Acquia Culture in Action, October 2020

As we enter into the last part of 2020, Acquians around the world have come together to support each other amid challenging and unexpected circumstances. Each day, we work to make the world a better place through ongoing education and programs that encourage wellness, health and community. We’re proud to announce that Acquia was recently recognized as one of the UK's Best Workplaces™ in Tech 2020 by the Great Place to Work® Institute. It’s wonderful to see recognition for our continued efforts to grow our workplace and improve our culture through a dedication to mutual support, learning and inclusion. 

#GiveBackMore with Black Girls Code and J.P. Morgan’s Corporate Challenge 

On October 21, Kimberly Bryant, Founder and Executive Director of Black Girls Code gave the inspiring closing keynote at our annual Acquia Engage conference. Kimberly Bryant shared her mission to open doors in the tech community. Kimberly Bryant and her organization are working to bridge the opportunity gap and build a better future for girls and women of color through workshops, hackathons and summer camps for girls to learn computer programming and STEM skills. Acquia was proud to partner with Black Girls Code to support their mission of overcoming perceived limitations and discrimination and driving real change in our world. 

This October, Acquians from the United States, Australia, Singapore and the UK participated in J.P. Morgan’s Remix the Run Challenge. Every participant in the 2020 J.P. Morgan Corporate Challenge Virtual had their efforts rewarded through a donation to a local charity. All together, more than 60 Acquians tracked their 3.5 mile runs and came together to support colleagues in their efforts to stay healthy. 

#DaretoBeDifferent Through Diversity and Inclusion 

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This month, Acquia co-sponsored a Boston Business Journal #BBJDiversity panel titled, “Race Ahead: Follow the Money.” The virtual discussion centered on what we can do to influence real change in our community and move forward together. Panelists included Dr. Karilyn Crockett, Chief of Equity in the Office of Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh; Pamela Everhart, SVP of Regional Public Affairs and Community Relations at Fidelity; Desiree Ralls-Morrison, SVP, General Counsel at Boston Scientific and Tanisha Sullivan, President of the Boston Branch of NAACP. The conversation included how companies can make an impact, not only for funding, but through hiring, education, skill-based volunteerism and allyship. We found the event to be very insightful.

Acquia also recently hosted a virtual Diversity, Equity and Inclusion workshop for employees led by La’Wana Harris, author of “Diversity Beyond Lip Service”, certified diversity coach, transformational speaker and celebrated children’s book author. During the workshop, Ms. Harris introduced the COMMIT Inclusive Behavior Framework to provide essential knowledge on diversity and inclusion, as well as the “how to” tools to take meaningful action that will help people promote awareness in their workplace and wider community.  

We were also excited to launch our new DEI Resources Library in Acquia Academy, our employee learning portal. In order to create a more diverse and inclusive workplace and truly embed these ideals into our way of thinking and working, it is important that we all listen to and try to empathize with the experiences of others from different backgrounds. The DEI Resources Library will help us all better understand the experiences of marginalized and underrepresented groups through continuous education.

#CommittedToAwesome Health and Wellness 

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Day on October 10th, Acquia employees were invited to take advantage of their Headspace subscription and participate in Headspace’s weeklong challenge to build healthy habits and improve personal happiness. A few of the activities in the challenge included guided meditation sessions, gratitude exercises and activities to promote better sleep.   

To continue to support all of us during these times of unprecedented uncertainty and change, Acquia hosted a Zoom chat with Dr. Anthony Rao and Dr. Paul Napper, on "Staying Grounded, Balanced, and Healthy in a Time of Crisis and Uncertainty." 

As the co-authors of the book, “The Power of Agency: The 7 Principles to Conquer Obstacles, Make Effective Decisions and Create a Life on Your Own Terms,” they provided strategies to help people adapt to the demands of the ongoing pandemic and the other serious disruptions impacting personal, family and work lives. 

Our India team continued their wellness program with the virtual session, "Wellness Amidst COVID-19" by Dr. Nirmal Fozmal Bafna, MBBS, MS (General Surgery). Dr. Bafna provided useful insights on COVID-19 symptoms, testing options and general tips for staying healthy. 

To learn more about Acquia’s culture and how our values encourage us to strive for excellence for both ourselves and others, check out our cultural DNA and see how you can grow at Acquia.