2023 marked our first full year as a B Corp and was also the first time Plank made a real effort to track our values and goals transparently. In doing so we hope that we can inspire you, our peers, to also fight for openness and inclusivity in your workplaces.
Thanks for being a part of our journey – here's to more growth, learning, and positive change in the coming years!
In August of 2022, we proudly became a B Corp, so for last years report talking about that was enough. One year in, our main realisation is that B Corp certification doesn't stop when you're certified. As a company you need to focus on continuous improvements and also challenge yourself to make decisions that are in the best interest of all your stakeholders not just yourselves. It can be easy to stick to the status quo but certification is a commitment to a long-term mission rather than just a stamp of approval and this takes work!
As I reflect on the second year since our B Corp certification, I’m proud of all of the team's improvements to ensure that we continue to meet our commitment. We still have a long way to go in some areas, and I’m excited to see how we get there.
We continue to invest deeply into our company — broadening and solidifying Plank’s pillars of process, finance, and collaboration. Our B Corp status has not just been a source of inspiration, but a beacon which we’re heading towards.
Plank’s drive to be a force for good can be seen every day in the way its employees are empowered. As a member of the 2SLGBTQ+ community, it’s heartwarming to be able to engage in a meaningful way — this year by participating in QueerTech conference, one of our partnership initiatives.
Plank is truly a people-centric company. Beyond its DEI initiatives on hiring, all employees have the support and challenges they need to stay engaged and inspired. Plank welcomes new ideas and initiatives from its team, allowing them to stay sharp and at the cutting edge.
Our company culture is centred around empathy, support, and accountability and this year we've also embraced pay transparency, ensuring fairness across the board.
Plank has also made a real effort to improve our hiring processes meaning our decision-making table is now more diverse, with a broader range of voices contributing.
Professional learning and development are also top priorities, keeping our team sharp and at the forefront of our industry.
Work From Anywhere & Wellness Benefit
Utilization increased by 52.89%
Professional Learning & Development
$3,000 dedicated budget per employee through our Plank+ program
Volunteer Hours
28 hours of team time taken in the service of our communities
Voluntary Retirement Savings Plan
88% of eligible team members joined with Plank matching at 50%
Our clients’ work inspires our own, which is why the opportunity to work on great projects with good people, important institutions, and inspirational organizations fuels us. This year, we were fortunate to work on over 35 web projects with 28 clients, of which:
50%
registered charities
29%
purpose-driven organizations
21%
for-profit organizations
Since 1973, American Rivers has made it their mission to protect and restore rivers throughout the U.S.
Visit the site
Canadian Race Relations Foundation exists to create systemic solutions and advance public policy on anti-racism.
Visit the site
Futurpreneur has been fueling the entrepreneurial passions of Canada’s young enterprise for over two decades.
Launching in 2024
Plank thinks a lot about the suppliers we work with and the waste we create, and this year we tried to dig deeper and look into the business practices of those we purchase from. We analysed some new aspects of our day to day in an effort to see where we can reduce our environmental impact, and tried to obtain statistics for travel, energy use and carbon offset where possible. You can dig into more detail in the full report, and also read about our struggles with these changes in our latest blog post here.
Travel Carbon Footprint
An estimated total of 43,360 kgCO2e or 47.7 tonsCO2e
Employee Buyback Program
Achieved ~100% rate of reduction in electronic waste
One initiative that we are proud to continue working on year over year is Plank Gives Back, our pro bono effort in which we offer our digital expertise to organizations that strive for a positive change in their communities. This can include tasks such as a digital marketing strategy, a website design refresh, content strategy help, or even a hosting migration.
This year, we worked with Carolyn of Carolyn’s Community to help her develop her brand identity and create a WordPress website. The result is a beautifully designed 5-page website with fresh branding to expand the impact of her initiatives with the community she serves.
Plank is incredibly proud to continue to support Carolyn’s Community. The holiday toy drive has been supplying toys to thousands of children, teens, and mothers in women’s shelters, group homes, refugee centres, and other organizations around Montreal for over 20 years.
Our team collected and purchased 214 brand-new toys for children during the holidays.
