Brightcove Introduces Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) Program

A Reflection of Place

At Brightcove, we exist to connect communities through video. So, naturally, we take our place in our communities seriously. From the universe of people watching videos, the customers who rely on video to reach their audiences, our employees and their families, to the local communities where we work -- we are dedicated to respecting people and our environment.

Our commitment to people and the environment has been part of the company culture for as long as we can remember. Over time, each part of the organization adopted practices to support these commitments. We’ve had policies and procedures in place to promote diversity and prevent discrimination and harassment. As a technology company selling software, we’ve had relatively low carbon emissions. We’ve worked in environmentally-conscious buildings, which are accessible via public transportation wherever possible.

These efforts were inherent to Brightcove, but they existed primarily in principle and not in form. We had no way of explicitly sharing our commitment with our employees, customers, or communities. That’s where the idea of formalizing our environmental, social, and governance practices came in.

But, how?

There are myriad reasons to get on the ESG train: It’s trendy. It’s viewed favorably by customers. It helps to retain and attract talent. It’s viewed favorably by investors, etc. When asked to help develop Brightcove’s ESG program, my mission was to create programs to further our positive social and environmental impact, both internally and in our community, in a manner that is authentic to Brightcove's culture.

We brainstormed numerous things that Brightcove could do, and logged infinite possibilities that could make a difference. Labor rights policies, resource use policies, supply chain responsibility policies, climate change strategies, business ethics practices, waste intensity disclosures, human trafficking and slavery audits...the options can spin a burgeoning ESG program out of control.

To maximize our impact, we’ve restrained ourselves from taking on every opportunity at once. Instead, our approach is a measured one. We’ve surveyed the current state of Brightcove’s humanitarian and environmental efforts and unearthed tendencies towards transparency, employee development, honoring differences, and employee-powered sustainability practices. Our first step is to memorialize these realities, making them known and ensuring that we do not back away from what has already become part of Brightcove’s essential culture.

A conscious, authentic business

Today, we launched Brightcove’s ESG webpage, which shares our approach and keeps us accountable. It reflects initiatives that are real and meaningful for our company:

• Board diversity
• Shouldering the responsibility to protect personal data
• An ongoing, transparent dialogue between management and employees
• Practices and training to promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging among our employees

Through the ESG program, we are motivated to do more. The program – our efforts – will constantly evolve as we evaluate and reevaluate how we can make the most substantial impact in our communities. We’ve only just hit “play” and eagerly anticipate the strides Brightcove will make as the program develops. You can learn more about it here – and check back soon to keep up with our progress.