#WICxFortune100 Lunch and Learn with Microsoft : Recap

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On May 6, the Women in Cloud community joined together as we hosted a premier #WICxFortune100 Lunch and Learn with Microsoft. This series is a networking experience designed to open the doors for leading fortune companies and brands to connect with technology business builders. This intimate learning series offers a space to learn about how to do business with Microsoft, understand their company culture, and get access to decision makers & procurement officers. 

Fortune L&L Session Microsoft

To begin the event, Chaitra Vedullapalli, Co-Founder and President of Women in Cloud (WIC) set the stage delving into the impact of the partnership between Microsoft and WIC, focusing on important topics such as:

  • Driving an Inclusive Digital Economy by accelerating representation of 50% of population (women) that were left out in the $7 Trillion cloud opportunity
  • Cloud Skilling – Providing 1,500 cloud scholarship and First Cloud Center of Excellence
  • Inspire fortune brands and other companies to partner strategically to accelerate Corporate ESG efforts
  • Digital Co-Selling with Microsoft & access to Community PDM
  • Cloud Marketplace – Diversity Lens on The Marketplace
  • Voices for Innovation – Policy Advocacy

Watch Empowering Women in Tech keynote with Charlotte Yarkoni here:

Following Chaitra Vedullapalli’s Opening Remarks, an inspirational Keynote: Empowering Women in Tech was led by Charlotte Yarkoni, President, Commerce + Ecosystems at Microsoft.She shared the impactful statistics that less than 2% of software startups in the USA feature a woman founder, and the Covid-19 pandemic will increase the time it will take to close the digital gender gap by 36 years. As a strong advocate for girls, young women, and women to be in STEM, Charlotte explained how diverse companies generate more innovation and better financial results than non/less diverse organizations.

The attendee chat feed was filling fast as the community quickly resonated with Charlotte. 

These alarming statistics call for change, showing how important workplaces and allies are to creating economic access and opportunities for all. Charlotte showed us how Microsoft values creating a healthy ecosystem for employees, partners, and customers to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. Microsoft is committed to creating a culture where diverse perspectives are invited, where inclusive behavior and authenticity are the norm, and everyone is empowered to bring their true self to work. Microsoft has implemented multiple programs to create access for women, such as a program supporting women founders in their end-to-end start-up journey, and a mentoring program to pair women employees at Microsoft with women founders. Through collective action, we can foster women’s talent in tech, which is a critical component to growing women’s presence in technology.

Watch the Inclusive Economic Opportunity Panel here:

Next, we excitedly introduced the Inclusive Economic Opportunity Panel: Talent, Business Development, and Supplier Diversity with moderator Diego Rejtman – GM, Developer Relations at Microsoft, Mazhar Mohammed – CVP, Partner & Seller Experience at Microsoft, Jaci Santos Shibao – Tech and Sales Strategy, GPS Sr Director; WAM ERG Co-Chair at Microsoft, and Shara Holliday – Sr Director, Procurement at Microsoft. 

 

The attendees were heavily engaged in the conversation via the chat, making this panel highly interactive for the audience. The panelists provided numerous words of wisdom to the audience regarding the Microsoft workforce, partnerships, customers, and resources for entrepreneurs to be positioned for supplier diversity opportunities —  giving the attendees a realistic look at how Microsoft values and celebrates a diverse ecosystem. 

A unique component of the #WICxFortune100 Lunch and Learn Series is the Cloud Solution Showcase, where we feature two entrepreneurs and their solutions for the marketplace. This month, Lucy Flores – Elyon International, and Natasha Tetruyeva – eKidz.eu were brought to the stage to bring awareness and education to their companies. 

Watch Elyon International Inc here: 

 

Watch eKidz.eu here: 

Closing out the session, but definitely a community favorite, was the Roundtable Advisor Experience where leaders in Microsoft met face to face (virtually) with attendees and discussed important topics: Leadership & careers, Changemaking for inclusive growth, Women thriving at work, Skilling opportunities, Supplier diversity, Marketplace engagement, and Hiring & culture.

Featuring Microsoft Roundtable Advisors: 

  • Diego Rejtman – GM, Developer Relations
  • Gena Goh – Channel Inclusion and Impact Strategy Lead, Global Partner Solutions
  • Jaci Santos Shibao – Tech and Sales Strategy, Sr Director, Global Partner Solutions; Women at Microsoft ERG Co-Chair, Microsoft
  • Debbie Uttecht – Partner Marketing Lead, Worldwide Learning
  • Joel Gillespie – Program Manager, Supplier Diversity
  • Madiha Khan – Engagement Lead, Commercial Marketplace Services
  • Michelle Shafer – Sr Talent Acquisition Manager, Talent Acquisition 

Watch the Introduction to the Roundtables and the event Closing Remarks to catch a glimpse of this experience.

As the highest registered and attended #WICxFortune100 Lunch and Learn in the series, this event impacted greatly the Women in Cloud community. With outstanding engagement on social media (Tracie Cobian) and in the event chat (Stacy Tatem), WIC encouraged this behavior with gift cards giveaways. 

Useful Resources: 

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OPEN HOUSE: WIC Cloud Accelerator Cohort 7.0 on May6th, 2022

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What if we told you you can access enterprise opportunities via Cloud marketplaces?

Global enterprises will spend more than $7 trillion dollars in the next four years as they struggle to modernize, build a global technology foundation for growth, and support simple, secure, and reliable access to data and services, says the IDC.

The big drivers? The usual suspects like cloud initiatives, big data analytics, and mobility. But, IoT is becoming a major investment focus, and so are automation or AI initiatives. Women In Cloud Cloud Accelerator is established to help you represent and access these opportunities via the new sales engine called Cloud Marketplaces powered by Microsoft, Google, RedHat and AWS.

We are inviting you to learn and explore if you are the right fit for the WIC Accelerator Cohort 7.0 starting Late May 2022.

We invite you to join our Cohort 7.0 Open House on May 6th at 10am PST.

If you or anyone you know might be interested in becoming a part of the Cohort 7.0 Accelerator Program this will be a great opportunity to ask questions about the program before you sign up.

We will be discussing the following:

  • Co-Sell Cloud Accelerator with Hyperscalers To Win Enterprise Opportunities

  • Program Outline & What to Expect

  • Opportunities for Access

  • Perfecting Your Solution on a Marketplace

  • Building Co-Sell Go To Market Plan

  • Accelerator Benefits

  • Open Q&A

Please register for the event HERE.

If you know other female tech entrepreneurs who might be interested please pass the event invite along.

Co-Sell Cloud Accelerator with Hyperscalers : Program Benefits At A Glance

  •  3 Month Dedicated Accelerator starting May 2022

  • 3 years of access to all the enterprise opportunities to get you access to customers and investors

  • Monthly roundtables & Community connections

  • Speaker slots on industry and community events

  • Expedited Warm Introductions To Advisors, Investors & Buyers

  • Access To Cloud Hyperscaler Partnerships

  • Invitations to participate in digital GTM offerings from Hyperscalers

  • Get your ready to participate in Cloud marketplaces

  • Dedicated Digital Learning Hub

  • Access to Cloud Hyperscaler programs and cloud credits

Website: Cloud Accelerator

We look forward to seeing you soon on May6th.

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Microsoft Partner Capital Fund Now Accessible for Women Tech Founders

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Note: This is a U.S.-only program.

Microsoft has developed the Partner Fund Program to help provide working capital to existing Microsoft Partners. You’re invited to apply for this program as you seek to grow your business.

As a Microsoft Partner, Microsoft is committed to your success. Whether you’re seeking to scale your business, improve your Microsoft capability, or put yourself on a more profitable path, this fund is for you. Review the loan information and eligibility requirements below, then fill out the form to nominate your company. Upon completion of the form, they’ll contact you to discuss your submission in detail.

About the Partner Capital Fund loan program:

  • Partner can apply for loans ranging from $25,000 to $500,000.
  • Loans maintain terms of less than 60 months.
  • No or low interest will be charged for payment terms (Microsoft will cover all or most of the interest costs).
  • Eligibility is based upon financial and other information provided.

Partner Capital Fund eligibility requirements:

  • Partner must be based in the U.S.
  • Partner must be enrolled and active in the Microsoft Partner Network.
  • Eligible businesses who are partners include those who are:
    • Offering consulting services that utilize Microsoft products OR
    • Building on a Microsoft platform to build their own business OR
    • Developing app using Microsoft products OR
    • Creating IP using Microsoft products (i.e., organizations who are willing to build unique technology on the Microsoft platform).
  • Partner must be in good standing (i.e., no disputed accounts receivable greater than or equal to 60 days).
  • Partner must have less than $7M in annualized revenue.
  • Partner must have ability to provide three years of financial statements (reviewed or audited) or provide three years of federal tax returns.
  • Startup organizations must provide a five-year projection or business plan.
  • Additional items may be requested from Microsoft’s banking partner.
  • Partner must self-certify responses.
  • Commitment to allocate forecasted spend on Microsoft products or services reviewed as a percentage of the loan. Details to be provided during review process.

You’re invited to nominate your company to receive working capital support through the Microsoft Partner Capital Fund. Whether you’re seeking to scale your business, improve your Microsoft capability, or put yourself on a more profitable path, this program is for you.

To nominate your company, review the loan information and complete the form within the link below. The Microsoft team will review your submission and contact you to discuss in detail.

By submitting this form, you are indicating that you are interested in having access to credit with the Partner Capital Fund for the Microsoft Partner Network (MPN) that Microsoft’s banking partner offers. Participation in the Partner Capital Fund program is subject to Microsoft’s program terms. Credit review and approval is subject to the program terms set forth by the banking institution providing the credit. Your personal information will be shared with banking partners and processed by Microsoft as per their privacy policy.

Apply Today!

You can learn more at Microsoft Lunch and Learn on May6th, 2022. Save Your Spot

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5 Ways Executives Can Evolve Corporate Sustainability Engagements

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Corporate sustainability has come a long way since the early days, when executives were focused on the “triple bottom line”—a commitment to environmental, social, and economic goals. These days, sustainability is not just a public relations effort; it is a fundamental part of the business.

When was the last time you think about how your company engages with sustainability?

You’re not alone. In fact, most CEOs and business leaders don’t often consider their corporate sustainability engagements. That’s why we’ve put together five ways that executives can improve their company’s engagement with sustainable practices.

Start with a working definition of ESG — and set some achievable goals.

As a business leader, you’ll want to set some concrete goals that are based on ESG metrics specific to the industry in which your company operates. Start small and be realistic about what your team can realistically achieve within a certain period of time. For example, if your industry is energy production, you might start by committing to a 10% reduction in energy use at all facilities over the next three years. This goal is measurable (simply compare this year’s energy use against last year’s) and specific (10%). It also has a clear endpoint (three years). You may not be able to reach that goal immediately: your facilities were built in an era before environmental responsibility was top of mind, so you may need to invest capital into new equipment or retrofitting old equipment before you can reduce energy usage by 10%.

Construct an Corporate ESG Framework.

Constructing a framework to determine how to prioritize and implement ESG practices is vital. It starts with picking your framework such as SASB, TCFD, GRI, SDGs and measuring your MSCI ESG Ratings. These will help you determine which ESG factors are important to your business, industry, and stakeholders. These standards should be tailored to meet the needs of your organization, as well. ESG Focused framework development involves identifying internal expertise and external partners that can assist with the process. Once you identify what those ESG factors are, you must develop a strategy for implementing them into your organization’s operations in order to achieve measurable results.

Get CEO and Senior leaders on board.

Don’t expect your ESG strategy to gain momentum or even see the light of day without the support of your company’s CEO and senior leadership. When you’re just starting out, your role will be more about collecting data than coming up with strategies, so start by introducing yourself to senior leaders. You’ll want to book a meeting with the CEO and her inner circle (COO or CFO, if you have them) to discuss ESG goals. Explain that you would like their input on what they think ESG should look like for your organization. If they aren’t already familiar with ESG as a concept, take a few minutes to give them some background information and explain that you are taking these initial steps in order to get ahead of possible regulations and meet investor expectations, which will help preserve growth over the long term. With these points in mind, ask the CEO if there are any aspects related to sustainability or social impact that she thinks could be improved within the company (e.g., waste management), and then take notes on how she answers these questions.

Once you’ve wrapped up this discussion and taken note of what they said, schedule another meeting 10-15 days later where you can share some concrete next steps based on their feedback from last time. At this point it’s likely that many people will still be curious about exactly what needs to happen for an ESG strategy at your company—the key is providing clear direction instead of being overly vague about why it matters or allowing stakeholders to fill in their own blanks based on assumptions they may have heard elsewhere but aren’t relevant for your industry/company specifically.

Identify and Prioritize ESG Reporting and Disclosures Needs

  • Identify and prioritize ESG reporting and disclosure needs. This should include analyzing your company’s current state as well as understanding its competitive landscape.
  • Establish metrics to track key ESG performance indicators. By establishing a baseline, you can more accurately measure progress toward your goals. As you select your key metrics, keep in mind that the objective is to create a system that is both relevant and easily accessible for multiple stakeholders. To ensure relevance, consider using framework-specific metrics (e.g., those that align with MSCI ESG Scores) wherever possible—it will make it easier for those familiar with the MSCI standards to compare you to other companies using MSCI, who are also likely reporting on similar metrics, which allows them to understand how your company stacks up against competitors.* Be transparent in disclosing ESG information—optimally through a publicly available report which covers material issues and provides an independent assurance statement as appropriate

Recruit Women Leaders to Lead ESG

Although the world of corporate responsibility is still largely male-dominated, women are making their mark as rising leaders in Asia. The reason? They tend to take a more holistic approach to ESG issues and have better relationships with stakeholders. These two traits go hand in hand in building trust among those that make decisions, which can lead to positive business outcomes down the line. As companies continue to grow and their missions expand, it’s important that they put their arms around sustainable practices—but it’s equally important that they find ways to make them feel like home for all employees.

This year more and more enterprise companies are in search of comprehensive global sustainability operating models and developing more leadership opportunities for women.

So, where do they start? To address the market needs, we are launching the WICxLEAD, the next generation Corporate ESG Women’s Leadership Accelerator, designed to empower corporate women and entrepreneurs to ignite economic access. Our scholars will learn how to lead and influence digital transformation projects through cloud and AI technology, teaching them how to grow their executive presence, personal brand identity, public speaking impact, global access creation and community development strategies giving them a powerful platform to accelerate as industry ESG influencers and purpose-driven leaders. 

Identify Digital Transformation Solution

Digital transformation, or the use of digital technologies to solve problems and create value in an organization, is a powerful tool for helping your company achieve its ESG goals. With digital transformation, you can show employees and customers that your company is committed to change and improvement—and by demonstrating this commitment through positive action, you’ll be able to prove your worth as a shareholder.

Successful companies know that taking care of their people will lead to better business performance in the long run. A digital transformation solution that focuses on creating a diverse and inclusive workplace is an excellent way to show employees (and potential talent) that they’re valued by the company.

Additionally, moving business processes online increases efficiency—which means fewer hours worked for employees who need time off for family or personal matters, less wasted materials from paper-based forms, and more streamlined production cycles. Even if the process itself can’t be automated or digitized just yet, it’s still a great idea to give employees mobile tools so they can work faster from anywhere. In other words: with less time spent doing menial tasks like paperwork or waiting around for approvals from managers at headquarters, workers have more time to focus on innovative projects and produce higher quality work overall. Here is an example of how FEDx leveraging digital transformation efforts to reduce carbon footprint.

Establish Community Partners to Scale company’s impact.

  • Co-brand and co-develop solutions with a dedicated community partner like Women In Cloud
  • Leverage social media campaigns to spread the word about your partnership and efforts, as well as its success stories.
  • Use community partnerships to help with funding your programs, particularly those in underserved communities.
  • Community partners are also useful for testing ideas before scaling up, and have access to volunteers that can be used for small-scale projects or events before larger scale implementation begins.

We believe when we work together to make our planet and people healthy through our actions, we all can accelerate our growth in ways that generate sustainable outcomes including profits.

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