Kinda Awesome! How the Snack Company Delivers on Its Promise to Promote Kindness

Kinda Awesome How the Snack Company Delivers on Its Promise to Promote KindnessKinda Awesome How the Snack Company Delivers on Its Promise to Promote Kindness 5 Words You Should Never Use When Setting New Goals When many people think of KIND , mouths may water thinking of the whole nut and fruit bars. But beyond the tasty snacks, the New York-based companys mission is much larger than feeding health nuts and hikers. Their goal is to make the world a little kinder by improving the way we live, eat and relate to one another. Fostering healthier communities is the goal of the snack company, and it has been the foundation of their 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization The KIND Foundation .Founded in 2016, The KIND Foundation has launched and executed initiatives globally ranging from Empatico (a multi-year $20 million initiative to connect students around the globe with a free online learning tool) to KIND Causes (a grant-giving vehicle to further the work of those making the world a little kinder) and the KIND Schools Challenge (Middle- and high-school students nationwide were invited to submit a project to make their school communities kinder and more inclusive).For KIND, a passion for improving human connection is woven into the very fiber of the business and its founding. This commitment stems from KINDs founder, Daniel Lubetzky, whose father survived the Holocaust thanks, in part, to the kindness of strangers, says Dana Rosenberg, Director of The KIND Foundation. The experiences of his father revealed to Daniel the transformative power of kindness. Hes since made it his lifes work to spread kindness and build bridges between people.Glassdoor had the opportunity to connect with Rosenberg to dig deeper into the snack companys mission, their social good works and what they look for in KIND job candidates. Heres what she had to say.Glassdoor KINDs mission outlines a very insp iring vision for the world and the role kindness plays in shaping human connection. One line that stood out to me is Nice is passive, but Kind is active. How did that factor into KINDs decision to start a foundation? Dana Rosenberg KIND was founded with a social mission, called the KIND Movement, which celebrates and inspires kindness through acts big and small. Today, the Movement is brought to life through the brand, ur culture and The KIND Foundation.Glassdoor How does the KIND/The KIND Foundation connect employees with the world at large? Rosenberg Celebrating and spreading kindness is an everyday endeavor for KIND team members. We empower ur team to spot kindness in their daily lives with kindawesome cards. We believe that kindness is happening everywhere, you just have to look for it Team members give out these cards after witnessing someone doing a kind act for someone else for example, holding the door for a stranger or buying coffee for a friend having a bad day.Each year, we also host a Day of Service, closing all KIND offices and encuraging ur team members to give back in their local communities. In 2017, we worked with 35+ organizations across 5 countries serving meals to those in need, assisting the elderly, beautifying community centers and more. In one day, ur team performed more than 100,000 kind acts.Glassdoor One of your most impactful initiatives is Empatico. Talk to me about that. How did it come about? Rosenberg CEO Daniel Lubetzky conceived the idea for Empatico more than a decade ago. In 2016, he felt compelled to finally bring it to life as a result of the increasing divides felt across our society. Empatico is a free tool for teachers to connect their classroom with others through live video and activities on universal topics. Classrooms need only a computer, internet and webcam, along with the curiosity to explore how people across the world live.Empatico is currently available to students ages 7-11. At this age, children are starting to ask about their role in the world. Studies show that during this sensitive period, children are beginning to understand their identities in relation to others and their perceptions of the world are open to influence.Ultimately, the vision is to connect millions of students around the world, and give them a means of exploring their similarities and differences.Glassdoor Has it produced the types of connections you and Daniel and the team had hoped for? Rosenberg We launched Empatico in a beta version brde year (October 2017) and weve been incredibly moved by the impact it has already made among users. While we know were still just getting started, here are a few quotes from teachers who have used EmpaticoMy students are not exposed to a lot. But with programs like Empatico, they get to landsee the world from their classroom they were so excited. I try as much as I can to get them to see the world but watching videos alone just doesnt cut it. Its more exciting when yo ure talking to someone from that country. I think this is such a wonderful program. Its doing a lot for some of these kids it broadens their horizons, they get to see different things, learn about different cultures A lot of parents told me their kids came home from school and told them all about the video chat they were so excited 3rd grade teacher in Fayetteville, North CarolinaI signed up because I wanted to make connections outside of my classrooms walls. Its important for students to see how other people live, and see what theyre experiencing it expands their knowledge. Empatico takes kids to places that some of them will never get to go. Now theyve made friends in another country 2nd grade teacher in Andover, KansasIts about finding the similarities not just the differences its finding the humanity in all of us. They learned that we can all talk together, even if we dont know each other. Its about not being afraid of asking questions and really listening. 5th grade tea cher in Rockville, MarylandGlassdoor Wow. In times like these, KIND is really becoming a beacon of hope for people, not only those that benefit from the Foundations work but those that work at KIND. Rosenberg By joining KIND, team members recognize they are also signing on to a Movement in fact spreading kindness is part of everybodys job description. While we do have a team dedicated to working on the Movement and our Foundations programming every day, our entire team feels ownership of the Movement. They are active participants in bringing it to life. Eight out of ten team members say that kindness is more top of mind since joining the company.Glassdoor When hiring for KIND/The KIND Foundation, what do you look for in team members? What are some of the attributes of a successful KIND/The KIND Foundation member? Rosenberg First and foremost, were looking for team members who embody our Hungry & KIND values the eight core values that guide our culture. Here are a few examples of how four of these values come to life within the KIND culture.Even though we are technically not a startup anymore, we really want to maintain our entrepreneurial approach. Were constantly challenging how we do things and trying to figure out how we can improve. In his book, Daniel talks about our aspiration to change the way the world sees business and to really thrive here, you need to be willing to challenge conventional and think outside the box. You cant change the norms that exist today by following them This plays into another essential characteristic Adaptability. Were a fast-moving team and things are always evolving. Being agile and flexible are key.Teamwork is another essential ingredient to being successful at KIND. Were looking for people who are willing to roll up their sleeves and help us move the needle someone who doesnt look at a task as too small (or too big) for them. But instead is willing to simply jump in and figure out how to get things done. We have a lot of go-getters on our team but not a lot of ego. We want all team members to think and act like owners. The ownership mentality thats been cultivated among our team has been critical to KINDs success. We expect team members to take initiative and be accountable for their actions and show a steadfast commitment to the company and our mission. This also means acting in a financially responsible manner and treating the companys money like its your own. In return for this deep level of commitment, all full-time team members are offered equity in KIND, and have a right to become a stakeholder in the company.We are transparent with our consumers and with one another. Transparency is one of the values our consumers can experience directly, but its also essential to how we operate. We prize open, honest and frank communication, and want our team to have the courage to speak up and be straightforward.Glassdoor What are your goals and hopes for the future? Whats the big, hairy, audaci ous goal that KIND Foundation is looking to tackle next? Rosenberg We have the ambitious goal of reaching at least 1 million students around the world by 2020. While Empatico is still in its infancy, it has already attracted 1,200 teachers from 48 states and more than 55 countries. Were excited to be working alongside influential partners including Ashoka, NNSTOY, and Teach For All to help introduce the tool to the broader educational community. Glassdoor readers can help us by inviting elementary school teachers to visit Empatico.org today.While reach is important, so is impact. Ultimately, we want to give students everywhere the opportunity to learn what makes us human in the same way they would learn science or math. If kids everywhere were given this opportunity, imagine what our shared future might look like?