May 2022
3
Celebrating Earth Week at Bright
At Bright, we are committed to a cleaner, greener future for all. Our Duleek office which opened in May 2021 is built to be energy efficient, allowing us to record and monitor our carbon emissions. We have an amazing Green Team that educates, promotes, and inspires sustainability among our colleagues and our customers.
The Green Team members came up with a list of activities to help Bright operate in a more environmentally sustainable way.
Meat Free Monday: A plant-based diet can have a big impact on reducing our carbon footprint. We asked our staff to go vegan or vegetarian for the day or even for just one meal.
Carpool/walk/cycle to work Tuesday: We encouraged our staff to carpool, walk or cycle to work.
Compost Wednesday: We joined Alan at lunchtime he gave us a tutorial on how you can successfully start composting at home. Composting helps restore forests, wetlands, and habitats by improving the poor soil quality. It also reduces the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
Litter Picking Thursday: At lunch, on Thursday our staff went litter picking around the office and the Duleek Industrial Estate
Save the Bees Talk Friday: Joseph from Trinity College Dublin presented a talk on the importance of bees and their positive effect on our environment to our staff via Microsoft Teams
To add to these events, we are encouraged our staff to make bird feeders from recycled plastic bottles.
Mar 2022
8
Celebrate International Women’s Day 2022 With Us
This year’s theme of International Women’s Day is “Break the Bias.” The day is marked globally to celebrate the cultural, social, and economic achievements of women. Break the Bias calls for an end to all kinds of discrimination women face in society. We are all responsible for our own thoughts and actions every day. At Bright, we want to help break the bias in the workplace.
Promoting Gender Equality at Bright
We are proud to say that we have always had a strong representation of women across our company.
- Our Senior Management team is 50% female.
- Our Marketing Team is 60% female
- Our Support Team is 67% female
We always look for ways to assist our employees. We offer paid maternity and paternity leave to ensure that we help new parents to be successful both at work and at home.
IWD at Bright 2022
To raise awareness of International Women’s Day within our company, we are holding a self-defence course on Wednesday the 16th of March. As an employer, we are fully committed to promoting an environment where everyone feels safe to be themselves at work and outside work.
Women of all ages and backgrounds are constantly dealing with unsafe situations, whether they are walking home, riding in taxis or simply being in public places.
The safety of all our staff is extremely important to us as a company, and we want to help in any way possible to promote employee safety.
Together we can Break the Bias on International Women’s Day and beyond.
Sep 2021
8
A spotlight on employee-led sustainability efforts
Earlier this year Thesaurus Software moved into our new energy-efficient offices in Duleek, Co. Meath. Employees have formed the 'Green Team', a company-wide committee tasked with identifying and implementing opportunities that can improve the sustainability of our company.
From the start the Green Team have demonstrated their enthusiasm for environmental sustainability and passion for sharing their knowledge. This is highlighted below in a number of projects they’ve undertaken:
Making the Garden Bloom:
While the initial focus was on the new purpose-built offices, the Green Team soon turned their attention to the green spaces outside. Inspired by their Earth Week guest, Dr Emma Reeves, a Senior Ecologist at the Forest, Environmental Research, & Services (FERS), the group was particularly keen to plant native, bee-friendly plants and trees that would help pollinators and further benefit biodiversity. The first planting phase has been completed with the group planning the layout of the garden and planting shrubs, flowers, and trees. In September, the second phase will begin, with the team planting Spring bulbs including hyacinths, tulips, and daffodils.
Single-Use Plastics Awareness Campaign:
On the 3rd of July, the Single-Use Plastics Directive came into effect for all EU member states. In Ireland, this means that certain single-use plastics such as straws and coffee cups have been banned from the Irish market. Supporting this initiative, the Green Team created an awareness campaign highlighting the use of plastic in the beauty industry and introduced a single-use plastics ban in the office. With 10 of the most commonly found single-use plastic items representing 70% of all marine litter, this is an important and useful step all employees can take.
Future projects:
The Green Team’s future plans are focused on tackling pollution and engaging with more employees at Thesaurus Software. In September, the company will take part in a clean-up at a local beach and will also develop a new project highlighting the unsustainable nature of fast fashion and what options are available to address it.
If you’re interested in keeping up to date with Thesaurus Software’s journey, sign up to our sustainability newsletter for future updates.
Jun 2021
29
Celebrating Pride Month at Thesaurus
As a company we wanted to recognise Pride 2021 and use the opportunity to promote awareness, educate ourselves and most importantly celebrate Pride.
Educating Our Workforce
During Pride Month staff communications were sent educating our team on the history of pride. Below is some of what was sent:
PRIDE stands for:
- Promote, Respect, Inclusion and Dignity for Everyone
History of Pride
- The Stonewall Riots, also called the Stonewall Uprising, began in the early hours of 28th June 1969, when New York police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay club located in Greenwich Village in New York City. The raid sparked a riot among bar patrons and neighbourhood residents as police roughly hauled employees and patrons out of the bar, leading to six days of protests and violent clashed with law enforcement outside the bar. The Stonewall Riots served as a catalyst for the gay rights movement in the United States and around the world.
Discrimination does still exist
- 25% of LGBT+ people are not out at work
- 62% of graduates go back into the closet when they get their first job, despite being out at college.
Our LGBT Colleagues
Some of our LGBT colleagues discussed their experiences in the workplace.
- “It’s the 21st century. Should we even talk about LGBT inclusive workplaces? All people are equal, and all people deserve to work in an environment that supports their choices. This still is an issue out there, but not in our company. Since I have started working at Thesaurus I haven’t experienced any form of discrimination, nor have I felt a part of the minority. Ireland has come far in recent years. I am happy and proud to be part of our company.” - Dario
- “There is an incredibly open and acceptation atmosphere in Thesaurus, so much so that no questions or assumptions have every been raised. It is a place that accepts and respects their employees regardless of how they dress or who they love.”- Robyn
- “Since starting with Thesaurus I’ve never experienced any issue from the recruitment process to now, everyone here including my co-workers never treated me any differently for being me, what a great company in terms of minority, I am proud to work for such an amazing company :)” - Shannon J
Celebrating Pride
To celebrate and show our support for the LGBT+ community, we asked all staff to wear bright colours to our virtual monthly company meeting. Once again our amazing staff came out in full support, the screen was awash with colour.
The small contingent of staff who are currently working in the office continued on the celebrations with a socially distanced pizza for Pride lunch.
Jun 2021
17
Thesaurus Software’s new energy-efficient offices
Since the beginning of 2020, Thesaurus Software has welcomed a total of 34 new hires. As a result of this significant growth, 2021 sees the opening of our new office. The purpose-built offices are at the top of the spectrum in terms of energy efficiency.
Key features of our new building include:
- 50 initial roof solar panels to offset energy usage
- 2 electric vehicle recharge points in our private car park, along with bicycle parking
- An attenuation tank which releases storm-water slowly into the drainage network
- Oil or petrol leakages from vehicles is filtered by a Petrol Interceptor before the water reaches the drainage network. Permeable paving also facilitates this.
Images of our new energy-efficient offices in Co. Meath, Ireland.
We have recently seen the gradual return to the office for our employees who have worked remotely during the pandemic. The excitement and energy around the new building has reinvigorated our efforts to live more sustainably, with the whole team eager to get involved.
Sign up to our sustainability newsletter for future updates on our sustainability efforts.
Jun 2021
11
Learning at Work Week
Learning, development and continuously moving forward is embedded in who we are and what we do at Thesaurus. However, it is not always payroll related!
For one week in May, through our Learning at Work Week, we put an extra focus on the personal development of all our staff.
When thinking about how we could further develop our skills, where better to look for alternative skills and knowledge than in-house to our own fantastic staff.
Over the course of the week, four talented staff volunteered to each run a virtual lunchtime workshop.
Day 1: Maria a Payroll Specialist from our Support Team kicked off the week with Holiday Spanish for our post Covid-19 holidays.
Day 2: Caoimhe from our Migrations Team shared her love and talent for Irish Sign Language, the preferred language of 5,000 deaf people in Ireland.
Day 3: Jonathan one of our Developers treated us to a yoga class, teaching us some of the beginner's poses and moon salutations.
Day 4: June from our Accounts department gave us a breadmaking demonstration and shared her famous soda bread with us. We tried to recreate June’s famous bread from our own kitchens and had fun sharing our creations afterwards.
About the experience, Caoimhe said; ‘It was a fantastic experience to be involved in and to be able to share my passion for Irish Sign Language was brilliant. I believe it is a language more should learn so to be able to teach some of the basics to my colleagues was amazing’.
A big thank you to Maria, Caoimhe, Jonathan and June for volunteering their time and sharing their skills. Engagement from staff right across the company was fantastic all week and boy did we have fun! We are excited for next year to see what hidden talents our colleagues will teach us next.
Related articles:
- How Thesaurus Software celebrated Earth Day 2021
- 1 Year On – COVID-19 & Working from Home
- International Women’s Day 2021
Apr 2021
28
How Thesaurus Software celebrated Earth Day 2021
As you may know, at Thesaurus Software we recently moved into our new offices which are purpose built to be energy efficient, affording us the opportunity to record and monitor our carbon emissions. It's a new start for the team and inspired by our energy efficient offices we would like to encourage employees to live a more sustainable lifestyle overall.
To help raise awareness amongst our employees, we have established the Thesaurus Software Green Team which is made up of 12 team members, across multiple departments. The Green Team have been working on coming up with creative ways to make the company's operations more environmentally friendly. They also aim to encourage change amongst colleagues on an individual level, at home, at work and in the community.
In our first campaign to raise awareness, the Green Team celebrated Earth Day 2021 (April, 22nd) with a number of activities planned throughout the week.
As we continue to work remotely, we encouraged everyone to get involved and share photos of their activities online.
The Thesaurus Software Team getting involved in Earth Day celebrations.
We started off our ‘Earth Week’ with ‘Meat Free Monday’. The production of meat and dairy products account for around 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions each year and so we encouraged employees to eat vegetarian or vegan meals for the day. On Tuesday we encouraged employees to take a walk in their local area. On Wednesday we asked employees to unplug devices, cut down on emails and have a ‘digital clean-up' to save C02 emissions. Thursday, April 22nd, was Earth Day and to celebrate we had a live online talk from Dr Emma Reeves, Senior Ecologist at the Forest, Environmental Research & Services (FERS) Ltd who discussed reducing our waste, the benefits of living a more eco-friendly lifestyle and the small changes we as individuals can make to help the planet. Friday was ‘Fresh Friday’ where we encouraged employees to go litter picking in their local areas.
Earth week was a success and we accomplished what we set out to do, which was to raise environmental awareness amongst our colleagues and encourage involvement in the company's sustainability efforts.
We will continue our dedication to creating a greener future. Subscribe to Thesaurus Software’s sustainability newsletter to follow our journey.
Related articles:
Apr 2021
19
Thesaurus Software celebrates Earth Day 2021
The first Earth Day launched fifty-one years ago in response to an emerging environmental consciousness, catalysed by a number of environmental disasters in the ‘60s. Although the stakes only grow as the years go by, we can appreciate that there has been a profound cultural shift since it began.
At Thesaurus Software we are committed to a cleaner, greener future for all. This commitment will see us developing our business towards ecological sustainability at both a company and an individual level. Our new offices (opening soon!) are purpose built to be energy efficient, affording us the opportunity to record and monitor our carbon emissions. In addition to this, we have established the Green Team, an internal company initiative, to educate, promote and inspire sustainability among our colleagues and our loyal customers.
The Green Team members are brimming with ideas to identify and support the implementation of solutions to help Thesaurus Software operate in a more environmentally sustainable way. Our plans, including those for Earth Day, are grounded in the belief that small actions at the individual level can build to create a larger change. We will leverage our individual power to influence, as an employee, a consumer, a voter, and as a member of our community.
In our first campaign to raise awareness, the Green Team will be celebrating Earth Day 2021 with a number of activities planned throughout the week. Take a look below at what we have planned. On Earth Day, we will be inviting Dr Emma Reeves, Senior Ecologist at the Forest, Environmental Research & Services (FERS) Ltd to discuss climate change, pollution, and what we as individuals can do to help.
Our dedication to the environment won’t stop at the end of the week. Subscribe to Thesaurus Software’s sustainability newsletter to follow our journey.
Mar 2021
8
International Women’s Day 2021
Thesaurus Software is proud to be supporting International Women’s Day 2021.
The theme of International Women’s Day this year is “Choose to Challenge”, a theme we wholeheartedly agree with. When we challenge the norms, the status quo, the “because that’s just the way it is”, we create change. At Thesaurus Software we firmly believe that change is necessary for development and improvement, so much so that it is embedded in our core values.
This year we are enhancing our Inclusion and Diversity efforts, in the hope that all staff will feel comfortable in bringing their whole self to work. International Women’s Day is our first day of celebration this year, our aim is not only to celebrate our women, but to raise awareness of inclusion more generally.
Promoting Gender Equality at Thesaurus
We are proud to say that we have always had a strong representation of women right across our company.
Our senior management team is 66% female. Across the Company as a whole, we are 64% female.
As we grow, we are continuously looking at how we can best assist our employees to grow and be themselves. In the last six months, we have introduced two key initiatives which help us achieve this.
- Firstly, LinkedIn Learning has been made available to all employees. LinkedIn Learning has been a game-changer for our employees and opened the window on learning and awareness.
- Secondly, we have just introduced paid maternity and paternity leave. We really hope that this will help new parents to be successful both at work and at home.
Our Female Leaders
We asked some of our female leaders for their thoughts on working in leadership;
“It’s important that all managers inspire, engage, and encourage their team. This is what I strive for. As a female manager, I’m very privileged to work for a company that recognises and promotes these values for both men and women equally. Females in any workplace should never underestimate what they are capable of achieving” - Karen Bennett, Chief Commercial Officer
“My advice to my 20-year-old self would be to think of your career as a marathon, not a sprint. Don’t ever settle on the first job or career path you undertake, if you are not invested in it. Allow yourself the time to discover what are you passionate about doing. Finding a job that I love has certainly helped me reach the point in my career that I’m at today.” - Victoria Clarke, Product Development Manager
“As a woman working for Thesaurus Software for the past 23 years and fast approaching retirement, I feel I am now entering the most exciting period of my career at Thesaurus Software and rather than winding down, the journey forward in this fast-growing company, supported by our amazing CEO, Paul Byrne has no limits.” - Ann Tighe, Senior Business Development Manager
“Working at Thesaurus as a woman in management, I feel inspired by other female leaders and peers within the company to lead my team with the same encouragement I feel every day. I have always felt hugely supported as a woman within Thesaurus which has provided me with the tools I need to motivate and empower my team, particularly as I progressed into the management role.” - Cailin Reilly, Sales Manager
“After joining Thesaurus Software as a Marketing Intern, I never thought that I would be where I am today after just 6 years. Working at Thesaurus Software has really given me the opportunity to progress, both in terms of personal and professional development. No two years have been the same and it has been an exciting time to be part of the team, helping the company grow to where it is today.” - Rachel Hynes, Marketing Manager
IWD 2021 in Thesaurus
Some of our fantastic team have taken part in the IWD challenge, standing up socially distantly and choosing to challenge. See their fab pictures below.
This year, we will also be using our LinkedIn Learning platform to raise awareness around inclusion and equity in the workplace. We have a series of short informative videos addressing a range of topics that we will share with staff remotely during March.
Our message to all our employees today is, bring your whole self to work, your thoughts and ideas are valued, we love to hear them. Working together, trusting, respecting and supporting each other we can only do great things.
