In this Community Spotlight, we are thrilled to spotlight @Sheila Morin, one of the incredible individuals within our community of social impact leaders. Sheila is the CMO at Coveo and has been a part of this community since November 2021.
Can you share one of the most impactful social initiatives or projects you've spearheaded or contributed to in your career?
I led the creation of our ESG Strategic Plan at Coveo as well as our 1% Pledge for over two years. Since then, we have set up seven internal committees involving more than 60 Coveans to advance causes from carbon footprint reduction to diversity and inclusion, volunteering and many more.
Our main mission is focused on Knowledge and Education as it is key to empowering people to do more on their own and one of the best ways to make a lasting impact on society.
We believe democratizing knowledge and education is a key lever in reducing inequality and poverty, promoting wellness, and broadening opportunities.
Backed by our 1% Pledge, we will contribute time, products, expertise and money to support organizations that improve access to knowledge and education for underserved people in our communities.
Our initiatives will prioritize programs for young people (6-18 y.o.) in vulnerable social groups.
So far, we have given more than $1M CAD to diverse organizations supporting our mission. We gave our Coveo product for free to two organizations, and we give several hundred voluntary hours every month. We created a Professional women's network and a Diversity and Inclusion committee. We calculated our carbon footprint and are not working on a concrete plan to reduce it.
I’m very proud of all of that… But I can tell you… it takes a village. We need many passionate and generous people to make all of this happen, and I’m very fortunate to have many amazing people at Coveo.
What advice do you have for aspiring leaders looking to navigate and advance their careers in this dynamic and meaningful field?
- Define your mission: Select a mission aligned with the company's values and commit to it wholeheartedly. If you attempt to do too many things or try assisting too many causes or too many groups of individuals you can get lost pretty quickly. Establishing a clear mission serves as your beacon, your guiding light, aiding in making informed decisions.
- Surround yourself with the right people: Build a network of individuals genuinely dedicated to making a positive impact and aiding others. View this as more than just a career choice—it's a mission.
What’s a fun fact that people probably don’t know about you?
I have acted in more than 20 theater plays and was also on television when I was younger.
Is there a particular charitable organization you're a fan of and would like to shine a spotlight on within this post?
We have many key partners that I all love equally:
These amazing organizations are focused on improving access to education, inclusion, and/or making a positive impact on the environment, including Actua, LOVE, Pour 3 Points, Girlstart, Interligne, U-Go and Environmental Defence.
We have also been working closely with Alloprof, a Quebec-based non-profit that offers parents and students aged 6-17 free, practical resources to help them succeed along their academic journey. Alloprof has been using our AI platform to create best-in-class digital experiences for their students and parents, helping them find the resources they need.
Is there anything else you want to highlight or share with the community?
We want to increase the number of volunteering hours our Coveans are doing. We are looking into gamifying it and creating a little contest internally.
We aspire to enhance our collaborative efforts with partner organizations by increasing the frequency of joint activities, coaching sessions, and mentorship opportunities for their members. While financial support is crucial, investing our time can equally contribute to making a tangible difference. My vision is to bridge our Coveans with individual members from Actua, Love, P3P, fostering authentic connections that have the potential to positively transform the lives of these youths. Encountering an inspiring figure during formative years often serves as a guiding light for the future.
We also want to offer our amazing product and AI to more organizations. We would like to help them help more people thanks to our AI platform.
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. 🌎
