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Code for all: Creating a more inclusive digital society

The Portuguese B Corp, by offering services to improve the employability of their customers, is bringing diversity to the traditionally non-inclusive IT sector

About Code for All

 

Code for All is a social impact start-up invested in building sustainable tech communities. The company’s core business is divided into 4 Computer Science-related areas of activity: Full-Stack Programming reskilling bootcamps, technology-based upskilling bootcamps, a K6 STEAM teaching platform and a software house committed to helping companies build amazing digital products.

They aim to provide services that promote the establishment of an increasingly inclusive digital society, capable of meeting the skills required by companies in the area of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). They passionately teach skills that matter to the people who need them the most, to impact their lives in the most positive and uplifting way possible.

A company deeply committed to their customers

 

Code for All journey with the B Corp dates back to 2018 when they started the company’s first certification. They decided to embark on this journey because it was extremely aligned with their vision and the social impact they are deeply committed to as a business. It was a very natural step for them to take: joining an impactful community, certifying their achievements, and making even more visible to the world what their core mission is all about.

Code for All was recognized for Best For The World™ 2022 in the Customer category. These B Corps are setting the standard for serving their customers, offering products or services that support the greater good, often focusing on underserved populations. They add value to customers’ lives by providing critical services like education, healthcare, and finance management, and engaging in ethical marketing, data privacy and security, and feedback channels – find out more about Best For The World™ here.

“This recognition is something that we’re really proud of since it publicly formalizes and certifies our deep commitment to our customers in what concerns generating a positive and life-changing impact in their lives. We are very grateful to be seen as an exemplary practice, and we do hope to inspire other companies to join this social impact community”

 

João Magalhães, CEO and co-founder at Code for All

The company focuses on social impact by contributing to goals number 4 (Quality Education), 5 (Gender Equality), and 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

Their 14-week Full-Stack Programming bootcamps, aka “<Academia de Código_>”, that aim to teach Software Development to adults of all ages and backgrounds, have – since 2015 – proven to have a decisive impact on the lives of both our students and community, with an employability rate of 98%* just 3 months after the course’s conclusion (* As audited and certified by EY in 2021). Furthermore, the bootcamps also provide a short and accelerated way for women to land tech career opportunities, therefore contributing to increasing the gender parity in the professional IT work market. Women and non-binary students comprise 25% of their graduates, which is a much higher percentage than in university Computer Science courses.

The K6 STEAM online teaching platform “ubbu” interactively teaches computer science and will help facilitate the integration of these students into the future work market. 40.000 kids learn monthly using ubbu, the large majority from Portugal and Brazil. More than 1 million activities are completed every month. According to Universidade de Aveiro research regarding ubbu social impact bond, 60,8% of the students with basic digital literacy skills from underprivileged backgrounds have transitioned to intermediate digital literacy in 18 months. Girls account for roughly 50% of the users, and the platform helps them to engage in Computer Science in a fun and playful way at a young age, which is the best path to attract women to tech careers.

Code for All’s services positively impact their customers and the community they are part of due to their employability, higher salaries, and reskilling to a high-demand area (ICT). They are also developing new projects that will help solve the reskilling problem at other organizations’ management levels.

Lessons learned

 

As a start-up focused on social impact solutions, which operates both in B2B and B2C, Code for All has learned some valuable lessons.

 

#1

Community is a crucial part of our work, which makes it so important to cherish and invest in.

 

#2

It is not enough for the company to just have clearly defined core values, but we also need to have the commitment of all team members in making them come to life.

 

#3

If we continue to be passionate and proficient about changing the world, educating one person at a time, the rest will follow naturally.

Resources

 

  • Download the EY employability report here
  • Find out more about <Academia de Código_> here – 
  • Find out more about ubbu here
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