Optimizely’s Sustainability Journey: Creating a Future That’s Built to Last

For me, sustainability isn’t just a company priority; it’s a personal one. I’m especially mindful of the role that content management plays at the heart of the digital experience. Our CMS often serves as the backbone of our clients' digital strategies, shaping every touchpoint and interaction. That’s why sustainability in our product—and in everything we do at Optimizely—matters so deeply to me. 

Optimizely’s commitment to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals reflects this vision, ensuring that we’re building a future that’s innovative, responsible, and impactful. From reducing our environmental footprint to championing diversity, equity, and inclusion, we’re creating meaningful change in the digital landscape. Here’s a closer look at how we’re making a difference and where we’re headed. 

Our Environmental Commitment: Moving Toward Carbon Neutrality 

As a global leader in digital experience, we recognize our responsibility to make a positive environmental impact. Our sustainability initiatives are driven by one big question: How can we contribute to a low-carbon future? From managing emissions to improving resource efficiency, here’s what we’re doing: 

A Path to Carbon-Neutral Cloud Solutions: With our extensive cloud-based offerings, our commitment to reducing our carbon footprint is central to our digital infrastructure. Partnering with AWS and Microsoft, who are both set to reach 100% renewable energy in the next few years, we’re helping our clients optimize their own sustainability goals. By moving more systems to the cloud, we’re reducing physical resource demands and supporting our customers as they transition to low-carbon solutions. It’s an ongoing journey, but one we believe will make a lasting impact. 

Smart E-Waste Management: Technology generates waste, but we’re working to make sure our impact is as minimal as possible. We’re currently establishing a company-wide e-waste recycling program, aiming to recycle or repurpose 100% of our IT equipment in major locations by 2025. This program includes recycling bins in our offices and educational initiatives that encourage all employees to minimize waste and recycle more effectively. 

A Smarter Travel Strategy: We’re a global company, and business travel is often essential for collaboration. But that doesn’t mean we can’t make it more sustainable. Our new travel policy encourages responsible travel, and with the Navan platform, we’re helping employees make eco-friendly travel choices. We’ve added real-time tracking features to monitor emissions, allowing us to set clear goals for reducing our travel footprint. Employees are encouraged to choose lower-emission flights, limit non-essential travel, and select digital meeting options when possible. These small actions collectively add up to a much bigger difference.

Building a People-First Workplace 

At Optimizely, our people are at the heart of everything we do. A strong workplace culture drives innovation, keeps our employees engaged, and ensures we’re providing top-tier service to our customers. That’s why our social responsibility focus is on nurturing a culture where every team member feels valued, supported, and empowered to grow. Here’s how: 

Fostering Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI): We believe in the power of a diverse workforce to drive our mission forward. Our approach to DEI includes regular training sessions, employee-led resource groups (ERGs), and a transparent commitment to equal opportunity. We’re aiming to increase female representation in senior positions and continually evaluate our progress on gender balance across all roles. These steps are vital in building an environment that celebrates diverse perspectives and fosters collaboration. 

Prioritizing Well-being: Employee well-being isn’t a one-size-fits-all concept, so we’ve implemented initiatives that support various aspects of physical, mental, and emotional health. Our “Share Your Voice” survey is conducted biannually to gather honest feedback from our team members, which shapes our policies and workplace environment. Through programs like Mental Health Month, private health insurance, and hybrid work options, we’re creating a flexible, supportive culture that helps our employees thrive both personally and professionally. 

Supporting Career Growth: We’re not only focused on developing our business; we’re focused on developing our people. With tools like SuccessFactors, employees can set both short-term and long-term goals that align with their career aspirations. Optimizely also offers mentorship and coaching programs, designed to help employees at every level reach their full potential. This commitment to growth supports retention and helps us build a resilient workforce for the future. 

Leading with Transparency and Ethics 

Trust is the foundation of any successful relationship, and we’re committed to maintaining it across all our partnerships, both internal and external. Our approach to governance emphasizes ethical practices, transparency, and a robust framework for data privacy and security: 

Zero Tolerance for Corruption: Ethical standards are non-negotiable at Optimizely. Our Code of Conduct clearly defines our stance on anti-bribery, anti-corruption, and fair business practices. These standards apply to everyone we work with, including partners, suppliers, and customers. It’s about more than avoiding legal pitfalls; it’s about reinforcing the trust that is fundamental to all our relationships. 

Data Privacy and Security You Can Count On: In today’s digital age, data security is paramount, and we take it seriously. Optimizely’s products comply with GDPR, CCPA, and other global standards, ensuring that customer data is protected and managed responsibly. Hosting our services on platforms like Azure, Google Cloud, and AWS allows us to leverage their industry-leading physical security. Additionally, we conduct periodic risk assessments and have a comprehensive incident response plan to address any potential breaches swiftly and effectively. Our focus on privacy and transparency extends to all stakeholders, reinforcing our reputation as a reliable partner in digital experience. 

Looking Ahead: Goals for 2025 and Beyond 

Our momentum is strong, but our vision for a sustainable future continues to expand. As we move forward, we’re setting clear goals that challenge us to keep pushing boundaries and innovating in the ESG space. Here’s where we’re headed: 

Environmental Goals: By 2025, we aim to have fully implemented our e-waste recycling program across major offices, with a commitment to continual improvements in waste reduction and emissions tracking. Additionally, we’re focused on measurable goals to reduce Scope 3 emissions, ensuring our impact on the planet remains minimal even as we grow. 

Social Progress: We’re targeting an employee engagement score of 8/10 by 2025, alongside a significant reduction in voluntary turnover. By investing in career development, mental health support, and work-life balance, we’re building a workforce that’s as resilient and dynamic as the solutions we create. 

Governance and Transparency: Our commitment to maintaining zero breaches in information security and privacy remains unwavering. With evolving ESG standards, we’re continually refining our practices to ensure full compliance and a culture of transparency that aligns with our values and those of our clients and partners. 

Conclusion: Join Us on the Journey 

At Optimizely, we’re passionate about creating a sustainable, impactful future. Sustainability isn’t a standalone initiative; it’s an integral part of our identity as a business. From our environmental strategies to our people-first policies and our strict ethical standards, we’re building a foundation that supports long-term success—not just for us, but for everyone we serve. 

As we continue on this journey, we’re inviting you—our clients, partners, and team members—to join us. Together, we can set new standards, drive responsible innovation, and build a world where digital experience doesn’t come at the cost of the planet or people. 

Stay connected as we continue to share updates, insights, and progress on our sustainability journey. The future is bright, and we’re excited to shape it with you.