Social impact company and global citizen Sharesource is now fully operational in the United Kingdom (UK) and partnering with client companies to address the extreme local talent shortage, engaging the best Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) talent from various ‘hub’ developing countries such as the Philippines, Vietnam and Botswana.

As early adopters of a remote-working model, Sharesource builds remote technology teams by matching smart STEM professionals from developing countries, to smart businesses which are making a disruptive social or environmental impact in Australia, the US and now also in the UK.

Brendon Boyce, CEO and founder of Sharesource, explains: “We started the business in Australia in 2013 and are now expanding our footprint into the UK. As such, we are working closely with Janette Chester, Business Development Manager, who is heading up our UK operations.

Due to her previous experience with a well-known global consulting firm, and thereafter in talent acquisition within the UK, I am excited about how our values align with Janette’s, and her influential approach to definition and creation of the workforce of the future,” Boyce enthuses.

Chester agrees: “Sharesource was an excellent match with my interests and outlook, because the company is passionate about making a difference in the world, as well as enabling and empowering individuals to live their best lives, and creating future leaders.”

Attracting the best talent – from anywhere

Boyce adds: “As a company, Sharesource enables our clients to understand that their ‘talent can come from anywhere’. Our model is based on a dynamically inclusive company culture – and our experience ensures we attract the best talent in our hub countries, which all have solid infrastructure, stable politics and good English-speaking STEM talent.

In line with this, our clients quickly understand that the abilities, culture and work ethics of these talented technology teams are fully in line with their expectations - or indeed even better!”

Boyce describes himself as being a social entrepreneur, aiming to use his business acumen and experience to do good in the world, and promote the equalisation of opportunity, social cohesion and integration. “At the same time,” he notes, “it is also important to ensure the business is sustainable and able to continue on its growth and expansion trajectory - so that we can continue to have a positive impact on individuals and communities in the future - thereby achieving a balance between purpose and profit.”

Forward-thinking, disruptive and open

“At the business level, Sharesource is able to assist those forward-thinking companies that are open to building remote teams - particularly the so-called ‘disruptive’ companies in the environmental, technological and social market space.

We are also very interested in working with start-ups and ecosystems in these market segments. In addition, Sharesource is in tune with the important global imperative of operating in line with the triple bottom line of ‘People, Planet, Profit’,” Chester explains.

The Sharesource model builds remote technology teams in a distinctive and innovative way, which is of particular importance in the currently pressured global economy.

“Due to the ongoing effects of COVID-19, many sectors around the world have been negatively affected,” advises Chester, “and in this context, Sharesource is in a unique position to provide well-organised and managed remote teams, while also offering the requisite ‘scaffolding’ and ‘tools’ of process, structure and support.

“By building talented remote teams, Sharesource helps partner companies to access the talent they require, while simplifying and enabling the process for both prospective employer and employee alike,” she says.

STEM teams for disruptive businesses

“Fundamentally, we build remote teams for disruptive companies. Furthermore, we have built a vibrant, empowering culture within Sharesource which is shared by our team members, enhancing their value as individual employees and making it more important to our partner companies to retain them. The Sharesource culture thereby allows our clients to attract the best talent and then to retain these individuals,” she observes.

“The Sharesource ethos is also completely in tune with the new digital world and way of working, which embraces the use of a remote working model,” notes Chester.

“However at the same time, it is important to note that this process does not involve ‘off-shoring’ - which frequently has negative, opportunistic connotations - but rather building remote teams for disruptive companies.”

Values-driven cultural fit

Further to this, Sharesource strives to ensure the best possible cultural fit by only working with companies who share its social impact ethos; and by sourcing values-driven STEM teams who are a good match in terms of time zones, culture and ethos with the clients they work for.

Sharesource is also able to assist UK businesses from an Environmental Social Governance (ESG) points perspective, which are allocated to companies for their performance in terms of a wide range of environmental social and governance criteria, and regarding the implementation of practices such as diversity and inclusion.

“In this way,” comments Chester, “our brand of social entrepreneurship can also work in a positive manner for businesses, given that our key purpose is to equalise opportunities for STEM graduates and professionals from developing countries.”

B Corporation registration

Sharesource is in the process of registering as a certified ‘B Corporation’, thereby joining an international business community that meets the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency and legal accountability to balance purpose and profit and build a more inclusive and sustainable economy.

Equalising opportunity

“As a company that adheres to social entrepreneurship principles,” says Chester, “Sharesource takes pride in the fact that we equalise opportunity for our remote STEM teams, by providing access to jobs with global companies which they may never otherwise have had. In this way, we are helping individuals to take ownership of their careers and of their lives as a whole.

The UK is a frontrunner when it comes to technology and remote working, being a global innovation centre. In addition, it also features admirable levels of social impact awareness, and a thriving disruptive company ecosystem. We are therefore very keen to establish ourselves in this market, and we see this as a natural fit for our company culture, viewpoint and skillset.

We are very pleased to be able to play our part in equalising opportunities for STEM talent from developing countries, empowering future leaders and having a positive impact on individuals, companies and communities,” Chester concludes.