Earlier this month we celebrated Labor Day. Colloquially thought of as the unofficial end of summer, for many Point B’ers it signifies a renewed sense of commitment to community. And so, we wanted to highlight a part of Point B that truly exemplifies the dedication our people have to the communities where we live and work. Like our Community Lift Program that delivers pro bono work to nonprofits that make a difference in our communities and help tackle important social issues.
To learn more about this program we connected with our Firmwide Community Impact Lead Nick Rooney to hear more about his Point B journey and the work Point B’ers are doing to help uplift our communities.
Can you tell us about your Point B journey?
I started at Point B as an Analyst over 4 years ago looking for an opportunity to gain experience in a variety of industries and utilize my passion for environmental sustainability and youth mentorship. I have had the chance to work with some amazing customers across the utilities, healthcare and retail industries and build a diverse set of skills along the way. I also am fortunate to be able to contribute to our company’s strategy in the social responsibility space as we have set ambitious goals – such as tripling our community impact and becoming carbon negative by 2030. As we continue to push ourselves to increasingly contribute in the corporate social responsibility space, we are also growing our ability to help our customers do the same. I’m excited to see how Point B can contribute to real solutions for our communities. e
“We support organizations whose mission aligns to Point B’s values – and we support organizations who can use our services to multiply their impact.”
How did you get involved with our Community Lift Program?
I started getting involved in our Corporate Social Responsibility program shortly after joining Point B. I believe a large part of solving complex social issues lies in the private sector, in companies like Point B. In 2019, we set our goal to triple Point B’s value to our communities by 2023 and I helped build our strategy to get there. Our Community Lift Program is an important part of that strategy – through every engagement we hope to further the organization’s mission – and I became more and more involved when I stepped into the role of Firmwide Community Impact Lead.
How many Point B’ers are involved with the program and how do our people contribute?
Our people contribute in a few different ways. First, they are likely to be our first connection to these inspiring non-profit organizations who could use our help, but may not be in a position to pay full price for our services. These Point B’ers often take the critical step of proposing a Lift project to start the engagement process. Second, Point B’ers are the force behind the work. Most folks jump at the opportunity to provide their business expertise to an organization with a purpose focused on bettering the world.
Tell us a little bit more about these organizations.
We support organizations whose mission aligns to Point B’s values – and we support organizations who can use our services to multiply their impact. Most recently, for example, as our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) team developed our Roadmap Against Racism, we reached out to organizations whose mission is focused on racial justice and uplifting black communities.
Can you tell us about some recent projects?
We recently finished a project with True Star Media, a non-profit focused on empowering youth through educational programs related to the media industry. They are doing phenomenal work to connect youth in the Chicago area with professional experience and mentorship, giving them exposure they typically would not have otherwise to help them excel in the media industry. Point B provided support on their go-to-market strategy and services, allowing more of their students to gain real professional experience and creating a pathway to become more financially sustainable. In addition, we have a Lift project in flight with a non-profit focused on ending youth homelessness in the Portland area. We’re working with them to replace an outdated case management system, which will free up their valuable resources to spend more time focusing on the kids they are helping.
How does the work we do through the Community Lift program reflect our company values?
The Lift program directly correlates to our value of Service – directly supporting nonprofits that help better our communities. It also contributes to our people-first mentality, as we seek to address the issues that impact the people our entire Point B community – customers, communities, employees and beyond.
What’s next for the program?
As we continue to progress towards our goal for tripling our community impact, we’ll continue to seek engagements that align to our values and goals as a company. We have ambitious targets in both DEI and sustainability that we know have a much greater impact. And we want to help nonprofits that match our passion for these efforts and have the real potential to make a difference.
“We have ambitious targets in both DEI and sustainability that we know have a much greater impact. And we want to help nonprofits that match our passion for these efforts and have the real potential to make a difference.”
What has been a personal highlight for you with our Community Lift program?
The opportunity to steer the Lift program towards organizations that are focused on racial justice and uplifting black communities is very special to me. At a time of great injustice, it was a strong message for our company to say that we are ready and willing to help organizations who dedicate their efforts towards those issues.
Just one final question: where can we find you outside of work?
I find a lot of balance by getting outside to nature, usually through hiking or fly fishing. I also love mentoring at my former middle school, helping underserved kids achieve inside and outside of the classroom through sports and after-school activities.
Thank you, Nick, for all of your great work with our Community Lift Program!
