2021 was a vastly different year for everyone. It was especially so for Kipu. Like the rest of the world, we attempted to navigate through the pandemic. Most of us were accustomed to working side-by-side with one another and had to learn quickly how to turn a quiet corner of the house into an office. Additionally, the organizational structure shifted. Kipu changed the entire leadership team and opened positions that allowed the companies to growth to double since the previous year.
With all the changes suddenly occurring, a sense of disconnect was apparent. This, coupled with the horrific murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery that happened the year before – it brought a gray cloud. So, what can be done? How do people start to recover and start to reconnect?
That is the exact question that Lydia Pakpahan, Enterprise CSM based in Southern California, a mother, and a feminist, asked herself. Then an opportunity presented itself as she was talking to one of her mentors, former CSO of Kipu, Helen Rosen. She dreamed of creating a culture of connection and belonging. A culture where knowledge and empathy are cultivated, and everyone can be their most authentic selves.
The dream soon came into reality when Kipu’s CEO Paul Joiner encouraged Lydia to bring together a committee of other passionate team members and Kipu’s DEI&B initiative. There, IMPACT (Individuals Making Progress Across Communities Together), a name chosen and voted by the Kipunian community, was born.
Lydia sits as Chairperson of IMPACT, alongside nine cross departmental committee board members and multiple subcommittees with specific initiatives to advocate. When we asked Lydia what was important to her and her team she said “In this new era of Kipu, we wanted to cultivate this culture of good. We are honored to sit at the intersection of the tech world, the mental health field, and the substance use industry. We also feel an extraordinarily strong accountability to the generations that follow us. We ask ourselves what footprints do we want to leave and what IMPACT do we want to make? And we want to start within ourselves.”
What’s next for IMPACT?
IMPACT focuses on six ambitious goals: a Diverse Workforce, Inclusive Workplace, Growth and Learning, Inclusive Product, Community and Outreach, Sustainability and Accountability. This grassroot committee is working hard to bring Kipu together to achieve these goals. “We know this is a journey, a life long one, we are all committed to bringing a DEI&B lens into the thread of Kipu”.
We would like to thank Lydia and all the other Kipu IMPACT committee members. We are excited to see you continue to work towards these goals and create ‘IMPACT’ in the company’s trajectory.
The Vision – At Kipu we walk together with the intention and purpose of creating diverse, equitable, and inclusive communities where everyone belongs.
Through courage, kindness, and empathy, our Kipu family, future Kipunians, strategic partners, clients and everyone touched within these ecosystems have a safe place to show up as their most authentic selves.
The Mission –
“At Kipu we recognize that at the core of our innovation is a group of individuals learning and thriving together. We believe creating a better tomorrow starts with promoting mental wellbeing and inner peace. We foster a culture of belonging where we celebrate unique differences and honor everyone’s vibrant backgrounds. We strive to stay curious with open minds to bring impactful change because we know that success is achieved when all is given the opportunity to feel heard and seen.”
