Giving Back – It’s In Our DNA!

A highlight for me every September is our annual Day of Service, where Vertexians around the world are given the opportunity to volunteer and give back to their local community. This year is my fourth Day of Service, and today I joined some of my UK colleagues cleaning the Paddington Basin with the support of The Paddington Partnership — a voluntary group working to make Paddington more welcoming and accessible for people who live, work, and go to school in the area. Pulling weeds, clearing rubbish, and even hauling old furniture from the canal just 500 yards from our International Headquarters in London was incredibly rewarding. As we posed for our group photo at the end, it was clear that the impact of the day was not lost on my colleagues either.

Coming together as one global team

At Vertex, we take our responsibility to make a positive impact in the communities where we live and work seriously, so much so that we say, “Giving Back is in our DNA”. This year alone, more than 2,000 Vertexians from 27 sites across 23 countries gave their time and expertise to the nonprofit organizations that matter to them. A demonstration that as we continue to expand our presence into new geographies, our annual Day of Service impact grows alongside it.

One of our long-standing Vertex Foundation and Day of Service partners is Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC). Globally, the mission of RMHC is to create, find, and support programs that directly improve the health and well-being of children and their families. Operating in more than 60 countries and regions, the charity provides 1.8 million overnight stays for families in need annually and enables family-centered care. Our colleagues in Sweden have long supported RMHC for their Day of Service, and this year Vertexians from a total of six countries — the US, UK, Australia, Poland, Spain and Sweden — supported RMHC as part of their Day of Service. In Sydney, Vertexians prepared, cooked, and served meals for families in need staying at Randwick House, while in San Diego Vertexians decorated the house for families to enjoy Halloween. ?

In France, our colleagues supported another Vertex Foundation partner —L’ENVOL. Having a child living with a serious illness impacts the whole family, and L'ENVOL is dedicated to creating adapted programs that allow sick children to remain children and for their families to gain strength and confidence. For Day of Service, our French team joined L’ENVOL in creating fun activity kits to entertain children undergoing treatment in Paris hospitals. This builds on the Vertex Foundation’s support for a five-day Brothers and Sisters Camp, providing 35 children with a break from their daily home and family life.

The Power of Giving Back

Every organization benefits from its local community, and, post-pandemic, there is a continuing need to return the support our communities give us. We‘re all part of something bigger, which brings with it a level of responsibility for us all.

It’s also clear from recent research that a company’s purpose and impact on society are more important than ever to current and prospective employees. Corporate volunteer programmes play an essential role in fostering a culture that promotes inclusion, diversity, equity, and community; but at Vertex, we view giving back as simply the right thing to do — and that’s why we choose to make it part of our DNA.