At CrossCountry, we believe in the power of education and mentorship to inspire future leaders. That’s why we are proud to partner with Junior Achievement (JA), a global nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring and preparing young students for success in a rapidly evolving world. 

Through hands-on experiences, they focus on three key aspects: financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship. By connecting students with volunteers, JA creates opportunities for students to gain practical knowledge and envision their future careers. 

As a national JA partner, CrossCountry is supporting 10 markets nationally, as well as globally in Canada, Ireland, and South Africa. Our New York office recently volunteered at JA’s Finance Park program, which featured employees teaching students about budgeting plans and financial responsibilities. The CrossCountry team guided students through an interactive exercise that taught them about paying for housing, car payments, investing strategies, and daily consumer necessities. These real-life financial scenarios helped students learn critical skills such as managing a budget, making informed spending decisions, and navigating the challenges of financial planning. 

Our team left inspired, and the students felt more informed, equipped with a newfound skillset and a sense of possibility. One student shared, “I never thought about an emergency fund or a retirement plan. I need to plan and make sure I have one when I start working.” 

We look forward to continuing our volunteer efforts in other markets. Our goal is to inspire more students and deepen our community impact. By fostering a culture of belonging, curiosity, and excellence, we are investing in a bright future for all. 

“Volunteering with JA was a great way to give back to the community and support the future generations. The students were excited and engaged during the activities, asking us thoughtful questions and about our past experiences. I was thrilled to contribute to such a meaningful impact and giving students knowledge and advice I wish I had at that time, I can’t wait to do it again!” – Tabia Talukder, Senior Consultant, Business Transformation

“I believe that even a small act of kindness extends the planet is a step toward healing. By caring for the planet, we are taking steps toward a healthier future for ourselves and the generations to come.” – Kyle Kruger, Senior Consultant, Risk Advisory

“My favorite part of the day was connecting with my colleagues while engaging in sustainability practices. Bonding over our collective efforts to contribute to sustainability highlighted the value of teamwork and collaboration, showing how working together can make a lasting difference.” – Ashleigh Langton, Senior Consultant, Risk Advisory

Learn more about our ESG commitments, and view our report outlining our approach, and how we implement it throughout our organization.

This year, CrossCountry set out to instill a firm-wide Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program that aligns with our corporate objectives for people, culture, and growth, and would enable us to make a more substantial and measurable impact.

In order for this program to be successful, it was imperative that we partner with a reputable national organization that aligns with our corporate priorities and core values, and offers volunteer opportunities in all of our national markets, as well as globally.

For these reasons, we are proud to partner with Junior Achievement (JA), whose goal is to inspire, provide, and prepare young people to thrive in a global economy. This partnership gives us the opportunity to serve underrepresented communities through financial literacy programs across our national markets including Washington, D.C., Boston, Chicago, Dallas, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle, as well as globally in: Vancouver, Canada; Dublin, Ireland; and Johannesburg, South Africa.

Our sponsorship of JA is driven by the belief that financial literacy is crucial for the success of children of all backgrounds and communities. This initiative is part of our broader effort to empower underrepresented individuals through education, work and career readiness, entrepreneurship, and to foster overall inclusivity.

We believe that giving back and dedicating time to volunteer work can significantly benefit our communities and create a meaningful impact. We are honored to partner with Junior Achievement as we contribute to the financial education of young students, helping to bridge the gap to foster a more equitable future for everyone.

As part of our ongoing efforts to support local communities, CrossCountry Consulting participated in the Junior Achievement (JA) Volunteer Summit in Washington, D.C., which featured a thought leadership luncheon and the presentation of the U.S. Presidents Volunteer Service Awards.

One hundred JA students took part in the JA National Student Leadership Summit (NSLS). These students, representing the top 15 student start-ups and the 10 most innovative social impact business ideas from across the country, competed for national honors and celebrated the spirit of entrepreneurship. On June 10, several CrossCountry employees had the opportunity to judge the Entrepreneurship Expo event, which engaged congressional members and the general public. JA students set up interactive booths and presented key facts from their companies and JA learning experiences, including information about their products and financials.

During the summit, we also received an update from Junior Achievement USA and learned about research results on Gen Z and the new volunteer landscape. Following this presentation, CrossCountry participated in a table discussion led by JA USA staff.

JA’s mission is to inspire and prepare young people by bridging the gap between classroom learning and real-world applications. They strive to foster a sense of possibility, helping students envision and create a better tomorrow. We are proud to sponsor this organization and excited to be part of a team that fosters a dynamic sense of belonging.

In 2023, CrossCountry was proud to partner with Compass Pro Bono to offer unique opportunities for our employees to use their professional expertise to make an impact on the nonprofit community in Greater Washington, D.C. and beyond.

Compass Pro Bono connects business professionals to local nonprofit organizations through volunteer consulting engagements and nonprofit board service where they gain invaluable experience, leverage existing skills, build new ones, and grow professional networks.

Our employee volunteers were placed on curated teams of volunteers to complete a four-month business strategy consulting project for a local nonprofit. They consulted on strategic analysis and managed project teams, client relationships, presentations, and stakeholder interviews. Some of the activities performed included market research, benchmarking, evaluating current and historical revenue streams, organizational assessments, SWOT analyses, organizational operations assessments, and donor data analyzing.

What was our impact?

We are proud to announce the outstanding results of CrossCountry’s 2023 Days of Giving campaign. This initiative was aimed at supporting global cancer organizations, and through the generosity and dedication of our team, we’ve made a significant impact.

Running from October 2-13, 2023, we partnered with global cancer organizations to support the vision of ending cancer as we know it. The tragic loss of our very own Amy Seibel, our former CFO, earlier in the year brought awareness and opportunity to support the leading cancer-fighting organization, the American Cancer Society, and its international branches, to the forefront of our minds. Cancer is a global concern, and the second leading cause of deaths worldwide. 

Over the two-week period, our employees donated to the American Cancer Society and partnering international branches Cancer Association of South Africa, Irish Cancer Society, and Canadian Cancer Society; CrossCountry provided a company match to the employee donations at the end of the campaign. Additionally, across our six U.S. offices, we assembled more than 500 care packages to be distributed to cancer patients around the country, while our South Africa colleagues arranged a food drive in November, and our Irish colleagues planned a donation drive for their local cancer organizations.

Together, we raised over $10,000, helping to contribute to scientific breakthroughs, supporting cancer patients, and joining the fight against this deadly disease. In this fight against cancer, we’re stronger together.

As part of our continuing effort to support local communities, not only here in the U.S., but also globally, CrossCountry Consulting and our employees work to help provide time and financial contributions to diverse organizations that target various aspects of humanitarian and philanthropic work through our annual Day of Service and giving campaign period.

In October 2022, we combined these campaigns into one: The Days of Giving. Over two weeks, we raised funds for The Trevor Project, a nonprofit organization focused on suicide prevention efforts among LGBTQ youths, and Feeding America, a nonprofit network of 200 food banks leading the fight against hunger in the United States, and concluded with employees from 13 office hubs gathering in person to support food pantries around the world.

Over 150 employees from Boston, Cape Town, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Dublin, Houston, Johannesburg, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, D.C. participated, resulting in over 560 hours of service. Throughout the two weeks, we surpassed our firm goal and exceeded the number of volunteer hours as compared to the previous year.

“At CrossCountry we are passionate about helping those in need,” said Neil Smith, Partner and Advisory Practice Lead. “This year we wanted to make an even bigger impact by working with two amazing organizations – one that helps ensure equitable access to nutritious food and one that supports LGBTQIA+ youth. Thank you to everyone who gave and who volunteered their time!”