Vice President of Engineering at GoTo, Madhu Krishnapuram, was a self-proclaimed skeptic turned believer in the power of volunteering. In fact, GoTo’s strong Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) program was one of Madhu’s deciding factors in joining the company six years ago. “Not being involved isn’t an option for me,” says Madhu, “and I’m grateful that GoTo Gives accepted me into its fold.” Madhu was influenced to get involved with GoTo Gives – the company’s philanthropy and volunteering program – by his colleagues who actively volunteered and started to understand how we can each make a difference. “While I was happy to discover every little bit helps, I hadn’t anticipated how rewarding it is to be part of this community that serves as a constant source of inspiration and reminder of priorities in life.” Madhu’s story is just one of many examples of how GoTo employees lead with purpose and make an impact on days like today’s Global Non-Profit Day and all year long.
GoTo Gives began partnering with One School at A Time (OSAAT) – a volunteer-run non-profit organization rebuilding the infrastructure of rural schools in India – in 2018. “In my experience as a government school student, the physical infrastructure of most government schools isn’t great,” says Siddu Mareppa, Director of Finance for APAC at GoTo. With this perspective, Siddu has a special appreciation for the work that OSAAT is doing, which has a long-term impact and will benefit thousands of students. “GoTo has helped me immensely with growing and learning along the way.” The ultimate purpose of life, the way Siddu sees it, is to give back to society whatever is learned and earned in one form or another. “Along with improving education, I want to volunteer for lake conservation and tree plantation next.
The Government High School, Sidlaghatta Town, Chikkaballapur District in the Karnataka state of India, has 306 students with enough classrooms and a kitchen but lacks sanitary and updated toilets. GoTo Gives supported the complete renovation and construction of the school’s toilets earlier this year. “Studies are showing a marked decrease in dropout rates, with better access to hygienic sanitation on school premises,” says Madhu. Improving access to sanitation affects higher female literacy rates and the proportion of women in the workforce, according to the IMF’s latest research on India.
According to Madhu, the fact of the matter is that we can’t isolate ourselves from the communities that we live in. “We live in a complex and globally interconnected ecosystem, and if our community does not fare well, we can’t survive.” As a company that has steadily grown its presence in India, where Madhu works, it’s important for companies to give back to their communities. Madhu says it’s simple. “If we don’t improve the community we live in, we will not have a market for our products and services, threatening our viability as a company.”
On Global Non-Profit Day, GoTo would like to recognize OSAAT, its GoTo Gives non-profit partners globally, and all organizations making positive changes in this ever-changing world. Small acts make a big impact, and GoGetters are here to meet the moment.
Madhu and Siddu serve on the global GoTo Gives Committee, representing a cross-section of GoTo’s employees and meeting throughout the year to manage local volunteering programs. Find more information about GoTo Gives and ESG at GoTo here.
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