I am privileged to work with talented colleagues who are excited by solving interesting problems with purpose. This year, we wanted you to hear directly from those colleagues who helped Thomson Reuters “do well by doing good.”
I am privileged to work with talented colleagues who are excited by solving interesting problems with purpose. This year, we wanted you to hear directly from those colleagues who helped Thomson Reuters “do well by doing good.”
Our Approach
Corporate Responsibility & Inclusion is integral to how we do business at Thomson Reuters. In collaboration with all our stakeholders we continue to develop programs, accelerate change and create a social impact across the areas of diversity & inclusion, community investment and sustainability. Underpinned by our commitment to the United Nations Global Compact, we are proud to demonstrate our ongoing progress across these areas.
Trust in People
Our employees are core to our story. Across the globe, their passion and innovative thinking is leading the conversation on core topics and creating a culture of change around sustainable development. In 2017, our employee networks increased by 20%. The work of our Business Resource Groups, Green Teams and Global Volunteer Networks was vital in supporting local issues and leveraging the skills and expertise of our trusted employees.
Read on to see some of the ways our employees are leading change in these areas.
Community Investment
Supporting the needs of our local and global communities is part of our DNA at Thomson Reuters. Our employees use our programs and activities to support the causes they’re passionate about, partnering with community organizations and charities to create real social impact.
A View From Our People
Gabrielle Madison on supporting victims of Hurricane Harvey in Texas.
“Partnership is one of our core values at Thomson Reuters. Being able to create, build and work with partners is something that became extremely visible and tangible when Hurricane Harvey hit close to our offices in August 2017. The storm is estimated to have created damages worth up to US $108 billion, and reports of at least 44 people killed with 19 missing. Our own employees in Houston were impacted and so for something of this scale it’s without question or doubt that we would and should support.
We reached out to our community partners and learned of a local organization, “Trusted World,” leading efforts to support victims of the hurricane. We immediately worked with the charity to identify the items most needed by victims and held a donation drive at our office. In just four days, an office of 1,200 employees donated over 6,000 items to the victims of the hurricane. It was remarkable for me to see our colleagues working together to support those in need and creating real impact on our doorstep.
Our colleagues were able to make use of their two days of volunteering time and also support many other local charities through skills-based volunteering, knowing that their time makes a difference to their local community.
My hope is to continue in this vein and to leverage our expertise and resources to support the communities and causes we are all truly passionate about.”
Diversity & Inclusion
Our strength as an organization is rooted in the skills and experiences of our global employees, and on this principle, we continue to build an inclusive workplace where all our employees are valued and can reach their full potential. We know that a diverse workforce not only impacts the bottom line, but it also meets the needs of our diverse customer base.
A View From Our People
Daniel Callaghan on leading a mental health awareness campaign in London.
“Let’s start with the facts:
- 83% of working-age people acquire a disability as opposed to being born with one.
- On average, one in four adults will be diagnosed with a mental illness at some stage during their lifetime.
In August 2017, I took on the responsibility as the lead of the London Disability Network. It’s something I’m particularly passionate about as I’ve wrestled depression myself. Also, I have family members who live with disabilities.
As a network, we got involved with the “This is Me” campaign to share the stories of Thomson Reuters employees about their own experiences with mental ill health, from anxiety and depression to bipolar.
We put the video together to raise awareness of an issue that is very real for many of our colleagues and received incredible feedback from across the globe. We have seen firsthand how it has impacted colleagues positively. A remarkable example of this is from a colleague who watched the video and recognized similar symptoms in her partner, which led to a doctor’s visit and treatment for her partner.
It also led us into a conversation around action plans and building the profile on the benefits and services available to colleagues who need support both internally at work and at home, as well as sharing best practices with our clients and partners externally.
It has been a phenomenal experience and project to work on, and I feel it has been a springboard for us. We now officially have a global leadership team for the Disability network with representatives in the UK, US and India with the aim to expand the network globally.”
Sustainability
Our approach to sustainability ensures that we manage and measure our own environmental impacts responsibly. Additionally, we leverage our knowledge, data and human expertise to drive discussions on sustainable development across industries and alongside trusted partners. This layered approach to operations and thought leadership allows us to be a trusted partner in the wider sustainability space.
A View From Our People
Vichal Ghira on combating drought in Cape Town, South Africa.
“The day known to us as Day Zero where school and office closures, limited water in homes and hospitals will be our harsh reality, draws closer and closer.
I became the Thomson Reuters Green Team lead to support the company to take action to reduce our environmental impacts. Over the last two years, I found myself part of a global network of other passionate employees across the globe who are educating colleagues on the simple tangible actions we can take to slow down the effects of climate change.
In February 2017, I learned of an amazing innovation – a waterless car-wash service in Johannesburg. Mint Green Wash is a 25-minute service that sprays vehicles with a wax that sticks to the dirt on your car, which is then buffered off with a microfiber cloth. Not only does it clean your car without water, it leaves it smooth and protected for longer.
I introduced this to our facilities team and within a month, it was up and running in our office basement for our 300 employees to make use of. Within 10 months 1,305 cars have been washed, and 130,500 liters of water has been saved, and it will continue to run in 2018.
We no longer have time or a plan B – we need to act now. And I hope with innovations such as the waterless car wash, we will continue to adapt to the new normal and learn how to preserve water.”
