What Guides Us
We seek transformative change in the world, and in ourselves.
A Certified B Corp, Geneva Global is firmly committed to incorporating the principles of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) into all aspects of how we work, from our culture and our teams to our client engagement and relationships. We seek to create and maintain an inclusive, antiracist, anti-oppressive culture that is rooted in equity and trust and fostered by our team members, who are purpose-driven, collaborative, caring, and highly motivated.
We also recognize that philanthropy as a whole must continue to evolve so it can effectively contribute to equitable systems and structures.
For Geneva Global and its employees to take an active part in this movement, we believe that continuous learning, sharing, and growing are critical.
Our JEDI Vision and Strategy
To support a culture that is respectful, safe, open, curious, inclusive, and representative of our JEDI values, our staff developed five Community Agreements, which codify how we work together. Meetings, professional development, employee assessment, and more are informed by these understandings.
1
Create a culture rooted in equity and trust.
2
Embrace discomfort.
3
Center learning and growth.
4
Cultivate an inclusive space for multiple truths, experiences, and voices.
5
Engage in frequent, open, and clear communication.
JEDI in Our Workplace
Within Geneva Global, everyone in the organization is responsible for advancing the company’s JEDI work and living its principles. To that end, significant effort is made to ensure every employee at Geneva Global is—and feels—seen, heard, and supported by their peers and our leadership. We have sought to integrate JEDI values into the lens through which we review, analyze, and refine our internal policies and practices, including recruitment, hiring, and retention. We have also developed rhythmic disciplines to keep JEDI as a focus:
Culture Club
The Culture Club is a quarterly discussion series for Geneva Global and Global Impact staff that examines books, movies, television shows, podcasts, and other media related to JEDI themes. This regular meeting creates a space for learning, discussion, and growth.
Communications
Geneva Global shares its JEDI experience and philosophy internationally with staff, as well as within the broader philanthropic community through various communications.
Corporate Social Responsibility
Since 2020, we have been intentionally using our corporate social responsibility funding to support organizations advancing racial justice, including to Philadelphia area organizations I’m FREE, Frontline Dads, Inc., and the Philadelphia Black Giving Circle. We continue to explore additional ways we can provide support to local organizations through volunteering and pro bono work.
JEDI for Our Clients
We have begun to learn as philanthropy professionals how JEDI values are relevant to our client engagements and what it means to bring these values to life. For example:
- We’ve helped families embed more trust-based approaches to their giving as it aligned with their values and aspirations as funders.
- When sharing recommendations on giving, we include information about equitable giving and provide best practices for these ideas that are informed by other leaders in this space, including the Trust-Based Philanthropy Project.
- When asked by clients to identify organizations within specific issue areas, we prioritize finding organizations that promote equitable community impact. For example, for a client looking to support organizations focused on climate change, we cited partners protecting Indigenous peoples’ land rights as one effective strategy.
