Global Volunteering Policy

The Thornton Tomasetti “Gives Back” program provides eligible employees with paid time off and other support for volunteering and organizes the firm’s community service initiatives under one umbrella.

Purpose

TT’s “Gives Back” is a program that aims at increasing and enhancing our opportunities for community service. The program provides employees with paid-time and other support for providing service hours to disadvantaged people and communities and for mentoring school children. 

TT’s “Gives Back” includes three areas of service: 

1. TT Gives Back to the next generation of AEC professionals.
2. TT Gives Back to the communities where we live and work.
3. TT Gives Back by sharing our AEC skills with the most disadvantaged. 

For the purposes of this policy, the following definitions will apply:

• Volunteer Days - Firm paid time for community service in your region.
• Scope - This policy applies to all Thornton Tomasetti employees.
   

Requirements

Volunteer Days 

Thornton Tomasetti “Gives Back” to the communities where we live and work. Continuing FT employees who have worked for the firm at least three months are eligible for a maximum of 16 volunteer hours annually. PT employees are eligible for a prorated number of hours based on their schedule. These can be fully scheduled days or used in increments and must be approved by your manager.

These hours can be used for general community service, including anything from volunteering at a soup kitchen to helping at a local animal shelter. Please consider providing service to disadvantaged people and communities in your region. 

Although not a requirement, employees are encouraged to engage in volunteerism with a group of co-workers from their office and if possible, to partner with another firm for business development opportunities. Of course, volunteer time is meant for time during your regular work week, not time off, though that should not keep you from volunteering for a good cause on your time off! It is not for pro-bono work, or service on a professional committee. These are valuable things to do, but not “volunteer time.” 

Please be certain you select a volunteer activity that does not conflict with Thornton Tomasetti’s nondiscrimination policy or have an expressly political or religious advocacy purpose. As examples, working on a political campaign is not an appropriate use of volunteer time. However, volunteering at the election polls is allowable if it is non-partisan in nature.

ACE Mentoring [Canada and US] 

Thornton Tomasetti gives back to the next generation of AEC professionals. The ACE Mentorship Program, which was founded by Charles Thornton, reflects our commitment to supporting STEM education and growing the future generation of AEC professionals. The ACE Mentor Program of America, Inc. (ACE) provides mentors to high school students, inspiring them to pursue careers in design and construction. 

Thornton Tomasetti contributes to the program by providing mentors. If you are interested in serving as a mentor to ACE, you may assign up to half (about 15 hours) of your mentoring hours as paid. Your ACE mentor time is supported, independent of Volunteer Days taken. The ACE Mentor Program only operates in the U.S. and Toronto.

International Service Project 

Thornton Tomasetti Gives Back by sharing our AEC skills with the most disadvantaged. Thornton Tomasetti Gives Back offers opportunities for you to apply your AEC skills in some of the most disadvantaged regions of the world. This program offers support for at least one international service project each year for a multi-office team of employees. 

You can apply to join a Thornton Tomasetti team traveling to assist a disadvantaged community in collaboration with an international service organization like Bridges to Prosperity. Teams will receive financial support that includes project sponsorship, travel costs and some paid time off.