Making A Difference: The Clarivate Volunteer Network

Aman joined Clarivate in May 2017 as a Solutions Specialist in the Customs & Managed Solutions team and moved up to team leader in the solution designing team. Aman has since moved on to a new role as Strategy Manager, IP Group and is based in London. Since joining Clarivate, Aman has become deeply involved in the Clarivate Volunteer Network (CVN), a colleague resource group that encourages all colleagues to enhance their local communities and enact changes to benefit society. In this article, Aman talks about her career journey, her role as a Global Lead of the CVN, the impactful work it has already achieved and planned initiatives.

My time at Clarivate has been nothing less than life changing. When I joined the organization, I was truly unaware of the impact that the company culture would have on me. Since my first job after graduating as a qualified barrister, my passion has been in intellectual property. It wasn’t until joining Clarivate that I realized how the portfolio of skills and experiences that I gained in my career up to that point truly would assist me in being successful in the Customs & Managed Solutions team and the wider business.

I’ve faced barriers in my overall career, but the combination of trust, inclusivity and employee encouragement that forms the basis of Clarivate culture allowed me to professionally mature, gain confidence and truly realize my potential. At the core of this culture is the great people that exist across the Clarivate community. They are key to every aspect of the organization, from the work we do day-to-day, to forming the basis of the CVN’s aims and objectives.

Background of the CVN

The CVN is a colleague resource group at Clarivate, and its key purpose is to encourage colleagues to volunteer. Also, it gives colleagues the opportunity to make a measurable difference by allocating five paid volunteering days to them each year. At the heart of the CVN is the core Clarivate aim of global sustainability, with initiatives driven by UN Sustainability Goals such as quality education, gender equality and industry innovation. In providing these five days to colleagues to give value to their community, Clarivate is ‘practicing what it preaches’ in terms of giving back to employees.

I’ve been involved with the CVN since I joined the organization. Over the last few years, I’ve worked my way up from a Lead in the local London chapter to taking over as a Global Lead in 2019. During this time, I’ve strived to continue my predecessor’s work in creating better visibility around the CVN and driving more colleague engagement.

How we get colleagues involved

We encourage every Clarivate colleague to volunteer in their community. One thing I stress with our colleagues is that initiatives they choose to be involved with should align with the company goals of sustainability. This alignment is not as restrictive as it might sound because the act of volunteering in itself aligns with company goals. We want to help them succeed so we ensure that we can support them in how to get involved and how they can communicate their efforts. To this end, regions have a Local Chapter Lead who can help them, and I am always available. In addition, we run a volunteer portal that all colleagues can access, which gives them visibility to events that the CVN is involved with, and allows them to keep track of the time they spend on their activities.

The CVN’s wide-reaching impact

The CVN creates opportunities for our colleagues and for the people around the world we aim to help. Previous initiatives the CVN has been involved in include toy drives during the winter holiday season, food donations and helping out at soup kitchens. Our India chapter is working with a charity that translates books for blind people, which they have been helping with for the past eight months and has the potential to become a global opportunity.

During the challenges of 2020, we worked hard to get more colleagues engaged. The COVID-19 pandemic has inspired many people to do more in their community, which has helped grow the CVN. It’s also helped us to think outside the box in getting more involved in virtual events as lockdowns, restrictions on travel and other measures have had a major impact on physical events.

A look to the future

We have recently identified a global opportunity with the Global Mentorship Initiative to support underprivileged students in the United States, South Africa and Sri Lanka. Connecting them with volunteers who can guide and mentor them through a structured course will help give them the necessary skills and prepare them for a successful career in the working world. Although we’re creating other new opportunities, the CVN is still a small group, so I encourage our colleagues to come to us with any ideas they have for future initiatives. Getting involved in the CVN does not require colleagues to only engage in company organized events and initiatives. We want to hear about all volunteering activities that our colleagues are involved in, even in their own personal time. The CVN is about encouraging all colleagues to make a difference no matter how big or small. Individually taking small actions makes a difference locally; collectively our impact is global.

That’s not all, though – I am keen to know what our readers think of the Clarivate Volunteer Network and our activities. We would love to hear your suggestions! Do let me know by joining the conversation on Twitter @LifeatClarivate.

To find out more about the Clarivate Volunteer Network, please visit: https://clarivate.com/sustainability-at-clarivate/community/.