10 min
2022 Community Impact Report
We’ve been steady at work, pursuing our vision to close equity gaps and create more accessibility in diverse communities.
Closing Equity Gaps
With the transition from eROI to Thesis in 2019, Thesis embarked on a wholehearted journey to create a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment within our agency and the greater Portland metro area. We publicly stated our goal to reach 50% employee representation of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) across all areas of the business by 2024.
This report showcases our commitment to continuously improve, grow, and share our efforts to close equity gaps for our employees and our community. We’d like to thank our incredible employees and community partners for their continued support.
Our People
We are because our people are. Our business and people are unified by the work we create. Together, we nurture diversity, connection, and community while redefining what it means to do real, honest work.
In 2022, we continued to cultivate adaptability and build resilience for our teams by providing flexible working hours, remote work options, additional Personal Time Off (PTO), Volunteer Time Off (VTO), professional development educational budgets, summer wellness days, summer early release Fridays, extended holiday closure, CliftonStrengths assessments, Pathways to Leadership® training, seven Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), and so much more.
B Corp™
We use business as a force for good. Our B Corp™ certification signifies a recent recognition of our long-standing work to support diversity, equity, community, and sustainability. We’re proud to be awarded a B Impact Assessment score of 84 for our social and environmental impact.
For the 2022 B Corp Day of Service, our executives put together over 1,000 meal packs at Portland Backpack for Portland Public School students in need. Additionally, we have agency policies in place to ensure we’re living our B Corp values, such as prioritizing working with BIPOC and Minority Business Enterprises (MBE).
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)
We appreciate the lived experiences of all ages, orientations, socioeconomic statuses, genders, ethnicities, and cultural backgrounds. This is reflected in our hiring and recruitment practices.
Each day, we expand our family of one-of-a-kind identities that make us who we are. In 2022, we doubled down on DEI trainings to shape conversations while continually working toward our goal to embody 50% BIPOC employee representation by 2024.
269 total employees in 2021
Women: 168 (62.4%)
Men: 101 (37.5%)
Race / Ethnicity:
American Indian: 2 (.7%)
Asian: 30 (11.1%)
Black: 30 (11.1%)
Hispanic: 26 (9.6%)
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: 5 (1.4%)
Two or More Races: 20 (7.4%)
White: 157 (58.3%)
BIPOC: 112 (41.6%)
BIPOC Women: 61 (22.6%)
BIPOC Men: 51 (18.9%)
340 total employees in 2022
Women: 219 (64.2%)
Men: 121 (35.4%)
Race / Ethnicity:
American Indian: 1 (.2%)
Asian: 39 (11.4%)
Black: 31 (9%)
Hispanic: 35 (10.2%)
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: 5 (1.4%)
Two or More Races: 29 (8.5%)
White: 200 (58.6%)
BIPOC: 140 (41%)
BIPOC Women: 78 (22.8%)
BIPOC Men: 62 (18.1%)
Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)
We value providing dedicated spaces for employees, so we created ERGs to share their identities and communal values. Each ERG is given a formalized structure, budgets for events and community outreach, and the autonomy to make decisions that are important to the group.
We are home to seven active and highly engaged ERGs that share and celebrate cultural moments with our entire agency.
208
Total employees involved
60%
Total company involvement
Asiancy: 46 employees
BET (Black Excellence at Thesis): 39 employees
EmpowHER: 54 employees
Green Team: 9 employees
MyGente: 34 employees
Queery: 19 employees
T4T (Thesis for Trans): 7 employees
Communities We Support
In 2022, we contributed to our diverse communities in powerful ways. We donated to 60+ nonprofits to support their communities and staff with volunteer hours, in-kind and monetary donations, and service projects.
Additionally, every benefit-eligible employee received 16 hours of Volunteer Time Off (VTO) to use in service of a nonprofit of their choice.
Thesis Foundation Grants
Our Foundation supports nonprofits that combat racial, gender identity, and sexual orientation inequality while championing underserved communities.
Back in 2020, the Thesis Foundation created the Black Futures Fund to show our support of the Black community as we fight for change. This fund has a four-year commitment to six local Black-led nonprofits. (2023 is our final year of funding.)
We have two general grant cycles per year, in the spring and fall. Organizations can reapply each cycle to receive a $15,000 semi-annual grant.
Overall Impact
We supported 60+ nonprofit organizations.
We donated $231,666.96 in total.
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Cash Donations: $115,300.00
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Thesis Foundation Grants: $35,000.00
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In-kind Donations: $2,000.00
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Pro Bono Work: $79,367.00
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Pro Bono Hours: 2,035.03
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VTO Hours: 755
Spring Cycle
- Total amount granted: $15,000
- Total nonprofits served: 4
- Organizations served: Impact NW, Pride NW, Immigrant Story, and Skate Like a Girl
Fall Cycle
- Total amount granted: $10,000
- Total nonprofits served: 2
- Organizations served: Greater Than and Portland Backpack
Black Futures Fund
- Total amount granted: $10,000
- Total nonprofits served: 6
- Organizations served: Imagine Black Futures, KairosPDX, NAACP Portland Branch, Urban League of Portland, Self Enhancement, Inc., and Ujima for Children International Foundation
We supported 12 nonprofit organizations.
We granted $35,000 in total.
Our employee-led Board has 10 members.
Emerging Leaders Internship
The Emerging Leaders Internship (ELI) program connects talented students of color from underrepresented communities with paid internships in the Portland metro area.
In 2022, we provided professional development opportunities for our largest class of ELI students while expanding our commitment to racial and cultural diversity in the workforce.
We received the prestigious Corporate Philanthropy Innovation Award from the Portland Business Journal for our work with the ELI program.
ELI Impact
- Consecutive years supporting ELI’s summer internship program: 7
- Number of students from underrepresented communities: 15
- Thesis employees who mentored students: 70+
- Hours of mentorship: 2,000+
- Hours of paid work provided to student interns: 5,000+
- Eligible interns hired: 67%
COMMA
COMMA is a group organized by and for BIPOC students in the graphic design program at Portland State University.
In 2022, COMMA students were paired with Thesis mentors for an eight-week program that was directed by each student’s academic, creative, and social needs.
COMMA Impact
- Number of students mentored: 11
- Number of students hired: 1
- Number of panel discussions hosted: 1
Sustainability
Thesis HQ is in the Vestas building, which is LEED® Platinum Certified — the highest rating given by the U.S. Green Building Council. The building has an Energy Star score of 99 and an International Living Future Institute (ILFI) Reveal energy efficiency label.
Sustainability Impact
Our Green Team ERG hosted the first annual Zero Waste Textile Drive for Earth Day and distributed clothing donations to our nonprofit partner, Rose Haven. All clothing that wasn’t suitable for donation was recycled with For Days through their Take Back Bag program.
Additionally, we monitor our e-waste. In partnership with FreeGeek, we recycled tech equipment in order to ensure that our electronic products didn’t end up in landfills — which poses serious environmental risks to our soil, water, air, and wildlife.
Pieces of clothing donated: 300
- Gallons of water saved: 57K+
- Pounds of carbon saved: 1K+
Laptops and monitors donated: 55+
- Gallons of water saved: 290K+
- Pounds of carbon saved: 40K+
Awards
We’re humbled to be recognized for our work and growth. In 2022, we were honored to receive the following recognitions:
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Corporate Philanthropy Innovation Award, Portland Business Journal
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Portland’s Top 10 Philanthropic Companies, Portland Business Journal
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Fastest-Growing Private Companies in America, Inc. 5000
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100 Fastest-Growing Private Companies in Oregon, Portland Business Journal
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Most Admired Companies in the Region, Portland Business Journal
CEO Closing Remarks
We set out with a vision to build a different kind of Portland agency. Our annual impact reports provide transparency that helps hold us accountable for the DEI goals we’ve set for ourselves.
We understand the work is ongoing. Still, we’re proud of our strides each year and our step-by-step progress toward creating a real and lasting impact on our community.
— Keely York, Thesis CEO
Contributors
Carling Leon
Senior Engagement Manager
Deena Anreise
Writing Director
Renata Castro
Senior Designer
Mady Colantes
Junior Editor
Ned Lannamann
Associate Editing Director
Elise Loeb
Design Lead
Kelsey Rzepecki
Senior Writer
Kaci Smith
Senior Motion Designer
Griffen Snow
Lead Motion Designer
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