Working at tech isn't all about the money; sure, it is one of the fields with the best remuneration, and employees at companies that make it big can be in for a windfall. However, employees at many tech companies are driven by something bigger — the desire to make the world a better place.
Many of these companies are mission-based, going so far as to make doing good a part of their very fabric. If Google's motto is 'don't be evil,' these companies' mottos could be 'let's do good.' Here are seven of those companies:
Andela takes the top tier of African tech talent and puts them on distributed teams working for U.S. tech companies. After completing Andela's program, candidates are free to continue working for their U.S. firms, or to start their own thing. The program is not only filling the skills gap here, but helping to develop the sort of human capital needed for cities like Lagos and Nairobi to become Africa’s Silicon Alley.
It’s probably difficult for many people to imagine, but it is possible for a company working with student loan debt not to be evil. CommonBond lets people refinance their student loans at really good rates. Currently, they're offering rates as low as 2.14 percent, and they say their average client saves over $14,000 over the length of the loan. That sort of savings has a huge impact on people's lives, allowing them to do things like save for a down payment on a house, buy a car, consider having children, or even just blow it all at the bar.
Greatist is all about spreading a healthy attitude around the world. Their philosophy is that the easiest way to be healthy is to have a healthy attitude, and so they create content to get you in the right mood. Their millennial focused health content includes things like recipes, exercise moves and even articles informing readers on the finer points of modern condom redesigns. The overall idea being that, if you’re surrounded by healthy, positive content, you’re more likely to make healthy decisions.
Hometeam is revolutionizing the way home care works. Their service makes it easy for families to find and hire high-quality caregivers for the elderly. They not only connect families with caregivers, but also have an app that keeps the family updated on what’s happening at the house. As America’s population continues to age, tech is going to have to play a role in caring for the elderly, and Hometeam is leading the way. Nobody wants to have to face the day their loved ones need help at home, but when the day inevitably does come, you'll be happy Hometeam exists.
LittleThings creates uplifting content aimed at influencing women across the generational divide. Their content is inspiring, and engaging. Actually, it’s incredibly engaging, and wildly popular — they have over nine million Facebook fans, 4.7 million Pinterest followers and, according to Comscore, over 52 million monthly unique visitors. Just to put that last number into perspective, that means about 43 percent of adult women in the U.S. saw some of their positive content on the internet last month.
Warby Parker may be best known for bringing the cost of eyeglasses down dramatically in the United States — a noble cause in its own right — but they actually go much further. Their 'Buy A Pair, Give A Pair' program means that for every pair of glasses you buy, another is donated to someone in need. What's more, the company partners with nonprofits that teach locals in developing countries how to give basic eye exams and sell low cost eyeglasses in their communities.
The e-commerce site Zady is pushing back against the fast-fashion industry by selling quality clothing made in a sustainable way. It’s a huge problem that most Americans probably don’t even know exists, but about 80 billion pieces of clothing are made every year— many of them shoddily. So, the real price of a cheap piece of clothing is an environmental disaster, a bunch of chemicals leaching into your skin and labor practices that put third world residents at risk. Oh, and you end up with a shitty piece of clothing. With Zady you can take the guesswork out of buying clothes that are well made, safe, good for the environment, and not made by children.
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