Meet the Pledgers — Andrew

Welcome to our Meet the Pledgers series where we introduce members of the Pledge team and gain insights into their role and what it involves on a day-to-day basis. We hope it gives you a flavour of our culture, industry and what it means to be a Pledger. 

This week’s instalment is all about Andrew Philp, our Talent Acquisition Manager. Andrew joined us in April 2022 to locate and secure the best talent to help build and scale the business with an initial focus on the product, engineering, design and marketing functions.

Hi Andrew. Can you start by explaining why you applied to work at Pledge?

Hi. Yes, I think that’s a great place to start.

I was on the lookout for something new after having helped my previous company scale from 50 to 400 employees before it was acquired. The fast-natured pace of early-stage start-ups is exciting for talent recruiters and I was looking for something to challenge me again. 

I worked with Andre about 10 years ago, but I’d kept in touch with him and saw what he had done at Revolut and FreeTrade, so I knew he had started a new company. The opportunity to work at a company that he’d co-founded assured me that it would be a well-run, product-focused business.

Lastly, but perhaps most importantly, I aligned with Pledge’s mission. Working in recruitment, you rarely have much of a tangible impact on real-world issues. This position allows me to drive a positive impact on the environment by doing what I enjoy and am good at. It seemed like a win-win.

What does your average day look like?

Well, I don’t think I’d describe any day as "average" at Pledge to be honest — I’m constantly needing to pivot and adapt as the business grows and develops. The thing about early-stage start-ups is that it’s unpredictable — in a good way.

I regularly check in with the leadership team, working closely to discover their needs in terms of scaling and developing the business. We analyse where we want to be in the future, and what that means for growing the team now. Once we establish which positions we need to hire, I can start hunting for the right candidates.

I usually screen candidates for a role just to check that they tick the right boxes for us. This is a very informal chat about their experience and interest in the company. Then, it’s usually about managing their way through the interview process with the hiring manager and founders — if they get that far — and discussing the finer details if we decide to make an offer. We recently hired a content marketing manager, and we’re currently looking for a product marketing manager, product manager and brand designer. So if you know anyone, let me know!

What have you learnt so far about the climate-related challenges that businesses face?

The first thing to say is that I really didn’t realise how complex sustainability and climate action are — particularly for businesses. There’s a whole host of different things to think about, like measuring scope 3 emissions which means involving suppliers throughout the supply chain, and the complexities of verifying carbon offsetting projects. There’s so much more to it than just submitting a few fuel receipts and planting a few trees — the industry is in real need of someone to cut through all the noise.

In my role, I actually get to speak to candidates first-hand about their experiences with sustainability and ESG initiatives at their current or previous companies. I often hear how these companies really struggled to understand how to measure carbon emissions, let alone how they would go about lowering their carbon footprint. Most importantly, the candidates are really excited by Pledge’s mission. This is music to my ears because it tells me that employees are driving demand for companies to implement ESG initiatives and gives me confidence that our mission is on track

What upcoming developments at Pledge are you most excited about?

Well, there’s a lot I can’t talk about on this subject. I wouldn’t want to give away any company secrets! I can say that we’ve got a lot planned and I’m really excited about the development of the technology in the field. The space is evolving so quickly, and we’re seeing demand for the types of solutions we offer gaining traction. It’s now a case of going out there and getting ourselves noticed.

More immediately related to my role, I’m excited about our growth as a company. We have a list of positions that we’re hiring for that keeps growing as we ramp up. It’s created a lot of work for me but in a good way. This year will prove to be really important for the company in terms of growth.

What is Pledge life about for you?

Pledge life is all about working towards a common goal. Our ultimate goal isn’t a business-focused goal, it’s a planet-saving goal, which is why we’re different from any other company out there. You might think that net zero is just something we say because it’s a nice catchphrase, but we’re all genuinely invested and passionate about getting there. We discuss the global effort to reach net zero and how our business can help accelerate and achieve that end goal daily.

In a work-related sense, Pledge is all about visibility and impact. Everything you do, no matter how small it might seem, has an impact on the company and can be seen and felt by everyone that works here. It’s really rewarding to know that something you did has changed the course of the company for the better. We’re all building the company in a new and rapidly developing industry, so we’re learning what works and what doesn’t. It makes it really exciting.

What would you say to someone who might be looking to join Pledge?

I’d say go for it! We’re a very open company with a really honest and open interview process. Transparency is at our core and this starts right from the first time you come into contact with us. Interviews are about candidates finding out if we’re the right fit for them as much as the other way around.

If you’re someone who enjoys working in a SaaS environment with the added benefit of a real, tangible environmental impact, this might be the perfect place for you. If you’re looking for a position where you have actual ownership and growth opportunities, then what have you got to lose?

Join the Pledge team

At Pledge, we’re always looking for new and exciting talent to join our team. Find out more about our team and culture here. We’re currently hiring for a range of roles. View our open roles here.