Inclusion, Belonging and Opportunity

Overview

Ribbon Communications (Nasdaq: RBBN) delivers secure cloud communications and IP and optical networking solutions to service providers, enterprises and critical infrastructure sectors globally. We engage deeply with our customers, helping them modernize their networks for improved competitive positioning and business outcomes in today's smart, always-on and data-hungry world. Our end-to-end portfolio of communications software and IP Optical networking solutions delivers superior value and innovation by leveraging cloud-native architectures, automation and analytics tools, and leading-edge security.  We maintain a keen focus on our commitments to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) matters, offering an annual Sustainability Report to our stakeholders. To learn more about Ribbon, please visit rbbn.com

Ribbon knows that a culture of belonging, inclusion and opportunity is a business imperative for three reasons:

• A workforce that reflects our community provides our business with the best sources of talent;
• A workforce that feels that it belongs and is empowered facilitates our understanding of diverse customer needs, powers innovation, accelerates problem solving, and improves the adherence to ethical principles; and
• Employing and empowering an inclusive workforce advances and helps build stronger communities.

We believe a culture of belonging, inclusion and opportunity is built on three pillars:

• Development of a workforce in which human differences, social identities, and social group differences are proactively welcomed and embraced. Such differences may include, but are not limited to, race, ethnicity, creed, color, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, generational status, language, culture, national origin, religion, spirituality, age, physical appearance and disabilities.
• Establishment of fair and just practices and policies designed to ensure that all employees thrive and feel a sense of belonging at Ribbon. This acknowledges the need to support employees in different ways in line with their needs. It does not mean ensuring equal outcomes or treating everyone equally regardless of factors such as experience, education, qualifications, but rather, providing everyone with equal access to opportunity and extending support in ways that help overcome inequality and barriers.
• Provision of workplace policies, processes and practices that empower all employees to feel respected, valued, supported, and able to contribute to the best of their potential. Our policies and programs create space and opportunity for the Company and the employee to work together to break down individual barriers to success, at home and at work. Inclusion is the culture in our organization, and it is reflected in our employees who know and feel that they belong and are able to fully access their rights and opportunities.

Our Approach

We believe that having a workforce that reflects our communities is critical to the success of our organization. We are committed to fostering and maintaining a diverse workforce of qualified individuals in a culture of belonging, inclusion and equal opportunity.

Traditionally, the recruitment, development, promotion and retention of qualified women in the technology industry in general, and at Ribbon in particular, has been challenging for various reasons. Fostering a culture and workplace that attracts qualified women in our communities is important for Ribbon. However, we recognize that diversity is about far more than gender and we aspire to achieve representation and inclusion of qualified employees who represent the many dimensions of diversity in our business over time. We want to create an environment where leaders understand and develop a buy into the value of a sense of belonging among our employees, resulting in all employees feeling that they belong, that they can flourish professionally, and that they can contribute to the success of Ribbon.

Our approach to developing a culture of belonging, inclusion and equal opportunity in our workforce encompasses the following elements:

• Educating the Organization: We are educating our leaders and employees about the benefits of a diverse workforce and a culture of inclusion. Our Code of Conduct and related policies make it clear that we prohibit discrimination. We require our Suppliers to reject and protect against discrimination. See the Ribbon Supplier Code of Conduct. We provide ongoing employee training on relevant topics such as anti-discrimination and conscious/unconscious bias, and we provide tools (such as webinars) to employees to help them become advocates for an inclusive culture. We survey our employees on their views about Ribbon’s diversity performance and their sense of belonging. We run a global annual event, Ribbon Global Diversity Day, to reinforce awareness and commitment to an inclusive workplace. We also hold several cultural awareness initiatives throughout the year.  
• Recruiting: Ensuring a sense of belonging and equal opportunity at Ribbon means looking at the way we recruit. We intentionally seek to create a broad talent pool of qualified candidates as the cornerstone of our recruitment process. Our careers page and job postings reflect our commitment to equal opportunity for all applicants.  Our job postings include job-related qualification criteria, and our recruitment process is designed to eliminate barriers to equal opportunity at Ribbon. Our hiring managers are trained to select the most qualified candidate from a broad candidate pool.

• Learning, Development and Career Planning: We ensure that all our employees have equal access to learning and development opportunities specific to their personal and professional needs. We maintain targeted opportunities for employees based on their roles and responsibilities.  Our career and succession planning processes strive to ensure that qualified individuals at all levels within the organization, including management levels, reflect the broad-based talent in our communities.
• Compensation and Benefits: We provide fair and competitive compensation and benefits for all employees based on market factors, third party market survey data, affordability, talent, qualifications, and experience. We comply with gender pay reporting and pay transparency laws.  We are committed to ensuring we pay a living wage to all our employees by regularly comparing our compensation data to reliable benchmark data.  We regularly review employee compensation to ensure employees are paid based on objective, non-discriminatory factors. We offer a broad range of benefits to employees to help them enjoy a healthy work-life balance.  For example, we offer maternity, paternity and parental leave, an Employee Assistance Program which provides employees confidential support and resources to address personal and work-related challenges (stress, mental health concerns, substance abuse, etc.), reduced hours/part-time schedules where possible, etc.
• Flexibility and Physical Workplace: Ribbon offers flexible work arrangements wherever possible and as required by law. This approach enables employees to have a healthy work-life balance which in turn makes for a more productive workforce.  When employees can influence when, where and how they work (office or home, part-time or full-time, shifts, etc.) inclusivity is fostered, and the workplace is more representative of one’s community. 

Our workplaces are designed with the needs of a diverse workforce in mind.  We seek locations that are accessible, practical and that promote wellbeing, and we design our spaces to be accessible and enjoyable to work in. We make adaptations to physical environments to improve access, adding ramps, accessible bathrooms, elevators, disabled parking spaces, standing desks, and more. We offer assistive technology tools to our people and we listen to their needs. We are also considerate of cultural and/or religious requirements and ensure our workplaces are accommodating and welcoming.   

• Employee Resource Groups (ERGs): The introduction of employee led, organizationally supported, non-exclusive groups of employees that are drawn together by characteristics they hold in common, such as but not limited to, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, lifestyle and generation, but where all are welcome to participate and learn about one another’s experience and perspective.  These groups provide a global network of multicultural, multi-generational employees that are committed to supporting the company’s commitment to inclusion, belonging and opportunity.

Supporting Global Sustainable Development

Our Approach to belonging, inclusion and opportunity aligns with two UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

SDG 5 which aspires to the achievement of gender equality and empowerment of women.

• Target 5.1: End all forms of discrimination against women and girls everywhere
• Target 5.b: Promote empowerment of women through technology

SDG 8 which calls for the promotion of sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.

• Target 8.5: Full employment with decent work with equal pay
• Target 8.7: Protect labor rights and promote safe working environments

SDG 16 which calls for the promotion of just, peaceful and inclusive societies

• Target 16.7: Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels
• Target 16.b: Promote and enforce non-discriminatory laws and policies for sustainable development

In addition, Ribbon is also aligned with the Diversity Charters of EU member states where we employ workers.

Related Ribbon Global Position Statements

See also our:

• Approach to Employment
• Approach to Human Rights

Governance   

Ribbon’s Senior Vice President (SVP) of Human Resources is accountable for our policies and programs focused on employee belonging, inclusion and opportunity. The SVP is a member of Ribbon’s Executive Management Team, and reports to the Chief Executive Officer. Additionally, these principles are supported by an additional Executive Sponsor, our Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer. Ribbon’s Board of Directors is engaged in reviewing and approving Ribbon’s strategy and performance to achieving our cultural aspirations annually.

Disclosure

We report transparently to our stakeholders on our strategy, progress and performance with respect to these cultural principles in our annual Sustainability Report, available on our website. Additionally, our Annual Report on Form 10-K includes highlights of our human capital management strategy and performance each year.

Version 5:  April 2025