It’s that time of year again — when ugly sweaters are worn, banter is exchanged over well-crafted cocktails and gifts are handed out in a sign of appreciation for another year of hard work.
The annual holiday party has become a cornerstone of many companies’ cultures, enabling employees to step back from the daily grind and reflect on what they’ve accomplished that year. But outside of the traditional holiday party, what else are companies doing?
At Zeta Global, the holiday season is as much about celebrating each other’s differences as it is about sharing great food. The company’s employee resource groups host various events, such as a virtual Diwali celebration, to acknowledge the different cultural traditions of its team.
Inclusion is also a key element of CSC’s approach to the holidays. In addition to in-office activities and holiday treat exchanges, the company offers unique opportunities to empower its people, such as a workshop hosted by its SoberConnect ERG that focuses on navigating the holidays while supporting friends, family members and colleagues who are newly sober.
While fostering friendship among peers is important during this time of year, so is giving back to those in need. That’s why commercetools makes charity donations in lieu of employee gifts, reinforcing the importance of building strong connections with the communities it operates in.
Below, team members from Zeta Global, CSC and commercetools share more about their companies’ holiday traditions and how these initiatives bolster each organization’s values, mission and culture.
Zeta Global’s AI-powered marketing platform helps organizations acquire, grow and retain customers by enabling teams to deliver personalized omnichannel experiences.
Give us an overview of the holiday season at Zeta Global. Are there any companywide celebrations or days off?
At Zeta, the holiday season is about inclusivity, connection and celebrating together as one global team. With unlimited PTO, employees have the flexibility to honor their traditions in ways that matter most to them. Our Zeta Hubs — local employee groups across the globe — organize regional gatherings that bridge geographical barriers, creating opportunities for employees to celebrate the season, recognize achievements and reflect on the year’s successes, no matter where they’re located. It’s a time for connection and gratitude, tailored to everyone.
“Our Zeta Hubs — local employee groups across the globe — organize regional gatherings that bridge geographical barriers, creating opportunities for employees to celebrate the season, recognize achievements and reflect on the year’s successes, no matter where they’re located.”
How does Zeta Global make the holidays inclusive?
Zeta prioritizes inclusivity during the holidays by hosting educational and cultural sessions through our employee resource groups. These sessions spotlight diverse celebrations and foster understanding, unity and meaningful conversations.
For instance, MOSAIC, our ERG for employees and allies of Asian and Pacific Islander descent, hosted a vibrant, virtual Diwali celebration; while Pride facilitated discussions on navigating the holidays as part of the LGBTQIA+ community. These initiatives create a supportive space where everyone can feel seen and valued, making the season brighter for all.
What makes the holiday celebrations a reflection of Zeta Global’s values, mission and culture?
The holiday season at Zeta reflects our core virtues of inclusivity, generosity and community. Through ZetaGives, employees nominate their favorite charities, with four selected organizations receiving donations to advance their missions. Additionally, our annual Toys for Tots drive unites employees in bringing joy to children in need.
These initiatives embody the spirit of giving and connection, showcasing Zeta’s commitment to making a positive impact. At Zeta, we’re proud to foster a culture where celebrating diversity and giving back go hand in hand, strengthening our bond as a team and with our communities.
CSC offers a wide range of business, legal, tax and digital brand services, such as subsidiary management, real estate document recording and international compliance.
Give us an overview of the holiday season at your company. Are there any companywide celebrations or days off? What are you looking forward to most this year?
The holiday season at CSC is truly a special time, with an exciting mix of celebrations. Diwali, Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanzaa all bring a unique charm to the offices. Several locations are decorated with festive touches, with office activities and food days where teams can connect over delicious, holiday-themed treats. These gatherings, along with themed workshops, create an atmosphere of joy, unity and understanding that we look forward to each year.
Personally, I’m most excited about seeing the different ways our colleagues celebrate and learn about each holiday tradition through articles on our intranet, foods and culture we share with each other.
How does CSC make the holidays inclusive?
Belonging and inclusivity are at the heart of our holiday celebrations, and we take a thoughtful approach to ensure that everyone feels acknowledged and included. One standout example is a workshop led annually by SoberConnect, our colleague resource group dedicated to sobriety. This workshop focuses on navigating the holidays in a way that supports friends, family members and colleagues who are newly sober. They share practical tips for creating alcohol-free spaces and normalizing non-drinking and provide a great list of festive mocktail recipes. This initiative not only raises awareness but also offers practical ways to make gatherings feel inclusive and supportive for everyone.
“One standout example is a workshop led annually by SoberConnect, our colleague resource group dedicated to sobriety. This workshop focuses on navigating the holidays in a way that supports friends, family and colleagues who are newly sober.”
What makes the holiday celebrations a reflection of CSC’s values, mission and culture?
Our holiday activities mirror CSC’s values of teamwork, service and a genuine commitment to inclusivity. Celebrations are as much about learning and connecting as they are about festivities, with events and workshops tied to our diversity and belonging pillars, like community engagement and fostering connections. We also prioritize giving back at this time of year through our “Season of Giving” campaign, which highlights how our employees are helping out in their communities around the world.
These activities aren’t just performances — they’re expressions of our commitment to fostering a caring and inclusive culture within CSC and the places our people call home.
Founded in 2010, commercetools is the company that made “headless commerce” mainstream, offering a platform that enables teams to build and scale e-commerce experiences at their own pace.
Give us an overview of the holiday season at commercetools. Are there any companywide celebrations or days off?
As we close out 2024, the theme of our end-of-year celebrations is “giving back.” Giving back is a big part of our culture at commercetools, as we offer volunteer time off and partner with organizations around the world, like Die Arche in Munich and the Durham Food Bank in North Carolina, to host regular volunteer opportunities.
This holiday season, we’ve partnered with our chief excitement officers — appointed remote employees in each office who are responsible for team-building activities across our seven offices and remote team — to create a memorable and impactful experience focused on bringing all of us together while contributing to our local communities. We have “commercetoolers” in 47 countries, so we can make a big impact.
For example, one of our offices will be packing gift boxes for foster children, while another office will be baking cookies, with proceeds going to a local charity. Each office will host a small team celebration following their volunteer day.
“One of our offices will be packing gift boxes for foster children, while another office will be baking cookies, with proceeds going to a local charity.”
What makes the holiday celebrations a reflection of commercetools’ values, mission and culture? Are there specific celebrations or opportunities for giving back this time of year?
We’ve opted to not send out gifts to our employees, instead choosing to reduce our environmental impact and increase our social impact by using that money to donate to a charity of the company’s choice. We asked the leaders of each of our employee resource groups to submit the name of a charity that is meaningful to their group, and we’ve taken those selections to our employees for a vote. The charity that wins the vote will receive a sizable sum. We’re hopeful that these actions will showcase one of our core values, “Cultivate Belonging,” fostering positive long-term relationships in the communities that we operate in.
