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Helping customers reduce their carbon footprint to build a better future

VMware CEO Raghu Raghuram delivers VMware Explore Keynote

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Positive Impact of ESG is on Full Display at VMware Explore￼

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VMware’s 2022 ESG Report: How We’re Accelerating into Action￼

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ESG is Having Growing Pains. Here’s What Comes Next.

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Introducing VMware’s Global Head of DEI Vijay Pendakur￼

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A Davos Spring: A First-Timer’s Impressions from the World Economic Forum

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Creating Meaningful Change Together

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5 Ways to Bring Your Passion for Sustainability to Work

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#BreakTheBias: Celebrating VMware’s Security Talent This International Women&#8217;s Day

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VMware Joins Innovation Community at SXSW 2022

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The Infinite Possibilities of Citizen Philanthropy: Pi Day and Every Day

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Nicola Acutt, Palo Alto Chief Dueker walking behind within microgrid

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Why Climate Change Can’t Knock Our Lights Out

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Many people still perceive climate change and ESG initiatives as areas that can only be addressed at a much higher level of influence, beyond the control of day to day jobs and efforts. However, If you take a closer look at how change is taking place over the years around ESG, the power of action no longer exclusively rests with large corporations and governments - it sits with people and communities. If working at VMware has taught me anything, it’s that we need to accelerate our ideas into action, choosing the role we want to play, tracking our progress, and making choices now to drive positive impact for the long term! 

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Personally, having a daughter accelerated the need for me to actively do something that would help drive an impact. Being a part of VMware’s global technical account management team, I integrate a customer success program to ensure that our solutions, products and services are really helping businesses achieve the right outcomes, while providing valuable feedback to our engineering and product teams. In short: I’m a customer advocate looking for ways to help customers improve their businesses and, as such, I started exploring how I could use this position to make a difference. I’m very grateful to have opportunities like this platform to be able to voice my aspirations and dreams of a better future. 

Helping customers achieve sustainability goals

I joined VMware around eight years ago, and in 2020 I was very lucky to become a member of the Office of the CTO (OCTO). As a member of the OCTO and a sustainability ambassador at VMware, I gained the opportunity to understand different ways of how our VMware solutions can help customers with avoidance and reduction of their carbon footprint. Leveraging a bit of my previous experience as a TAM, I can provide customers with rich technical environmental analysis for optimisation and platform health, so I started working with amazing colleagues and partners to look at how their configuration data can also investigate and pinpoint areas for decarbonisation improvement. This is where the same type of telemetry can be used to measure, monitor and benchmark customer’s carbon footprint, extracting accurate business insights to help transform their environment and help them achieve carbon reduction goals. But this is only the first step. 

As more companies digitally transform, maintaining accountability towards sustainability targets is becoming more critical. As a whole, ESG and corporate sustainability are part of a very topical boardroom conversation in many large organisations, and we are already seeing green agendas driving enormous change in the ICT industry. There is endless potential for decarbonisation and continuous improvement due to the rich data available - companies just need to know where and how to find it. 

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Being a Sustainability Ambassador at VMware

At VMware, we hold <a href="https://news.vmware.com/company/vmwares-culture-built-epic2-values">the culture of EPIC2 values</a> very close to our hearts and strive to focus on Execution, Passion, Integrity, Customers, and Community in every facet of our job functions. We apply these as key principles to become a force for good, promoting change in our lives, in our customers and within our community. Putting into practice, initiatives like VMware’s <a href="https://news.vmware.com/anz/esg/vmwares-2022-esg-report-how-were-accelerating-into-action">yearly ESG report </a>help us keep in check with our progress and goals.

Other Sustainability Ambassadors that are part of the team come from various lines of business, but the core message prevails: to help everyone become more conscious about sustainability, and to help customers meet sustainability goals through services and solutions. 

Envisioning a sustainable future

It’s great to see that the next generation is very passionate about climate change. However, for solving a global problem like climate change, we need to see more collaboration and unified approach across countries, industries and geo-political leadership. It would be phenomenal if formal regulatory bodies from different countries and organisations created measures to help govern and ensure proper carbon tracking and reporting. It is unfortunately very deregulated at the moment, but with a global standard to work towards and reliable data, we could be in a better position to help progress worldwide standards and define frameworks for everyday consumption of carbon. 

We all live a highly consumer-driven lifestyle, so let’s imagine this future for our next generation: if we could check the carbon footprint of each commodity as an “energy star rating,” wouldn’t it help us envision the real cost of it and reevaluate our choices, pushing companies to also change how they make their products? I’m thrilled to see that some businesses are already taking steps in that direction, like some of the biggest banks, who help customers track their personal carbon emissions via their banking apps. Some of our large mining and resources customers in Australia have announced and are working towards significant targets such as 50% carbon reduction by 2030, expanding into their scope 1 and scope 2 carbon footprint contributions which could amount to a lot, given the industry output. We have a range of great customers taking a long-term view, where <a href="https://cloud.vmware.com/providers/zero-carbon" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">VMware and our Zero Carbon Committed</a> partners are actively collaborating and helping with their sustainability business outcomes.

So as you can tell, data and actionable business intelligence with green metrics are just one of the ways that technology can be used to build a better future. Now I pose the question back to you: how do you envision a sustainable future? 

Thinking of more ESG initiatives, I am also pleased to share that VMware’s 2022 ESG Report is now live. You can find out more about our initiatives and commitments <a href="https://news.vmware.com/anz/esg/vmwares-2022-esg-report-how-were-accelerating-into-action">here</a>.

Many people still perceive climate change and ESG initiatives as areas that can only be addressed at a much higher level of influence, beyond the control of day to day jobs and efforts. However, If you take a closer look at how change is taking place over the years around ESG, the power of action […]

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Helping customers reduce their carbon footprint to build a better future - VMware News &amp; Stories - ANZ

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VMware's Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) initiatives were front and centre at VMWare Explore 2022 as more than 10,000 VMware customers and partners converged in San Francisco to learn about the latest multi-cloud innovations and solutions. As attendees engaged with new technologies, they also learned how ESG topics such as sustainability and equitable workforces are driving more value than ever before in today’s digital business.

Throughout the three day program, VMware executives, partners and customers demonstrated how VMware puts ESG into action, and they shined a spotlight on the uniqueness of the company's ecosystem and its role in running the world’s critical IT infrastructure. 

VMware CEO Raghu Raghuram's opening keynote highlighted VMware’s <a href="https://cloud.vmware.com/providers/zero-carbon">Zero Carbon Committed</a> initiative, a collaborative effort that taps the enormous potential of VMware’s public cloud partner ecosystem. VMware's groundbreaking program advances sustainability across the industry by promoting public cloud providers who are committed to achieving 100 percent renewable energy-powered data centres by 2030, and by connecting them with VMware customers who have net zero goals.

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VMware Explore 2022 guests also enjoyed numerous breakout sessions and workshops focused on ESG, including:

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ESG is top of mind across the VMware ecosystem and the industry. As customers dive further into their multi-cloud strategies, they can expect to see more innovations that add value by enabling both ESG and business goals.

Did you miss VMware Explore this year? You can still view the above sessions on demand, along with many more, by visiting the <a href="https://www.vmware.com/explore/us.html">VMware Explore 2022 webpage</a>. For a complete list of ESG-related sessions at VMware Explore 2022, check out the <a href="https://myevents.vmware.com/widget/vmware/explore2022us/1657224332783001DHkw">ESG Playlist</a>.

VMware&#8217;s Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) initiatives were front and centre at VMWare Explore 2022 as more than 10,000 VMware customers and partners converged in San Francisco to learn about the latest multi-cloud innovations and solutions. As attendees engaged with new technologies, they also learned how ESG topics such as sustainability and equitable workforces are […]

Positive Impact of ESG is on Full Display at VMware Explore￼ - VMware News &amp; Stories - ANZ

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Corporate social responsibility as a nice-to-have is a relic of yesterday—whereas today, driving innovation through Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) can be a crucial competitive advantage for companies around the globe. This is especially true as we navigate complex, interconnected and global issues such as climate change, inequity and cybersecurity. 

VMware is proud to have had a positive environmental impact over the years through the inherent energy efficiency of our products and solutions. We recognised that we could amplify our impact even further by baking ESG into our organisation and culture. That’s why we created a framework that clearly outlines our ESG strategy and goals with progress that we can measure. We call this our 2030 Agenda. 

We know that we have a long way to go to realise VMware’s vision to build a more sustainable, equitable and secure digital future for all. However, the last year showed that we are well positioned to accelerate this critical work in the coming years.  Our latest <a href="https://www.vmware.com/content/dam/digitalmarketing/vmware/en/pdf/docs/vmware-esg-report-2022.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ESG Report</a> shares customer stories and actions taken on our 30 cross-functional goals embedded within the 2030 Agenda.

Here are a few of the highlights from the past year demonstrating our progress:   

We invite you to learn more about our <a href="http://www.vmware.com/company/esg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2030 Agenda</a> and join us as we accelerate from strategy to action to drive outcomes of sustainability, equity and trust.

We’ll also be talking about ESG and sustainable product innovations next month at <a href="https://www.vmware.com/explore/us.html?src=so_6261c4a372891&cid=7012H000001KawBQAS" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">VMware Explore</a>. Learn more and <a href="https://event.vmware.com/flow/vmware/explore2022us/reg/form/contactInfo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">register</a> today.

Corporate social responsibility as a nice-to-have is a relic of yesterday—whereas today, driving innovation through Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) can be a crucial competitive advantage for companies around the globe. This is especially true as we navigate complex, interconnected and global issues such as climate change, inequity and cybersecurity.  VMware is proud to have […]

VMware’s 2022 ESG Report: How We’re Accelerating into Action￼ - VMware News &amp; Stories - ANZ

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You’ve probably read some less-than-flattering headlines about environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives in recent months. ESG has been called everything from a “scam” and a “loser” to another example of “woke capitalism.” One thing is for sure: the heat of the spotlight has landed on ESG.

With this heat comes a few questions. How much should we worry about the scrutiny being heaped on ESG? And what, if anything, should we do about it?

On the first question, I’ll answer it plainly: I’m not worried, and I’m also not surprised. ESG is no passing fad. In fact, ESG investing is on track to exceed $50 trillion by 2025<a href="https://news.vmware.com/esg/esg-is-having-growing-pains#_ftn1">[1]</a>—serious money that would represent more than a third of all projected global assets under management. It was only a matter of time before those who benefit from the status quo started pushing back.

The second question is more complex. While some critics are clearly leveraging this issue for political purposes, others are raising valid points about the dangers of greenwashing and how ESG performance vs. impact are ultimately measured. This is where we have important work to do to ensure ESG drives value for all stakeholders.

The fact is, ESG has come of age in a bit of a “Wild West” environment<a href="https://news.vmware.com/esg/esg-is-having-growing-pains#_ftn2">[2]</a>. Demand for sustainable, socially conscious investments skyrocketed overnight, with many organisations eager to jump on the bandwagon. But without regulatory guidance or standards in place, pretty much anything could be labeled as ESG. That ambiguity created the situation we find ourselves in now: a mess of conflicting rankings and standards that makes it hard to differentiate those who are doing the work from those who are talking a good game.

Thankfully, this ambiguity should start resolving soon. The desire for better standardisation is strong, with VMware recently joining more than 80 other companies in calling for global alignment on sustainability reporting<a href="https://news.vmware.com/esg/esg-is-having-growing-pains#_ftn3">[3]</a>. And with regulators from the United States and European Union poised to act in this space, I expect a consensus around ESG disclosures and standards to emerge within the next year or so.

But reporting standardisation is only part of the puzzle that we still need to solve. It is not enough. For ESG to truly fulfil its potential, it also needs to create real-world impact. To me operationalising a fully integrated ESG strategy that is focused on outcomes is the holy grail.

This issue was top of mind for the CEOS, board directors, investors and practitioners who gathered at the <a href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/programs/business-and-society-program/esg-summit/">Aspen ESG Summit</a> last month. I was there to help lead the dialogue on building a corporate culture that’s fully fluent in ESG principles—and one of the key points I made was that there’s a big difference between expertise and fluency.

Many companies are currently building out their ESG expertise—hiring dedicated specialists, researching industry best practices, collecting and reporting data. But fluency requires something more.

Fluency happens when a company’s board, leadership team, and workforce are aligned around and share responsibility for creating ESG outcomes. It happens when an organisation’s values, business model and ESG principles are one and the same. Put simply, it happens when ESG ceases to exist because it’s been naturally absorbed into a company’s culture and operations.

Achieving fluency is a journey, one we’re still only at the beginning of. But it is essential to delivering on the promise of ESG and creating the measurable impacts that will move us close to a more sustainable, equitable and resilient world.

As ESG comes off the sidelines and becomes more central to business operations around the world, it will continue to attract more scrutiny and criticism. These are growing pains in an emerging reality. But this isn’t a sign of weakness—it’s a sign of success. By focusing on transparent standards and real-world impact, we can achieve our ultimate goal: rendering ESG obsolete because it has become just the way business gets done.

This article may contain hyperlinks to non-VMware websites that are created and maintained by third parties who are solely responsible for the content on such websites.

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<a href="https://news.vmware.com/esg/esg-is-having-growing-pains#_ftnref1">[1]</a> Bloomberg, “ESG Assets Rising to $50 Trillion Will Reshape $140.5 Trillion of Global AUM by 2025, Finds Bloomberg Intelligence,” July 2021.

<a href="https://news.vmware.com/esg/esg-is-having-growing-pains#_ftnref2">[2]</a> SDxCentral, “VMware VP: ESG Confronts Regulatory ‘Wild West’,” October 2021.

<a href="https://news.vmware.com/esg/esg-is-having-growing-pains#_ftnref3">[3]</a> A4S, “Business and Finance Community Respond to the Proposed IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards,” July 2022.

You’ve probably read some less-than-flattering headlines about environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives in recent months. ESG has been called everything from a “scam” and a “loser” to another example of “woke capitalism.” One thing is for sure: the heat of the spotlight has landed on ESG. With this heat comes a few questions. How […]

ESG is Having Growing Pains. Here’s What Comes Next. - VMware News &amp; Stories - ANZ

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Back when I was a girl on a hill outside of Johannesburg, dreaming of sucking up the world’s pollution with a <a href="https://news.vmware.com/esg/2030-esg-agenda">giant vacuum</a>, I never imagined I would one day climb another hill—in a gondola, no less—with heads of state, billionaires, and even a few members of royalty. But at the World Economic Forum (WEF), held in the Swiss village of Davos, moments like this are the norm.

I was invited to the Annual Meeting of the Forum to share a business perspective on the role <a href="https://news.vmware.com/esg/vmwares-journey-to-net-zero-and-you">nature-based solutions</a> play in strategies to achieve net-zero, like VMware’s <a href="https://www.vmware.com/content/microsites/en/global-impact.html">2030 Agenda</a>. And our team had a packed agenda. We were there to speak with global leaders about sustainability and the twin transitions happening in energy and digitalization, listen to policy concerns about digital and enterprise sovereignty and share our perspectives on the importance of a secure, interoperable and sustainable multi-cloud platform.

But as a first-time WEF participant, I didn’t fully know what to expect. Davos certainly attracts some of the world’s richest and most powerful people, leading to a fair amount of critique of the event’s ratio of discussion to action.<a href="#_ftn1" id="_ftnref1">[1]</a> Would the first WEF gathering since the beginning of the pandemic be more of the empty promises Greta Thunberg called out previously?<a href="#_ftn2" id="_ftnref2">[2]</a> Or could the current zeitgeist engender dialogue that leads to real solutions?

In my view, the answer is probably a bit of both.

A somber tone for the event was set by bookending addresses from <a href="https://www.weforum.org/events/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2022/sessions/special-address-by-volodymyr-zelenskyy-president-of-ukraine-8fb26bbcb1">Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky</a> and German Chancellor Schultz. While sobering, I still found optimism in the conversations. Yes, I heard ambitious promises and some action plans that seemed fuzzier than others. And yes, the parade of luxurious black “internal combustion engines” pulling up—mere steps from the Congress Centre—for meetings to discuss the urgency of net-zero efforts was not lost on me.

Digesting some of the contradictions, here’s the reality that I kept reminding myself of: we don’t have the luxury of using purity tests to discount discussions as important as addressing climate change, inequality and food security. These complex, interconnected and global issues need every nation, every industry and every business leader at the table and engaged. And the World Economic Forum absolutely succeeds at assembling many of the stakeholders who are in positions to move the needle.

Something that surprised me was the breadth and nuance of the discussions. There were very few “single-issue” conversations. Instead, there was a consistent thread of interconnected dialogues like energy, agriculture, health, digital transformation, cyber resilience and social justice, along with impacts of changing global structures and multilateralism.

For example, the war in Ukraine was obviously top of mind for every attendee. But I was struck by how many speakers drew a clear connection between the war and countries’ dependence on fossil fuels. Accelerating the transition to clean energy was presented as not only a way to achieve better environmental outcomes, but as a way to create more resilience and better foreign policy outcomes.

This search for win-win solutions defined many of my conversations at Davos. While there was a clear recognition that a better future will demand certain tradeoffs, there was also a wariness of polarization and the idea that we’re playing a zero-sum game. Put simply, it’s not a matter of investing in climate or energy, health or digitization. The world needs to invest in climate and energy and health and digitization—and when we do, the sum will be greater than the parts and we’ll all benefit.

By the end of my week in Davos, many connections were made, many conversations were had,  and I was witness to many commitments announced.<a href="#_ftn3" id="_ftnref3">[3]</a> Will this lead to measurable outcomes? It’s too soon to know for sure. The months and years ahead will reveal the actions behind the good intentions.

But my final impression from the World Economic Forum was one of hope.

After riding that gondola up to the ski chalet where the closing event was being held, I found myself among many of the “Davos elite” I’d brushed shoulders with the whole week —and I still felt a bit out of place. But then I spotted a table of young people—the Global Shapers,<a href="#_ftn4" id="_ftnref4">[4]</a> a group of amazing leaders under 30 who were invited to Davos to share and evolve their ideas for a better future. I recognized a few of them. They had been the first in line after my own session earlier in the week, eager to talk about how innovations like ML and LiDAR could support carbon auditing and verification for companies like VMware who have made commitments to planting <a href="https://news.vmware.com/esg/vmwares-journey-to-net-zero-and-you">trees</a> as part of our commitments. So, I approached their table—and they were kind enough to welcome me with open arms to join their table.

We immediately launched into a spirited discussion, and I got to hear more about their passions and projects. For instance, I learned about a project to regenerate and reforest the Sahel, an area stretching coast-to-coast from Senegal to Djibouti. But beyond the specifics of any one conversation, what struck me most about these Global Shapers was their clarity of purpose and optimism. It wasn’t a matter of if they would achieve their goals—but when. And that attitude was contagious.

That’s when I realized that this might be one of the most important parts of the World Economic Forum. It’s a convening that allows people and ideas to reconnect with the power of possibility. To remember that big things are achievable. To recharge our batteries for the journey ahead.

<a href="#_ftnref1" id="_ftn1">[1]</a> NPR, “Is Davos As Bad As Critics Say? Global Leaders Weigh In,” January 2020.

<a href="#_ftnref2" id="_ftn2">[2]</a> The Washington Post, “Greta Thunberg Says World Leaders’ Talk on Climate Change is ‘Blah Blah Blah’,” September 2021.

<a href="#_ftnref3" id="_ftn3">[3]</a> Fortune, “Davos 2022 Had Some Moments of Real Importance,” May 2022.

<a href="#_ftnref4" id="_ftn4">[4]</a> World Economic Forum, “Global Shapers,” 2011.

The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2022 Davos allowed us to reconnect, remember and recharge for the journey ahead.

A Davos spring: VMware's Nicola Acutt shares impressions from the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting.

Impressions from the World Economic Forum

Impressions from the World Economic Forum - VMware News &amp; Stories - ANZ

The @wef annual meeting allowed us to reconnect with possibilities, remember big things are achievable and recharge for the #ESG journey ahead. Read more from @VMware @NicolaAcutt. #wef22 #sustainability #VMware2030

VMware announced that Vijay Pendakur has joined the company as their Global Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

“We’re continuing to take action toward building and maintaining an inclusive culture where every employee at our company has an opportunity to thrive,” VMware Chief People Officer Betsy Sutter said. “Vijay is an exceptional talent, and we’re very excited that he has joined VMware. With Vijay at the helm, I’m excited to accelerate progress on our culture transformation journey, while building DEI into the operating rhythm and DNA of our business.”

"I am thrilled to join the team at VMware," said Pendakur. "Working with collaborators across VMware, including the company's energised Employee Resource Groups, known as the Power of Difference (POD) community, I'm looking forward to the opportunity to scale DEI efforts globally."

Pendakur joins VMware from Zynga, where he served as their first Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer. Prior to Zynga, he held several roles in the academic world, including campus-wide diversity efforts at Cornell University as the Robert W. and Elizabeth Staley Dean of Students and Presidential Advisor on Diversity and Equity. He has served in leadership roles at universities across the United States, with a consistent focus on diversity efforts and equity design strategy.

VMware is redefining the workplace of the future through initiatives that include diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). As part of the company’s 2030 Agenda, VMware is committed to hiring 50 / 50 women and gender non-binary / men, and to achieving the goal of 50-percent of our managers identifying as a woman, gender non-binary, and/or from an underrepresented community by 2030.

VMware is building a more sustainable, equitable and secure future by integrating ESG goals across the company and aligning them with its core business strategy. These goals are reflected in the company’s 2030 Agenda, a decade-long ESG commitment and call to action to build a world in which its technology will make a positive impact on all its stakeholders.

Learn more about <a href="https://www.vmware.com/company/diversity.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">DEI</a> and <a href="https://www.vmware.com/company/esg.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ESG</a> at VMware.

VMware announced that Vijay Pendakur has joined the company as their Global Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. “We’re continuing to take action toward building and maintaining an inclusive culture where every employee at our company has an opportunity to thrive,” VMware Chief People Officer Betsy Sutter said. “Vijay is an exceptional talent, and we’re […]

Introducing VMware’s Global Head of DEI Vijay Pendakur￼ - VMware News &amp; Stories - ANZ

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Over the past year, VMware’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) journey has been marked by renewed purpose and real progress. We have implemented strategies that are embedded into the rhythm of the business in order to accelerate achieving our DEI goals more consistently.

Our just-releasesd <a href="https://www.vmware.com/content/dam/digitalmarketing/vmware/en/pdf/company/vmw-annual-report-2022.pdf">2022 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Report</a> details these strategies and demonstrates that at VMware, we affect progress in the world by creating it together.

I encourage you to read the full report to understand the important work that is underway at VMware to ensure DEI doesn’t remain limited to well-meaning intentions but show up as actions that each of us take to drive meaningful outcomes for communities both within and beyond VMware.

As a preview, I’m sharing some of the highlights from the report:

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The acronym, GO stands for Guided by Outcomes, and GO Hire is focused on bringing greater equity to the hiring process. Rather than hiring from a limited list of qualifications, VMware’s GO Hiring model broadens the search to include people from all walks of life whose unique talents, experiences, and skills are valued. Our interview model assesses past performance in an approach that includes <a href="https://news.vmware.com/company/vmwares-culture-built-epic2-values">EPIC2</a> strengths, expertise and motivation.

With this inclusive hiring method, VMware has not only gained 80% more applicants, but we have also doubled the number of applicants that are women and people who identify as part of an underrepresented community.

Going forward, we are expanding the GO Hiring model for all new job requisitions globally. Additionally, we’re creating a consistent job description format for a more inclusive applicant pool as well as a consistent interview format to eliminate bias and create a more positive candidate experience.  These changes are important, strategic steps to enhance our culture and strengthen our future.

Our Commitment to a Global, Distributed, and Diverse Workforce

The global pandemic dramatically changed the way we all work. Keeping the health and safety of VMware people in focus, nearly all of our employees worked remotely for the most part of 2020 and 2021.  

We recognised the virtue of this necessity: a global increase in the representation of women and people who identify as an underrepresented minority in VMware’s workforce. VMware’s population of remote employees doubled since early 2020 and now make up 1/3 of our workforce. 33% of all remote hires in Fiscal Year 2022 were women and 16% from underrepresented minorities (URM). Remote and distributed work made it easier to build gender, educational, and generational diversity.

By sourcing talent from around the world, we support our goal of building a diverse talent pool with different perspectives and experiences to shape our future. And by giving people the flexibility to choose where they work means we don’t have to grow our real-estate portfolio to match our increasing employee population. At VMware, our mindful, new ways of working are designed to have a positive impact on both our people and our planet.

A great working relationship is like a conversation where ideas and experiences are honestly exchanged. At VMware, we’re now capturing these ideas and thoughts from employees in two-way dialogues through reverse mentorship.  These valuable listening sessions for leaders occur in a 6-month program designed to develop DEI-minded leaders, create an understanding of differences and engage, retain, and grow diverse talent.

Our program is proving to be a win-win scenario.  Mentors have gained valuable access to, and insight into leadership while our mentee-leaders increased their awareness and empathy of the challenges faced by a diverse group of employees.

As our CEO, Raghu Raghuram, eloquently states in the report, “Each person is on a journey and their journeys are our story.” <a></a><a href="https://www.vmware.com/company/diversity.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Please visit our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion webpage to learn more</a>. This year, we look forward to a new chapter in our VMware story that all 38,000+ employees will create together yet also one to which each of us will uniquely contribute.

Over the past year, VMware’s DEI journey has been marked by renewed purpose and real progress. Read our DEI Report about the work underway.

Today, we are proud to share @VMware’s 2022 DEI Report, highlighting our commitments in action over the past year to equitably engage and grow our workforce to be even more representative of our customers, partners, and the communities where our people live and work. Dive into the full report.

VMware 2022 DEI Report

Creating Meaningful Change Together - VMware News &amp; Stories - ANZ

Just released! @VMware’s 2022 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Report details the critical work underway at our company to drive meaningful outcomes for communities both within and beyond VMware. Our #VMware2030 and #DEI journey is well-underway!

Despite the upheaval caused by COVID-19, the last few years have also prompted many of us to reconsider our priorities and think about what we value most in life. I acknowledge that having the time and energy to do this hasn’t been an option available to everyone. But for those of us that have been able to work flexibly during periods of lockdown, having some extra time in our days has been a silver lining in what has been a difficult few years.

For me personally, I have found myself thinking more about what I hold dear.

Living sustainably and taking care of our planet is something I care very deeply about, and I’ve often thought about how each one of us can contribute to building a more sustainable future.

It’s something we’ve become increasingly conscious of in my own family. Last year we completed a home renovation project, and as part of that, we installed rooftop solar panels and battery storage to return any remaining energy back to the grid. At the same time, we substantially upgraded our insulation to make the house more energy-efficient. We also installed an electric vehicle charge point, in anticipation of a time in the not-too-distant future when we hope to swap out our current car for an electric or hybrid vehicle. And with the threat of drought being a constant long-term concern in Australia, we installed large water tanks to capture as much rainwater as possible. This water-saving strategy allows us to use rainwater for toilets, clothes washing and in the garden. In our garden, we’ve started growing vegetables, fruit and herbs that we use in our cooking here at home.

Like many others, we are looking for ways to make environmentally sound choices, and to be a part of a wider system that drives sustainability. But we don’t just want to make a difference at home.

Increasingly people want to bring their personal passion for sustainability to the workplace. It’s no secret that employees, and younger employees in particular, are increasingly seeking out employers that share their values.1 But it’s also true that not every organisation lives up to the statements it makes about sustainability.2

Even so, the more we see individual employees wear sustainability on their sleeves, the more we’ll see them drive organisational change and work towards a net-zero future.

This Earth Day, VMware aims to drive home how all employees can make an impact in the fight against climate change. Sustainability is something that’s very important to us as a company. It is a value that we strive for throughout our operations, supply chain and technology innovations for our customers.

Having spent some time reflecting on how individuals can maximise their impact at work, I'd like to share five key ways that you can make your passion for sustainability part of the values you live out at work.

Many companies publicly espouse a commitment to sustainability, but does this mean they genuinely “walk the talk”? When exploring a move to a different company, consider whether a potential employer’s stance on sustainability issues aligns with your own personal values.

One of the things that makes me particularly proud to work at VMware is our company’s unwavering commitment to sustainability. We are not shy about our efforts to become more environmentally efficient, and we have published an Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategy, our <a href="https://www.vmware.com/company/esg.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2030 Agenda</a> ⁠— a decade-long commitment to building a more sustainable, equitable and secure digital future.

Quite simply, in the same way that consumers can speak with their wallets, employees can act on their commitment to environmental causes by choosing to work for an employer that takes sustainability seriously. This might require conducting some background research and putting forward questions about sustainability in job interviews. These could include:

If an employer doesn’t have sound responses to one or all of these questions, it might be time to think twice about whether it is the right company for you.

Keep your eyes and ears peeled for opportunities to make a difference in the sustainability space, even in your everyday work. Is there a logistics process that could be made more efficient and need fewer vehicle trips involved in deliveries? Could buildings lighting and cooling be used more efficiently?

And don’t forget the IT technology your company runs on. According to the <a href="https://www.iea.org/reports/data-centres-and-data-transmission-networks" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">International Energy Agency</a>, data centers account for around 1% of global electricity use, with data networks using about the same amount again. Energy use can be a significant financial cost in running technology infrastructures and in companies’ overall operating expenditures.

So, any change that can make your operations more efficient and sustainable are likely to save you money in the long term. It’s something VMware works on with clients in industries, including financial services, healthcare and mining.

If we all do our part to lead a more sustainable life, there is greater potential for society-wide shifts that can help to mitigate the pace and severity of climate change.

VMware’s 2022 Earth Day theme — “One VMware, One Planet, One Month, One Challenge” — is lived and breathed through individual actions, collectively throughout the organisation. To provide ideas on how to reduce our carbon emissions, as well as measure our climate impact, we’re challenging employees to download and use the AWorld App, which was chosen by the U.N. to support the ActNow Campaign.

Leading a more sustainable life shouldn’t happen within a vacuum. AWorld empowers individuals to take steps towards living sustainably with the support of their team, and we’ll be offering special rewards for our most highly engaged participants. (Healthy competition can go a long way!)

Another way companies empower employees to make a positive environmental impact is with opportunities for Service Learning. 

This includes Service Learning with environmental nonprofits, whether that be in the area of bush regeneration, developing green urban spaces, planting trees, growing organic food and more.

Consider whether your company offers employees time off to serve with nonprofits, and take advantage of it to support an environmental cause. Some companies like VMware also may have employee matching gifts programs. This gives an added boost to an employee’s own donation by matching the amount they contribute to a charitable cause. The <a href="https://www.vmware.com/company/foundation.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">VMware Foundation’s Citizen Philanthropy approach</a> does this by providing a platform for VMware people to contribute time, talent and financial resources to their nonprofits of choice.

It’s our collective responsibility to build sustainable workplaces and environmentally conscious societies, but for real and meaningful change to take place, this needs to be powered by passionate individuals who lead the way forward.

These are the change-makers and forward-thinkers who take on the mantle of sustainability ambassadors in an organisation. They might develop environmental sustainability initiatives in a local region or help employees to adopt sustainable mindsets to manage food waste in the office. They can influence purchasing decisions to reduce energy consumption and to prefer plastic-alternative products. At VMware, our <a href="https://blogs.vmware.com/careers/2022/04/celebrating-earth-month-with-vmware-citizen-philanthropists.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sustainability Ambassadors</a> use their passion to advocate for VMware’s ESG initiatives and influence their colleagues to take action with customers.

Employees have the knowledge, skills and passion to create change for the better. There is power in numbers, and if we work together, we can create a more sustainable future — One VMware, One Planet, One Month, One Challenge at a time.

This article may contain hyperlinks to non-VMware websites that are created and maintained by third parties who are solely responsible for the content on such websites.

1Deloitte, “The Deloitte Global 2021 Millennial and Gen Z Survey,” April 2022.

2Harvard Business Review, “Overselling Sustainability Reporting,” May-June 2021.

Read five key ways that you can bring sustainability to work, drive organizational change and work towards a net-zero future.

How to Bring Sustainability to Work | VMware News & Stories

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If you missed @sxsw, check out our #ESG session on @vmware community microgrid collaboration with @cityofpaloalto Office of Emergency Services. #SWSW #vmware2030

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