Ripple has always prioritized building the Internet of Value to better serve our global customers and communities. And as a mission-driven fintech company, we work to improve economic opportunity and equity for all through innovation, education, research and philanthropy. These are essential components of the company ethos and help drive and sustain our culture of purpose, passion and fun.
Through Ripple Impact, we make giving back part of the employee experience by matching employee donations, organizing international volunteer opportunities year-round, and fundraising for nonprofits chosen by our Employee Resource Groups. Ripplers are now on track to reach $1 million raised since launching our matching donation program in 2018. This dedication and support have had a profound imprint on our workplace culture: Ripple ranked #3 in the San Francisco Business Times Top 100 Corporate Philanthropy list this year.
Ripplers Live Out LEGGOS Company Values
To support communities at work and beyond, Ripplers have the opportunity to bi-annually nominate their colleagues who represent one of our ‘LEGGOS’ company values—Live It, Enjoy It, Get It Done, Go for It, Own It and Say It.
“It’s who we are, how we act and serves as a guide to help make our vision become a reality,” says Chris Larsen, Co-Founder & Chairman of Ripple.
Winners of the LEGGOS awards are honored for the company value they best exemplify, and in addition to a cash prize, are awarded $5,000 to use toward a donation to the non-profit of their choosing. Past winners have supported causes from cancer research and food equity to mental health services and computer programming courses for underserved communities.
LEGGOS winners often choose nonprofits that have had an impact on their lives and communities:
This year, Senior Software Engineer Lan Nguyen donated to Girls Who Code after receiving her LEGGOS award for Go for It. This organization aims to close the gender gap in the tech industry by offering free computer science programs to young women and girls around the world.
“Girls Who Code was an incredible resource when I began my journey in programming. They’ve been helping many young girls and professional women believe coding is a possible career choice for many women, learn how to get started, and participate in the community,” said Nguyen.
Product Designer Bryan Shi, recognized for Own It, chose to donate to The Council for Economic Education, an organization dedicated to providing American K-12 students with the tools and knowledge of personal finance and economics through education. “As our world deals with rising prices and a global pandemic, it only makes sense that personal finance and economics would become more important in order for most people to achieve their life goals,” Shi said.
Giving Back 365
Throughout the year, Ripple employees are encouraged to support causes that are important to them through a variety of channels.
Ripple proudly matches employee donations up to $1,000 annually, allowing employees to double their impact to causes they support. Ripplers are also given opportunities throughout the year to double their impact with 2:1 donation matching fundraisers on occasions such as Giving Tuesday and in support of humanitarian responses to global events, such as the war in Ukraine.
Our Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)—which build belonging in the workplace and serve as a sounding board for global diversity, equity and inclusion—also champion the spirit of employee giving. A number of ERGs have created Ripple Impact fundraisers benefiting organizations most important to them with 2:1 employee donation matching.
These DEI groups are vital to Ripple’s culture, giving members an outlet to share resources and encouraging others to support and amplify causes pertinent to their community.
In addition to facilitating financial support, Ripple Impact helps Ripplers get involved directly in their communities through volunteer efforts.
Earlier this year, employees worked with Stephen and Ayesha Curry’s Eat.Learn.Play Foundation to provide over 100 Oakland, California youth and their families a space to stay active, build social bonds, and bring the community together with a new playground and community garden. In June, our London team gathered to clean the Thames river, and our Singapore office spent some time packing and distributing meals to those in need.
“Giving back is a core value at Ripple. Through our collective efforts and support from our senior leaders, we have created an environment where employees' interests and passions can be celebrated,” says Ken Weber, Vice President of Social Impact & Sustainability at Ripple. “It’s thanks to our team's enthusiasm and this culture that we’re proud to be included in Inc’s. 5000's list of fastest growing companies, as well as Fortune’s Best Tech Workplaces and Best Medium Workplaces.”
Through an employee survey, we found that an amazing 95% of our team says Ripple is a great place to work compared to 57% of employees at a typical U.S.-based company. Employees continued to rank Ripple high in terms of taking time off work, honest and ethical management and welcoming onboarding experiences.
But the most common word our employees used to describe their enthusiasm for Ripple was “people.” The relationships built here have strengthened trust, collaboration and innovation across the company—a culture unmatched by others in the industry.
Learn more about life at Ripple, or join the Ripple team to become a part of our culture.
