Although this was a pretty tough year in the grand scheme of things, filled with restrictions and new challenges, we're incredibly grateful for having had the opportunity of growing by leaps and bounds in the email marketing industry throughout the course of 2021. It's been a fantastic year of growth here at CodeCrew and an overall humbling experience for not only the three co-founders Alex Alex and Andrei, but also the team as a whole. We can’t even imagine what 2022 has in store for us.
In just this one year, we went from a team of 18 to a team of 40, and while we're extremely proud of being able to provide a fun and healthy place of work for so many folks out there, this is just the beginning of where our impact for 2021 starts.
When we founded CodeCrew, using business as a force for good was always top of mind and in our DNA. If you read any of our super-early marketing materials, you’ll see that we wanted to put a focus on more than just our profits, but legitimately improving the world in any way that our business and means would allow us to. While our means were way smaller at first, we're now getting into quite a stride where we're able to use our resources to do more and more good for the world with each passing year and month. From making sure smaller businesses have access to (read: can afford) top-notch services, to providing at least two NGOs with pro bono services each year, and starting our little forest to help fight against climate change, we did this all with the help and support of our clients and team members. We can’t thank each and every one of you enough for making this all possible.
Trees Planted
Speaking of that CodeCrew Forest (copyright pending 
), through our partner One Tree Planted, we were able to plant 1406 trees in 2021 alone. Yup, you read that right - over a thousand little baby trees are living their best lives, wherever they’re needed most in the world. We have forest friends everywhere from Spain to Romania to Peru, Kenya and beyond. Although we’re one small fighter in the big battle against climate change and deforestation, we’re proud to use all the resources we can to make as big of an impact as possible. 2021 is just a sign of what’s to come - we have exciting plans to get even more trees planted next year, so stay tuned for that!
We also got a shirt that fits Alex in the most hilarious of ways. Sorry, we’re not sending any photos through, but trust us, it’s pretty hilarious.
A couple of key NGOs we helped in 2021
As has been our mission since inception as well as during 2021, we’ve worked together with NGOs to provide them with pro bono services that could help further their mission, no matter how large or small.
- Plastic Tides:
A scrappy NGO from the east coast, aiming to make an impact by connecting youths and experienced adults in various fields in a combined mission to end plastic waste, Plastic Tides had received a significant amount of free services from our team, driving forward their ability to get the word out far and wide about their mission and drive to make this world a better place than we found it. Since the start of the year, they’ve also expanded their abilities to further their mission by adding merchandise to their offerings as well.
- Planet Bee Foundation:
Local favorites here in the bay area, the Planet Bee Foundation is an impressive and driven organization that makes a global impact from its local roots. Although a small team, Planet Bee’s ability to get the word out far-and-wide about the importance of healthy bee colonies is awe-inspiring. We also were fortunate enough to be featured with this amazing organization in some of the biggest and coolest publications out there, such as:
MarketWatch
Benzinga
69 WFMZ-TV News
- 1% For the Planet
We're also proud to have partnered with 1% For The Planet for our second ever year, and see our contribution of 1% of all revenues go toward global campaigns to improve and renew the planet wherever possible, be it climate change fighting organizations, those that aid people who need our help the most, broader social change, and so much more.
Plans for 2022
To take over the world, of course. But other than that, we also plan to plant a whole lot more trees too. We started the tree planting initiative in February 2021, and it's been increasing steadily throughout the year. We're hoping we can double the numbers for 2022; and while it won't be easy, we believe that we can make it!
Another, bigger plan of ours is to move away from 1% For the Planet and closer to being first-hand helpers. We love the work that 1% For the Planet does for NGOs and think that they're a vital part of so many organizations out there that are doing good. That said, we also love getting our hands in the dough, and really want to make sure that our resources are going to a smaller number of NGOs that really need it, rather than them becoming a drop in a bucket that gets distributed. Having had such a huge and happy reception internally from our efforts with 1% For the Planet over the past couple of years, our team members have let us know of myriad AMAZING local NGOs that can benefit so much more from our resources, and can make an even bigger impact in their local communities than we could have ever imagined.
With this in mind, we plan on selecting a handful of NGOs each year which will receive doughnations (see what we did there?) from us so they can continue doing the amazing work they're doing. Want a piece of the pie (wow, we can't stop...) or know somebody that would use a serving (sorry...really...we know we're a bit much). Reach out to us and we'd absolutely LOVE reviewing the case.
Outro
We'll skip over the Oscar-like thank you's, and just wrap it up by saying how thankful we truly are for all that we have. Here's to a phenomenal 2022 for us all, and for building a better world together, where we can actually enjoy being together.
