The Business
Sage energizes the success of businesses and their communities around the world through the use of smart technology and the imagination of our people. Sage has reimagined business and brings energy, experience and technology to inspire our customers to fulfil their dreams. We work with a thriving community of entrepreneurs, business owners, tradespeople, accountants, partners and developers who drive the global economy. Sage is a FTSE 100 company with 14,000 employees in 24 countries. For more information, visit www.sage.com.
Why do you feel your company qualifies as a WIBN “Best company to do business with”?
Sage actively fosters support for women in business through strategic partnerships with leading organizations like Women in Biz Network and Mompreneurs. We actively engage in developing programs with our partners to encourage education, advocacy, and mentorship among female professionals. Some of our initiatives include the founding and administering of the Mentor Her Biz mentorship program in partnership with Women in Biz Network, as well as Sage EVP and Managing Director for Sage Canada Nancy Harris’ participation in speaking engagements at key events such as the Women in Biz Passion to Profit Conference in Vancouver last year.
Sage also actively encourages the success and recognition of women entrepreneurs by hosting the Sage Small Business of the Year contest. We promote participation by offering weekly prizes and our business-boosting grand prize package. In addition, we operate a LinkedIn group especially dedicated to women in business and invite women to join the supportive online community discussing challenges and ideas on best practices.
We are well aware that women entrepreneurs and business leaders are playing an increasingly critical role in the fabric of our economy. Sage, as an avid supporter of small and medium-sized businesses, wants to do its part to ensure there is adequate support and resources for women when they need it. We encourage women to learn more about the helpful resources Sage and its partners have to offer by visiting the Sage Women in Business website.
How is your company woman-friendly and diversified? What programs/initiatives have you put in place for women to succeed in your business and help them along the way? What strides have you made in that direction?
Women are well-represented and hold half of the executive management positions at Sage North America. Six of the 12 members on the executive leadership team are female, including the interim president of Sage North America, Jodi Uecker, and Nancy Harris, executive vice president and managing director of Sage in Canada.
We are a firm believer in equal opportunity for all, and we ensure all of our internal programs and initiatives in place accurately reflect that.
What other programs and initiatives are you working on for the future that will help women succeed in the workplace?
We are involved in a number of programs and initiatives that focus on providing support for women in the workplace, some of which are in the planning stages. We look forward to sharing more details about these programs and initiatives as they become available.
Do you believe in social responsibility? How does your company participate in social responsibility? What ways do you give back?
Sage is a strong advocate for corporate social responsibility. We believe it is the right thing to do with our resources, and it is one of the key components of the Sage corporate culture.
Sage has always been active in the community in Canada. In 2013 we started the Sage in the Community Initiative—a program of giving. The first year we partnered with seven local charities, as our mandate was to offer volunteer opportunities in a variety of causes, from food banks and environmental to animal protection. Since we launched the Sage in the Community Initiative, Sage Canada employees have supported 15 charities, facilitated over 60 volunteer events, and donated over 2,200 hours of their time.
Beginning October 1 of 2015, we will be formalizing our CSR, volunteer, and philanthropic activities under one single global CSR program, and that is the Sage Foundation. The Sage Foundation will follow a unique model of giving 2+2+2: combining 2% of employee time each year, 2% of free cash flow, and 2 donated user licenses for any registered charity, social enterprise, or nonprofit organization.
Local volunteering and community efforts as part of Sage in the Community Initiative will now function under the greater Sage Foundation umbrella. The Sage Foundation is a corporate philanthropy model that will build on the best of what Sage employees are already doing all over the world. It is a case of adding structure to what is already going on and giving it the commitment and support it deserves.
Do you have initiatives in place to reward employees for helping to pay it forward and getting involved with social responsibility?
Once the Sage Foundation launches on October 1, 2015, each of the 14,000 Sage employees around the globe will be able to contribute five days per year in work time to volunteer with any nonprofit organization they elect to support. The Sage Foundation will also provide grants to match employee charitable donations and fundraising.
In Canada, we found that our employees have gained a tremendous sense of teamwork and personal fulfillment from volunteering together as part of the Sage in the Community initiative. Knowing this, we will continue to facilitate and organize volunteer opportunities for our Canadian colleagues so that more Sage employees can benefit from the experience of making a difference in their local communities.
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