third-party organizations that provide access to capital. Grants are made from Principal® Foundation.

3Represents small and midsized businesses in the U.S. owned by women or people of color. Not captured here is approximately 0.1% of small and midsized businesses that are owned by people of color who are also women.

Insurance products issued by Principal National Life Insurance Co (except in NY) and Principal Life Insurance Company®. Plan administrative services offered by Principal Life. Principal Funds, Inc. is distributed by Principal Funds Distributor, Inc. Securities offered through Principal Securities, Inc., member SIPC and/or independent broker/dealers. Referenced companies are members of the Principal Financial Group®, Des Moines, IA 50392.​

3729199-082024

In this four-part series, learn how our diversity, equity & inclusion (DEI) volunteer community impacts culture, career, company and community. Be sure to check out part one of the series, Empowering Inclusion Through Culture, if you missed it.

At Motorola Solutions, we believe that the next big idea can come from anyone, anywhere, at any time, and that with a supportive environment and the freedom to think outside the box, anything is possible. We strive to support our employees both personally and professionally – enabling them to explore their curiosities, shape their careers and maximize their impact.

Here are some highlights from spring:

Our Office of DEI facilitated training sessions on both cultural competency and allyship actions and strategies, including both recorded and live components for dialogue and discussion.During Pride Month in June, our Office of DEI launched a training webinar on becoming an effective ally to every community and facilitated six subsequent discussion sessions where employees could engage in meaningful conversations with their colleagues.Our business councils and affinity groups helped employees grow their careers through a number of professional development, networking and mentoring initiatives, including:Professional development events focused on leadership, overcoming imposter syndrome and effective networking, hosted by our Generation A affinity group for first-generation corporate professionals and allies.A webinar series titled “So You Want to Be A [insert role]”, hosted by our Young Professionals Group (YPG), in which employees from various teams and functions were invited to share their educational and career background, as well as information about their role and responsibilities at the company.A variety of mentorship programs where employees at all levels had the opportunity to learn and develop, hosted by several of our business councils, including YPG, the Motorola Solutions Black Inclusion and Diversity Organization (MBDIO) and the Women’s Business Council (WBC). Their mentorship programs use an algorithm-based platform that strategically matches mentors and mentees based on common personality, experience, interest, communication style and more.

Motorola Solutions is dedicated to creating a workplace where every employee feels valued and empowered. Through our impact on culture, career, company and community, we build a strong foundation for an inclusive and innovative future. Read more about our impact in our 2023 DEI Annual Report, and stay tuned for the third installment in this series – Empowering Inclusion Through Our Company – coming soon!

In this four-part series, learn how our diversity, equity & inclusion (DEI) volunteer community impacts culture, career, company and community. Be sure to check out part one of the series, Empowering Inclusion Through Culture, if you missed it.

At Motorola Solutions, we believe that the next big idea can come from anyone, anywhere, at any time, and that with a supportive environment and the freedom to think outside the box, anything is possible. We strive to support our employees both personally and professionally – enabling them to explore their curiosities, shape their careers and maximize their impact.

Here are some highlights from spring:

Our Office of DEI facilitated training sessions on both cultural competency and allyship actions and strategies, including both recorded and live components for dialogue and discussion.During Pride Month in June, our Office of DEI launched a training webinar on becoming an effective ally to every community and facilitated six subsequent discussion sessions where employees could engage in meaningful conversations with their colleagues.Our business councils and affinity groups helped employees grow their careers through a number of professional development, networking and mentoring initiatives, including:Professional development events focused on leadership, overcoming imposter syndrome and effective networking, hosted by our Generation A affinity group for first-generation corporate professionals and allies.A webinar series titled “So You Want to Be A [insert role]”, hosted by our Young Professionals Group (YPG), in which employees from various teams and functions were invited to share their educational and career background, as well as information about their role and responsibilities at the company.A variety of mentorship programs where employees at all levels had the opportunity to learn and develop, hosted by several of our business councils, including YPG, the Motorola Solutions Black Inclusion and Diversity Organization (MBDIO) and the Women’s Business Council (WBC). Their mentorship programs use an algorithm-based platform that strategically matches mentors and mentees based on common personality, experience, interest, communication style and more.

Motorola Solutions is dedicated to creating a workplace where every employee feels valued and empowered. Through our impact on culture, career, company and community, we build a strong foundation for an inclusive and innovative future. Read more about our impact in our 2023 DEI Annual Report, and stay tuned for the third installment in this series – Empowering Inclusion Through Our Company – coming soon!

Authored by Jordan Anderson

In the era of rapidly advancing artificial intelligence (AI), leveraging generative AI safely requires a thoughtful approach that considers not only its capabilities, but also the ethical, privacy and security implications.

Organizations can work to leverage generative AI safely by investing in several key practices.

Understanding new technologies

Education is foundational for any organization looking to integrate generative AI technologies safely and effectively. Ensuring that your employees, especially decision-makers, understand what generative AI is, its capabilities and its limitations will help in setting realistic expectations and understanding the potential risks of its usage.

Education also extends to generative AI’s strategic implications on your organization as decision-makers need to know how it can impact their business model, customer engagement and competition in the market. Understanding the potential generative AI can have to impact your organization’s core operations enables decision makers to proactively plan for integrating the new technologies by re-imagining traditional processes to capitalize on the efficiency and personalization that AI can provide.

Beyond decision makers, increasing data and AI literacy in employees across your organization is necessary for an effective integration of generative AI into day-to-day business processes. Not only does this promote responsible use of AI, but also increases its likelihood of successful adoption. When employees understand the benefits and potential use cases of generative AI in their daily work, they are more likely to support its adoption.

Leveraging change management practices can help to support the organizational cultural shift that is essential for successful AI implementation. By ensuring employees across various teams have a solid understanding of generative AI, organizations create a foundation for its effective and responsible use. Ultimately, a well-informed workforce not only ensures the successful integration of generative AI, but also fosters a culture of continuous learning and innovation within the organization.

Legal, risk and compliance considerations

To leverage generative AI safely, organizations need to prioritize compliance with both regulatory standards and internal guidelines. Staying updated with laws and regulations specific to AI use in your industry and region is crucial. Ensuring compliance with current and incoming laws not only helps to prevent legal repercussions, but also fosters trust among customers.

In addition to regulatory compliance, organizations should have a strong understanding of ethical guidelines and best practices for AI use. Ethical AI usage involves using the technology responsibly to avoid bias, misinformation and other unintended consequences that could put the organization at risk. Establishing and adhering to internal standards for ethical AI usage can help guide decision-makers and ensure that generative AI deployment aligns with the organization’s values. By aligning and educating employees across the organization on compliance and ethical standards, organizations can harness the benefits of generative AI while minimizing risks.

Data governance, privacy, transparency and accountability

Effective data governance involves establishing policies and procedures that ensure the responsible collection, storage, management and use of organizational data. A robust data governance framework provides clear guidance on data ownership, access, quality and compliance with legal and regulatory standards. This framework should include regular audits to verify data integrity and security, ensuring that only high-quality, non-sensitive data is used for training generative AI models. By implementing robust data governance frameworks, organizations can manage data responsibly, mitigate risks and ensure their generative AI initiatives are ethically and legally compliant.

Robust access control and development practices are also a necessity in leveraging generative AI safely. Implementing strict access controls ensures that only authorized personnel can access sensitive data and generative AI systems, reducing the risk of unauthorized use or data breaches. Development practices focusing on data governance and AI operations should include continuous monitoring of AI systems to track outputs, ensuring they align with current data governance frameworks and operational standards. These practices not only enhance security, but also facilitate compliance with internal policies and regulatory requirements.

Additionally, generative AI models should be trained on data free of personal or sensitive information to comply with data protection laws. Organizations should adopt data handling, storage and privacy protocols that isolate sensitive data to ensure it’s not used for training purposes. By ensuring that data used to train generative AI models is secure and excludes personal identifiers, organizations can mitigate the risks associated with data breaches and misuse.

Lastly, transparency and accountability are critical components of safe generative AI deployment. Detailed documentation of the generative AI development process, including records of training datasets, model versions and training parameters supports auditing and accountability by providing a clear trail of the AI’s development and operational history. By having thorough documentation, organizations can maintain control over their AI systems, ensuring they operate ethically and in line with bother internal and external standards.

Secure development practices and continuous monitoring

Implementing secure development practices and monitoring systems is crucial to safely leveraging generative AI. Secure coding practices are essential to avoid vulnerabilities and defend against cyber-attacks, such as patching systems to address security threats and complying with best practices to mitigate nefarious use of your AI systems. Continuous monitoring and observability of generative AI systems help identify and prevent misuse. Algorithms should be in place to detect nefarious activities, with feedback loops from monitoring to address security breaches and misuse promptly. By addressing these security concerns proactively, organizations can work to ensure the safe operation of their generative AI systems.

How we can help

Leveraging generative AI requires a multifaceted approach to ensure the safety of your AI systems and organization as a whole. Take a proactive approach to safely implementing generative AI with an AI readiness assessment to support a holistic, safe and responsible approach to AI adoption.

Interested in learning more? Contact one of Baker Tilly’s digital consulting professionals today.