The team at Sol is heart-broken by the recent murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery. While it should not take murder to elicit meaningful, lasting change, we are embracing the opportunity to listen, learn, and grow, both as individuals and as a team. We stand with those that fight against injustice towards the black community not just because it is convenient, but because it is necessary for the rest of our lives and for future generations.
We
know for a fact that good intentions must be backed by action.
Sol commits to the
following:
Organizational Assessment – We commit to listening with compassion and taking concrete steps to implement feedback. We will learn more about the ways prejudice resides in individuals, teams, and institutions. We will be candid with ourselves and look to reform the image in the mirror.
Committing to Change in the Industry – We support the work of organizations like The Solar Foundation and SEIA in the realm of diversity and inclusion. We will continue to find ways to innovate how our industry supports and celebrates the black community.
Financial Investment – We are not experts on how to solve systemic bias, but there are talented entrepreneurs and political leaders committing themselves to addressing the problem of systemic injustice and racism faced by the black community. Sol has established a minimum annual fund of $50,000 to invest in under-resourced communities and especially black communities.
Continued Growth – We built this company on a vision of bold innovation and seamless collaboration. It powers our business, our people, and our leadership in the solar energy industry. We are a company of big ideas and real results, doing work that matters. We care deeply about creating a safe environment where everyone has a voice to lead and impact. We will not let the murder of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless other black people be in vain. We are committed to using our resources to ensure that we honor, protect, and celebrate all black lives.
In
this moment and in the future, black lives especially matter and demand our
compassion and attention. We will continue to strengthen our communities by
standing up against police brutality, racism, and injustice. We aren’t afraid
of the challenges that lay ahead; if we were, we wouldn’t have built this
company.
We send
our love to so many of you who are in anguish right now. While we may not know your personal pain, this pains us too.
Black lives matter. Black children matter. Black futures matter.
Business as Unusual: One Company’s Story of Adapt and Adopt Part 2 (of 3): Culture, Family, and Love
Company Culture |
By William Patterson
At
a time when all of us need the support of our friends and families to cope with
the impacts of COVID-19, we also find ourselves isolated. Fortunately, thanks
to 2020 technology, digital portals offer new and creative ways to keep
connected to our families, friends, and coworkers so none of us feel alone.
In
part one of our “Business as Unusual” series about how one company, Sol, is
adapting, we shared tools
and methods for being productive as we push toward continued company and
industry growth. For part two, we’d like to shift gears and share ways we are
engaging our community and connecting with each other, preserving what makes
Sol so special.
Game Night – Kate
Brandus – Director, SREC Asset Management
In late March, I had a game night with my cousins using the "Houseparty"
app. This was my first time doing a virtual game night, but it ended up being
ton of fun! Prior to the COVID crisis, Sol Systems would host game nights every
month or so, and they were always a great time and good for team building. So I
decided to bring the game I played with my cousins to my coworkers and host our
first virtual game night.
The game night ended
up being a lot of fun and provided me with an opportunity to bond with
colleagues after work that I normally wouldn't have had the opportunity to.
Intranet Channels –
Ann Sweitzer – Human Resources Director
When we transitioned
to a remote work environment in early March due to COVID-19, one question that
we wanted to address was, “How do we
maintain our culture and employee morale in a remote environment?” What
makes Sol a special place is our people and we wanted to ensure that everyone
felt connected and engaged even though we were no longer together in the
office. We got creative and implemented various virtual sessions including
coffee meetings, morning mindfulness, evening happy hours, yoga, lunch time
roundtables, book clubs, etc., to keep the team engaged.
It was important for
us to be inclusive of all so we also used the platform Microsoft Teams to
foster communication in a remote setting and created channels Working While Parenting, Mental Health &
Wellbeing, and other groups. Channels are built around a topic where you
can hold meetings, having conversations and share resources. We also created
the Sol Hub in SharePoint as a landing page for company events, project wins,
special life events, COVID-19 related news and general team resources.
We’re continuing to
think of ideas on how we can foster our Sol culture in a remote workforce.
During this challenging time with unprecedented change and uncertainty, it is
more important than ever that our team feels supported, engaged and connected.
Sourdough Roundtable
– Sandhya Mahadevan – Business Development Senior Associate
The
thing I miss the most about being in the office is being around people I care
about and catching up on their lives. We have an extremely caring and social
culture at the office, and something everyone can connect to is food. Before
COVID, coworkers often brought in treats to share with the office, whether they
be home-made or from travel. Now in isolation, an extra focus on cooking has
become a welcome distraction, and our team has naturally been chatting more
about our culinary creations even if we can’t physically share food with one
another.
As
someone who is extremely new to bread-baking, I had questions and knew a few
people who were seasoned bakers. I collected questions in advance and sent them
to my “panelists” in preparation for a Q&A session about sourdough that we
held over video chat. People really enjoyed it, and at the very least, I
learned some new tips for my sourdough technique. I may try to host another
roundtable in the next month, potentially on coffee. Similar to sourdough, I’m
no expert on coffee, but I’m curious, and I need something to obsess over
besides washing my hands.
Sol’s coffee culture
runs deep. At any given hour in Sol’s history, two or more people are sure to
be connecting on business, family, or just fun matters over a cup of joe. In
fact, the coffee connection is so important to our bonds that it’s incorporated
into onboarding for new team members. Whether they enjoy java or prefer another
beverage, a full line-up of coffee chats is scheduled to kick off their Sol
careers with a full cup.
Fast forward to 2020
stay at home. From day one of the company starting to work 100% remotely, we
formalized and reinforced our coffee culture to maintain our community
connections even when telecommuting.
We booked team coffee
chats, at first daily, and then 2-3 times a week via Teams video. We have
actually connected even more often and more broadly through our virtual coffee
chats. We tackle any concerns if they come up, plan out the day, meet our
teammates children, dogs, and cats, and get virtual home tours.
Turns out the Sol
coffee culture is a cornerstone of our resilience toolbox as we work together
to reduce the impacts of COVID-19 on our business and in our communities.
Business Book Club –
Mike Gibson – Chief Technology Officer
Self-improvement and professional development are very important to the members of the Sol Systems team. I myself am a fan of the aphorism "a rising tide lifts all boats" - the more we can develop our individual talents and understanding of their application to our business, the better we'll perform and the more good we can do as an organization. To help in "raising the tide," we started a Business Book Club at Sol. The club is open to all members of the Sol Systems team, regardless of position or title. Each month, the club sponsors a discussion of a business or management book and its application to our work at Sol.
Thanks to the fantastic suite of Office 365 products from Microsoft, the club hasn't skipped a beat during the shift to remote work - meetings have moved from the conference room to Microsoft Teams, and participation has remained steady. With these tools, we're able to collaborate as if nothing has changed, and continue to maintain a level of personal interaction that we otherwise might have lost.
ABOUT SOL SYSTEMS
Sol Systems is a leading national solar energy firm with an established reputation for integrity and reliability across its development, infrastructure and environmental commodity businesses.To date, Sol has developed and/or financed over 850 MW of solar projects valued at more than $1 billion for Fortune 100 companies, municipalities, counties, utilities, universities and schools. The company also actively shapes and trades in environmental commodity and electricity markets throughout the United States. The company was founded in 2008, is based in Washington D.C, and is led by its founder. Sol Systems works with its team, partners, and clients to create a more sustainable future we can all believe in. For more information: www.solsystems.com
Business as Unusual: One Company’s Story of Adapt and Adopt Part 1 (of 3): Productivity Tools that Work So We Can
Company Culture |
By Jamie Nolan
Here we are, all of us together, arguably facing the
biggest challenge, threat, and opportunity of our lives. Emotions of disbelief,
or maybe fear and grief, are giving way to ingenuity and perseverance. As the
ground shifts under our feet, so do our priorities.
Just as many of you have shared your tips and
inspirations to push forward and stay connected, the Sol team would like to
share what we are doing to make the company, team, and ourselves individually,
even stronger.
We hope you find new ideas and resources you can use
from this three-part series of what and how Sol is adapting in real time to be
as, if not more, productive and connected as ever. Together, we will achieve
our 2020 goals, and come out on the other side even more able.
Tom Griffin, Development Engineer
“We have both business analysts and engineers using Helioscope for high level project assessment. It allows those with little to no technical background to effectively assess a project site. If the project looks like it may be worth something, it typically then gets a deeper dive from someone on the engineering team before any numbers are put in front of the customer. Because Helioscope is cloud-based, it enables real-time collaboration, sharing of designs and work products, and for other teammates, to access deliverables remotely so they can monitor the status of design efforts.”
Jill Rathke, Business Development Analyst
“When working remotely, agendas sent around in advance are particularly useful for collaboration in meetings with large numbers of attendees, especially in Microsoft Teams! The agenda allows for easier delegation, more smooth transitions (especially if attendees can send a Teams chat to stay included in discussion without interruption), and makes it easier for the meeting leader to efficiently get through all discussion topics. Also, remote work makes virtual meetings an important opportunity for social interaction. I add an agenda item at the beginning or end of a meeting for catching-up, sharing a story, bringing a pet or child to say hi, etc., because this not only provides structure to the meeting, it prioritizes the space to foster the colleague friendships that make Sol Systems such a fun place to work.”
Rob Pierno, Business Development Manager
“LinkPoint is spectacular and a huge time saver. The
Business Development team at Sol Systems uses LinkPoint to upload outgoing
emails and automatically log all incoming emails to the corresponding
Salesforce Account. It saves the team time and prevents user error from
forgetting to log important communications in our CRM.”
Rob’s quarantine highlight has been witnessing his daughter take her first steps
Sandhya Mahadevan, Business Development Senior Associate
“Our customer relationship management (CRM) tool, Salesforce, provides our sales with visibility into customer-specific information in a centralized location. We use it to track project-specific information like the customer’s annual electricity usage, price of power, and preferred contract term length. This type of information helps the team design the right type of system and contract structure for the customer. It saves me a lot of time by clearly outlining next steps on an opportunity. Rather than having to search through my emails or tap a co-worker on the shoulder, I can easily see if someone has assigned me a task in Salesforce. Salesforce is expressly designed as an online tool because sales teams are often spread out geographically to be closer to the customers they serve, so it’s working seamlessly for our team while we’re working from home. ”
Adam Polis, Performance Engineer
“I’m a big fan of the “Linkclump”
extension in Chrome. It enables the user to be able to open up to 20 tabs at
once with one click. I use it for opening all of my sites at the same time. I
also use it when going through annual reports where I have to open a ton of
pictures at the same time. I’m using it even more now that we’re all working
remotely. It’s a small tool that makes a huge difference.”
Brenda Cordero, Project Coordinator
“Our project management platform, Procore, is indispensable to our team because it gives us one area to manage nearly every aspect of the project lifecycle, including engineering drawings, submissions, punch list items, and other action items. We were able to customize this to best fit our team and project processes. This allows us to easily share information with new hires joining our team, and how to best share information with third party project managers, construction managers, and contractors. We have been using this tool with remote workers for more than two years, so it’s an integral tool for us now that our entire team is working from different locations.”
*Disclaimer: These tools are not formally endorsed by Sol Systems, nor did we earn any kind of compensation for including them here. Opinions expressed are specific to the noted team members.
ABOUT SOL SYSTEMS
Sol Systems is a leading national solar energy firm with an established reputation for integrity and reliability across its development, infrastructure and environmental commodity businesses.To date, Sol has developed and/or financed over 850 MW of solar projects valued at more than $1 billion for Fortune 100 companies, municipalities, counties, utilities, universities and schools. The company also actively shapes and trades in environmental commodity and electricity markets throughout the United States. The company was founded in 2008, is based in Washington D.C, and is led by its founder. Sol Systems works with its team, partners, and clients to create a more sustainable future we can all believe in. For more information: www.solsystems.com
#Resilience: Cultivating Resolve in the Face of COVID-19
Company Culture |
By The Sol Systems Team
As the COVID-19 pandemic attacks the health
and financial security of our families, businesses, and communities, Sol
Systems is increasing its investment in resiliency for our people, communities,
company, and the solar industry. We are working both to survive and thrive by directing
resources to strengthen and support the health and welfare for:
OUR PEOPLE: We are focused on stopping the spread of COVID-19, keeping healthy and connected, and stretching our capabilities to deliver our best work despite, or in spite, of the circumstances.
Like you, we will share some of these stories on our blog and social channels in the coming days and weeks to help each other transcend this adversity. To get started, you might enjoy this short Q&A video on the more lighthearted side.
OUR COMMUNITIES: Sol has always placed a high priority on “Giving that Matters.” Today, it is among our highest priorities to do even more in our efforts to give back to the communities where we work. With so many are struggling to make ends meet, and food insecurity impacting over nearly 40 million Americans, including children and seniors, Sol is most immediately focused on giving as a company and individuals to the Capital Area Foodbank.
We will share more
about our efforts in the coming days and weeks and look forward to hearing and
sharing yours as well.
OUR COMPANY: We have activated our business continuity plan to ensure our team is actively serving our customers and following CDC guidance, while being able to care for their families and assist their communities.
Check out how we
are doing this in our blog series, “Business as Unusual: One Company’s Story
of Adapt and Adopt,” starting later this week.
THE SOLAR INDUSTRY: We are collaborating across the industry to inform federal lawmakers about how to springboard off the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES). The solar industry and Sol Systems are poised to advise on effective federal and state policies that preserve, and even expand American jobs and livelihoods as we prepare to preserve and expand our bright economic future.
Look for Sol insights
and analysis on legislative and regulatory issues to help the industry keep
growing, and even thrive, for the good of American families and our country
coming out early next week.
Come back to our blog for more on each of these stories of resilience and resolve, or follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn to receive the stories to your feed.
ABOUT SOL SYSTEMS
Sol Systems is a leading national solar energy firm with an established reputation for integrity and reliability across its development, infrastructure and environmental commodity businesses.To date, Sol has developed and/or financed over 850 MW of solar projects valued at more than $1 billion for Fortune 100 companies, municipalities, counties, utilities, universities and schools. The company also actively shapes and trades in environmental commodity and electricity markets throughout the United States. The company was founded in 2008, is based in Washington D.C, and is led by its founder. Sol Systems works with its team, partners, and clients to create a more sustainable future we can all believe in. For more information: www.solsystems.com
What makes a high-performing team tick – is it a particular system, combination of personnel, leadership? Perhaps a combination of these elements? Sports, particularly NBA basketball, provide a useful petri dish for observing high-performing teams as they perform in real time. So why have organizations like the San Antonio Spurs and the Miami Heat experienced such sustained success while teams like the Phoenix Suns and Sacramento Kings can’t seem to get out of their own way? It must be something beyond talent, coaching, and team building: some magic elixir that creates the secret sauce.
During my recent job
search, a strong company culture was high on my priority list. Similarly,
analyzing company culture largely informs success in the NBA. The highly
successful Spurs boast a
familial atmosphere of building relationships and holding each other to high
standards. Common characteristics of less successful teams include meddlesome owners and toxic cultures.
Anecdotally, I’ve observed how much a negative culture can pervade a team and
sap enjoyment out of a job. That’s why, while interviewing at Sol Systems, I
was immediately drawn to the company’s culture.
Team members spoke of company events like Creative Day and Giving That Matters. They spoke of team-building events outside of work. These opportunities for entrepreneurship, generosity, and relationship-building are essential elements of a strong corporate culture. But culture is something that happens organically every day. Its team members feeling empowered that their voice will be heard. It’s confidence that one’s company or organization can weather adversity. It’s making decisions that are always informed by an organization’s values. It’s not talked about, it just is. And that can’t be easily expressed or shared during your typical interview process.
Still, based on what I learned about Sol’s culture during the interview process, I thought the company might have the type of culture I was looking for, and I took the job.
My time at Sol Systems has been short, but I can already attest to the strong company culture within these walls. I can speak to the CEO when I want because he sits two rows away from me. I’m inspired to put in extra effort because I know my teammates are putting in that same effort and are counting on me. Legendary Spurs coach Gregg Popovich is famous for hosting dinners with a standing invitation for all former Spurs. No matter if you’ve changed teams several times over since the Spurs, you’re still a part of the family. A similar vibe can be observed at Sol.
My team organized for a strong showing at Sol's Halloween Costume Contest
Yet the only inevitable
thing in life is change. Sol, like virtually any organization, experiences
staff turnover. Such is life; people desire new opportunities and challenges.
New people join your team. How can company culture be maintained while
integrating new employees? How do you prevent new employees from feeling like
outsiders compared to the old guard? How do you ensure you’re inclusive of
remote employees? The Dutch historian Johan Huizinga said that if we want to
preserve culture, we must continue to create it. It's a living, breathing thing
that manifests over time and remains relevant because those who live inside it
believe it's important enough to be maintained.
Two teams – the Los Angeles Clippers and Brooklyn Nets – have spent the last few years intentionally reshaping their organization around bringing on team members that fit their culture. Culture first, talent second. This past offseason, both teams cashed in their chips and reshaped their rosters around superstars, gambling that the infrastructure they’ve built can handle personnel changes. Apples to oranges, etc., and all caveats aside, Sol is facing a similar test as we enter a new phase of our company’s life. Nonetheless, I feel confident that we can bring on the right people to move our organization and our culture forward.
ABOUT
SOL SYSTEMS
Sol
Systems is a leading national solar energy firm with an established reputation
for integrity and reliability across its development, infrastructure and
environmental commodity businesses.To date, Sol has developed and/or
financed over 850 MW of solar projects valued at more than $1 billion for
Fortune 100 companies, municipalities, counties, utilities, universities and
schools. The company also actively shapes and trades in environmental commodity
and electricity markets throughout the United States. The company was founded
in 2008, is based in Washington D.C, and is led by its founder. Sol Systems
works with its team, partners, and clients to create a more sustainable future
we can all believe in. For more information: www.solsystems.com
If It’s Chilly Out, Then It Must Be Time for the Sol Chili Cook-Off!
Company Culture |
By Jennifer Hernandez
[caption id="attachment_8532" align="alignright" width="238"] Captain Crunch, "Spy-derman", and a pack of gnomes highlighted Sol's Halloween Costume Contest[/caption]
This chilly Halloween at Sol, we got creative with slow cookers and costumes. The Sol team raised the bar for our costume contest, with creative, unique, and “punny” costumes. Some teams donned group costumes, and others, costumes with Solar Energy themes. Regardless, Solster’s didn’t turn down the opportunity to show off their brilliant minds and Halloween spirit. Of course, this year we had a lot of Nats Spirit as well. Aside from goofy costumes, perhaps our favorite Halloween tradition is our Spooky Chili Cook-Off. Sol Systems is home to outstanding cooks and bakers, always willing to display their extracurricular skills in the office. This Halloween’s cookoff featured two categories; Meat Chili and Veggie Chili. Our five competitors faced off in the Sol Cafe during lunch, eagerly presenting their dishes to ravenous coworkers who anonymously voted for their favorite dish in each category. Roasted corn, chicken, red peppers, and a phoenix spice blend were just a few of the not so secret (anymore) ingredients our contestants added to their chili recipes.
[caption id="attachment_8534" align="alignright" width="300"] The Chili Cookoff contestants pose with their creations[/caption]
If picking a cook-off winner wasn’t hard enough, voters also had to pick their favorite costume of the day. From Captain Crunch to “Spy”der-Man (the eventual winner), picking our favorite was no easy task. By end of day, winners were announced and presented with their awards and appreciation. Each contestant walked away with an award, some glory, and the satisfaction of keeping our spooky Halloween tradition alive and tasty.
ABOUT SOL SYSTEMS
Sol Systems, a national solar finance and development firm, delivers sophisticated, customized services for institutional, corporate, and municipal customers. Sol is employee-owned, and has been profitable since inception in 2008.
Over the last ten years, Sol Systems has delivered 800 MW of solar projects for Fortune 100 companies, municipalities, universities, churches, and small businesses. Sol now manages over $650 million in solar energy assets for utilities, banks, and Fortune 500 companies.
Inc. 5000 recognized Sol Systems in its annual list of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies for four consecutive years. For more information, please visit www.solsystems.com
