October 2020 Summaries

In the evolving landscape of remote work, Box and Google have strengthened their partnership to enhance productivity and security for employees working from anywhere, with new updates to the Box for Google Workspace integration. This collaboration allows seamless workflows between the two platforms, enabling employees to use Box as a secure, single source of truth for all content while utilizing Google Workspace tools. Companies like ATB Financial and Broadcom have already benefited from these integrations, citing improved collaboration on critical processes and enhanced productivity across teams. The integration prevents content fragmentation by allowing Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides to be saved directly into Box, ensuring consolidated content with enterprise-level security. Additionally, the integration simplifies sharing within Google Workspace Editors, enabling users to manage collaborator levels and create shared links directly from Google Workspace, all while maintaining security within the Box ecosystem.

Global organizations increasingly rely on apps like Microsoft Teams for collaboration, prompting the launch of the enhanced Box for Teams integration. This integration aims to streamline collaboration by making Box content more accessible and secure within Teams. Recent updates include intelligent permissions management, which automatically prompts users to adjust file access as needed, ensuring appropriate security without disrupting workflow. Additionally, chat folder mapping offers users flexibility by allowing them to map Teams chats to existing Box folders or use automatically deployed ones for ease of use. These features are designed to automate and simplify work processes, reflecting Box's ongoing commitment to improving user experiences across its platform and integrated applications.

Box has been recognized as a Gartner Customers' Choice for Content Collaboration Tools, an honor based on positive customer reviews, with 97% of customers recommending the platform. The recognition highlights Box's effectiveness in providing secure, flexible cloud storage solutions that enhance collaboration and file management across various industries, including finance, construction, and services. Customers appreciate Box for its ease of use, integration capabilities, and security features, making it a preferred choice for digital acceleration and remote work environments. Out of 56 vendors, Box is one of six to receive this distinction, underscoring its widespread acclaim among Global Enterprise, Large Enterprise, and Midsize Enterprise organizations. Gartner notes the importance of secure content collaboration tools, especially for remote work, aligning with Box's offerings in today's digital landscape.

Work Unleashed at BoxWorks Digital highlighted Stanford Medicine's proactive response to the COVID-19 pandemic, showcasing its dedication to advancing healthcare through innovative technology and agile research practices. With over 300 personnel dedicated to pandemic-related research, Stanford Medicine has been at the forefront of developing diagnostic tools, such as one of the first FDA-approved COVID-19 test kits in the U.S., and participating in various vaccine and therapeutic trials. The institution's IT strategy, supported by Box's cloud content management platform, has enabled both secure healthcare delivery and flexible research initiatives, facilitating remote collaboration and rapid advancements like the accelerated implementation of telehealth services. Deputy CIO Michael Halaas emphasized the role of technology in maintaining high standards of privacy and security while fostering adaptability and innovation, underscoring Stanford Medicine's commitment to improving human health through strategic partnerships and technological advancements.

Fall marks an exciting transition for new graduates embarking on their careers, and at Box, young professionals like Sheldon Spring, an Implementation Analyst, are making significant contributions. Sheldon, a University of Washington graduate based in Austin, Texas, shares insights into his role, highlighting the customer-facing work, collaboration, and involvement with the Box Asian Pacific Islanders Employee Resource Community. He discusses personal and professional growth, emphasizing the importance of overcoming imposter syndrome, improving project management and leadership skills, and not hesitating to ask for help. Sheldon attributes his positive experience at Box to the inspiring, knowledgeable, and enthusiastic coworkers, which was a key factor in choosing Box as an employer. He advises new grads to take a holistic approach when considering their first job, factoring in location, compensation, and learning opportunities to aid in decision-making and personal development. Additionally, Sheldon shares his newfound interest in paddle-boarding during quarantine as a means of staying active while maintaining social distancing. Box encourages new grads and those interested in junior-level roles or internships to explore opportunities through their careers site and social media.

Fiduciary Trust International, a global wealth management firm, transformed its client experience by launching a secure digital vault on Box just before the COVID-19 pandemic. This innovation allowed advisors to efficiently share 537 sensitive financial documents with six beneficiaries in a matter of hours, a task that previously would have taken days and involved significant logistical challenges. Spearheaded by Rod Sayegh, Head of Digital Strategy, the initiative aimed to streamline the process for high-net-worth clients who were previously burdened with accessing multiple systems for financial information. The digital vault not only meets stringent regulatory requirements across 49 states and 52 countries but also enhances security and ease of use by allowing clients to access and share data via personal computers or mobile devices. Features like customizable workflows and simple tasks such as uploading ID photos were made seamless, significantly improving productivity and client-advisor collaboration during a time when in-person meetings were not possible.

Corrie Conrad has joined Box as the VP of Communities and Impact and Executive Director of Box.org, where she will oversee social impact and community initiatives. Her career path includes significant roles at Sephora, where she led the Social Impact, Sustainability, and Inclusion & Diversity programs, and at Google, along with experience in non-profits focused on public health and education. At Sephora, she developed Sephora Stands, which includes programs like Sephora Accelerate, aimed at supporting women entrepreneurs in the beauty industry. Conrad is drawn to Box by its innovative culture and mission to enhance collaboration and social impact, aligning with her belief in using corporate strengths for the greater good. Her focus at Box will be on fostering cross-pollination of ideas and encouraging company-wide ownership of community and impact endeavors, inspired by the company's value of 'Make Mom Proud' which she interprets as being brave and giving one's best.

At BoxWorks Digital, a significant focus was placed on how organizations are navigating the shift to a work-from-anywhere model, with Battelle emerging as a key example of adaptation and innovation. Battelle, led by CIO David White, has been at the forefront of responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, notably through the rapid deployment of a critical care decontamination system. The company has partnered with Box to enhance content compliance and security, crucial for meeting rigorous standards like FedRamp and FDA regulations. This collaboration has been instrumental as Battelle faces increasing cyber threats and evolving government regulations such as the CMMC. Despite initial concerns about remote work reducing productivity, Battelle found that eliminating commutes actually increased focus and efficiency among staff. The experience underscored the importance of flexibility and preparedness, as White emphasized the need for organizations to be agile, adapting to new norms whether remote or in-office, to maintain business continuity and leadership in uncertain times.

In response to the evolving work landscape, Box has joined forces with industry leaders such as Palo Alto Networks, Splunk, Uber, and Zoom to form a coalition aimed at fostering new employee-centric work practices that emphasize flexibility and choice. This initiative, driven by chief people officers and executive leaders, seeks to create an open-source community to help companies navigate complex topics like culture, benefits, employee experience, and leadership principles. As Box adapts to remote work, it has introduced several virtual programs to support its employees, including virtual learning, hiring, and onboarding processes, as well as well-being initiatives like "Fresh Air Fridays" and meditation apps. Efforts to maintain communication and connection among employees have led to virtual all-hands meetings, new resource portals, and engaging community events. Box remains committed to empowering its employees and aims to share insights from this collaborative effort to establish a flexible work environment that allows individuals to excel.

In the Work Unleashed series, insights are shared from Box executives and customers like PATH, a global nonprofit focused on health equity, on adapting to the "new normal" of work. PATH's Senior Manager of Knowledge Management, David Smith, spearheaded the move to a centralized content management system using Box, which proved crucial as COVID-19 forced a shift to remote work. This transition streamlined PATH's operations by consolidating over 120,000 documents and enhancing their ability to support globally dispersed teams. By integrating Box with project management tools like Smartsheet and Tableau dashboards, PATH optimized its tech stack for seamless content management, allowing Smith's team to focus on public health initiatives without being hindered by technology issues. This strategic use of technology has supported their efforts in building emergency operations centers, advancing testing and treatment protocols, and manufacturing PPE, illustrating how effective tools can enable organizations to address human needs efficiently, even during crises.

The Box Certified Professional program, launched in 2016, was designed to prepare individuals for the evolving digital workplace. With the sudden shift to remote work, the program adapted to meet urgent demands by moving online in May, providing solutions for digital transformation challenges. Box Education now offers free, comprehensive learning resources to develop content management expertise, including administrator proficiency, end-user enablement, and specialized topics. The program features diverse learning methods, such as live training, self-paced courses, and user video series, to cater to various learning preferences. Participants can validate their skills through Box certifications, enhancing their personal brand and career growth in the new era of work. Box Education invites users to join its community, further supporting their journey in adapting to the current work environment.

BoxWorks Digital highlighted Schneider Electric’s forward-thinking approach to digital transformation and remote work enablement, as discussed by Elizabeth Hackenson, Group CIO of Schneider Electric, and Anisha Vaswani, Corporate CIO of Box. Schneider Electric, a longstanding leader in energy management, has embraced innovation through its IoT-enabled EcoStruxure™ platform and strategic shift to cloud content management in partnership with Box, which has led to cost reductions and increased flexibility. The pandemic accelerated Schneider Electric’s transition to a remote work model, emphasizing productivity over location, and showcasing the benefits of reduced commute times for employees, particularly in regions like India. Hackenson noted that this shift in work models will likely persist, highlighting the importance of technology in supporting remote work and maintaining collaboration. The conversation also underscored the critical role of business continuity plans, which have gained prominence in ensuring that companies can remain resilient in the face of crises, with digital transformation being a key enabler of ongoing innovation and preparedness.

Box has announced its attainment of the ISO/IEC 27017:2015 certification, which complements its existing ISO 27001:2013 and ISO/IEC 27018:2019 certifications, emphasizing its dedication to security and compliance. The company's Compliance Team aims to achieve high security compliance across all industries globally while providing a seamless experience for customers by minimizing the complexities associated with compliance. Box promotes transparency in its security practices through certifications and independent audits, allowing customers to benefit from their new certification regardless of their deployment or plan. The ISO/IEC 27017:2015 standard offers guidance on information security controls for cloud services, including roles and responsibilities between providers and customers, asset management after contract termination, and cloud environment protection. The certification highlights Box's ongoing commitment to maintaining a secure and compliant cloud environment for its clients.