Company: thebigword, New York City, NY
Entry Submitted By: Lexicon Public Relations Limited
Company Description: thebigword is a world top-20 language services provider, offering high-quality translation and interpreting. thebigword has a global network of more than 7,500 linguists, operating in 234 languages across 77 countries.Its headquarters is in the UK, with offices in the U.S. and around the world. The company’s U.S. operation is its fastest-growing division.
Nomination Category: Company / Organization Awards Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Corporate Social Responsibility Program of the Year - Up to 100 Employees

Nomination Title: thebigword - On Hand in the World's Trouble Spots

Tell the story about what this nominated organization achieved since January 1 2012 (up to 525 words). Focus on specific accomplishments, and relate these accomplishments to past performance or industry norms. Be sure to mention obstacles overcome, innovations or discoveries made, and outcomes:

Being one of the world’s most successful companies in your sector with 73 nationalities working from 12 global offices presents many challenges.  It also presents great opportunities for employees and associates who have a genuine understanding and empathy for other cultures and are keen to support them.

thebigword harnesses this multi-nationalism and genuine desire to help in a Corporate Social Responsibility / Sustainability Policy that is a true model for other businesses.

Whether it’s helping earthquake victims in Japan, supporting the emergency services in dealing with Hurricane Sandy in NYC, working with agencies to protect countries’ borders, or helping emergency doctors, thebigword is constantly at hand in the world’s trouble spots. 

thebigword Inc. was set up in New York at 20 Broad Street in the heart of the financial district in 2007 and two years later, the company opened its San Francisco office to cater for the language needs of businesses in Silicon Valley.  thebigword Inc. has grown to a $30 million operation employing 50 staff.   

thebigword Inc. has embraced the Corporate Social Responsibility ethos of its Group organization and taken it a stage further with a range of company-led and employee-led initiatives that truly make a difference. 

Since January 1, 2012:

thebigword Inc. provided FEMA with interpreters during Hurricane Sandy despite its own offices in NYC being flooded.  FEMA needed to communicate information to the non-English proficient community and to use American Sign Language to support people with hearing difficulties.  As its own offices were flooded thebigword immediately set up virtual offices and launched its own internal disaster recovery plan so that it could continue to support FEMA.

The company utilized thebigwordGroup’s global footprint to offload work from its commercial clients to other global offices.  This experience brought staff across continents closer together as they worked with one aim, to support the relief effort. 

The majority of work carried out for FEMA is American Sign Language.  thebigword has a system in place that guarantees all work and the majority of revenue derived from the contract is first offered to US charities associated with the deaf and visually impaired.  Every member of US staff is given two days off each year to volunteer in local community projects.

thebigword established the only free translation project of its type where it will translate without any charge for charities that meet its criteria.  In the past 12 months it has translated documents that helped German and Polish citizens who had assisted Jews during the holocaust get compensation for their bravery. 

For the week of Christmas thebigword donated 2.5 cents for every minute of telephonic interpreting it carried out to a charity of its staff’s choice.

thebigword is working with the charity ‘Support our Soldiers’ to provide personal products kits to make life more comfortable for troops serving in Afghanistan.

Proud of its Achievements

Most importantly, thebigword’s CSR/Sustainability policy is about instilling a real pride in staff for their achievements as individuals and collectively as a company.   The staff video shows the importance placed on this.

The staff sustainability newsletter, ‘thebigvoice’ brings together global teams to learn what each country is doing and share best practice. 

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Provide a brief (up to 125 words) biography about the leader of this nominated organization:

Still only 28 years of age, Joshua Gould is now CEO and EVP of thebigword Inc., part of thebigwordGroup.  He also serves as CCO for thebigwordGroup, the world top-20 language services company. 
 
After moving to the US in 2007, he opened thebigword Inc. just ahead of the financial collapse and worldwide recession.  Despite this, his strategy to drive the business forward by investing in its employees has paid off, making the company one of the most successful and well-respected in its sector. 
 
One of the country’s foremost young executives, Joshua won a Bronze Stevie in 2012 for Executive of the Year – Business Services.  He also featured in the ‘UK 42 Under 42 to Watch’ and was awarded ‘International Businessman of the Year’ by Insider

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