Putting the power to give back in the hands of employees

Giving to those in need is personal. How we choose to give back and to whom varies based on our unique backgrounds and the communities in which we live and work. For those reasons, ServiceNow launched the Employee Empowerment Reward in 2023 to put the power of giving in the hands of employees.

ServiceNow gives each employee $100 to donate to an eligible cause or organization of their choice—in addition to the company’s 2-to-1 donation match and double rewards for service.

Since launching the Employee Empowerment Reward, we’ve seen volunteer participation increase by 25%. As a result, in 2023, employees donated six times the amount of rewards dollars donated in 2022, before the program began.

“We’re setting an industry standard for our global impact with the Employee Empowerment Reward as a jumping-off point to encourage donation participation and volunteerism,” says Gina Mastantuono, ServiceNow chief financial officer.

“People want to work for companies that care about our society and the future, and it’s clear our employees want to deepen their impact,” she adds. “That’s why empowering our talent is a company priority. Giving is core to our purpose of making the world work better for everyone.”

A two-in-one win

Nearly eight years ago, Vikash M., a UK-based advisory solution consultant at the company, wanted to give but didn’t know which organization to support. He stumbled upon a YouTube video about Akshaya Patra Foundation, a charitable trust that provides hot meals to school kids in India, and got involved right away.

He started sponsoring a school that feeds 250 children. Thanks to donations like Vikash’s, the school reports the dropout rate has fallen and enrollment is up.

"This is allowing the kids to not just have a meal, which is what we should all be having on a day-to-day basis,” Vikash says, “but it’s also providing an education. So, you're kind of getting a ‘two-in-one' for these young children in India. That is super powerful.”

Wanting to do more, Vikash visited the local chapter’s kitchen and engaged the organization to support yearly Diwali fundraising events at the ServiceNow Staines office. In 2023, employees worldwide got on board and, with the help of the Employee Empowerment Reward, doubled the number of donors and funds to support kids in India.

“We should always be giving back in some shape or form,” Vikash says. “ServiceNow allows us to do that in such a way that we don't even need to put our hand in our own pockets.”

The “Aloha spirit”

Rachel K., head of employee workflows for the analyst relations team in the U.S., has a special connection to Maui, a place she’s visited for 30 years and where she consistently sees the “Aloha spirit” in action.

"It’s the sense of community,” she explains. “It’s the sense of ‘we before me.’ It’s a very ServiceNow-team mentality. I saw it firsthand again when I was in Maui in November 2023.”

After a deadly wildfire devastated the small town of Lahaina a few months earlier, Rachel created a fundraising campaign to support the Maui Humane Society, Maui United Way, and Maui Food Bank. She encouraged ServiceNow employees to use their Employee Empowerment Reward to donate.

Rachel’s campaign worked. She raised more than $48,000 in six months—including contributions from her analyst partners. "This company will support whatever the heck you want to do with gusto,” she says, reminiscing about former places of employment that wouldn’t. “ServiceNow really gives you the opportunity to be your true self here."

Cultural immersion

Daniel B., originally from Australia, spent half his life in Japan—first as a university student and then as an employee. Wanting to learn the language, Daniel began volunteering with local organizations. Now fluent in Japanese and a team lead for ServiceNow, he continues to give back, supporting the Japan Committee for UNICEF.

“In Japan, there’s an aging population problem,” he explains. “Some people can't maintain their homes and gardens anymore.” One of the big challenges is around bamboo, he adds. “It tends to grow pretty quickly and spread. People often need help maintaining it, and we help every year.”

Daniel and other employees from the ServiceNow Japan office also participate in the annual Tokyo Yamathon, a 42-kilometer fundraising walk for the Yokohama Children’s Hospice Project.

"We only have one planet,” Daniel says. “I have a firm belief that we should do what we can to preserve the integrity of the environment. The Employee Empowerment Reward means that I can give to causes that I think are worthwhile and meaningful to me.”

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