CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY REPORT 2019
NORDIC TRADITIONS | UKRAINIAN SPIRIT | SUPERIOR SOFTWARE
TABLE OF CONTENTS —
Who We Are ...... 04
Key Facts ...... 06
Our Approach to CSR ...... 08
Premier Quality Delivery ...... 12
Responsible Employer ...... 20
Internal Education ...... 30
Education and Community Development ...... 56
Environment Protection ...... 64
03 WHO WE ARE —
Sigma Software is a place where Nordic Traditions meet Ukrainian Spirit to create Superior Software. We combine the best practices and approaches from Swedish and Ukrainian cultures. Taking high demand for quality, minimal hierarchy, freedom of decision-making, and attention to every opinion from Swedes, as a Ukrainian company we demonstrate flexibility and dedication to every project and every customer.
We deliver smartest solutions for over 17 years to our customers around the globe – from Australia to East Coast of the United States. We work with startups, software houses, and enterprises, providing the products and services that suit our clients the most. Company`s R&D centers are mastering the trending technologies and directions: Infotainment, AR/VR, Blockchain, Machine Learning, Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, and others.
04 05 KEY FACTS —
Sigma Software provides cutting-edge technology solutions within IT to our customers in the areas of government, telecommunications, advertising, automotive, gaming, and others.
One of the largest Swedish companies in the field of software development working in Ukraine. Fortum, SAS, Volvo, Viaplay, Formpipe, Verizon are among our valuable customers all over the world.
06 17 IN TOP-3 YEARS BEST IT EMPLOYERS
2,000 + TOP-100 PROJECTS OUTSOURCING COMPANIES BY IAOP
1,100 + MEMBER OF PEOPLE SIGMA GROUP
14 OFFICES
07 OUR APPROACH TO CSR
Valery Krasovsky, CEO
A responsible company is a company realizing that its purpose is much bigger than just doing business. The big idea that stands behind our business is creating a strong and stable environment for IT development in Ukraine.
Sigma Software has a well-established commitment to building trust and reliable operating principles for our customers, employees, and the industry in whole.
As a company, providing IT consulting services, we see our main objectives in providing premier quality services to our customers, education and community development, and being a responsible employer for our specialists.
PREMIER QUALITY DELIVERY
We are striving to provide customers with premier quality services [page 14] and continuous improvement. To this end, we expand our offer and master new technologies in order to suffice the ever-changing environment and customers' needs [page 16].
This approach results in a number of successful projects and products with a huge potential.
08 09 Here are just a few recent examples. An AR shooter game, Black Snow, recently had its first release and is already gaining popularity. The game development team at Sigma Software has spent close to three years creating the game, overcoming numerous challenges of keeping a rich cinematic feel, while not overtaxing the phone, and always having the AR features seem natural, a feat few games have achieved.
Another startup we are working on, Clean.io, prevents malicious advertising and uncovers new threats continuously. It reached 1M revenue after 5 months of commercial availability and in a year after its launch. The solution now cuts off over 400,000,000 malicious ads monthly. Clean.io signed over 50 customers across the USA including big enterprises and was recently named a startup of the year in Baltimore.
EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
In 2019, the company launched Sigma Software Labs [page 60] - a new ecosystem for Ukraine-based startups, small product houses, and service companies, where they can be sheltered by a leading technology consulting company Sigma Software and obtain support and surpassing benefits to grow at all stages.
All Sigma Software Labs residents enjoy access to Sigma Software board network of business advisors – serial entrepreneurs around the globe, intros and connections to Venture Capitalist funds in the US, Sweden, Israel, and Australia. They also get business and technical consultancy on the startup ideas and their nurturing from serial entrepreneurs around the globe and can use the comfortable and stylish office spaces of Sigma Software coupled with administrative support and opportunity to visit company`s events.
10 Within the framework of our educational platform, Sigma Software University, we cooperate with 15 leading universities and colleagues in main Ukrainian IT hubs. Seven laboratories equipped by Sigma Software give students an opportunity to use modern equipment, thus mastering various directions and technologies, including the most trending ones. About 300 students are trained in company`s internships every year.
RESPONSIBLE EMPLOYER
At Sigma Software, we consider our team and our bright people as one of the most important part of the business. Since its inception back in 2002, the company intended to become the best place for IT specialists to fulfill their ideas and potential, while working on the most interesting and complex solutions and engaging cutting-edge technologies. It was important for us back then, and it continues to be one of our priorities nowadays.
In our daily work, we follow the principles that help us in reaching our global strategy – to support all employees in their endeavors, show development options, and celebrate employees’ success together.
11 PREMIER QUALITY DELIVERY
12 Being convinced that client's satisfaction is an ultimate source of our prosperity and primary driver towards leadership in software engineering services, we declare our mission and principles as follows.
OUR MISSION —
Provide premier value IT services, keeping the focus on helping our customers reach their business goals.
OUR PRINCIPLES —
No matter what kind of project we undertake, we always listen, question, and deliver what promised.
13 ENSURING QUALITY
Evgeniy Bachinskiy, Quality Director
To provide products of sufficient quality, we apply the best practices. The company has a quality management department (QMD), which main goal is setting up processes and making sure everyone is playing by the rules. All business processes are identified and established, and constantly checked for consistency with reality through teams and departments audits. The QMD regularly holds trainings for newcomers to get them acquainted with company`s processes. Every novelty is introduced to Sigma Software team on special workshops. The whole company constantly receives information on updates that were introduced in the quality management system.
The QMS (the system is digitalized and completely paperless) contains all the documentation on procedures and updates regularly. The benefits of a certified QMS are felt not only by our customers, but also by employees. It provides company`s executives with an efficient management methodology, identifies more explicit and time-saving processes, and thereby ensures continuous self- improvement.
At Sigma Software, we are very accurate in everything concerning the principles of non-disclosure of confidential information and protection of personal data.
High attention to quality and security, as well as ensuring ethical behavior and transparent communication with customers are also spelled out in detail in company`s policies and politics.
14 15 MASTERING NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND EXTENDING OUR OFFER —
Sigma Software has years of experience mastering innovative approaches and technologies. In 2017, the company`s R&D center was divided into regional hubs, each having own niches to develop.
WHY THE R&D HUBS WERE LAUNCHED?
We usually think of innovation as something futuristic that never existed before. But innovation is also about doing usual things better and getting better results. What we do at Sigma Software is actually solving our clients` problems with the help of IT systems and technologies. For us, innovation means finding faster and cheaper solutions, giving our customers greater advantage in their businesses.
Sigma Software performed R&D activities for many years. Due to our R&D activities, we became one of the first companies in Ukraine to master AR/VR competence and get field experience. This helped us starting several very challenging commercial projects in the area. Among the directions we take a close look at are Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence, Embedded Development and IoT, cybersecurity, infotainment and connected cars.
16 17 WHOW IT WORKS
Our company has a deep experience working with various verticals and knows specifics and peculiarities of different businesses. Diving deep into customer`s domain gives us an understanding of what is needed. We build strong relations with our clients; we communicate a lot, we ask, and we listen. When we are sure that certain technology works, we usually start with creating a proof of concept and a prototype before an idea goes into big investments, analyze market reaction, and then decide whether the idea is ready or needs refinements.
In Sigma Software, we believe that innovation and creativity is not a limited resource, we are sure it is present in each and every of our colleagues. Our R&D activities are organized in such a way that everyone can participate.
The algorithm for mastering new directions is simple: we gather and analyze information and make decisions based on analysis results. On a practical level, it requires various actions: from monitoring internet sources, cultivating a culture of information and knowledge sharing inside the company, visiting professional events as attendees and as speakers, taking part in hackathons to getting hands- on experience and checking how technology works, where it can be applied, and whether it can be of help in creating new value to our customers.
18 ACKNOWLEDGMENT —
Our desire to become a trusted partner and provider of services of the highest quality is often acknowledged by different awards and ratings. We are:
§ Among the key industry participants in the global IoT billing and invoicing solutions market by MarketExpert24.
§ Among the key players profiled in the Automotive Software Market by Trends Market Research.
§ Among the key players in Automotive Software creation in Ukraine.
§ Featured among top 10 Embedded Software Companies for Automotive.
§ And others.
19 RESPONSIBLE EMPLOYER
20 CHOOSING WHAT`S THE BEST —
In 2019, Sigma Software has launched a dedicated career website, featuring all the opportunities the company offers to its specialists. Our strong employer value proposition is built on a unique diversity that gives an opportunity to every company`s expert to choose where they fit the best and use own strengths to conquer new heights.
WE INSPIRE OUR PEOPLE TO FIND WHAT THEY LIKE AND GET REAL PLEASURE FROM DAILY WORK BY:
§ Choosing between a dozen of different domains (from aviation and automotive to the game development and advertising industry). Each one is interesting and unique in its own way. Our specialists can dive deep into the specific area or learn several domains at once.
§ Discovering the peculiarities of working with various types of business – startups, product houses, enterprises. Each requires a specific mindset, so everyone can choose to their own preferences.
§ Communicating with clients from different countries, learning differences in mentalities and culture.
§ Working with a wide variety of technologies, finding what actually drives and inspires.
21 DIVERSITY —
Sigma Software team gathers 1,100+ specialists. The age ranges from 19 to 57, with the average of 35. No barriers exist at our company, neither for aged candidates nor for students. The trend of the recent years shows IT professionals getting more mature; age groups of 25 to 30 and of 31 to 40 are the largest ones. Ratio of women increased to 31%.
WE GROW EVERY YEAR
2002 2006 2013 2017 2018 2019
6 60 440 800 950 1,100
WE ARE OPEN FOR ALL AGE GROUPS
<20 21 to 24 25 to 30 31 to 40 41 to 50 >50
29 158 442 387 73 11
WE WELCOME MEN AND WOMEN
2002 2006 2013 2019
Female 0% 20% 25% 31%
Male 100% 80% 75% 69%
22 EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES —
Sigma Software does its best to avoid any discrimination against people with disabilities, different religious views, political beliefs, sexual orientation, race, social status, and age. The company provides equal opportunities for professional growth to all groups. Through our internal processes and policies, we follow the principles of ethical conduct and mutual respect inside and outside the company.
To ensure the security of our employees, the company follows the principles of non-disclosure of confidential information and protection of employees’ personal data.
Sigma Software respects freedom of speech and freedom to use any language. Through our internal social network, Facebook Workplace [page 50], or during traditional Fika [page 48] meetings with top managers and Unit Heads anyone can bring any topic without fair of being moderated.
23 HEALTH AND SAFETY —
Employees` health and safety are primarily ensured by providing comfortable offices that have everything necessary for work and rest, well-equipped workplaces (including orthopedic furniture), regular trainings on fire safety, first aid, advice on how to reduce negative effects from sedentary work.
Sigma Software runs an IT Assistant program. This service makes it easy for employees to use all bonuses provided by Health, Sports, and Legal support programs by calling a single number. A call-center operator will provide with detailed information, clarify the employee`s request, set up a visit to a doctor or a lawyer on a convenient time slot, send all the information to the end user.
Company`s Health program covers consultations of therapists and other specialists, certain types of medical tests, urgent ambulance. The Legal support embraces lawyers urgent and non-urgent consultation with an on-site visit in case of a traffic accident or illegal actions against Sigma Software employees. IT Assistant also provides IT Care service, which means our specialists can use a database of trusted suppliers of domestic, automobile, pet services, etc.
24 25 SPORT SUPPORT —
Sigma Software sports program covers yoga and fitness in offices, compensation of workouts, therapeutic and relaxing massages. Numerous sport events organized and supported by the company are held every year. Sport fans have an opportunity to gather with like-minded teammates in corporate sport teams.
2019 we announced as a year of sport support and became a title sponsor of an amateur cycling team, founded in 2016. At that time, the team united 6 people. Only three years later, 50 amateur sportsman are on board. Team members participate in virtually all Ukrainian group races and triathlon competitions.
“Working in a highly flexible and changing environment calls our every faculty into play. To face the challenges and cope with them, we need to be in a good shape. Here’s when sports come to the aid.”
Valery Krasovsky, CEO
To promote the culture of physical fitness and introduce sport as a new lifestyle inside and outside the company, we have launched a sport public (@sigma_software_sports), where we share personal stories of our employees on how sport influences and changes them.
26 27 28 WORK-LIFE BALANCE —
Company ensures its employees have a healthy work-life balance through a flexible schedule and an opportunity to work part-time, possibility to work remotely or from any Sigma Software location. Paid vacations and holidays, sick leaves give Sigma Software specialists wide opportunities to spend more time with their families and friends.
29 INTERNAL EDUCATION
30 EDUCATION —
Sigma Software provides equal educational opportunities to all employees. Within the framework of our education and mentorship programs, every employee has an opportunity to:
§ Visit internal courses and trainings.
§ Visit external conferences and events.
§ Get certifications at company`s expense.
§ Get help at every stage of professional development from a mentor.
§ Develop as a mentor, trainer, speaker.
§ Drive internal and external communities with company`s support.
§ Take English classes in company`s offices.
§ Take part in contests and Hackathons, and more.
31 QUICK STATISTICS:
§ 100+ conferences visited in 2019;
§ 400+ employees in internal communities (PM, mobile, F#, software architecture, JS, and others);
§ 300+ mentors spend the total of 6.5K hours yearly on mentorship work;
§ 550 employees visited various courses and trainings;
§ 20 continuous education programs in 2019;
§ 46 trainings organized;
§ 23 company`s experts act as trainers.
32 33 CONTINUOUS EDUCATION
Anna Arutyunyan, Head of Sigma Software University
Internal education was always among the company`s main focuses. For years, we have held courses and trainings that became more and more comprehensive, and one day in 2017 it resulted in the official launch of our continuous education program. Our goal was to ensure professional development of our people from Junior to Middle and then from Middle to Senior and to make this growth more predictable and controlled.
In addition, the program was aimed at clarifying every specialist’s specific needs for managers and HR as well as making their career and professional path more transparent.
STRENGTHS OF OUR PROGRAM:
§ Strong focus on practice.
§ Mapping to the internal skills grade matrix, which is regularly updated. This makes it easy to map the educational programs to real needs and requirements of the company.
§ Linking it to the performance review process, which gives us understandable measurability and valuation of the program success.
§ Participation of mentors, who ensure a person applies new skills, received on continuous education trainings, in daily work.
34 35 Since the program launch, we have trained over 550 people and elaborated 40+ educational programs. From 550+ employees, over 70% got a level up on their skills according to their managers and mentors, 31% of them got promoted.
HOW IT WORKS
We have started with statistics gathering and analysis on the most frequent gaps in skills in the company. It appeared that most of them belonged to Junior specialists and Interns, so we have started with programs for them. After running several trainings and clarifying the process, we proceeded with Middle and Senior levels.
Programs are dedicated to key competencies and skills that every PM, test engineer, developer, or other specialist should possess to demonstrate good performance and professional development. Those are, for example, object- oriented design, documentation, security fundamentals, communication, and others.
Our approach in creation of continuous education programs assumes high attention to practical part to make sure the theory is actually mastered and people know how to apply it in their daily work. After completing the course, the coach passes the alumni to his or her mentor, who`s responsibility is to make sure a person has an opportunity to apply the acquired skills on real projects.
TRAINERS’ PREPARATION
The company engages internal and external trainers for continuous education courses. Internal trainers are company`s experts that have proven experience on the matter and, frequently, already have a background as speakers and coaches of
36 internal and external communities. Despite their experience of being public speakers, they still take regular trainings on working with the audience, the art of using storytelling, self-motivation, combining work with coaching, and other topics.
External trainers are selected very carefully. We closely monitor the market and choose successful coaches, look at speakers who appear at our own and other events, and select the best to include in our extensive database. When it comes to selecting a trainer for our continuous education program, we analyze who of the candidates could meet our requirements, run an interview to understand the level of a coach, review the proposed program agenda, and organize a personal meeting with company`s manager or technical expert to make sure the trainer`s expertise actually covers the needs we have.
OTHER CONTINUOUS EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES
In addition to continuous education courses, Sigma Software University also organizes and hosts numerous events by request. Our employees had an opportunity to visit over 50 such events just in 2019. Sigma Software also develops internal communities, which drivers are engaged in continuous education programs review.
Our professionals have an opportunity to visit various conferences in Ukraine and abroad at company`s expense. Regular knowledge sharing sessions after visiting these events are a good tradition we keep for years.
All Sigma Software employees are welcome to level up their English by taking classes in the offices with the best trainers and native speakers. The extensive electronic library, video archive of all trainings and courses make it easy for every employee to find the materials for boosting own skills.
37 MENTORSHIP PROGRAM
Anna Piskun, HR Director
In 2016, Sigma Software shaped up and worked out in detail a mentorship program, which, just like continuous education, existed in the company years before, but needed clear processes and consistent approaches. By now, the company has a strong mentorship program that ensures every newcomer has a mentor and every employee can request and receive one if they need.
All the detailed information on program goals, responsibilities of mentors and mentees, the process of appointing and changing a mentor, the assessment procedures, and giving feedback on mentor`s required skills and level – everything is published on company’s EQMS portal and available for all the colleagues.
HOW IT WORKS
According to the current process, all newcomers get their mentors at the first day in the company and work together till the end of their probation period. Exceptions are quite few - when a person is skilled enough or has come to a leading position and does not need a supervision. In this case, his/her manager takes over the responsibility to familiarize an employee with internal rules and processes.
When a probation period is successfully completed, a mentee and a mentor continue their cooperation, unless there is a need to change a mentor. It can happen because of project requirements (mentor and mentee can work on different ones) or due to personal reasons.
38 39 At Sigma Software, the mentorship program covers not only new employees, but the veterans as well. In case a person needs to level up skills or takes an opportunity to master new technology or direction, a more experienced teammate comes to help and acts as a supervisor and coach.
If an employee wants to become a mentor, he or she sends a special request or voices it out during personal meetings with HR and manager. Then a person goes through an elaborated checklist, which includes recommendations on literature, trainings and courses, getting familiarized with internal policies and requirements. After completing this checklist, employees can try themselves as mentors.
Evaluation of mentors` work is assessed based on their mentees` success and reaching the goals set for mentees`.
OUR PRINCIPLES
For our mentorship program, we have chosen an approach that stimulates mentees` initiative and aspiration for growth:
§ A mentee drives and initiates interaction with a mentor, when needed.
§ A mentor acts as a consultant and adviser.
§ Making a roadmap is a responsibility of a mentee, a mentor only helps to correctly identify the areas for development and gives advice on how to fill in the gaps.
§ A mentor engages in mentee`s performance review.
40 GOALS AND FIGURES
We are proud that during the three years that the mentorship program has shaped up at Sigma Software, we have reached the goals that we set for ourselves:
§ Ensuring employees and newcomers training in the field.
§ Ensuring scalability, when Senior specialists train their successors and can move forward on their own career.
§ Creating a platform for regular knowledge and experience sharing.
§ Creating a strong motivating tool for employees, who feel dedication to coaching others.
Today over 300 experts at Sigma Software act as mentors, spending about 6,5K hours in total yearly on mentorship work.
41 INTERNAL COMMUNITIES —
Community is what helps us achieve more than we can do alone. Providing facilities for IT people to mingle is how we are able to promote community development in our environment.
Besides numerous specialized events and meetups, we support and bolster professional communities in our company as a powerful means for knowledge sharing, finding solutions for pressing issues, building connections between colleagues, and facilitating communications.
PM GATHERING
One of the oldest professional social in Sigma Software is PM Gathering. This event has been held in our company since 2013, when, after a period of dynamic growth, the need emerged to raise strong project managers who share our values and follow the company’s mission. So, we launched regular experience sharing meetings within one of the departments, discussed the failures and successes, analyzed them, tried to understand the success factors. After a while, we came to the understanding that we also needed cross-department knowledge sharing, since each department deals with different domains, different size businesses, has own know-hows and own approaches.
42 Today, PM Gathering is an annual event with over a hundred participants – project managers, team leaders, architects, department managers, and C-level executives. They deliver speeches and take part in round tables, arrange trainings and unburden their minds. This is a highly expected event in our company and a very meaningful one.
ARCHITECTURAL MEETUP
With time, we realized that, in addition to a project managers’ gathering, we need a high-level tech event for knowledge sharing and staying in sync for our software architects. So, this year we held a premier Architectural Meetup that continued two days and included 7 speeches about architects’ contribution to sales and offer drafting, designing software systems, ensuring engineering practices, devising new competences and training plans.
43 WHY WE SUPPORT INTERNAL COMMUNITIES
Anatoly Kochetov, Delivery Director
Sigma Software has supported the development of internal communities since the very first days. Why do we need them? On the one hand, people`s experience and knowledge sharing allow us to avoid situations when we start solving a problem that was once solved by company`s experts instead of using already existing and proved approaches. The first goal we see in the development of our internal communities is to give our specialists a clear understanding of what issues we have already faced and how we fixed them, whom to contact for advice in case they face the same challenge. It helps us significantly save Customer`s time and budget and eliminate inventing the bicycle over and over again.
On the other hand, being a part of a community is a powerful tool for streamlining internal communications, providing people with important information they may lack in their everyday work. It sometimes happens that a specialist working on a project knows very little outside the scope of it. Communication within the internal communities gives employees a better picture of opportunities the company provides, of other projects, directions, and technologies to master.
Finally, it is a strong motivation for those, who like sharing knowledge, networking, and attracting new adherents.
44 45 Typically, the most vivid and efficient communities gather around leaders, who want to change the company for better, develop new competences, help people to grow. We are glad to have such drivers among our specialists, looking forward to engaging more passionate experts, and always ready to support them.
Full support of internal and external meetups is provided by Sigma Software University, comfortable informal space for gatherings, financial support, if needed. Apart from internal meetups, our employees also gladly use an opportunity to share their knowledge through our corporate social network – Facebook Workplace, by creating dedicated groups, publishing own articles, discussing news, and solving issues together.
When the company considers community development as one of the organization focus, it may invest significantly in its growth and boost it on the company-wide level. A good example is our PM community and yearly conference, called PM Gathering, that this year united over 150 participants! Two-day architectural meetup is another event worth mentioning, since it became the basement for architectural community creation within the company.
It is not an easy task to measure the direct impact of internal communities on company`s operations, however, over time we definitely see some positive changes. Employees` professional growth, growing employee satisfaction levels, mature and well-grounded engineering decisions for our company and customers, customer appreciations and their eagerness to learn from our teams in Ukraine and incorporate their expertise sharing practices in their organizations – these are the indicators of communities success.
46 At Sigma Software, we do not require participating in internal communities to get a level up, since, we do believe a successful community is only possible when it is completely voluntary and comes from heart. At the same time, these communities provide a great opportunity to close the gaps that may prevent people from making the next career step. Thus, we are always glad seeing people joining communities or becoming their contributors and drivers.
47 EFFICIENT COMMUNICATION —
In a large company with hundreds of people working together, offices and teams in different cities and even countries, internal communication is not something that happens on its own. At the same time, keeping people informed and aware of what is going on in the company and within CSR is critically important for their self-esteem, efficiency, and involvement.
AWARENESS
Most significant communication figures are, of course, managers. So, we started with discussing the importance of communication with them and winning them over with a series of presentations and workshops. Our managers try to use every communication means to tell everyone in the company about their team’s achievements, new projects, issues, and actualities.
FIKA
To make communication really direct, open, and transparent, we have introduced regular informal meetings for everybody with our top managers. Since Sigma Software is a part of Swedish Sigma Group, we call these meetings Fika – traditional coffee breaks for communication in Swedish lifestyle.
48 Fika
49 WORKPLACE
An important step towards promoting efficient communication in the company was introducing an internal social network for informal notifications and discussions. This social network for colleagues – Workplace – helps us share company news and events, tell about professional tips and tricks, find fellow-thinkers, and ask for advice. After almost three years with Workplace, we all known much more about the people we work with and can ask everybody to a party without spamming corporate emails.
SIMA THE CHATBOT
Our HR Department receives dozens of similar questions every day, and we thought that some people may prefer addressing such questions to a chatbot. So, we developed one and called it Sima.
In the first two months after Sima’s full launch, 191 people talked to Sima asking 2,900 questions. It freed our HRs to devote their time to more complex tasks and questions. Also, it freed many people from embarrassment because of asking too simple or same questions again and again. The most popular topics for conversations were searching for documents and forms, small talk, help in the area of HR, office management, and quality management.
50 OTHER RESOURCES
At Sigma Software, we use various channels of communication depending on specific needs and format. The Quality Management System [page 14] has all the necessary information on company`s processes, approaches, policies, principles, internal programs, roles and responsibilities.
Corporate Handbook is a handy way to know everything about the first steps in the company, its history, values, locations, key people, main rules, opportunities and benefits, and more.
51 SIGMA SOFTWARE FIRST CORPORATE RADIO BROADCAST —
This year, Sigma Software has launched its corporate radio, Sigma On Air. Initiated and driven by two colleagues in Lviv office, Oksana and Maxim, it was first broadcasted back in May, featuring the latest news of the company. Since then, Sigma Software specialists have had an opportunity to listen to the radio every week and stay tuned to what is going on in the company in short 5-minute releases.
Why did you come up with an idea of launching a corporate radio?
Oksana: By now, the company has quite a lot of different channels of communication. Sometimes it seems difficult to follow all of them, and it happens that important news are lost in a dense information flow. The company runs and hosts many internal and external events, so at first my thought was to create an easy and comfortable tool to gather them all in one place and inform our colleagues about the upcoming events on a weekly basis. When Maxim heard this, he offered to expand the idea and cover not only events, but all corporate news with the help of a broadcast. The format of a corporate radio gave a possibility to consolidate all company’s major news and share them in an informal and friendly manner.
52 53 How did it all start?
Maxim: Well, we decided to come with a working demo, not with a bare idea. To make a pilot release, we have created a draft of a broadcast as we imagined it should look like. Previously, we studied experience of other companies, as well as familiarized with a process of news creation for radio. We made a good tandem, since Oksana had experience writing content, and I had no problems with sound recording and mixing: I was already running an internal podcast.
May was quite an eventful period for the company, so we had no problems gathering news for the first release. We selected the ones we thought would be interesting for all our specialists, no matter what location they work in, and proceeded with the test recording. This working demo we showed to a focus group, gathered their feedback, worked on mistakes and improvements, and finally, went live
You have been experimenting with some unusual schticks as well.
Maxim: Right, in the process of new broadcast creation we often come up with ideas on how to make the radio even more engaging. One of the examples – personalizing radio. One day I thought “Hey, why wouldn’t we start a new episode with addressing each our teammate by name?” Oksana supported the idea and we`ve took up to implementation. First, we pulled out all the names of our colleagues from the internal database. For the test run we needed just a few, so we have chosen the most popular ones and recorded them separately, like “Hi, Nataly,” “Hi, Oleksandr,” “Hi, Andrey,” etc. Traditionally, we tried a test record on a focus group to see how people accept that. After receiving many positive feedbacks, we did the same thing, this time with all the names in the company.
54 How do you get the news and create the feed?
Oksana: We set up a process when all the departments share their main news on a weekly basis. Moreover, we have a web form that every employee can fill in and offer news to include in the next broadcast. Many colleagues now contact us in person. Sometimes it can be difficult to select the news for the episodes from many interesting ones J.
To make the newsfeed in a proper way, I read about how the BBC broadcasts are created. There are some basic rules we follow as well: we start with local news (in our case those are news from our locations), then proceed with the key ones (launching new offices, start of new projects, departments goals), and end up with something that can bring a positive mood to our listeners - news about sport achievements, events announcements, congratulations with professional holidays, and so on. We always try to keep a friendly and informal tone, so you`d think that you share the latest news with your teammate while having coffee.
55 EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
56 SIGMA SOFTWARE UNIVERSITY —
Since its inception, the company has been involved in IT community development. Three years ago, we launched educational platform, which covers 3 areas:
§ Continuous education [page 34].
§ Work with educational institutions, helping students and beginners to make first steps in profession.
§ Courses and trainings for advanced audience, practical experience sharing from leading company experts.
QUICK FACTS:
§ 15 universities & colleges in Kharkiv, Kyiv, Odesa, Lviv, Dnipro;
§ 6 classrooms enabling 1,200 students work on modern equipment;
§ 300 interns trained yearly;
§ 500 students attending 40+ training events yearly;
§ Common programs on innovative directions and approaches (Big Data, Cybersecurity, Data Science, Embedded, Dual Education, IoT and Cloud, etc.);
§ Over 50 students’ events organized and supported yearly;
§ 10 years of Agile program and about 100 students yearly (a program runs in several cities and gives students a better understanding of flexible methodologies, teamwork, efficient communication and processes, etc.).
57 OPEN TECH WEEK —
Open Tech Week is a series of 5 meetups held every evening in one of Sigma Software offices. Topics and speakers are selected depending on the market, audience, and company interests. Speakers are Sigma Software professionals and invited experts. Through Open Tech Week , our company contributes to community development and stimulates internal communities growth.
QUICK FACTS:
§ 3 years, 60 meetups, 4 cities;
§ 100 speakers;
§ 3,500 attendees;
§ 20 knowledge areas (PM, Software Testing, Gaming, JavaScript, .NET, Java/Big Data, Data Science, Design, Embedded Development, DevOps, Cybersecurity, AR/VR, HRM, Business Analysis and Business Development, Android and iOS development, and others).
58 59 COMMUNITY EVENTS —
In addition to Open Tech Week, the company organized and conducted a series of various meetings for startups, developers, PM specialists over the year 2019. Sigma Software specialists talked at external events (50+ speakers). The company took part as a partner in 25+ major conferences and hosted over 50 trainings and meetups in its offices in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Lviv, Odesa.
STARTUP COMMUNITY —
Our company has supported startup movement from the moment of its establishment. In 2019, we entered 2 projects:
§ Sigma Software Labs, an innovative office space and an opportunity for startups, where they can be sheltered by a leading technology consulting company.
§ Lviv Tech Angels, a project that aims to help more ideas turn into gainful exits.
§ Sigma Software traditionally run IT-Eureka, student’s startup contest that this year was supported by the Ministry of Education of Ukraine.
60 61 ARTICLES AND PUBLICATIONS —
We are always looking for new and more efficient ways for building a strong community and creating efficient platforms for knowledge exchange. We are eager to do this not only inside the company, but with external community as well.
In 2019, we released a series of video interviews taken by our employees with renowned speakers and experts in Agile, JavaScript, Software Testing, .NET.
Our company traditionally supports Ukrainian and foreign hackathons inspiring its employees to take part in them and then share their experience with community. Last year, Sigma Software team took part in Volvo Hack Sprint Hackathon. Sigma Software team took 1st place and further shared own experience with community through articles and interviews.
Company's specialists publish articles on the company's Tech Insights blog, Medium, and other resources. The topics embrace many different areas, from software architecture to PM and people management. Here are just a few examples of such publications:
62 § Hosting ASP.NET Core API inside Azure Functions (without TestServer)
§ Benefits of Using UI First: Real-Life Experience
§ Cybersecurity for Developers: Cheat Sheet
§ PM’s Don’ts or How to Save Money, Reputation, and a Client
§ My Top 5 Mistakes in an Interview
We are sure that technological background is important, but good understanding of current trends is also crucial for successful work. Thus, our experts give impressions from the world`s leading industry events, as well as share their opinion on how various directions are going to develop in the future, e.g.
§ The Past and the Future of In-Vehicle Infotainment
§ STHLM Tech Fest 2019 viewed by the Service Company
§ New Mobility World: IAA 2019 Takeaways
§ Car as a Digital Device: Should we Anticipate an App Store for Vehicles
§ Advertising and Connected TV: Trends and Strategies
§ ISH Frankfurt World Leading Trade Fair for HVAC + Water
63 ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION
64 GO GREEN STRATEGY —
Sigma Software supports sustainable office workflows, emission reduction, and environment protection events. In 2018, the company chose to follow ISO 26000 related to socially responsible business and including Environment as one of its core subjects.
So, we launched Go Green Strategy to ensure that our business moves towards less negative impact on the environment. Go Green Strategy includes initiatives for conscious purchases, efficient equipment, reduced paper usage, waste reduction and recycling, raising awareness, minimizing resource consumption, emission.
65 GREEN ENVIRONMENT —
Sigma Software offices are oriented to comply with eco standards and follow the best green practices. Existing premises are renovated to be more eco-friendly in water and energy use (e.g. install LED lamps and motion sensors) and new office locations are selected among those that are best suited to function sustainably.
Sigma Software Lviv office, in particular, is located in the first Ukrainian business center, designed with green technologies and certified by the BREEAM In-Use International Green Building System. It follows the principles of efficient energy and resource usage, has own solar batteries, bicycle and auto parking with a charging station for electric cars.
66 OFFICE WORKFLOWS —
Office workflows cover a lot of processes that can be moved onto eco rails. From providing reusable utensils to purchasing green cleaning products, from reducing paper usage to installing in-motion-activated light switches, the area for eco- initiatives is huge.
Here are some facts of the whole bunch of measures taken in Sigma Software:
§ Trying to function without paper, Sigma Software workers use electronic mail, enterprise portal, electronic content management systems, etc. For the cases, when people can’t do without paper, the offices have switched to fully recycled paper, where it is appropriate.
§ Meeting rooms schedules that used to be printed everyday on paper were replaced with tablet PCs showing rooms occupancy. Just in Kharkiv office with 17 meeting rooms it resulted in saving about 4,488 sheets of paper a year or about 9 office paper packs of 500 sheets.
§ Sigma Software presents glass water bottles to its specialists on their birthdays to reduce paper caps usage.
§ New Year trees that decorated out Kyiv office this year were planted in the Kyiv Botanic Garden.
67 68 EMISSIONS REDUCTION —
Sigma Software infrastructure officers take into account energy consumption parameters when purchasing office equipment. For example, an efficient heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system can bring substantial energy savings. That’s, of course, in combination with proper heat proofing of the building.
ECO AWARENESS —
Helping people understand the impact of their everyday habits is one of the directions of Sigma Software activities. Posters and banners informing about ways to have a more eco-friendly lifestyle are placed around their offices.
69 PEOPLE WHO DRIVE CHANGES —
IT industry unites many forward-thinking and conscious people, who care about responsible ways of doing business and are ready to go an extra mile to minimize their footprint.
Enthusiasts provide valuable perspective from all company locations, lead by own example, offer eco-transformations, and give the company feedback on its sustainable activities. To share Go Green Strategy news, suggest initiatives, and showcase own achievements, Sigma Software created a dedicated group on Facebook Workplace – a channel for collaboration and knowledge sharing within a company. That’s the place where enthusiasts can suggest initiatives to implement in the company and be heard. And that’s where a new waste sorting initiative got going initiated by two Odesites of Sigma Software, Olena and Mari.
These girls were concerned with paper cups that require special disposal and are processed by few waste disposal stations in Ukraine. They decided to take matters in their own hands, contacted one of such stations, and installed a special tube for paper cup collection.
70 71 Their initiative attracted a lot of attention and got support from residents of Odesa office as well as from other Sigma Software locations, and it didn’t go unnoticed by the company. Today, we installed the tubes for properly dispose of paper cups in all our offices.
As with many novel ideas, a proof of concept is a helpful means to test ideas and their perception. And personal initiative is a powerful factor of change driving.
We asked Olena and Mari to answer a couple of questions regarding their initiative.
What prompted you to start a new waste sorting initiative in the office?
Olena: I have been sorting at home for a long time, so I decided to start doing it in the office too.
Mari: I’ve graduated from an eco-safety college and I always wanted to act. I didn’t have a chance to connect my professional life with environment preservation, so I’m happy to do as much as possible through company initiatives. When I met Olena, it turned out that we have similar views on eco problems. So, we began acting together.
How did your colleagues take your initiative?
Olena: Very positively, for the most part. I think people like to be involved in a good cause. Many people want to sort, they just don’t know how to start or have no time or energy to find opportunities for that.
72 Mari: Our enthusiasm and good vibes in our office helped everybody to get used to and interested in our stunt. I hope that it pushed some of our colleagues to implement the same sorting approach at home too.
What are your plans for the future?
Olena: We would like to hold a couple of meetups in the form of lectures or question-and-answer sessions within the company. Our idea is to give people more information, so that they could make an informed choice with more awareness. The fact that paper cups are not really paper came as a surprise for many people. Also, we don’t want the sorting to incite using more disposables. Recycling is cool, but it’s not a cure-all. Conscious consumption is what we need. This is the message we would like to send.
73 NORDIC TRADITIONS UKRAINIAN SPIRIT SUPERIOR SOFTWARE
Stay tuned at sigma.software
2019