ESG Policy

Environmental, Social, and Governance Policy

Introduction

ThriveAxis® is a leadership development, executive coaching, and organizational advisory firm. We help leaders and organizations build self-awareness, lead inclusively, and create the conditions for people to thrive. Through our People-Forward Leadership™ approach, we partner with public- and private-sector executives and emerging leaders to strengthen trust, foster psychological safety, navigate sensitive or difficult conversations with confidence, and drive sustainable growth through proven, proprietary methods. We are committed to helping all leaders grow into inclusive, authentic leadership, and we bring particular care to supporting women and women of color on that journey.

Purpose & Scope

ThriveAxis® is committed to operating in a socially responsible and sustainable manner. This ESG policy formalizes our longstanding commitment to responsible practices in environmental stewardship, social responsibility, governance, and ethics. We recognize that our business impacts the environment and society, and we strive to minimize any negative effects while maximizing positive outcomes. By implementing this policy, we aim to ensure that our operations align with ESG principles and promote sustainable growth and innovation.

Our Core Values

At ThriveAxis®, our work is done through the lens of and in alignment with our core values:

Community & Authenticity: Everyone belongs; every voice counts.
Learning & Adaptability: Continuous learning, data-informed, ready to innovate.
Transparent Communication & Trust: Speak openly. Build trust.
Solution Orientation: Proactively turning challenges into opportunities.
Results with Care: We deliver on our promise with quality and thoughtfulness.
High Standards & High Outcomes: Integrity (we do what we say) and ownership (we own the outcomes).
Client-Centered Service: Serve clients like partners.
Fun & Fulfillment: Love the work, enjoy the ride.

Environmental Stewardship

At ThriveAxis®, we recognize the importance of protecting the environment and are committed to reducing our environmental impact. We strive to continuously improve our environmental performance by adopting sustainable practices throughout our operations. Our environmental stewardship includes the following commitments:

Energy Conservation: We strive to reduce our energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by using energy-efficient technologies and practices wherever possible, including Energy Star-certified devices where available. We promote the use of renewable energy sources where feasible.

Waste Reduction: We reduce waste generated by our operations by minimizing material use, reusing and recycling where possible, and disposing of waste responsibly.

Supplier Selection: We consider environmental factors when selecting suppliers and products, including materials used, environmental impact, and compliance with environmental regulations.

Water Conservation: We minimize our water usage by adopting water-efficient practices where feasible.

Environmental Awareness: We promote environmental awareness among our team, contractors, and suppliers, and encourage sustainable practices.

Carbon Footprint Reduction: We support reforestation through One Tree Planted, a non-profit environmental charity, by funding tree planting to help offset the carbon footprint of our work, including business travel and other day-to-day activities. Each tree we fund supports reforestation, helps create local jobs, reduces poverty, strengthens climate resilience, and restores forest cover to improve food security.

We regularly review our environmental performance to identify opportunities for improvement. We comply with all applicable environmental laws and regulations and strive to exceed them where possible. This environmental commitment is shared by all ThriveAxis® employees, contractors, and suppliers.

Social Responsibility

As a certified women-owned, minority-owned, and disability-owned business, ThriveAxis® takes pride in its social responsibility and commitment to gender equality, diversity, equity, access, and inclusion. We believe diversity is a strength and that our differences make us unique and contribute to our success.

Diversity & Inclusion

Our workplace promotes openness, respect, and trust among team members with a range of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives. We recognize that discrimination and harassment can take many forms and may be based on race, sex, color, ancestry, citizenship, marital status, family status, national or social origin, ethnicity, religious creed, age, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, medical condition, genetic information, military or veteran status, political opinion, or any other status protected by applicable law.

We are committed to providing a safe and inclusive environment where everyone is treated with respect and dignity. We take any allegations of discrimination or harassment seriously, encourage our team to speak up if they experience or witness it, and take swift, appropriate action to address and prevent such behavior.

Our Team Composition

ThriveAxis® is a woman-owned and woman-led firm. Our founder and CEO is a Black woman, and our team and contractor network are predominantly women and people from minority backgrounds, working across the United States and internationally. As we grow, we remain committed to building a team that reflects a diversity of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.

Stakeholder & Community Engagement

We work to deepen our relationships with key stakeholders, including our employees, contractors, clients, communities, partners, and suppliers. We invest in our team and strive to provide a challenging, dynamic, and inclusive environment that supports professional development while promoting a healthy work-life balance. We also support initiatives that benefit the environment, human welfare, and education, including skills training and economic development in the communities where we operate.

We are committed to actively supporting and engaging with businesses that fall into one or more of the following categories:

MBE: Minority Business Enterprise
WBE: Women's Business Enterprise
DBE: Disadvantaged Business Enterprise
DOBE: Disability-Owned Business Enterprise
LGBTBE: LGBT-Owned Business Enterprise
VBE: Veteran-Owned Business Enterprise
SDB: Small Disadvantaged Business

This ESG policy reflects our belief that responsible business practices are essential to long-term success and growth. We look forward to continuing to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion while delivering innovative, effective solutions for our clients.

Our Certifications

ThriveAxis® holds the following active certifications:

MBE: Minority Business Enterprise
WBE: Women's Business Enterprise
DBE: Disadvantaged Business Enterprise
DOBE: Disability-Owned Business Enterprise
WOSB: Women-Owned Small Business, as defined by the U.S. Small Business Administration

Governance & Ethics

ThriveAxis® is dedicated to continuous improvement, transparency, and accountability. The principles and practices that guide our decision-making, along with our commitment to ethical behavior and compliance with applicable laws and regulations, are as follows:

Executive Oversight: The ThriveAxis® leadership team is responsible for overseeing the implementation of our business policies and procedures, including this ESG policy, and ensuring alignment with our strategic objectives. This includes establishing clear lines of accountability and reporting so the organization meets its ESG goals. We hold regular company meetings to hold ourselves accountable and ensure we act in the best interest of the company and our clients.

Ethics & Conduct: Our leadership, employees, and contractors conduct themselves in accordance with the highest ethical standards. We are committed to a fair environment for our team, clients, and partners. Our standards and expectations are outlined in contractual agreements with team members, clients, and partners, and we maintain an open-door policy to encourage honest, direct communication and to resolve issues as they arise.

Transparency: We cultivate strong stakeholder relationships through open communication, responsiveness to stakeholder input, and transparency. On request, we provide accurate and meaningful information about our practices and performance, including ESG.

Compliance: We are committed to complying with applicable laws, regulations, industry standards, and best practices related to ESG, and we review and update our policies and procedures as needed to maintain ongoing compliance and improve. We provide guidance to our team on these principles and remain committed to operating to high standards of governance and ethics.

Business Continuity

To remain proactive against potential hazards, threats, or vulnerabilities, we continue to assess areas that could affect the business in times of crisis and to strengthen our plan for sustainable service without interruption. Our goal is to complete a comprehensive business continuity plan by 2030.

Ongoing Review & Future Revisions

While we do not anticipate frequent changes to this document, we understand that modifications may occasionally be necessary to reflect current laws, rules, and regulations governing society and our business. ThriveAxis® is committed to conducting an annual review of this ESG Policy.

Effective: March 10, 2023

Review Date: April 9, 2027 (scheduled)

Approved By: Dr. Carol Parker Walsh, CEO