Eight Eleven’s 25th Anniversary Core Values Highlight Series: Service
We are excited to release the latest addition to our Core Values Highlight series as we continue celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Eight Eleven Family of Companies! If you missed the first piece from the series, we strongly encourage you to learn more about Eight Eleven’s focus on Family; told through the lens of Paige Hackman, Eight Eleven’s Director of Internal Hiring. With four children of her own, and over 13 years with the organization, Paige’s story showcases the investment we make into growing our employees and their families. We look forward to sharing amazing stories like Paige’s as we continue highlighting our six core values.
“Community-Driven”
At Eight Eleven Group, service is at our core. Providing consulting, professional services, and skilled labor to a variety of industries is our expertise. Although we put a lot of emphasis on the quality of our service, as showcased by our World Class NPS score of 78, this is not the type of ‘Service” we’ll be highlighting.
(2023): Members of the Eight Eleven Tampa Office use their Be Giving hours to build oyster beds with the Coastal Conservation Association.
(2024): A panel of Eight Eleven HQ employees talks with university students to answer common questions about the job search process and career advice.
As a talent solutions provider with 32+ markets across the nation, the Eight Eleven Family of Companies has multiple unique opportunities to significantly impact the lives of our employees, consultants, and the communities we serve. This is why the organization is adamant about leveraging its workforce, influence, and partnerships to improve the lives of others. From facilitating job training to empowering our employees to support their own causes with 8 hours of paid Volunteer Time-Off (VTO) given each quarter through the organization’s “Be Giving Hours” program, Eight Eleven is constantly finding new ways to serve.
“Dedicated to Evolving with Purpose”
Service comes in many forms at the Eight Eleven Family of Companies, and no one knows that better than Nate Browning, Vice President of Communication, Partnership & Inclusion. In addition to supporting the efforts of Eight Eleven’s Internal Hiring, Training and Development, and Experience departments, Nate plays a vital role in facilitating the organization’s various partnerships and community outreach. Although this is a new role for Nate, having been promoted from Director of Diversity and Community Engagement in January of 2025, he has always been passionate about service.
(2023): Nate poses with his parents at his induction into the Springfield, Illinois Sports Hall of Fame.
“Since I was very young, my parents always stressed that ‘If something’s important to you, you have to be the one to take action because there’s no guarantee anyone else will step up to the challenge.’”, shared Nate. This mindset encouraged him to pitch the idea of creating a role focused on driving Diversity and Community Engagement at the Eight Eleven Family of Companies. “Although we had several pieces in place like the Be Giving Hours, E3 Day of Service (Both started in 2018), or the support of our training program, I felt like we were still missing out on several opportunities to make a greater impact as a whole,” explained Nate.
(2022): Carlie Oakley and Nate discuss various opportunities for support with leadership from Easterseals Crossroads, the Indiana chapter of the national non-profit.
In January 2021, with Nate as the newly appointed Director of Diversity and Community Engagement, Eight Eleven started bringing some much-needed organization and structure to its community service. Shortly after accepting the role, Nate worked with leaders like Carlie Oakley, Eight Eleven’s Chief Brand Officer, to quickly ramp up new initiatives and a more structured approach to service. The first impact fueled by this initiative was the creation of Eight Eleven Connections.
“Relationships Are at the Center of All We Do”
Furthering our mission of creating and maintaining an environment of diversity, equity, and inclusion, Eight Eleven Connections (EE Connections) are employee resource groups, joined together based on common backgrounds, identities, or interests to provide a space for conversation and development. Made up of the Women of Eight Eleven (WEE), Eight Eleven People of Color (EPOC), Eight Eleven Parenthood Group, Eight Eleven PRIDE, Eight Eleven Mindfulness, and Sustain E3, these employee-led groups help identify opportunities for engagement and lead the charge on new ideas and initiatives.
(2022): Nate and EPOC Lead, Bri Hall, discuss plans to increase involvement with a local professional development organization, Blacks in Tech.
EE Connections and the members of each group have been crucial to increasing our impact. “This company was built on people…not just those inside our four walls but also those in the communities we operate within. So, I think it speaks volumes that our leadership and actions as an organization are investing in these very communities,” expressed Nate. From the creation of “Women IN Tech Week” to partnering with national nonprofits like The Arbor Day Foundation, EE Connections has given employees a platform to champion their ideas and the resources to turn them into reality.
A Commitment to Service
Another monumental moment in Eight Eleven’s Service journey came in 2022 with the creation of the Eight Eleven Foundation. Serving as the charitable arm of the Eight Eleven Family of Companies, the foundation provides grants, scholarships, and support to individuals, as well as charitable organizations, with philanthropic or community-building initiatives. Led by Carlie Oakley and a board of fellow Eight Eleven employees - including Nate Browning, the foundation further showcases our commitment to service.
(2023): Nate and members of Eight Eleven’s Denver office post with leadership from Athletics and Beyond, a Denver-based nonprofit and Quarterly Impact recipient.
As a certified 501(c)(3) organization, the foundation’s creation was also a vital step in increasing Eight Eleven’s ability for philanthropic giving. Speaking of which, 2022 also marked the start of Quarterly Impact. Powered by the foundation, Quarterly Impact is our annual effort to align philanthropic efforts with organizations providing invaluable services for both local and national community development. Each quarter, we support an organization reflective of our company’s core values or Eight Eleven Connections. In addition to donating to each organization, we also use our networks to spread awareness about their goals, services, and impact.
2024 Snapshot of Eight Eleven’s Quarterly Impact
“Regardless of whether we reap the rewards or see any immediate impact, I know that everything we do has the chance of improving someone’s life…that’s a good enough motivator for me,” emphasized Nate. When asked which partnership from Quarterly Impact has been the most memorable, Nate immediately started talking about the foundation’s relationship with Fred Yeakey and Providence Cristo Rey High School. From supporting student interns through the Corporate Work Study program to renovating a barbershop in the school’s basement, a lot of positive impact has come from collaborating with the organization.
(2023): Nate and Fred Yeakey, Chief Partnership Officer – Providence Cristo Rey High School, act as Eight Eleven Foundation’s auctioneer at the annual fundraiser and charity auction.
Trying to Capture It All
As previously mentioned, service comes in many forms here at Eight Eleven. At the center of it all is the collaboration between Eight Eleven employees and our community partnerships, and Nate Browning plays a major role in helping facilitate this collaboration. “To me, service boils down to giving a little bit of yourself to contribute to making the whole better. Whether that’s your time, your previous experiences, a talent you have, or even financial support, we all have something worth sharing with the world,” explained Nate.
(2022): Nate shares updates regarding Eight Eleven Connections and Quarterly Impact with employees at EVOLVE, Eight Eleven’s annual Recruiting conference.
What started as a simple day of service has now become a powerful focus on corporate responsibility as a whole. Eight Eleven now offers over 29,000 hours of volunteer time, several employee-focused connection groups, Quarterly Impact donations, and major philanthropic initiatives through the Eight Eleven Foundation. You can learn more about our focus on service in the 2024 Impact Report. As for the future, we're just getting started. According to Nate, “Just because you achieved a goal, doesn’t mean you ever stop striving for more!”