- Although we may think of tech company headquarters as large campuses in suburban areas, many such organizations set up shop in metropolitan areas, capturing a large section of that area’s workforce, political will, and real estate. Even on the smaller scale, with startups, these offices are overwhelmingly placed in “creative-class” neighborhoods, “accentuating” class divides. Rather than isolating their staff with special services, such companies could consider local investment – consulting with the local DOT to improve public transit, equitably provide benefits to their service staff as they do their “knowledge workers”, and assisting with the supply of affordable housing.
- These kinds of progressive initiatives would involve the company itself, municipal transportation and housing departments, civil advocates, local non-profits, consulting companies, and perhaps regional representatives.
- The first step would be to take a sort of litmus test, each city is different, so where could a company make the most difference in terms of the funds that they have available and the willingness of a department to accept their external involvement. Next a work plan would need to be prepared, to what extent would the company be involved, will they be a part of the decision making process of service providers, will they be sponsoring any contracts? Finally, how will the company be involved in the longevity and maintenance of this project? Do they continue to have a heavy hand or just slap their name on the final product?
Big Tech Ought to Step Up for Cities, from CityLab
An Investment In Public Transportation Is An Investment In The Future, Cognoscenti
