Neeti Mehta Shukla
Co-Founder, Chief Social Impact Officer, Automation Anywhere
📍San Jose, CA
If you could describe yourself in one word, what would that be and why?
Maverick. My mind constantly ventures beyond conventional boundaries. As an entrepreneur entrenched in the tech sphere, I've come to relish uncovering solutions that anticipate future needs or tackle challenges the industry hasn't even encountered yet.
Pledge 1% provides a framework for businesses to do good. Do you think it’s important for today’s corporate leaders to prioritize social impact? If so, why?
It's imperative for all organizations to align both purpose-driven values and business objectives for long-term success. Giving back to our communities isn't just morally right; it's also a strategic imperative. This principle holds even greater importance in the realm of artificial intelligence (AI) as we continue to innovate with new products and services.
Leaders must seize this opportunity to uplift society as a whole, thereby addressing the widening wealth gap and enhancing productivity. For example, when developing AI-based financial solutions, it's essential to consider datasets and strategies that serve all segments of society, including minorities and underserved regions. By prioritizing economic uplift, reskilling initiatives, and inclusivity, we can foster increased productivity and prosperity for everyone.
Do you give back to the community with your team and work? If so, what does this look like?
Automation Anywhere’s Social Impact Office is committed to giving back to the community through our three pillars: Tech Access, Human Economic Uplift, and Community Investments. As part of our Tech Access initiative, we’re using our products and expertise to drive tech for good initiatives that solve global social challenges and help organizations do more.
In Ukraine, we partnered with the Center for Humanitarian Technology to deliver expedited humanitarian relief, supporting over 40,000+ refugees to receive aid faster. As part of our Human Economic Uplift work, we are helping transition marginalized communities to the jobs of the future.
Our partner Sapphire Systems leveraged our educational resources to provide an 8-week automation training program with Toti Diversidades, a free Brazilian platform dedicated to teaching and fostering inclusivity for refugees in the tech sector. And finally, as part of our Community Investment pillar, our employees are giving back to their communities through our Volunteer Time Off (VTO) program. In 2023, our employees supported 180 nonprofits through giving and volunteering.
What’s the best piece of advice you've ever received?
As a woman executive, a mentor once advised me to embrace the chaos of juggling motherhood, career, and family life. Once I adopted this mindset, I stopped striving for a perfect balance. I realized that each aspect of my life requires varying amounts of energy and time, and that's perfectly okay.
"As a woman executive, a mentor once advised me to embrace the chaos of juggling motherhood, career, and family life."
This year’s International Women’s Day themes are focused on investing in women and inspiring inclusion. What can we do to make today’s workplaces more equitable and inclusive for women?
AI is revolutionizing our world, presenting a tremendous opportunity for change. We have the chance to overcome societal biases against women by shaping the datasets used to develop new AI products and services. This allows us to accelerate progress that might have otherwise taken decades to achieve.
For instance, by ensuring that healthcare datasets are equally representative, we can mitigate biases in our healthcare products. This means innovations in healthcare will address issues faced by all genders. To drive this change, it's crucial to empower more women through upskilling and reskilling initiatives, enabling them to participate fully in the digital economy. Inclusion is key.
What advice do you have for women who are just starting their career?
Just keep learning and growing. Tune out the noise and naysayers.
What are you looking forward to this year? Are there any goals (personal or professional), activities, or experiences you are excited about?
I love walking holidays and aim to indulge in more of them this year. On the professional front, I aspire to expand Automation Anywhere's Social Impact Office, which has already played a pivotal role in upskilling over 800,000 individuals and supporting The World Economic Forum's reskilling initiatives through our partnerships. We remain dedicated to collaborating with nonprofits to enhance their productivity using our intelligent automation platform, mirroring the corporate world's efforts, as this contributes to the betterment of society as a whole.
As a Pledge 1% company, our Volunteer Time Off (VTO) program - where every employee gets four paid days a year to volunteer to a nonprofit of their choice - has become a cornerstone of our employee engagement. I'm so excited to keep expanding our impact programs as well as consistently reinforcing our market position and leadership.
