Helping companies build strong roots anchored in purpose and values

18 January 2022 | Feature

By supporting businesses with a clear sense of purpose to improve the lives of people and communities, Sequoia Group is contributing to the creation of a sustainable future

Ms Jacqueline Wong (top row, first from left) and Mr Tan Shang How (top row, second from left), the founders of Sequoia Group, are in the business of helping people and organisations find purpose and meaning in the work they do.

One of the firm’s most prominent projects is collaborating with the National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) for the latter’s Company of Good Fellowship, a talent-development programme that was first introduced in 2017 to groom future leaders in corporate giving.

Under the five-month programme, Sequoia conducts several modules that help business leaders clarify their company’s corporate purpose, and equip them with skills and tools needed to engage stakeholders, develop corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategies and catalyse a positive impact for the society.

In recent years, there has been a shift in the corporate mindset, from a shareholder orientation that focuses solely on profits to one that also looks at creating value for all stakeholders in the greater ecosystem. The trend has accelerated during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Clients are beginning to recognise that many solutions to today’s problems exist in the margins of their organisation and society. They are looking for partners who can help bridge this gap and bring people together to co-own problems and solutions,” says Ms Wong, 49.

This is where Sequoia Group comes in.

“With over two decades of experience in management consultancy, we have the tools and processes to help companies and organisations put ideas into action, and build a strong foundation for a highly engaging culture,” she explains. Ms Wong and Mr Tan, the company’s chief executive, 56, have over two decades of consulting experience. Today, the team is 10-people strong.

Founded in 2001, Sequoia offers a wide range of services in areas such as strategic planning and innovation, change and stakeholder engagement, leadership and organisational learning, sustainability and community development.

Through consultancy, coaching, training and workshops, its team of consultants imparts concepts, tools and methods to help transform workplaces and communities into “flourishing, sustainable ecosystems that enable people to thrive and live fulfilling, meaningful lives”.

“We decided that the name of our company would be called Sequoia Consulting, and that our work would focus on helping organisations build a deeper sense of purpose and meaning, but also to create connection to the larger ecosystem of which they are a part and help create more sustainable futures for people and the planet,” says Ms Wong, the company’s managing director. The company was renamed Sequoia Group in 2008.

Giant sequoia trees, which are native to the west coast of the United States, can weather time and climate change, and are among the oldest living organisms on earth. Like the trees that the company is named after, businesses, too, are living ecosystems and have a profound impact on people’s lives and health, local communities, economies, cultures and nature itself.

Ms Wong believes purpose and core values are like the roots of any organisation. Only those with strong roots can survive challenging times.

Research has shown that organisations that care for the well-being and growth of people — whether it is their own staff, customers or the beneficiaries of their community projects — can better attract and retain talent.

During the pandemic, many companies struggle with declining staff morale and low engagement levels as employees work from home. Referring to global management consulting firm McKinsey & Company’s report ‘The Great Attrition’, Mr Tan says that by reinforcing their corporate citizenship and purpose, companies can overcome the pandemic-induced wave of resignations that is happening in many countries.

Sequoia helps companies design and deliver programmes to assist company leaders in engaging staff and stakeholders virtually, keeping them focused on purpose and vision with contagious positivity in a hybrid work environment.

“We were also more deliberate in integrating well-being breaks and mental health messages into our sessions, be it strategic planning retreats or leadership workshops,” says Ms Wong.

Since the pandemic started, Sequoia has trained over 300 participants in how to use virtual platforms and digital tools to engage stakeholders. The company also developed an e-learning system and set up an e-store to reach a larger audience around the world.

For its work helping organisations develop their purpose, Sequoia Group won a Distinction in the Brands For Good 2021/2022 awards, under the Business For Good category.

“We believe that Sequoia won Distinction in the Brands for Good 2021/2022 awards because of our strong belief in Doing Well by Doing Good. We are not only committed to helping our clients become more purposeful, people centric and forward looking, but we also strive to set an example by practicing what we stand for and believe in,” says Mr Tan.

Read more about Sequoia’s work here.

Written by Liling Koh. Originally published at businesstimes.com.sg.