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Doing good in the world is an important part of the work that non-profit organizations do.
But it’s also become a key philosophy for many companies that encompass the fast-growing technology sector.
As a result, the two sectors can work together and develop partnerships, says Joseph Fung, CEO of Kiite Inc., a Waterloo-based software company.
“It’s easy to do more good if we do it together,” said Fung, in an interview after providing the keynote address at Capacity Canada’s Annual General Meeting held in late April at the St. George Hall in Waterloo.
The 37-year-old business leader is responsible for a growing list of accomplishments in the world of startups and technology industry, including the co-founding of Simple Machines Forum, a software development project, and the online marketing company OnMyBlock.ca Ltd.. He also co-founded TribeHR, which NetSuite purchased in 2013, and Kiite less than a year ago.
Besides the tech world, Fung, who also sits on the boards of the Golden Triangle Angel Network, Communitech and the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony, is more than familiar with the non-profit sector and the stresses it faces, especially as it tries to find new donors.
In his address, he referenced findings from the 30 Years of Giving in Canada report, crafted by the Rideau Hall Foundation in partnership with Imagine Canada, which among its many facts and figures outlined that in all age categories donations were dropping and that 74% of donations between 1985 and 2014 were made by those 50 years of age and older.
By contrast, Fung said in the tech industry the average age of a CEO is 39, while the average age of a those employed in that sector is 29.
“We can’t afford to wait two decades for the demographics to catch up,” he said. “We really have to think about how we can change that right now.”
From the tech point of view, Fung said his industry is under a microscope now more than ever in the wake of recent events, such as the Cambridge Analytics/Facebook scandal, and suspected online interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
“There are a lot of people in tech companies, not just here but internationally, asking themselves are we actually a force for good? Are we actually making the world a better place?” he said.
The answer, said Fung, is yes before he outlined several local examples of technology companies stepping up to help others.
Among these is NetSuite’s ‘Slower Cooking for Faster Meals’ program. In partnership with the Working Centre in downtown Kitchener, the company has reached out and provides cooking classes to families in need.
“This is not just volunteering by giving to the food bank. They’ve (NetSuite) really reached out,” said Fung.
He said the goal has been to not only provide these families with prepared meals but show them there are economical ways to provide themselves with affordable and healthy food options.
At the same time, Fung said by providing them with equipment and supplies, the program has given these families more sustainable options and has benefitted those at NetSuite.
“The organization has done an incredible job of saying ‘in partnering with our social profit partners, we can make our staff and our leadership better community members and better citizens’,” he said.
Another example Fung touched on was the establishment of the ‘makingspace.tech’ initiative co-founded by Gord Tanner, a member of the local technology community. The mission of ‘makingspace.tech’ is to create safe spaces in the Waterloo Region tech sector for marginalized members of society, such as the LGBTQ community, through a variety of programs and resources. “Gord is bringing a voice into tech companies that wasn’t there before,” said Fung.
Another individual in the local tech community that has been leading by example, he said, is John Baker, CEO and founder of the Kitchener-based software company Desire2Learn.
Fung described in detail the success Baker has had reaching out to the community through his own network to help veterans with PTSD, via the True Patriot Love Foundation, by organizing a kayaking adventure. He said Baker invested $50,000 of his own money and challenged people in his network to match it.
“He (Baker) reminded people a key way to help out is to engage the community,” said Fung, adding non-profits must become more innovative to attract a new generation of donors.
He also stressed to the audience that founders and CEOs of tech startups often have very little money to donate since they answer to investors.
“I think a better analogy would be for a startup to say, ‘I just borrowed $5 million from a loan shark’,” Fung joked. “I think it’s a detail that sometimes is missed. Tech companies and startups, by and large, are non-profits.”
However, he said that doesn’t mean there aren’t resources available to tap into since the employees at these companies are earning salaries two and three times higher than those working at non-profits.
“There is the capacity to give out there,” said Fung.
“One of the challenges in the social sector is how do we get beyond the CEO or the giving committee and reach into the hearts and minds of the employees themselves, that’s the key element.”
Fung said every tech company wants to improve engagement with its employees and that supporting a non-profit is an ideal way to accomplish that goal.
“Bringing in social profits to educate and share their stories is a fantastic way to build a relationship,” he said.
Fung also encouraged those who work in the non-profit sector to take a closer look at who its donors are, which in turn can help them push them in the right direction they need to improve engagement.
“This is a partnership,” said Fung. “As much as we need to build capacity in non-profits to engage these new audiences, we also need to build capacity in tech companies to be more thoughtful and active contributors.”
