Read about the company’s commitment to the communities we live in.

Head of Corporate Responsibility and Public Policy

Community

For more than a decade, Norton, one of Gen’s leading Cyber Safety brands, has worked with the <a href="https://www.wagggs.org/en/">World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts</a> (WAGGGS) to give girls and young women the tools they need to lead safe, healthy digital lives.&nbsp; &nbsp;On July 20th, at the WAGGGS Sangam World Centre in Pune, India, Gen celebrated this long running partnership and discussed the importance of building Cyber Safety skills among girls and young women all over the world.&nbsp;"It was an absolute pleasure to participate in the Surf Smart 2.0 panel event at Sangam. I had the opportunity to meet and interact with some truly inspiring young women who are part of the program focused on Cyber Safety awareness. Sharing my own experiences in the STEM field at Gen was a highlight for me and it was heartening to see such enthusiasm and curiosity among the participants about pursuing careers in STEM. I left the event feeling inspired and hopeful about the future of women in STEM." - Kartiki Gangthade, Associate IT Application Specialist at Gen.

The presentation was part of the Surf Smart 2.0 Programme, a four-day event designed to mark the successes and plan for the future of <a href="https://www.wagggs.org/en/what-we-do/surf-smart-20/">Surf Smart 2.0</a>. Norton and WAGGGS co-developed this badge-earning programme to empower girls and young women ages 5-25 with the digital knowledge and leadership skills necessary to protect themselves online and make a difference in their communities.&nbsp;The event brought together representatives of WAGGGS Member Organizations from more than a dozen countries—from Chile to Uganda to Tunisia and beyond—as well as the girls and young women who took part in the <a href="https://www.wagggs.org/en/what-we-do/surf-smart-20/surf-smart-advocacy-fund/">Surf Smart Advocacy Fund</a>. Together, along with Kartiki Gangthade, an Associate IT Application Specialist in our Pune office who volunteered to speak at the event, attendees celebrated achievements, shared best practices and envisioned the ways Surf Smart 2.0 can continue to innovate and expand across the globe. At twenty-two years old, Kartiki was able to connect with the girl guides and scouts, inspiring the young women in the room with per personal STEM career journey.

Empowering Young Women to Surf SmartThe Pune event caps a full year of impact built around Surf Smart 2.0. The programme curriculum includes information about common online risks, simple ways to protect digital privacy and how to connect with others in positive ways.From April 2023 to April 2024, WAGGGS estimates that the programme reached more than 42,000 girls and young women&nbsp;through a variety of activitations, such as:<ul><li>17,816 girls&nbsp;completed the Surf Smart 2.0 programme, earning a badge.&nbsp;</li><li>Because everyone deserves digital safety education, we make the Surf Smart 2.0 curriculum free for all. This year, the Surf Smart 2.0 audiobook and PowerPoint were downloaded more than 15,600 times.&nbsp;</li><li>WAGGGS Member Organizations directly trained nearly 6,500 volunteer leaders&nbsp;to cascade the programme directly to girls and young women.&nbsp;</li><li>Global events such as Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting Jamborees have reached more than 600 girls and young women.&nbsp;</li><li>143 Advocacy Champions/Smart Surfers&nbsp;representing seven countries were trained directly by WAGGGS.</li></ul>

Advocating for a Safer InternetThroughout 2023 and 2024, WAGGGS went beyond training girls and young women in Cyber Safety and encouraged them to lead the way toward making the internet a better place. Through the Surf Smart Advocacy Fund, WAGGGS enabled young women in 10 countries to create campaigns that advocated for a safer, more accessible and more inclusive internet. Currently, Smart Surfers are implementing 18 advocacy projects at community, regional and national levels.For example, in addition to working in three community centers and secondary schools, Smart Surfers from the Uganda Girl Guides Association organized a high-profile panel discussion as part of their advocacy campaign. The panel celebrated Safer Internet Day and featured representatives from the Ugandan government and media industry, as well as 12 Advocacy Champions, who spoke about their WAGGGS-funded projects.&nbsp;One of these projects came from 21-year-old Nankya Sauda, whose project is “Beating Online Addiction.” She spoke about the work she and her team are doing to raise awareness of the effects of internet addiction on mental health and promote counselling. Likewise, Smart Surfers Faith Elizabeth Asuko and Karen Kirabo Byangira shared information about their upcoming advocacy initiative, which speaks to the challenges Ugandan youth face online, on the national television show <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ynlc9zeS5ds">Good Morning Uganda</a>.Another team of Smart Surfers, Sophia Nabbale and Ronah Akatukunda, took it one step further. They presented their advocacy campaign, which addressed bridging the intergenerational digital divide and the fight against online violence, during the United Nations Civil Society Conference 2024 in Nairobi, Kenya.&nbsp;

Powering Digital FreedomA key pillar of our Social Impact strategy is to provide youth, educators, families and vulnerable people with the Cyber Safety skills they need to navigate their digital lives safely and with more confidence. Our partnership with WAGGGS is a mainstay of these efforts, delivering critical tools and training for the next generation of digital citizens. For more information on additional Cyber Safety education partnerships, check out our work with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gendigital.com/blog/impact/community/safer-internet-day-2024">Discovery Education</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gendigital.com/blog/impact/community/the-smart-talk-2023">the National PTA</a>&nbsp;and <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/blog/impact/community/lifesmarts-championship-2024">LifeSmarts</a>.&nbsp;These grants were awarded from the Gen Foundation, a corporate advised fund of Silicon Valley Community Foundation.

Norton and the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts reach 42,000 young women and girls

Building Young Women’s Cyber Safety and Advocacy Skills 

Pride Month is an important time of year for us at Gen. Our family of brands, including Norton, Avast and more, join in the celebration of the many unique identities that comprise the LGBTQ+ community both within our workplaces and beyond. Together, we recognize the strides made in the fight for equality, the distance we still have yet to go and the countless contributions that LGBTQ+ people have made to our company and our world. &nbsp;LGBTQ+ Cyber Safety&nbsp;This year’s Pride Month marks the first anniversary of our partnership with <a href="https://www.thetrevorproject.org/">The Trevor Project</a>, the leading organization working to end suicide among LGBTQ+ young people in the U.S. and across the globe. Together, we created the <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/blog/impact/community/online-safety-lgbtq-youth">Guide to Online Safety for LGBTQ+ Young People</a>, a free digital resource to help queer young people navigate the digital world. The guide includes tips on how to address harassment and cyberbullying, avoid negative content and find supportive communities. &nbsp;Since its launch in October 2023, the guide has garnered thousands of digital impressions and hundreds of direct downloads. It was also mentioned in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ <a href="https://www.hhs.gov/programs/prevention-and-wellness/mental-health-substance-abuse/national-strategy-suicide-prevention/index.html">2024 National Strategy for Suicide Prevention</a> as an example of “What Success Looks Like” in specializing resources for particular communities.&nbsp;

The Impact of Digital Safe Spaces&nbsp;Charitable organizations like The Trevor Project are often at the frontlines of the struggle for LGBTQ+ equality. However, <a href="https://equitablegivinglab.org/LGBTQIndex/">research</a> shows that LGBTQ+ nonprofits in the U.S. receive less than $1 dollar out of every $500 donated. Our support helps their critical and often life-saving services remain available to the people who need them.&nbsp;For example, as part of our work with The Trevor Project, we provide technical assistance for <a href="https://www.trevorspace.org/">TrevorSpace</a>, an affirming online community for LGBTQ+ young people. Enhancing their experience and safety allows TrevorSpace to reach more people and share its resources more widely, creating a unique digital environment for queer young people to explore their identities, connect with their peers and get advice on the topics most relevant to them.&nbsp;&nbsp;“I just feel so understood,” said one TrevorSpace user, age 13-17. “I don’t feel like I need to explain anything; people are more than willing to accept me and ask all the right questions. I see someone going through what I am, and I know we’re all in this together. I am seen, and we are not alone.”&nbsp;For more information on our year-round efforts to promote LGBTQ+ inclusion and equality, visit our <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/us/en/social-impact/social-impact-report/">2024 Social Impact Report</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Gen creates inclusive online spaces for LGBTQ+ young people with The Trevor Project

Celebrating Pride Month

Young people from across the United States came together in San Diego in April for the <a href="https://lifesmarts.org/competitions/nationals/">2024 National LifeSmarts Championship</a>, an annual competition that allows middle and high school students to earn scholarships by demonstrating their critical thinking skills on real-world consumer issues.The four-day event is the culmination of the <a href="https://nclnet.org/">National Consumer League’s</a> LifeSmarts program, which provides free educational activities for teens to learn new skills in consumer rights and responsibilities, the environment, health and safety, personal finance and technology.&nbsp;Norton, one of our leading Cyber Safety brands, was a Presenting Sponsor at the 2024 competition, and we contributed more than $100,000 to make Cyber Safety education a significant part of the event’s curriculum.&nbsp;Confronting the Dangers of Identity TheftOur support underwrote the LifeSmarts Identity Theft Essay Contest, which asked students to investigate the issue of identity theft, articulate its importance and proactively offer solutions. Of the 41 students who participated, five winners each received $1,000 scholarships, which we directly funded.&nbsp;“Identity theft is a serious crime that can have devastating consequences,” said Maria Huck, a high school senior from West Virginia who was one of the five winners of the essay contest. “When I was 18, I discovered that my mother had opened multiple credit cards in my name and had maxed them out without my knowledge. It’s a painful reminder that we must always be vigilant and protect ourselves, even from those we think we can trust the most.”&nbsp;The topic of Cyber Safety was also featured in the competition’s other challenges, with students answering questions about online threats, digital privacy and the importance of data protection.&nbsp;

Building an Inclusive EnvironmentWe also helped pave the way for new voices to take part in the competition in 2024. Our contributions to the LifeSmarts Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Initiative covered travel and expenses for 10 teams from Title-1 and under-resourced communities across the U.S. For many of them, this was their first time traveling out of their home states.&nbsp;Distributing Cyber Safety ToolsWe provided free licenses for Norton 360 Deluxe to the more than 350 students, coaches, alumni and coordinators who attended the Championship, representing 30 states and the District of Columbia. The donation marks our commitment to getting necessary Cyber Safety resources into the hands of those who need them most.Providing Year-Round SupportThe LifeSmarts program gives young people the chance to continue their learning throughout the school year, including state and local competitions and curriculum resources. Our support helps make Cyber Safety education a part of these programs, complementing our broader efforts to empower children, families and vulnerable communities with the tools they need to keep their digital lives safe and secure. For more information on how we do this, check out our work with <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/blog/impact/community/safer-internet-day-2024">Discovery Education</a>, <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/blog/impact/community/the-smart-talk-2023">the National PTA</a> and the <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/blog/impact/community/day-of-the-girl-2023">World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts</a>.&nbsp;

Norton sponsors 2024 National LifeSmarts Championship

Awarding Scholarships for Cyber Safety Skills

Today, we released our <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/us/en/social-impact/social-impact-report/">2024 Social Impact Report</a>, our latest record of the ways we bring together our team, passions and technology to support people and communities all over the world.&nbsp;&nbsp;Year in and year out, we see the real, positive impacts that our efforts make possible: our education and training programs provide Cyber Safety skills and tools to the people who need them most, our work with key partners makes the cybersecurity field more equitable and inclusive, and our team members consistently devote their time, energy and expertise to the causes that matter to them.&nbsp;

A core belief in our ability to make the world a better, safer place is at the heart of everything we do at Gen. In that spirit, we’re excited to share just a few highlights from our social impact programs, which we discuss in-depth in the report.&nbsp;&nbsp;Cyber Safety education and training&nbsp;In 2024, we reached more than 5.3 million people with Cyber Safety awareness and training, equipping youth, educators, families and vulnerable people with the skills they need to navigate their digital lives safely and with more confidence. For example, our work with <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/blog/impact/community/safer-internet-day-2024">Discovery Education</a> provides educators in grades 3-8 with lesson plans that build safe and healthy digital habits.&nbsp;&nbsp;We also donated Cyber Safety products to more than 9,750 nonprofits, protecting data for institutions that serve critical community functions. We worked with TechSoup and the <a href="https://nnedv.org/">National Network to End Domestic Violence</a> (NNEDV) to pilot a <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/blog/impact/community/product-donations-domestic-violence">product donation program</a> that provides survivors of domestic violence with free Norton products that help prevent technology-facilitated abuse.&nbsp; &nbsp;Our culture of giving&nbsp;55% of Gen team members participated in our Giving@Gen programs in 2024. That’s 30% higher than the Benevity industry benchmark, and it surpasses our internal goal of 40% participation. Our first <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/blog/impact/community/volunteer-week-2024">Global Volunteer Week</a> gathered more than 500 Gen team members for 1,300 hours of service.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Diversifying the tech workforce&nbsp;Women are chronically underrepresented in technology and cybersecurity fields. That’s why we work with organizations like <a href="https://www.czechitas.cz/en">Czechitas</a>, <a href="https://women4cyber.eu/">Women4Cyber</a> (W4C) and <a href="https://www.nasscomfoundation.org/">nasscom foundation</a> to provide women across Europe and India with skills training and career mentorship, setting them up for sustained success as they progress in these industries. In 2024, we posted nearly 200 job openings through Czechitas, W4C and other partners.&nbsp;&nbsp;Doing our part to protect the planet&nbsp;In 2024, we are proud to have achieved a 22% decrease in Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions through the consolidation of facilities and data centers, internal efficiencies and continued environmental initiatives. We deliver 98% of our products digitally, and less than 0.5% of the materials used in our global physical products contain plastic. Additionally, our Sustainable Home Improvement Program helped Gen team members complete 1,000 projects that made their homes more environmentally friendly.&nbsp;&nbsp;At Gen, our social impact efforts are embedded into what we offer as a company and help us make the digital world a safer place for everyone. Our teams are driving real impact around the world, and we invite you to read more in our <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/us/en/social-impact/social-impact-report/">2024 Social Impact Report.</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;

Powering Digital Freedom

Gen releases 2024 Social Impact Report

Today’s cybersecurity professionals face their fair share of challenges. From AI and phishing attacks to remote work and mobile security, the threat landscape is constantly evolving, and <a href="https://www.csoonline.com/article/657598/cybersecurity-workforce-shortage-reaches-4-million-despite-significant-recruitment-drive.html">studies</a> show that there aren’t enough cybersecurity experts available to meet these threats adequately.&nbsp;What’s more, the existing cybersecurity field is mostly <a href="https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/women-digital">white and male</a>, despite data from the latest <a href="https://www.isc2.org/Insights/2024/04/Women-in-Cybersecurity-Report-Inclusion-Advancement-Pay-Equity">ISC2 Cybersecurity Workforce Survey</a> that shows nearly 70% of cybersecurity professionals see inclusion as critical to their teams’ success. <a href="https://media.isc2.org/-/media/Project/ISC2/Main/Media/documents/research/ISC2_Cybersecurity_Workforce_Study_2023.pdf?rev=28b46de71ce24e6ab7705f6e3da8637e">Estimates</a> show that only 22% of the cybersecurity workforce in Europe is currently made up of women.&nbsp;That’s where we come in. In April 2024, Gen signed a <a href="https://digital-skills-jobs.europa.eu/en/inspiration/pledges/closing-cybersecurity-gender-gap-through-mentoring-women">Pledge to the European Commission Digital Skills and Jobs Platform</a> to help close the gender gap in the tech sector and train more women for success in cybersecurity fields. Through our longstanding partnership with Women4Cyber, we will support free mentorship to 1,000 women across Europe by April 2025. Together, we have also set a goal for 15% of each mentorship cohort to consist of women from underrepresented backgrounds.&nbsp;&nbsp;“As a global leader in consumer Cyber Safety, Gen has a mission to create solutions that enable people to navigate their digital lives safely, privately and confidently,” said Gen CEO Vincent Pilette. “As part of this mission, we are also deeply invested in closing the cybersecurity skills and talent gap in the European Union and globally. We highly value the opportunity to join forces with other organizations through Women4Cyber &nbsp;to support women in improving their cybersecurity skills and the advancement of their careers at all levels.” &nbsp;Empowering Women to Succeed in Cybersecurity&nbsp;Gen will carry out our pledge through our exclusive sponsorship of the <a href="https://women4cyber.eu/mentorship-programmes-2/">Women4Cyber Mentoring Programme</a>, which is open to women of all experience levels. The program pairs mentees with Gen and other corporate mentors for a six-month training program that covers skills development and career progression. Additional features include networking opportunities, supplementary webinars and more.&nbsp;&nbsp;Our Pledge raises the profile of our partnership with Women4Cyber, which began in 2022 and includes an investment of $150,000 annually for three years. Since the start of our work together, the organization has mentored nearly 700 European women, many of whom were mentored directly by Gen team members. Hundreds more have attended Women4Cyber events, webinars and the annual W4C Conference.&nbsp; &nbsp;Anyone looking to sign up as a mentor or mentee should <a href="https://women4cyber.eu/mentorship-programmes-2/">bookmark this page</a>. The next cohort will open in the fall.&nbsp;Driving Industry-Wide Change&nbsp;As part of the pledge, Gen will also lead two public, virtual roundtable discussions about women in the IT sector more broadly, raising awareness of the critical need for change in the industry and the opportunities for growth that inclusion provides. This issue has long been a strategic focus for Gen, as demonstrated by our work with organizations such as <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/blog/impact/community/cybersecurity-awareness-month-2023">Czechitas</a> and <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/blog/impact/community/india-impact-women-2023">nasscom foundation</a>, which promote the upskilling of women with cyber skills in the Czech Republic and India, respectively.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“I’m thrilled that we are able to continue our collaboration with Gen under the banner of an official Pledge on the EU Cybersecurity Skills Academy,” said Nina Olesen, Chief Operating Officer, Women4Cyber. “With the help of experienced mentors and dedicated networking activities, women will be equipped with the tools to navigate their journey in cybersecurity while opening doors within the job market. I hope that the program will serve as a catalyst for mentorship and onboarding of young talent in cyber at scale.”&nbsp;

Gen will support women to grow their skills and advance their careers 

Gen Pledges to Help Close the Gender Gap in Europe’s Cybersecurity Industry

Corporate Responsibility 

More than 500 Gen team members from ten countries came together in April for our first ever Global Volunteer Week, five full days of service that positively impacted people in communities around the world. This week-long volunteering campaign grew out of the success of our inaugural <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/blog/impact/community/gen-volunteer-day-2023">Global Volunteer Day</a>, held in 2023.&nbsp;&nbsp;This year, from April 8-12, team members at 14 sites across three continents took part in virtual and in-person opportunities that spanned a wide range of impact areas, including using skills to&nbsp;mentor diverse students, applying Cyber Safety knowledge to support seniors and families, delivering resources to underserved groups, protecting our environment and more.&nbsp;&nbsp;Gen team members logged more than 1,300 service hours in just one week, giving of their skills, time and energy to the people in our communities who need them most and continuing to demonstrate the culture of giving that informs our operations year-round.&nbsp;&nbsp;Promoting Cyber Safety for All Ages&nbsp;Gen team members in Dublin, Prague and Mountain View created digital literacy educational materials for seniors, parents, children and young people, providing necessary skills for people of all ages to stay safe online. Employees also met virtually with job seekers from all over the world to offer career advice and guidance.&nbsp;&nbsp;Giving Students the Resources They Need&nbsp;Throughout Global Volunteer Week, our teams were heavily invested in helping the educators and schools in our communities continue their critical work. More than 630 kits, cards and resources&nbsp;were created by volunteers and distributed to support students, teachers, homeless individuals, foster youth, at-risk families and sick children all around the globe, including:&nbsp;<ul><li>In Tempe, employees partnered with <a href="https://www.accel.org/">ACCEL</a> and <a href="https://bhghaz.org/">Boys Hope Girls Hope of Arizona</a> to mentor students with disabilities and assembled college care packages for young people about to enter the next phase of their academic careers.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>The Plano site partnered with <a href="https://bikesforgoodnesssake.org/">Bikes for Goodness Sake</a> and <a href="https://www.fosterlove.com/">Foster Love </a>to assemble bicycles for children in the community and birthday boxes for children in the Texas foster care system.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Team members in Belgrade, Serbia, and Chennai, India, created school supply kits for students in care homes and schools, providing necessary tools to help further their education.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li></ul>Additionally, Gen worked with <a href="https://www.storypirates.com/">Story Pirates</a>, an organization that encourages children in under-resourced communities to express themselves creatively, to create a website where employees from all over the world could read children’s stories and give positive feedback.&nbsp; &nbsp;Beautifying Our Communities&nbsp;Environmental service opportunities were among our most popular this year, with ten events dedicated to opportunities to clean up local parks, neighborhoods, community gardens and more:&nbsp;<ul><li>Mountain View employees built native bee houses, learned about local pollinators and staffed a farm shift at the&nbsp; <a href="https://veggielution.org/">Veggielution</a> community farm in San Jose.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Team members in Prague, London, Bucharest and Tettnang, Germany, participated in neighborhood clean ups and community gardens.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>The Pune, India, and Brno, Czech Republic, sites planted trees in their communities.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Dublin team members volunteered with <a href="https://www.owls.ie/">OWLS</a>, a children’s nature charity, to create an engaging woodland space for after school programming.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Employees in Chennai worked with <a href="https://bhumi.ngo/">Bhumi</a> to beautify a local school and increase green cover by making 2,000+ sustainable seed balls that will be planted across Chennai.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li></ul>Reaching Out to People in Need&nbsp;Additional projects served some of the world’s most vulnerable communities:&nbsp;<ul><li>In Prague and Brno, employees took part in <a href="https://www.missingmaps.org/">Missing Maps</a>, a project from the Red Cross that maps areas where humanitarian organizations can help people who live at risk of disasters and crises.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>In Toronto, volunteers packed wellness kits for people experiencing homelessness.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>In Prague, team members cleaned <a href="https://palata.cz/">Palata</a>, a nearby home for the visually impaired.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Tokyo team members learned more about the experiences of refugees and ways to offer support with <a href="https://rei-npo.org/en/">Refugee Empowerment International</a>.&nbsp;</li></ul>&nbsp;Virtually, employees worked with <a href="https://afft.org.za/">Africa Food for Thought</a> to make heartfelt cards for children from under-resourced communities.&nbsp;Check out the video below to see all the cities that were able to make a difference during our first Global Volunteer Week.&nbsp;&nbsp;

More than 1,300 volunteer hours were devoted and 33 nonprofits around the world were supported 

Gen Supports Local Communities During Global Volunteer Week

Corporate Responsibility Manager

Imagine a world where gender equality isn't just a distant dream but a reality — a world where biases, stereotypes and discrimination are relics of the past. A world where diversity is valued and celebrated, every voice is heard and every achievement is recognized. We strive for this vision as we celebrate International Women's Day and Women's History Month.This year's theme underscores the importance of fostering a world that is diverse, equitable and inclusive – a world where differences are not just accepted but embraced. It’s a day to raise awareness about the ongoing struggles for gender equality and to take action to drive meaningful change.Building a new talent pipeline&nbsp;Through partnerships with organizations like&nbsp;<a href="https://women4cyber.eu/">Women4Cyber</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.czechitas.cz/">Czechitas</a>, we work to expand cybersecurity skills among women and close the gender gap that still exists throughout the global tech sector.&nbsp;&nbsp;One of the best ways to reach those goals is mentorship. Women4Cyber’s Mentorship programs are designed to help women advance their careers in cybersecurity and IT. Mentors, all of whom are working tech professionals, spend six months meeting regularly with their mentees to provide personal and professional guidance, share their experiences, and help mentees identify and achieve career goals. Since 2021, Women4Cyber has matched more than 300 mentors from across Europe with more than 500 women just starting in their cybersecurity careers.&nbsp;&nbsp;Czechitas, another one of our nonprofit partners, provides reskilling and technical education programs for women in the Czech Republic. The organization engages working tech professionals and experts to lead their intensive long-term courses. Tech professionals also provide mentorship, advice and guidance for enrolled students as they work on their own projects.&nbsp;&nbsp;Both organizations help to ensure that the future of the tech industry is a more inclusive one, with women having equal access to skills-building and career opportunities in cybersecurity and beyond.&nbsp;&nbsp;Among those mentors are Gen team members, who have year-round opportunities to participate in these organizations’ mentorship programs. On February 13, Women4Cyber hosted a Speed Mentoring event to connect junior professionals working in cybersecurity with Gen experts. Each mentee had four one-on-one conversations with different team members, offering them a chance to gain well-rounded guidance to navigate their careers in the cybersecurity industry. &nbsp;

Later in March, Czechitas, and the Gen Corporate Responsibility and DEI teams, and our WONDER Community, will host a webinar on the future of work and technology, and the future of women in STEM.&nbsp;

Advocating for women&nbsp;At Gen, advocating for women is a year-round effort. We're always supporting women, and we pay extra attention to helping them succeed in tech because that's what we're good at.&nbsp;One example of this success is Leyla Bilge, Director of Scam Research Labs. She’s made cybersecurity her life since starting in computer science at the age of 18. After an internship with our company, she took on a full-time role. Twelve years later, she’s made tremendous waves as a Gen leader.&nbsp;When asked about setting goals, she spoke frankly saying, “I never actually set goals because I always thought I could never achieve them. Then, at one turning point, I finally realized I could&nbsp;achieve them.”&nbsp;Leyla set abstract goals for herself; she wanted to apply a different leadership style that’s not so common – she wanted to be an egoless manager, leading by motivation and making ambition contagious. She saw the results.Recently, she was recognized for her work at the&nbsp;<a href="https://seramount.com/about-us/seramount-news-and-press/searmount-reveals-the-2023-women-of-excellence-for-their-commitment-to-advancing-women/">Seramount 2023 Women of Excellence Awards</a>&nbsp;and was named STEM Steward. The awards honor women who are committed to their own success while selflessly mentoring and championing other women. And Leyla was a perfect example of this.A message to others: Set goals that aren’t the most obvious or common. We can achieve them. Don’t be afraid to apply for awards or submit papers to academic conferences. That’s how we earn the recognition we deserve. And do what you can to uplift women, no matter what gender you are. &nbsp;The work continues&nbsp;Our work is far from over. Discrimination, bias, and inequality persist in various forms. We must continue to challenge these injustices and work towards gender parity in all aspects of life. We must support and uplift each other, amplifying the voices of marginalized people and advocating for policies that promote equality.Inclusion means that all actions taken on International Women's Day are valid. Whether participating in marches and rallies, organizing educational events or having conversations about gender equality. Every effort contributes to the larger goal of building a more inclusive world.As we come together to celebrate International Women's Day and Women's History Month, let the achievements of women inspire us. Let us raise awareness about discrimination and take action to drive gender parity. Together, we can forge a future where every person, regardless of gender, can thrive and succeed.&nbsp;Let’s continue to #InspireInclusion.

Building a more inclusive future

Celebrating International Women's Day: From Empowerment to Action

<a href="https://saferinternetday.us/">Safer Internet Day</a> is here again. For 21 years, the campaign has empowered people everywhere to use technology responsibly, respectfully, critically and creatively—especially students and young people.&nbsp;&nbsp;Gen understands the importance of building good digital habits early. That’s why Norton, a leader in consumer Cyber Safety and part of Gen, partnered with <a href="https://www.discoveryeducation.com/">Discovery Education</a> the worldwide education technology leader nurturing student curiosity and supporting educators. In 2023, we created <a href="https://mydigitallife.discoveryeducation.com/">My Digital Life</a>. This program, designed for educators in grades 3-8, features lesson plans, videos and interactive tools aligned to learning standards and meant to address the sorts of issues young people face online, things like cyberbullying, privacy risks, misinformation, viruses and scams.&nbsp;In just a few months since its launch, My Digital Life has proven to be a favorite amongst many Discovery Education educators across the country, helping kids learn how to be positive digital citizens.&nbsp;<h2>What Is My Digital Life?&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>My Digital Life is available to all on <a href="https://mydigitallife.discoveryeducation.com/">mydigitallife.discoveryeducation.com</a> and to users of Discovery Education Experience, the company’s award-winning K-12 learning platform. The resources encourage responsible online decision-making by teaching students common warning signs about viruses or scams, how to stay safe on social media and gaming apps, and the basics of digital privacy. Norton helped design these resources and they are refreshed regularly, making sure they stay current on the latest cyber threats and best practices.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>What Has Its Impact Been?&nbsp; &nbsp;</h2>Elementary and middle school educators in the U.S. have embraced My Digital Life. “I have been sharing this with my fourth and fifth graders,” wrote one teacher. “They have been really engaged, as it seems to nail that intangible magical mix: fun to watch for middle-graders, not too baby-ish/uncool, AND educational.” Another wrote, “This is so important!”, while another added, “Should be part of every classroom! It is essential to learn as a thinking skill!”&nbsp;Between September and December 2023, teachers brought the My Digital Life platform to more than 102,000 students in 47 states and 712 school districts, 62% of which were Title I schools.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>What’s Next?&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>In 2024, My Digital Life has <a href="https://mydigitallife.discoveryeducation.com/pages/783b7abf-2489-4685-b6ff-634da5e8b99a">recently expanded</a> into to schools in the U.K. The partnership with Discovery Education will also launch a new component called Career Connect, in which Gen team members can find skills-based volunteering opportunities and connect directly with teachers and students.&nbsp;&nbsp;We also continue to drive Cyber Safety education for children and families around the world. Examples include <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/blog/impact/community/the-smart-talk-2023">The Smart Talk</a>, which helps families have open, positive, ongoing conversations about digital safety, our <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/blog/impact/community/day-of-the-girl-2023">Surf Smart 2.0</a> program, a collaboration with the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, and the <a href="https://www.thetrevorproject.org/resources/guide/online-safety-for-lgbtq-young-people/">Guide to Online Safety for LGBTQ+ Young People</a>, created in partnership with <a href="https://www.thetrevorproject.org/">The Trevor Project</a>, the leading suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ+ young people.&nbsp;

Celebrate Safer Internet Day with Norton and Discovery Education

Building Cyber Safety into the School Curriculum  

2023 was a year of firsts for our Social Impact program. We hosted our first ever <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/blog/impact/community/gen-volunteer-day-2023">Global Volunteer Day</a> as Gen, uniting team members around the world in one massive day of service. We debuted <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/blog/impact/community/my-digital-life">new tools</a> to help children and families develop Cyber Safety skills and launched a <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/blog/impact/community/online-safety-lgbtq-youth">pioneering guide for LGBTQ+ young people</a> to navigate the digital world safely.&nbsp;&nbsp;For these and other projects, we’re thrilled to announce two distinguished honors: Gen has been named one of Newsweek’s Most Responsible Companies for 2024 and been listed on this year’s Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index (DJSI). &nbsp;

The DJSI is one of the world’s leading benchmarks for ESG performance. The North American Index utilizes the <a href="https://www.spglobal.com/esg/csa/">S&amp;P Corporate Sustainability Assessment</a> (CSA) to evaluate the ESG practices of the largest &nbsp;600 North American companies in the S&amp;P Global Broad Market Index. The resulting list collects the top 20% of these companies based on long-term economic, environmental and social criteria, with each receiving a score out of 100. Gen was awarded the high score of 46, &nbsp;landing us on the North America index for the second year in a row. &nbsp;

This is also the second year in a row we’ve appeared on Newsweek’s List of America’s Most Responsible Companies as Gen. Newsweek, along with its partner Statista, surveys the country’s top 2,000 companies’ ESG programs based on 30 KPIs then survey more than 17,000 U.S. residents on their perceptions of the companies’ CSR performance. &nbsp;&nbsp;Gen’s social impact mission is to bring together our team, passions and technology to support people and communities, making the world a better, safer place. Program highlights that contributed to our high scores include:&nbsp;<ul><li>Philanthropy: Our Cyber Safety education &amp; training efforts reached more than 2.8 million people in fiscal 2023. Key partnerships between Norton (part of the Gen family of trusted brands) and organizations such as Discovery Education, the <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/blog/impact/community/day-of-the-girl-2023">World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts</a> and the <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/blog/impact/community/the-smart-talk-2023">National PTA</a> helped focus these efforts on children, families, and young people.&nbsp;</li><li>Environmental Stewardship: We introduced the award-winning <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/blog/impact/environment/seal-sustainability-awards-2023">Sustainable Home Improvement Program</a>, reducing our Scope 3 emissions and empowering employees to do their part for the planet. 98% of our products are now delivered digitally, and of the few physical products we have, 50% of their paper is FSC-certified.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Corporate Governance: We continue to disclose demographic data on both our broad employee base and our Board of Directors. In 2023, women represented 40% of our Board, and 30% of our Directors are members of an underrepresented community.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li></ul>We’re excited to be named among so many other companies showing the way forward on corporate citizenship and sustainability. We look forward to building on these achievements and reaching new heights in the year to come.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Gen is named one of Newsweek’s Most Responsible Companies and listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index

Earning Recognition for Our Social Impact Programs

Gen donates $424K to nonprofits on Giving TuesdayGiving Tuesday is a holiday tradition for us here at Gen. Every year, we look for ways to inspire team members to take part in the campaign, which encourages people everywhere to support the causes and organizations that mean the most to them. This year was no different.&nbsp;&nbsp;

On November 28, we offered a 2:1 Donation Match to team members across the company, and more than 300 people jumped at the chance to increase their impact. Between employee contributions and our matching donations, we collectively donated $424,000 to nearly 430 causes. We’re also incredibly proud that every person on our Leadership Team donated. &nbsp;The organizations we supported were wide ranging and international in scope. <a href="https://www.muziprotirakovine.cz/">Nadační fond MUŽI PROTI RAKOVINĚ</a>, a nonprofit in the Czech Republic pushing for early detection of prostate cancer, and the <a href="https://www.icrc.org/en">International Committee of the Red Cross</a> were two of the most funded causes this year.&nbsp;&nbsp;More than half of employees participate in Giving@Gen&nbsp;

This effort comes on the heels of another important milestone for us: the one-year anniversary of the Gen Giving Hub platform launch, powered by Benevity. We <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/blog/archive/giving-tuesday-highlights-2022">launched the Gen Giving Hub</a> after we came together as a new company in November 2022, and it has come to exemplify the thriving culture of giving that we enjoy all year long.&nbsp;In just eight months – April through November – 55% of Gen team members participated in our Giving@Gen program.&nbsp;To honor this one-year anniversary moment, Gen rewarded each employee with $50 to donate to a charity of their choice over a 10-day campaign. More than 2,000 team members supported their favorite causes, resulting in donations to 916 causes. These included organizations supporting those affected by the conflict in Israel and Gaza, as well as military veterans in the United States, cancer patients in the Czech Republic, global LGBTQ+ safe spaces, and many more. Thanks to our teams, this campaign contributed upwards of $135,500 to high-impact nonprofits. &nbsp;Supporting our local communities this holiday season&nbsp;Many of our sites are planning to keep this momentum going by planning local, holiday-inspired donation drives and service projects throughout December. In Dublin, team members are collecting food and essential items for donation to <a href="https://www.capuchindaycentre.ie/Capuchin_Day_Centre_2013/Capuchin_Day_Centre_for_Homeless_People.html">The Capuchin Centre</a> and offering multiple opportunities to volunteer their time. Our American offices are working with <a href="https://familygivingtree.org/">Family Giving Tree</a> and the <a href="https://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/">Salvation Army</a> on gift drives for those in need. Our Czech Republic sites are organizing gift and clothing drives with organizations including <a href="https://www.dejmedetemsanci.cz/">Dejme detmi sance</a> (“Give Kids a Chance”), <a href="https://jeziskovavnoucata.rozhlas.cz/p/jak-byt-jeziskovo-vnouce">Jeziskova Vnoucata</a> (“Santa’s Grandchildren”) and <a href="https://www.friendshipprague.com/">FriendShip Prague</a>. Team members in Chennai are supporting <a href="https://bhumi.ngo/">Bhumi</a>, which works to transform disadvantaged communities in India through education. &nbsp;We are so proud of the generosity of our team members and the many ways they supported their communities this year. &nbsp;We wish you a joyful and impactful holiday season — from all of us at Gen.

Gen celebrates the holiday season with donations, service projects, and more

Encouraging a Spirit of Giving

Technology abuse is an increasingly common part of domestic violence. Many abusers use technology like <a href="https://www.kaspersky.com/about/press-releases/2023_digital-violence-through-stalkerware-showing-little-sign-of-slowing-according-to-new-kaspersky-report">stalkerware</a> to track their partners’ device activity, location and movements, email and online messages, and browsing histories. Intimate partner violence often involves financial abuse, in which abusers steal their partner’s identity, improperly access online accounts or ruin their credit scores. There is a critical need to ensure survivors and advocates understand tech-facilitated abuse, its impact and how to identify it. They also need digital tools that can help.&nbsp;

<h3>Providing Free Products to Domestic Violence Survivors&nbsp;</h3>&nbsp;Our newest product donation initiative is dedicated to providing survivors with the information and tools to help them lead their online lives safely and confidently.&nbsp;Through this unique program, Norton, a part of Gen, is donating up to 5,000 free product licenses to survivors of domestic violence to help them recover from financial or technological abuse. These licenses will be distributed by eligible organizations that are members of the Safe Shelter Collaborative and TechSoup will help facilitate the donations, for which organizations can <a href="https://page.techsoup.org/2023-domestic-violence-survivor-support?hs_preview=zzrhKfSe-132649155171">apply online</a>.&nbsp;

Norton 360 Deluxe, one of the products offered through the new donation program, can prevent activity or location tracking, information theft, installation of malicious programs and uninvited changes to devices. We are also offering Norton Secure VPN as a standalone product, which protects a person’s online privacy by hiding the computer’s address from websites visited from any device. Eligible organizations may request up to 100 licenses of each product, which then must be distributed to survivors of domestic abuse.&nbsp;The National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) is another nonprofit partner of ours – which represents the 56 U.S. state and territorial domestic violence coalitions, who in turn represent more than 2,000 local programs and the millions of survivors they serve annually – also collaborated on the new pilot program. &nbsp;<h3>Learning Good Cyber Hygiene&nbsp;</h3>According to Armin Waiscek, Senior Research Manager at Gen, good cyber hygiene is diligence, care and human judgment, and it’s an important part of an online safety plan. “Security software is extremely important, as is education on Cyber Safety awareness. This involves day-to-day vigilance and learning how to spot the signs that someone has access to, or is trying to access your online accounts, devices or location.”&nbsp;&nbsp;Waiscek offered tips on how important cyber hygiene is to domestic violence survivors. “Through our work with NNEDV, we have learned survivors often need help to secure their digital assets, remove or stop using shared accounts, and create accounts on clean devices that haven’t been accessed by their abusers,” he said.Here are a few suggestions to improve cyber hygiene:<ul><li>Create a list of all platforms, systems and devices that are in use.</li><li>Change passwords to all accounts or create new accounts.</li><li>Update any online accounts that are accessible through Facebook, Google, Twitter, or Apple ID log-ins.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Use unique passwords that exclude personally identifiable information (i.e., birthdays, names, pet names, etc.).</li><li>Utilize a (new) <a href="https://my.norton.com/extspa/passwordmanager">password manager</a> to track passwords and to create strong, unique passwords</li></ul><h3>Maximizing Our Social Impact &nbsp;</h3>This pilot program exemplifies our continued large-scale effort to align our volunteering, giving and product donation programs for maximum impact. In addition to this program, we have provided training and technical assistance to NNEDV for years. In 2022, we announced a $100,000 grant each year for three years to NNEDV to support the organization’s <a href="https://nnedv.org/content/technology-safety/">Safety Net</a> technology abuse response initiative, as well as its <a href="https://nnedv.org/about-dv/dv-economic-justice/">Economic Justice</a> program. We are also a founding member of the <a href="https://stopstalkerware.org/">Coalition Against Stalkerware</a>, which was formed to help keep malicious technology like stalkerware and creepware out of the hands of abusers.&nbsp;To learn more, visit the new donation program <a href="https://page.techsoup.org/2023-domestic-violence-survivor-support?hs_preview=zzrhKfSe-132649155171">landing page</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Norton donates 5,000 licenses to help protect survivors of domestic abuse

New Product Donation Program Supports Domestic Violence Survivors

For the 20th year in a row, companies, government agencies, nonprofits and more have come together to recognize October as <a href="https://staysafeonline.org/programs/cybersecurity-awareness-month/">Cybersecurity Awareness Month</a> (CSAM). This annual campaign spreads the word about digital security and encourages everyone to protect their personal data against digital theft.&nbsp;&nbsp;This CSAM, we are highlighting women who have taken part in IT and cybersecurity career training programs run with leading nonprofit partners and supported by Gen. Organizations like <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=czechitas&amp;oq=czechitas&amp;gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqCQgAEEUYOxiABDIJCAAQRRg7GIAEMgYIARBFGEAyBggCEEUYOzINCAMQLhivARjHARiABDIHCAQQABiABDIHCAUQABiABDIGCAYQRRg9MgYIBxBFGD3SAQgxNDU3ajBqN6gCALACAA&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8">Czechitas</a>, <a href="https://women4cyber.eu/">Women4Cyber</a> and <a href="https://www.nasscomfoundation.org/">nasscom foundation</a> work on the ground across Europe and India to enable a higher level of digital proficiency among women and ultimately close the gender gap that persists in many tech fields.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Czechitas, based in the Czech Republic, operates a diverse range of programs, from summer camps and workshops for young women just beginning to build their digital skills to professionals looking to newly embark on tech careers. For the latter, Czechitas’ Digital Academies offer comprehensive three-month courses in programming, web development and data analysis, as well as job placement resources for those who complete the program. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;One such graduate is Andrea Řezníčková. She spent 20 years in financial roles at a large construction company before enrolling in Czechitas’ programming courses during the pandemic. She felt nervous to pursue a career change, particularly after so many years at the same company, but the welcoming, supportive atmosphere created by the Czechitas instructors and her fellow students quickly put her at ease. She now works as an IT analyst at ČSOB, focusing primarily on the core banking system, where she uses the SQL knowledge that she acquired at Czechitas on a daily basis.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The encouraging environment of the Czechitas classes is a common topic of conversation among graduates. Eva Moniová is another alum who enrolled in the Digital Academy looking to change careers. After working as a reporter, she chose the Data Analytics track and developed such strong connections with fellow students that the group still meets in person to this day. Moniová now works as a Data Quality Team Leader at MONETA Bank in Prague.&nbsp;&nbsp;We heard similar stories when we spoke to <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/blog/impact/community/india-impact-women-2023">graduates of the nasscom foundation’s</a> digital skills programs in India. The organization focuses on women from rural communities with limited access to technology, giving them the relevant skills training they need to compete for tech jobs. These women spoke not only of the value of the in-depth digital education but also of the supportive network of peers and fellow professionals.&nbsp;Take Uppala Sujana, for example. She got her degree from the Sree Dattha Institute of Engineering and Science in Telangana, but it wasn’t until she found the nasscom foundation program that she felt connected to her work. She took classes in programming languages, software development and data analysis, and formed close bonds with the students and instructors. She called the program a “transformative experience” that boosted her confidence, opened up new career opportunities, and provided a sense of fulfillment she didn’t know was possible. She now works at Amazon as a Network Analyst.

Manju Mounika agreed. Mounika went straight from the Ravindra College of Engineering for Women into the nasscom foundation program, where she encountered nurturing instructors who helped “clear her doubts” about her ability to excel in tech. The program helped her find a trainee position at HCLTech, though which she’s able to provide for the rest of her family.&nbsp;&nbsp;In Europe,&nbsp;we also work with the organization <a href="https://women4cyber.eu/">Women4Cyber</a>, which seeks to&nbsp;close the gender gap in cybersecurity through awareness and mentoring programs for women. Participants use the program to&nbsp;access&nbsp;information about advanced technical courses and scholarships available throughout the EU, find jobs in cybersecurity and network with others, including through mentorship.&nbsp;Ayhan Gücüyener&nbsp;used the mentorship program to&nbsp;expand&nbsp;her&nbsp;existing cybersecurity expertise. Gücüyener was already working at a research institution when she found Women4Cyber&nbsp;and began working with a senior mentor, which she says encouraged her to connect her academic understanding of the field with real-world issues. Her experience&nbsp;even&nbsp;led her to establish a partnership between Women4Cyber and her university to provide new opportunities in cybersecurity for college-aged women in Turkey.&nbsp; Now, Gücüyener works as a Local Administrative Coordinator at CyberMACS.&nbsp; &nbsp; We are proud to provide ongoing support for these important partners and to contribute to a more equitable tech sector. As a leader in Cyber Safety, the Gen family of brands, including Norton, also works year-round to make digital life more secure for people across the globe. We provide Cyber Safety education and training that helps young people, families, and vulnerable people stay safe online. Over the past year, these programs—which include partnerships with <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/blog/impact/community/my-digital-life">Discovery Education</a>, the <a href="https://www.wagggs.org/en/what-we-do/surf-smart-20/">World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts</a>, the <a href="https://thesmarttalk.org/">National PTA</a> and more—have reached more than 2.8 million people, meeting our fiscal 2024 goal early.&nbsp;