In this Community Spotlight, we are thrilled to spotlight Jon Gibbins (@JonGibbins), one of the incredible individuals within our community. Jon is a Director and Senior Consultant at As It Should Be Ltd and has been a part of this community since November 2021.
Can you share one of the most impactful projects you've spearheaded or contributed to in your career?
Throughout my career, I've had a focus on using tech for good. I've been working in the digital sector for 20 years, specialising throughout in making the web and digital technology more accessible to Disabled people. During that time, I’ve helped run a world-wide organisation of web designers and developers promoting digital accessibility, led the certification of my business as a B Corp, and co-founded grassroots groups that promote inclusive design and sustainability in business.
I love it when you get to see things snowball from one tiny action. During the first COVID-19 lockdown in the UK, I found myself without work. I had an idea to use my training experience and recent learnings about business ethics and sustainability to help other small business owners. I successfully pitched the idea to a local business incubator and built a partnership with them to bid for grant funding to develop and deliver some workshops and follow-up support to participants. The workshops were well received and resulted in the creation of a regional peer support network for small business owners who are changing how they work and who they work with, creating positive change in the wider community and economy. It was this experience that prompted me to focus my business on positive impact alongside profit. And it all started with some notes on the back of an envelope.
As It Should Be Ltd has pledged 2% of revenue to non-profits working hard to protect our planet and improve people’s lives. Could you share the criteria used to select your non-profit collaborators and offer advice to other organizations seeking to establish similar partnerships?
We like to support non-profit organisations that do good work in the digital world, which is where we work, but we also try to support local organisations in our giving, too.
We have two parts to our giving:
1% of our revenue goes to environmental non-profits working hard to protect our planet. We find partners through the 1% for the Planet community. For example, we worked with Possible, donating time to make their website more accessible so that their great work reaches more people. Next, we plan to support planet-positive organisations based near our home city of Bristol who are rewilding and improving access to our parks and cycleways.
Another 1% of our revenue goes to organisations working to improve people’s lives. A lot of our volunteer time is spent with local groups and organisations that are having a positive impact in our community. We have also made donations to the Disasters Emergency Committee, who is known for its humanitarian aid work in times of crisis; Knowbility, who have been championing accessibility for Disabled people for more than 20 years; and NV Access, who develop free, open source screen reader software that helps blind and partially sighted people to access computers and the Internet.
It’s great to be able to give back to organisations that have supported me or my family at different times, or to support charities doing work that’s close to my heart. So, when I’m deciding which organisations to support, I ask myself who I can support who has had a positive impact on me or my family (or I ask those I’m working with).
What advice do you have for aspiring leaders to navigate and advance their careers in this meaningful field?
Start with a small, positive action you can do today. It doesn't matter what it is; you never know where it will lead you.
What’s a fun fact that people probably don’t know about you?
I was once featured on a BBC video explaining home composting to children.
Is there a particular charitable organization you're a fan of and would like to shine a spotlight on within this post?
Knowbility has been championing digital accessibility for Disabled people for more than 20 years through a variety of programmes from awareness raising and advocacy to teaching, mentoring and supporting disabled or financially struggling students to access education. They are so giving with their time, support and kindness, and I'm so lucky to have been able to work with them, take part in their events, and support them over the years.
Is there anything else you want to highlight or share with the community?
We're really excited to work with even more purpose-driven organisations, ethical brands and good causes that are aligned with our values because we love to help open up and amplify the good work that they do.
Are you ready to share your story through our Community Spotlight series? Apply here or drop a comment below to nominate a fellow community member. Let's continue inspiring and uplifting each other as we collectively strive for a better world. 🌎
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