Read about the company’s commitment to the communities we live in.

Head of Corporate Responsibility and Public Policy

Community

If there’s one thing that parents, caregivers and teachers can likely agree on, it’s that students spend a lot of time online. Social media and gaming apps give young people new ways to connect, create and play, but they also come with their fair share of risks. And in a threat landscape that’s constantly evolving, it’s important for students to know what to look out for as they begin to navigate the digital world on their own.&nbsp;&nbsp;At Gen, we’re doing our part to empower young people with the Cyber Safety skills they need to conduct their digital lives securely and confidently. One of the ways we do this is through <a href="https://mydigitallife.discoveryeducation.com/">My Digital Life</a>, which provides educators with lesson plans, videos and interactive tools aligned to learning standards and meant to address common issues young people face online, from cyberbullying and privacy risks to misinformation and scams.&nbsp;&nbsp;The program is the result of a partnership between Norton, one of Gen’s trusted Cyber Safety brands, and <a href="https://www.discoveryeducation.com/">Discovery Education</a>, a worldwide leader in education technology. Together with the <a href="https://naaweb.org/">National Afterschool Foundation</a>, we launched My Digital Life in September 2023. As the program celebrates its first anniversary, we’re thrilled to share some of the highlights from its inaugural year.&nbsp;&nbsp;Building Students’ Cyber Safety Skills&nbsp;Throughout the 2023-2024 school year, My Digital Life reached more than 214,000 students in 1,100 school districts across 49 states, far surpassing the program’s initial goal to reach 100,000. 63% of these students were from Title I schools, which are districts allocated federal funds for educational programs and services that close achievement gaps. 70% were from underrepresented ethnic/racial backgrounds.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Knowing that so many of my students interact online even at the elementary level, these resources offer great ways for us to have discussions about how to stay safe and friendly when conversing and playing games online,” one teacher said.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Equipping Educators with Cutting-Edge Tools&nbsp;Getting these resources into educators’ hands remains one of the program’s top priorities. Through the combination of its dedicated website, placement on <a href="https://www.discoveryeducation.com/solutions/experience/">Discovery Education Experience</a>, the company’s award-winning K-12 learning platform, and outreach campaigns to educators on social media, we make sure teachers are aware of the numerous free, ready-to-use tools that are at their fingertips.&nbsp;&nbsp;“We don’t have a dedicated technology class anymore, so digital citizenship largely falls on the subject teachers,” said one school administrator. “The Educator resources lay everything out for them, so they don’t have to do a lot of legwork to give great lessons!”&nbsp;&nbsp;Forecasting the Program’s Future&nbsp;In its second year, My Digital Life plans to launch in multiple new languages, greatly expanding the program’s reach both within the United States and internationally. In addition, Gen employees will volunteer as part of Discovery Education’s <a href="https://www.discoveryeducation.com/education-partnerships/career-connect/">Career Connect</a>, through which they’ll speak directly with the classrooms where My Digital Life is used and discuss the wider technology industry.&nbsp;&nbsp;For more on how we provide Cyber Safety education and training, check out our <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/us/en/social-impact/social-impact-report/">2024 Social Impact Report</a>. These grants were awarded from the Gen Foundation, a corporate advised fund of Silicon Valley Community Foundation. &nbsp;

Norton and Discovery Education reach 214,000 students through My Digital Life

Helping Educators Bring Cyber Safety into the Classroom

Sr. Manager, CR and Environment

Young people all over the world are vulnerable to cybercrime. A recent <a href="https://www.dqinstitute.org/news-post/child-online-safety-index-reveals-a-persistent-cyber-pandemic/">study</a> from the DQ Institute found that an estimated 70% of children and adolescents globally were exposed to cyber risk at some point during 2023, and the overall rate of cybercrime is expected to <a href="https://www.statista.com/chart/28878/expected-cost-of-cybercrime-until-2027/">rise</a> in the coming years.&nbsp; &nbsp;India is no exception. The National Crime Records Bureau <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/child-cyber-crime-surges-32-reveals-ncrb-data-underlining-vulnerability-to-online-risks/articleshow/107168056.cms">found</a> that child cybercrime in the country has risen 32% in just one year, and young people often demonstrate <a href="https://www.socialmediamatters.in/patterns-of-internet-usage-among-youths-in-india">low awareness</a> of the importance of data privacy and internet safety.&nbsp; &nbsp;We know this is an area where Gen can help. Through Norton, one of our trusted Cyber Safety brands, and its partnership with <a href="https://balrakshabharat.org/">Bal Raksha Bharat</a> (BRB), also known as Save the Children - India, we were able to reach more than 10,000 young people, parents, family members and educators with Cyber Safety skills training between March 2023 and April 2024. These skills will not only help children stay safe online but also build lasting, healthy digital habits.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<h3>Empowering Educators to Teach Cyber Safety&nbsp;</h3>&nbsp;At 40 schools in Pune, Maharashtra, and Thiruvallur, Tamil Nadu, BBR staffers trained schoolteachers on bespoke Cyber Safety learning modules that Norton helped develop. The two modules—one for students between the ages of 10 and 12, another for ages 13 to 16—covered the basics of threats that young people are likely to face online, from phishing attacks to identity theft to scams. Teachers then delivered these lessons to students and community members.&nbsp;&nbsp;In total, the effort reached more than 10,000 people across these school communities, including:&nbsp;<ul><li>8,300 children (surpassing an initial target of 6,060),&nbsp;</li><li>1,210 parents,&nbsp;</li><li>635 SMC members (a parent and teacher organization), and&nbsp;</li><li>275 teachers (surpassing the target of 220).&nbsp;</li></ul>BRB also conducted a post-training assessment, which demonstrated an 81% increase in participants’ overall Cyber Safety knowledge.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h3>Driving Community Awareness &nbsp;&nbsp;</h3>Cybercrime can affect anyone at any age. The lessons shared in these modules are relevant not only to people across these school communities but also to India at large.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;To spread the word, BRB led several digital and on-the-ground activations that raised awareness of the dangers of cybercrime and how to stay Cyber Safe. These included small group meetings, voice calls and SMS messaging throughout the villages in Pune and Thiruvallur where the trainings took place. BRB also hosted workshops on cybercrime for law enforcement officials in these communities, with more planned in 2024. These efforts reached nearly 207,000 people indirectly.&nbsp;&nbsp;The organization also promoted a cybercrime reporting helpline, as well as information about various online risks, on social media. Building on BRB’s existing partnership with <a href="https://yuvaa.co.in/">Yuvaa</a> and their #BeDigiSmart campaign, the campaign’s content saw engagement from nearly 263,000 people.&nbsp;&nbsp;For more information on how we provide Cyber Safety education and training, check out our <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/us/en/social-impact/social-impact-report/">2024 Social Impact Report</a>. This grant was awarded from the Gen Foundation, a corporate advised fund of Silicon Valley Community Foundation.&nbsp;

Norton and Save the Children reach more than 10,000 students, parents and educators

Strengthening Cyber Safety Skills for Children in India

Corporate Communications Intern

A core belief in our ability to make the world a better, safer place is at the heart of everything we do at Gen. &nbsp;We’re committed to making a meaningful impact through strategic partnerships and hands-on initiatives. That’s why approximately 60% of the funding from the Gen Foundation (a corporate-advised fund of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation) is dedicated specifically to advancing Cyber Safety education and training. And empowering children all over the world is our primary focus. We engage with local communities and educate kids —one of the most vulnerable and digital generations ever.&nbsp;&nbsp;Recently, our Japanese marketing team, led by Risa Sakurai and Hiroshi Furuya, presented to 150 elementary school students in Tokyo. The session aimed to educate them all about Social Networking Services (SNS) scams and promote safe online practices as their lives become more and more digital.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

“Empowering the next generation with the skills to navigate the digital world safely is crucial. Our recent presentation in Tokyo was a step towards ensuring that children understand the risks of SNS scams and how to protect themselves online,” said Risa Sakurai, GTM Marketing Specialist at Gen.&nbsp;The focus on SNS scams and digital safety was chosen because these platforms are commonly used by young people to communicate and share content. With the rise of digital interactions, children are particularly vulnerable to online scams, cyberbullying and privacy breaches. The kids were very engaged, asking questions, such as:&nbsp;<ul><li>When using a social networking site, what personal info is acceptable or not acceptable to put on the site?&nbsp;</li><li>What to do if they receive unwanted or inappropriate content?&nbsp;</li><li>How to set up privacy settings on their social media accounts?&nbsp;</li><li>How to recognize phishing attempts or suspicious messages?&nbsp;</li><li>If they get into trouble, how and whom should they talk to?&nbsp;</li></ul>The experience highlighted the importance of early education in digital safety and demonstrated the effectiveness of interactive and age-appropriate teaching methods. &nbsp;&nbsp;As we dive into the back-to-school season, we also want to spotlight some other focused Cyber Safety education impacts we’ve helped champion:&nbsp;&nbsp;Discovery Education&nbsp;<a href="https://www.discoveryeducation.com/">Discovery Ed</a> partners with educators to enhance digital safety through a multi-language platform called My Digital Life, co-branded with Norton. Launched in 2023, this comprehensive website provides teachers, students and parents with essential tools and resources to navigate the online world safely. The impact has been significant. From September to December 2023, My Digital Life reached over 102,000 students across 47 states and 712 school districts, including 62% Title I schools. Read more about our work with Discovery Ed <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/blog/impact/community/safer-internet-day-2024">here</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;WAGGGS - World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts&nbsp;Norton and WAGGGS have teamed up for over a decade, most recently launching <a href="https://www.wagggs.org/en/what-we-do/surf-smart-20/">Surf Smart 2.0</a>, an initiative designed to empower young women and girls with the tools they need to stay safe online. Surf Smart focuses on helping them recognize and address any feelings of insecurity, especially in relationships, and provides actionable steps to enhance their Cyber Safety. From April 2023 to April 2024, the program reached over 42,000 girls and young women. Read more about Gen’s involvement with Surf Smart . here.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Trevor Project&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thetrevorproject.org/">The Trevor Project</a> is dedicated to supporting LGBTQIA+ youth who are facing challenges such as suicidal thoughts and crises. Gen has recently collaborated with this initiative to provide essential tools and resources focused on online safety. We have helped build a <a href="https://www.thetrevorproject.org/resources/guide/online-safety-for-lgbtq-young-people/">Guide to Online Safety for LGBTQ+ Young People</a>, equipping young people with strategies to protect themselves online and offering guidance on how to combat and prevent online bullying.&nbsp;&nbsp;Moving Forward&nbsp;Last year alone, we reached 5.3 million people with Cyber Safety awareness and training. But there is always more work to be done.&nbsp;&nbsp;“We will continue to expand our outreach and collaborate with initiatives at Gen to ensure that everyone has the knowledge and tools they need to stay safe online,” said Kim Allman, Head of Corporate Responsibility and Public Policy at Gen.&nbsp;Through key initiatives and partnerships, we can help build a more secure digital world for all.&nbsp;

A Commitment to Cyber Safety and Global Partnerships Providing Education to Kids Worldwide

Empowering the Next Generation for a Safer Digital World 

As families around the world gear up for another school year, many parents and caregivers are concerned about helping their kids stay safe online. <a href="https://www.bcg.com/publications/2022/why-children-are-unsafe-in-cyberspace">Research</a> shows that 93% of young people from ages eight to 17 use the internet, and 72% have been victims of cyber threats, including scams, phishing, exposure to inappropriate content and more.With children increasingly using digital tools for their education, families can work together to keep that time online safe and secure. That’s why Norton, one of Gen’s trusted Cyber Safety brands, teamed up with <a href="https://www.pta.org/">National PTA</a> to create <a href="https://thesmarttalk.org/">The Smart Talk</a>, a free resource that helps families have open, positive and ongoing conversations about digital safety and online privacy.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Smart Talk uses guided questions about Cyber Safety best practices—from social media and cyberbullying to using and downloading apps—to help families begin and continue these conversations. Over the past year, we continued to reach families all over the U.S. with these resources.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>Leading The Smart Talk at U.S. Schools&nbsp;</h2>In addition to making the platform freely available online, we provide National PTA with funding for local PTAs to host The Smart Talk Conversations for their school communities. In the 2023-2024 school year, Norton’s support allowed 40 local PTAs to produce these events, 58% of which took place in Title I schools (schools where many families live below the poverty line).&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“The Smart Talk [helped bring] awareness to our families that healthily social media and internet safety is more than just a password,” said one grantee. “This program opened heartfelt, honest conversations and set plans in place to protect one another in an increasingly cyber world.” &nbsp;National PTA estimates that The Smart Talk Conversations reached more than 3,500 students and family members between April 2023 and February 2024 through a mix of in-person and virtual events.&nbsp;

<h2>Reaching a Growing Audience&nbsp;</h2>The Smart Talk is available year-round to kids and families looking to navigate the digital world safely. National PTA engages its network of state and local PTAs to raise awareness of the tool and grow its user base. TheSmartTalk.org has grown to more than 12,000 users, and National PTA’s engagement efforts kept the platform top of mind in many school communities. Campaigns such as #HowWePTA and Safer Internet Day, as well as other activations, garnered more than 162,500 impressions across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. National PTA also delivered 29 e-newsletters across a 750K subscriber base that included information on The Smart Talk.&nbsp;<h2>Providing Tools for Cyber Safety&nbsp;</h2>This collaboration is a key component of our broader efforts to provide youth, educators, families and vulnerable people with the Cyber Safety skills they need to navigate their digital lives safely and with more confidence. In addition to our Cyber Safety partnerships, products like <a href="https://us.norton.com/products/norton-360-deluxe">Norton 360</a>, which has device security, real-time threat protection, <a href="https://us.norton.com/feature/parental-control">Parental Control</a> and more, help us meet our vision to power digital freedom.&nbsp;For more on how we provide Cyber Safety education and training, check out our <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/us/en/social-impact/social-impact-report/">2024 Social Impact Report</a>. These grants were awarded from the Gen Foundation, a corporate advised fund of Silicon Valley Community Foundation.&nbsp;

The Smart Talk, from Norton and National PTA, helps families set digital safety ground rules together

Helping Families Have a Cyber Safe School Year

For more than a decade, Norton, one of Gen’s leading Cyber Safety brands, has worked with the <a href="https://www.wagggs.org/en/">World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts</a> (WAGGGS) to give girls and young women the tools they need to lead safe, healthy digital lives.&nbsp; &nbsp;On July 20th, at the WAGGGS Sangam World Centre in Pune, India, Gen celebrated this long running partnership and discussed the importance of building Cyber Safety skills among girls and young women all over the world.&nbsp;"It was an absolute pleasure to participate in the Surf Smart 2.0 panel event at Sangam. I had the opportunity to meet and interact with some truly inspiring young women who are part of the program focused on Cyber Safety awareness. Sharing my own experiences in the STEM field at Gen was a highlight for me and it was heartening to see such enthusiasm and curiosity among the participants about pursuing careers in STEM. I left the event feeling inspired and hopeful about the future of women in STEM." - Kartiki Gangthade, Associate IT Application Specialist at Gen.

The presentation was part of the Surf Smart 2.0 Programme, a four-day event designed to mark the successes and plan for the future of <a href="https://www.wagggs.org/en/what-we-do/surf-smart-20/">Surf Smart 2.0</a>. Norton and WAGGGS co-developed this badge-earning programme to empower girls and young women ages 5-25 with the digital knowledge and leadership skills necessary to protect themselves online and make a difference in their communities.&nbsp;The event brought together representatives of WAGGGS Member Organizations from more than a dozen countries—from Chile to Uganda to Tunisia and beyond—as well as the girls and young women who took part in the <a href="https://www.wagggs.org/en/what-we-do/surf-smart-20/surf-smart-advocacy-fund/">Surf Smart Advocacy Fund</a>. Together, along with Kartiki Gangthade, an Associate IT Application Specialist in our Pune office who volunteered to speak at the event, attendees celebrated achievements, shared best practices and envisioned the ways Surf Smart 2.0 can continue to innovate and expand across the globe. At twenty-two years old, Kartiki was able to connect with the girl guides and scouts, inspiring the young women in the room with per personal STEM career journey.

Empowering Young Women to Surf SmartThe Pune event caps a full year of impact built around Surf Smart 2.0. The programme curriculum includes information about common online risks, simple ways to protect digital privacy and how to connect with others in positive ways.From April 2023 to April 2024, WAGGGS estimates that the programme reached more than 42,000 girls and young women&nbsp;through a variety of activitations, such as:<ul><li>17,816 girls&nbsp;completed the Surf Smart 2.0 programme, earning a badge.&nbsp;</li><li>Because everyone deserves digital safety education, we make the Surf Smart 2.0 curriculum free for all. This year, the Surf Smart 2.0 audiobook and PowerPoint were downloaded more than 15,600 times.&nbsp;</li><li>WAGGGS Member Organizations directly trained nearly 6,500 volunteer leaders&nbsp;to cascade the programme directly to girls and young women.&nbsp;</li><li>Global events such as Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting Jamborees have reached more than 600 girls and young women.&nbsp;</li><li>143 Advocacy Champions/Smart Surfers&nbsp;representing seven countries were trained directly by WAGGGS.</li></ul>

Advocating for a Safer InternetThroughout 2023 and 2024, WAGGGS went beyond training girls and young women in Cyber Safety and encouraged them to lead the way toward making the internet a better place. Through the Surf Smart Advocacy Fund, WAGGGS enabled young women in 10 countries to create campaigns that advocated for a safer, more accessible and more inclusive internet. Currently, Smart Surfers are implementing 18 advocacy projects at community, regional and national levels.For example, in addition to working in three community centers and secondary schools, Smart Surfers from the Uganda Girl Guides Association organized a high-profile panel discussion as part of their advocacy campaign. The panel celebrated Safer Internet Day and featured representatives from the Ugandan government and media industry, as well as 12 Advocacy Champions, who spoke about their WAGGGS-funded projects.&nbsp;One of these projects came from 21-year-old Nankya Sauda, whose project is “Beating Online Addiction.” She spoke about the work she and her team are doing to raise awareness of the effects of internet addiction on mental health and promote counselling. Likewise, Smart Surfers Faith Elizabeth Asuko and Karen Kirabo Byangira shared information about their upcoming advocacy initiative, which speaks to the challenges Ugandan youth face online, on the national television show <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ynlc9zeS5ds">Good Morning Uganda</a>.Another team of Smart Surfers, Sophia Nabbale and Ronah Akatukunda, took it one step further. They presented their advocacy campaign, which addressed bridging the intergenerational digital divide and the fight against online violence, during the United Nations Civil Society Conference 2024 in Nairobi, Kenya.&nbsp;

Powering Digital FreedomA key pillar of our Social Impact strategy is to provide youth, educators, families and vulnerable people with the Cyber Safety skills they need to navigate their digital lives safely and with more confidence. Our partnership with WAGGGS is a mainstay of these efforts, delivering critical tools and training for the next generation of digital citizens. For more information on additional Cyber Safety education partnerships, check out our work with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gendigital.com/blog/impact/community/safer-internet-day-2024">Discovery Education</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gendigital.com/blog/impact/community/the-smart-talk-2023">the National PTA</a>&nbsp;and <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/blog/impact/community/lifesmarts-championship-2024">LifeSmarts</a>.&nbsp;These grants were awarded from the Gen Foundation, a corporate advised fund of Silicon Valley Community Foundation.

Norton and the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts reach 42,000 young women and girls

Building Young Women’s Cyber Safety and Advocacy Skills 

Pride Month is an important time of year for us at Gen. Our family of brands, including Norton, Avast and more, join in the celebration of the many unique identities that comprise the LGBTQ+ community both within our workplaces and beyond. Together, we recognize the strides made in the fight for equality, the distance we still have yet to go and the countless contributions that LGBTQ+ people have made to our company and our world. &nbsp;LGBTQ+ Cyber Safety&nbsp;This year’s Pride Month marks the first anniversary of our partnership with <a href="https://www.thetrevorproject.org/">The Trevor Project</a>, the leading organization working to end suicide among LGBTQ+ young people in the U.S. and across the globe. Together, we created the <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/blog/impact/community/online-safety-lgbtq-youth">Guide to Online Safety for LGBTQ+ Young People</a>, a free digital resource to help queer young people navigate the digital world. The guide includes tips on how to address harassment and cyberbullying, avoid negative content and find supportive communities. &nbsp;Since its launch in October 2023, the guide has garnered thousands of digital impressions and hundreds of direct downloads. It was also mentioned in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ <a href="https://www.hhs.gov/programs/prevention-and-wellness/mental-health-substance-abuse/national-strategy-suicide-prevention/index.html">2024 National Strategy for Suicide Prevention</a> as an example of “What Success Looks Like” in specializing resources for particular communities.&nbsp;

The Impact of Digital Safe Spaces&nbsp;Charitable organizations like The Trevor Project are often at the frontlines of the struggle for LGBTQ+ equality. However, <a href="https://equitablegivinglab.org/LGBTQIndex/">research</a> shows that LGBTQ+ nonprofits in the U.S. receive less than $1 dollar out of every $500 donated. Our support helps their critical and often life-saving services remain available to the people who need them.&nbsp;For example, as part of our work with The Trevor Project, we provide technical assistance for <a href="https://www.trevorspace.org/">TrevorSpace</a>, an affirming online community for LGBTQ+ young people. Enhancing their experience and safety allows TrevorSpace to reach more people and share its resources more widely, creating a unique digital environment for queer young people to explore their identities, connect with their peers and get advice on the topics most relevant to them.&nbsp;&nbsp;“I just feel so understood,” said one TrevorSpace user, age 13-17. “I don’t feel like I need to explain anything; people are more than willing to accept me and ask all the right questions. I see someone going through what I am, and I know we’re all in this together. I am seen, and we are not alone.”&nbsp;For more information on our year-round efforts to promote LGBTQ+ inclusion and equality, visit our <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/us/en/social-impact/social-impact-report/">2024 Social Impact Report</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Gen creates inclusive online spaces for LGBTQ+ young people with The Trevor Project

Celebrating Pride Month

Young people from across the United States came together in San Diego in April for the <a href="https://lifesmarts.org/competitions/nationals/">2024 National LifeSmarts Championship</a>, an annual competition that allows middle and high school students to earn scholarships by demonstrating their critical thinking skills on real-world consumer issues.The four-day event is the culmination of the <a href="https://nclnet.org/">National Consumer League’s</a> LifeSmarts program, which provides free educational activities for teens to learn new skills in consumer rights and responsibilities, the environment, health and safety, personal finance and technology.&nbsp;Norton, one of our leading Cyber Safety brands, was a Presenting Sponsor at the 2024 competition, and we contributed more than $100,000 to make Cyber Safety education a significant part of the event’s curriculum.&nbsp;Confronting the Dangers of Identity TheftOur support underwrote the LifeSmarts Identity Theft Essay Contest, which asked students to investigate the issue of identity theft, articulate its importance and proactively offer solutions. Of the 41 students who participated, five winners each received $1,000 scholarships, which we directly funded.&nbsp;“Identity theft is a serious crime that can have devastating consequences,” said Maria Huck, a high school senior from West Virginia who was one of the five winners of the essay contest. “When I was 18, I discovered that my mother had opened multiple credit cards in my name and had maxed them out without my knowledge. It’s a painful reminder that we must always be vigilant and protect ourselves, even from those we think we can trust the most.”&nbsp;The topic of Cyber Safety was also featured in the competition’s other challenges, with students answering questions about online threats, digital privacy and the importance of data protection.&nbsp;

Building an Inclusive EnvironmentWe also helped pave the way for new voices to take part in the competition in 2024. Our contributions to the LifeSmarts Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Initiative covered travel and expenses for 10 teams from Title-1 and under-resourced communities across the U.S. For many of them, this was their first time traveling out of their home states.&nbsp;Distributing Cyber Safety ToolsWe provided free licenses for Norton 360 Deluxe to the more than 350 students, coaches, alumni and coordinators who attended the Championship, representing 30 states and the District of Columbia. The donation marks our commitment to getting necessary Cyber Safety resources into the hands of those who need them most.Providing Year-Round SupportThe LifeSmarts program gives young people the chance to continue their learning throughout the school year, including state and local competitions and curriculum resources. Our support helps make Cyber Safety education a part of these programs, complementing our broader efforts to empower children, families and vulnerable communities with the tools they need to keep their digital lives safe and secure. For more information on how we do this, check out our work with <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/blog/impact/community/safer-internet-day-2024">Discovery Education</a>, <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/blog/impact/community/the-smart-talk-2023">the National PTA</a> and the <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/blog/impact/community/day-of-the-girl-2023">World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts</a>.&nbsp;

Norton sponsors 2024 National LifeSmarts Championship

Awarding Scholarships for Cyber Safety Skills

Today, we released our <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/us/en/social-impact/social-impact-report/">2024 Social Impact Report</a>, our latest record of the ways we bring together our team, passions and technology to support people and communities all over the world.&nbsp;&nbsp;Year in and year out, we see the real, positive impacts that our efforts make possible: our education and training programs provide Cyber Safety skills and tools to the people who need them most, our work with key partners makes the cybersecurity field more equitable and inclusive, and our team members consistently devote their time, energy and expertise to the causes that matter to them.&nbsp;

A core belief in our ability to make the world a better, safer place is at the heart of everything we do at Gen. In that spirit, we’re excited to share just a few highlights from our social impact programs, which we discuss in-depth in the report.&nbsp;&nbsp;Cyber Safety education and training&nbsp;In 2024, we reached more than 5.3 million people with Cyber Safety awareness and training, equipping youth, educators, families and vulnerable people with the skills they need to navigate their digital lives safely and with more confidence. For example, our work with <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/blog/impact/community/safer-internet-day-2024">Discovery Education</a> provides educators in grades 3-8 with lesson plans that build safe and healthy digital habits.&nbsp;&nbsp;We also donated Cyber Safety products to more than 9,750 nonprofits, protecting data for institutions that serve critical community functions. We worked with TechSoup and the <a href="https://nnedv.org/">National Network to End Domestic Violence</a> (NNEDV) to pilot a <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/blog/impact/community/product-donations-domestic-violence">product donation program</a> that provides survivors of domestic violence with free Norton products that help prevent technology-facilitated abuse.&nbsp; &nbsp;Our culture of giving&nbsp;55% of Gen team members participated in our Giving@Gen programs in 2024. That’s 30% higher than the Benevity industry benchmark, and it surpasses our internal goal of 40% participation. Our first <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/blog/impact/community/volunteer-week-2024">Global Volunteer Week</a> gathered more than 500 Gen team members for 1,300 hours of service.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Diversifying the tech workforce&nbsp;Women are chronically underrepresented in technology and cybersecurity fields. That’s why we work with organizations like <a href="https://www.czechitas.cz/en">Czechitas</a>, <a href="https://women4cyber.eu/">Women4Cyber</a> (W4C) and <a href="https://www.nasscomfoundation.org/">nasscom foundation</a> to provide women across Europe and India with skills training and career mentorship, setting them up for sustained success as they progress in these industries. In 2024, we posted nearly 200 job openings through Czechitas, W4C and other partners.&nbsp;&nbsp;Doing our part to protect the planet&nbsp;In 2024, we are proud to have achieved a 22% decrease in Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions through the consolidation of facilities and data centers, internal efficiencies and continued environmental initiatives. We deliver 98% of our products digitally, and less than 0.5% of the materials used in our global physical products contain plastic. Additionally, our Sustainable Home Improvement Program helped Gen team members complete 1,000 projects that made their homes more environmentally friendly.&nbsp;&nbsp;At Gen, our social impact efforts are embedded into what we offer as a company and help us make the digital world a safer place for everyone. Our teams are driving real impact around the world, and we invite you to read more in our <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/us/en/social-impact/social-impact-report/">2024 Social Impact Report.</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;

Powering Digital Freedom

Gen releases 2024 Social Impact Report

Today’s cybersecurity professionals face their fair share of challenges. From AI and phishing attacks to remote work and mobile security, the threat landscape is constantly evolving, and <a href="https://www.csoonline.com/article/657598/cybersecurity-workforce-shortage-reaches-4-million-despite-significant-recruitment-drive.html">studies</a> show that there aren’t enough cybersecurity experts available to meet these threats adequately.&nbsp;What’s more, the existing cybersecurity field is mostly <a href="https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/women-digital">white and male</a>, despite data from the latest <a href="https://www.isc2.org/Insights/2024/04/Women-in-Cybersecurity-Report-Inclusion-Advancement-Pay-Equity">ISC2 Cybersecurity Workforce Survey</a> that shows nearly 70% of cybersecurity professionals see inclusion as critical to their teams’ success. <a href="https://media.isc2.org/-/media/Project/ISC2/Main/Media/documents/research/ISC2_Cybersecurity_Workforce_Study_2023.pdf?rev=28b46de71ce24e6ab7705f6e3da8637e">Estimates</a> show that only 22% of the cybersecurity workforce in Europe is currently made up of women.&nbsp;That’s where we come in. In April 2024, Gen signed a <a href="https://digital-skills-jobs.europa.eu/en/inspiration/pledges/closing-cybersecurity-gender-gap-through-mentoring-women">Pledge to the European Commission Digital Skills and Jobs Platform</a> to help close the gender gap in the tech sector and train more women for success in cybersecurity fields. Through our longstanding partnership with Women4Cyber, we will support free mentorship to 1,000 women across Europe by April 2025. Together, we have also set a goal for 15% of each mentorship cohort to consist of women from underrepresented backgrounds.&nbsp;&nbsp;“As a global leader in consumer Cyber Safety, Gen has a mission to create solutions that enable people to navigate their digital lives safely, privately and confidently,” said Gen CEO Vincent Pilette. “As part of this mission, we are also deeply invested in closing the cybersecurity skills and talent gap in the European Union and globally. We highly value the opportunity to join forces with other organizations through Women4Cyber &nbsp;to support women in improving their cybersecurity skills and the advancement of their careers at all levels.” &nbsp;Empowering Women to Succeed in Cybersecurity&nbsp;Gen will carry out our pledge through our exclusive sponsorship of the <a href="https://women4cyber.eu/mentorship-programmes-2/">Women4Cyber Mentoring Programme</a>, which is open to women of all experience levels. The program pairs mentees with Gen and other corporate mentors for a six-month training program that covers skills development and career progression. Additional features include networking opportunities, supplementary webinars and more.&nbsp;&nbsp;Our Pledge raises the profile of our partnership with Women4Cyber, which began in 2022 and includes an investment of $150,000 annually for three years. Since the start of our work together, the organization has mentored nearly 700 European women, many of whom were mentored directly by Gen team members. Hundreds more have attended Women4Cyber events, webinars and the annual W4C Conference.&nbsp; &nbsp;Anyone looking to sign up as a mentor or mentee should <a href="https://women4cyber.eu/mentorship-programmes-2/">bookmark this page</a>. The next cohort will open in the fall.&nbsp;Driving Industry-Wide Change&nbsp;As part of the pledge, Gen will also lead two public, virtual roundtable discussions about women in the IT sector more broadly, raising awareness of the critical need for change in the industry and the opportunities for growth that inclusion provides. This issue has long been a strategic focus for Gen, as demonstrated by our work with organizations such as <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/blog/impact/community/cybersecurity-awareness-month-2023">Czechitas</a> and <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/blog/impact/community/india-impact-women-2023">nasscom foundation</a>, which promote the upskilling of women with cyber skills in the Czech Republic and India, respectively.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“I’m thrilled that we are able to continue our collaboration with Gen under the banner of an official Pledge on the EU Cybersecurity Skills Academy,” said Nina Olesen, Chief Operating Officer, Women4Cyber. “With the help of experienced mentors and dedicated networking activities, women will be equipped with the tools to navigate their journey in cybersecurity while opening doors within the job market. I hope that the program will serve as a catalyst for mentorship and onboarding of young talent in cyber at scale.”&nbsp;

Gen will support women to grow their skills and advance their careers 

Gen Pledges to Help Close the Gender Gap in Europe’s Cybersecurity Industry

Corporate Responsibility 

More than 500 Gen team members from ten countries came together in April for our first ever Global Volunteer Week, five full days of service that positively impacted people in communities around the world. This week-long volunteering campaign grew out of the success of our inaugural <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/blog/impact/community/gen-volunteer-day-2023">Global Volunteer Day</a>, held in 2023.&nbsp;&nbsp;This year, from April 8-12, team members at 14 sites across three continents took part in virtual and in-person opportunities that spanned a wide range of impact areas, including using skills to&nbsp;mentor diverse students, applying Cyber Safety knowledge to support seniors and families, delivering resources to underserved groups, protecting our environment and more.&nbsp;&nbsp;Gen team members logged more than 1,300 service hours in just one week, giving of their skills, time and energy to the people in our communities who need them most and continuing to demonstrate the culture of giving that informs our operations year-round.&nbsp;&nbsp;Promoting Cyber Safety for All Ages&nbsp;Gen team members in Dublin, Prague and Mountain View created digital literacy educational materials for seniors, parents, children and young people, providing necessary skills for people of all ages to stay safe online. Employees also met virtually with job seekers from all over the world to offer career advice and guidance.&nbsp;&nbsp;Giving Students the Resources They Need&nbsp;Throughout Global Volunteer Week, our teams were heavily invested in helping the educators and schools in our communities continue their critical work. More than 630 kits, cards and resources&nbsp;were created by volunteers and distributed to support students, teachers, homeless individuals, foster youth, at-risk families and sick children all around the globe, including:&nbsp;<ul><li>In Tempe, employees partnered with <a href="https://www.accel.org/">ACCEL</a> and <a href="https://bhghaz.org/">Boys Hope Girls Hope of Arizona</a> to mentor students with disabilities and assembled college care packages for young people about to enter the next phase of their academic careers.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>The Plano site partnered with <a href="https://bikesforgoodnesssake.org/">Bikes for Goodness Sake</a> and <a href="https://www.fosterlove.com/">Foster Love </a>to assemble bicycles for children in the community and birthday boxes for children in the Texas foster care system.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Team members in Belgrade, Serbia, and Chennai, India, created school supply kits for students in care homes and schools, providing necessary tools to help further their education.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li></ul>Additionally, Gen worked with <a href="https://www.storypirates.com/">Story Pirates</a>, an organization that encourages children in under-resourced communities to express themselves creatively, to create a website where employees from all over the world could read children’s stories and give positive feedback.&nbsp; &nbsp;Beautifying Our Communities&nbsp;Environmental service opportunities were among our most popular this year, with ten events dedicated to opportunities to clean up local parks, neighborhoods, community gardens and more:&nbsp;<ul><li>Mountain View employees built native bee houses, learned about local pollinators and staffed a farm shift at the&nbsp; <a href="https://veggielution.org/">Veggielution</a> community farm in San Jose.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Team members in Prague, London, Bucharest and Tettnang, Germany, participated in neighborhood clean ups and community gardens.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>The Pune, India, and Brno, Czech Republic, sites planted trees in their communities.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Dublin team members volunteered with <a href="https://www.owls.ie/">OWLS</a>, a children’s nature charity, to create an engaging woodland space for after school programming.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Employees in Chennai worked with <a href="https://bhumi.ngo/">Bhumi</a> to beautify a local school and increase green cover by making 2,000+ sustainable seed balls that will be planted across Chennai.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li></ul>Reaching Out to People in Need&nbsp;Additional projects served some of the world’s most vulnerable communities:&nbsp;<ul><li>In Prague and Brno, employees took part in <a href="https://www.missingmaps.org/">Missing Maps</a>, a project from the Red Cross that maps areas where humanitarian organizations can help people who live at risk of disasters and crises.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>In Toronto, volunteers packed wellness kits for people experiencing homelessness.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>In Prague, team members cleaned <a href="https://palata.cz/">Palata</a>, a nearby home for the visually impaired.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Tokyo team members learned more about the experiences of refugees and ways to offer support with <a href="https://rei-npo.org/en/">Refugee Empowerment International</a>.&nbsp;</li></ul>&nbsp;Virtually, employees worked with <a href="https://afft.org.za/">Africa Food for Thought</a> to make heartfelt cards for children from under-resourced communities.&nbsp;Check out the video below to see all the cities that were able to make a difference during our first Global Volunteer Week.&nbsp;&nbsp;

More than 1,300 volunteer hours were devoted and 33 nonprofits around the world were supported 

Gen Supports Local Communities During Global Volunteer Week

Corporate Responsibility Manager

Imagine a world where gender equality isn't just a distant dream but a reality — a world where biases, stereotypes and discrimination are relics of the past. A world where diversity is valued and celebrated, every voice is heard and every achievement is recognized. We strive for this vision as we celebrate International Women's Day and Women's History Month.This year's theme underscores the importance of fostering a world that is diverse, equitable and inclusive – a world where differences are not just accepted but embraced. It’s a day to raise awareness about the ongoing struggles for gender equality and to take action to drive meaningful change.Building a new talent pipeline&nbsp;Through partnerships with organizations like&nbsp;<a href="https://women4cyber.eu/">Women4Cyber</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.czechitas.cz/">Czechitas</a>, we work to expand cybersecurity skills among women and close the gender gap that still exists throughout the global tech sector.&nbsp;&nbsp;One of the best ways to reach those goals is mentorship. Women4Cyber’s Mentorship programs are designed to help women advance their careers in cybersecurity and IT. Mentors, all of whom are working tech professionals, spend six months meeting regularly with their mentees to provide personal and professional guidance, share their experiences, and help mentees identify and achieve career goals. Since 2021, Women4Cyber has matched more than 300 mentors from across Europe with more than 500 women just starting in their cybersecurity careers.&nbsp;&nbsp;Czechitas, another one of our nonprofit partners, provides reskilling and technical education programs for women in the Czech Republic. The organization engages working tech professionals and experts to lead their intensive long-term courses. Tech professionals also provide mentorship, advice and guidance for enrolled students as they work on their own projects.&nbsp;&nbsp;Both organizations help to ensure that the future of the tech industry is a more inclusive one, with women having equal access to skills-building and career opportunities in cybersecurity and beyond.&nbsp;&nbsp;Among those mentors are Gen team members, who have year-round opportunities to participate in these organizations’ mentorship programs. On February 13, Women4Cyber hosted a Speed Mentoring event to connect junior professionals working in cybersecurity with Gen experts. Each mentee had four one-on-one conversations with different team members, offering them a chance to gain well-rounded guidance to navigate their careers in the cybersecurity industry. &nbsp;

Later in March, Czechitas, and the Gen Corporate Responsibility and DEI teams, and our WONDER Community, will host a webinar on the future of work and technology, and the future of women in STEM.&nbsp;

Advocating for women&nbsp;At Gen, advocating for women is a year-round effort. We're always supporting women, and we pay extra attention to helping them succeed in tech because that's what we're good at.&nbsp;One example of this success is Leyla Bilge, Director of Scam Research Labs. She’s made cybersecurity her life since starting in computer science at the age of 18. After an internship with our company, she took on a full-time role. Twelve years later, she’s made tremendous waves as a Gen leader.&nbsp;When asked about setting goals, she spoke frankly saying, “I never actually set goals because I always thought I could never achieve them. Then, at one turning point, I finally realized I could&nbsp;achieve them.”&nbsp;Leyla set abstract goals for herself; she wanted to apply a different leadership style that’s not so common – she wanted to be an egoless manager, leading by motivation and making ambition contagious. She saw the results.Recently, she was recognized for her work at the&nbsp;<a href="https://seramount.com/about-us/seramount-news-and-press/searmount-reveals-the-2023-women-of-excellence-for-their-commitment-to-advancing-women/">Seramount 2023 Women of Excellence Awards</a>&nbsp;and was named STEM Steward. The awards honor women who are committed to their own success while selflessly mentoring and championing other women. And Leyla was a perfect example of this.A message to others: Set goals that aren’t the most obvious or common. We can achieve them. Don’t be afraid to apply for awards or submit papers to academic conferences. That’s how we earn the recognition we deserve. And do what you can to uplift women, no matter what gender you are. &nbsp;The work continues&nbsp;Our work is far from over. Discrimination, bias, and inequality persist in various forms. We must continue to challenge these injustices and work towards gender parity in all aspects of life. We must support and uplift each other, amplifying the voices of marginalized people and advocating for policies that promote equality.Inclusion means that all actions taken on International Women's Day are valid. Whether participating in marches and rallies, organizing educational events or having conversations about gender equality. Every effort contributes to the larger goal of building a more inclusive world.As we come together to celebrate International Women's Day and Women's History Month, let the achievements of women inspire us. Let us raise awareness about discrimination and take action to drive gender parity. Together, we can forge a future where every person, regardless of gender, can thrive and succeed.&nbsp;Let’s continue to #InspireInclusion.

Building a more inclusive future

Celebrating International Women's Day: From Empowerment to Action

<a href="https://saferinternetday.us/">Safer Internet Day</a> is here again. For 21 years, the campaign has empowered people everywhere to use technology responsibly, respectfully, critically and creatively—especially students and young people.&nbsp;&nbsp;Gen understands the importance of building good digital habits early. That’s why Norton, a leader in consumer Cyber Safety and part of Gen, partnered with <a href="https://www.discoveryeducation.com/">Discovery Education</a> the worldwide education technology leader nurturing student curiosity and supporting educators. In 2023, we created <a href="https://mydigitallife.discoveryeducation.com/">My Digital Life</a>. This program, designed for educators in grades 3-8, features lesson plans, videos and interactive tools aligned to learning standards and meant to address the sorts of issues young people face online, things like cyberbullying, privacy risks, misinformation, viruses and scams.&nbsp;In just a few months since its launch, My Digital Life has proven to be a favorite amongst many Discovery Education educators across the country, helping kids learn how to be positive digital citizens.&nbsp;<h2>What Is My Digital Life?&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>My Digital Life is available to all on <a href="https://mydigitallife.discoveryeducation.com/">mydigitallife.discoveryeducation.com</a> and to users of Discovery Education Experience, the company’s award-winning K-12 learning platform. The resources encourage responsible online decision-making by teaching students common warning signs about viruses or scams, how to stay safe on social media and gaming apps, and the basics of digital privacy. Norton helped design these resources and they are refreshed regularly, making sure they stay current on the latest cyber threats and best practices.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>What Has Its Impact Been?&nbsp; &nbsp;</h2>Elementary and middle school educators in the U.S. have embraced My Digital Life. “I have been sharing this with my fourth and fifth graders,” wrote one teacher. “They have been really engaged, as it seems to nail that intangible magical mix: fun to watch for middle-graders, not too baby-ish/uncool, AND educational.” Another wrote, “This is so important!”, while another added, “Should be part of every classroom! It is essential to learn as a thinking skill!”&nbsp;Between September and December 2023, teachers brought the My Digital Life platform to more than 102,000 students in 47 states and 712 school districts, 62% of which were Title I schools.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>What’s Next?&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>In 2024, My Digital Life has <a href="https://mydigitallife.discoveryeducation.com/pages/783b7abf-2489-4685-b6ff-634da5e8b99a">recently expanded</a> into to schools in the U.K. The partnership with Discovery Education will also launch a new component called Career Connect, in which Gen team members can find skills-based volunteering opportunities and connect directly with teachers and students.&nbsp;&nbsp;We also continue to drive Cyber Safety education for children and families around the world. Examples include <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/blog/impact/community/the-smart-talk-2023">The Smart Talk</a>, which helps families have open, positive, ongoing conversations about digital safety, our <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/blog/impact/community/day-of-the-girl-2023">Surf Smart 2.0</a> program, a collaboration with the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, and the <a href="https://www.thetrevorproject.org/resources/guide/online-safety-for-lgbtq-young-people/">Guide to Online Safety for LGBTQ+ Young People</a>, created in partnership with <a href="https://www.thetrevorproject.org/">The Trevor Project</a>, the leading suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ+ young people.&nbsp;