Mimecast launches Global Citizenship Program

Global Citizenship formalises the company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts and encourages all Mimecast employees to actively participate in initiatives that provide security and empowerment opportunities in their surrounding populations and environments.

“Through Global Citizenship, we aim to support health and human services, education, and community non-profits that advance our mission to build resilience in the communities in which we work and live,” said Andrea Forsht, director of employee engagement at Mimecast.

Mimecast’s Global Citizenship is made up of three pillars, the ‘Mimecast Charitable Fund’, ‘Matching Gift Program’ and ‘Volunteer Leave’.

The Mimecast Charitable Fund, which is a company fund launched in partnership with The Boston Foundation, supports non-profit organisations in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia.

This initiative furthers a successful pilot program in South Africa where Mimecast works with Human Doings and iSchool Africa. The program is aimed at improving the numeracy skills of students at Emfundisweni Primary School in Johannesburg. The project improves the learning environment through access to iPads and digital education technology.

“Mimecast is committed to the development of STEM skills (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and this project is helping to grow these skills from foundation phase,” says Forsht.

Additionally, Mimecast sponsored a Mobile Clinic where a nurse, an optometrist and an oral hygienist visited Emfundisweni Primary School to deliver preventative healthcare services.

Global Mimecast employees nominated organisations that the company could support with larger donations and deeper engagement, in addition to South Africa’s already successful program:

• In North America the company is partnering with Year Up. Together, they will offer a comprehensive workforce development program to 160 underserved young adults in Greater Boston and Dallas/Fort Worth, who are currently locked out of viable career and higher education opportunities.
• Mimecast London will be supporting Arrival Education by encouraging staff to volunteer at workshops, coaching programs and group activities offered to students on Arrival Education’s access network. Additionally, the UK office will help finance an IT infrastructure project at children’s hospice, Shooting Star Chase. The Medical Interoperability Gateway project will help the care team at the hospice access secure data and will also assist with future income generation to support its operations.

• Employees in Australia partnered with The Big Issue, a non-profit organisation that offers a developmental employment program to willing, unemployed and marginalised adults. Mimecast volunteers will help distribute The Big Issue magazine and assist with the planning of fundraising events.

Beyond the structured Mimecast Charitable Fund, Mimecast will assist employees in supporting initiatives that they support in their personal capacity. Mimecast will match independent employee charitable donations and offer up to five additional days of paid time off each year, for individual service volunteer work.

“We understand that there are unsung heroes building resilience in the communities around them, who are under resourced and ill-equipped. While we are focused on cyber resilience day-to-day, our hope is that these projects will help to build more long-standing resilience in our communities,” added Forsht.