Nasdaq Celebrates Third Annual Purpose Week, Honoring our Work Advancing Economic Progress for All

At Nasdaq, our purpose drives everything we do. Whether it’s powering stronger economies by safeguarding markets, creating more equitable opportunities by expanding access to capital, or through our Foundation, which partners with organizations around the globe to reimagine investor engagement, we are actively advancing economic progress for all. 

Since formalizing our Purpose in 2020, we celebrate its advancements every year, highlighting the work we and our partners have done to make a more inclusive economy and help ensure everyone can participate in the wealth the markets create.

“We funded and partnered with more than 25 nonprofit organizations through the quarterly grant program and the new investor initiative that we created...those really ensure that we're providing access and resources to underrepresented and under-resourced communities as they look to build and scale their endeavors,” said Jailan Griffiths, Nasdaq’s Global Head of Purpose.

For Nasdaq’s third annual Purpose Week, we convened our Foundation partners and entrepreneurs to explore how we can better support diverse entrepreneurs and advance financial literacy around the world. We hosted workshops to improve financial literacy with partners like Thrive, who gave advice on how to maximize investments and prepare for retirement. 

Partners in Purpose

As a business that thrives with increased participation in the markets, we actively partner with organizations that share our vision, allowing us to scale our purpose and aid the people bringing education and economic opportunity to the communities they serve. 

For example, Nasdaq has a vested interest in financial literacy education. The more educated people are in the markets, the more likely they are to participate and share in the wealth the markets can create. Therefore, the Nasdaq Foundation offers funding opportunities to partners like Operation Hope, a non-profit that offers tangible programs to fight economic inequality, financial illiteracy, social injustice and inequitable access to capital.

We have partnered with Operation Hope on two of its programs, both aimed at further educating and uplifting underserved communities: 

• Financial Literacy for All: A 10-year initiative will reach millions of youths and working adults by making financial literacy fun, engaging them where they live, work and celebrate. 
• 1 million Black Businesses: The 1 million Black Businesses initiative (1MBB) provides the black community a successful path to wealth creation through sustainable and profitable business ownership. 1MBB participants can take advantage of coaching and educational services, access to expert volunteers and more.

We see our partners as true partnerships in advancing our purpose efforts. Beyond grant funding, our employees are encouraged to get involved in aiding these organizations and even taking advantage of these services themselves. 

“We want to volunteer and work with them,” said Griffiths. “And I can tell you, the entrepreneurs are so excited by the opportunity to work with Nasdaq, to know that they're going to be hearing from Nasdaq employees and appreciate the wealth of knowledge that we can share,” she added.

The power our employees have in giving back is a vital arm of Nasdaq’s purpose. Our GoodWorks portal not only allows employees to engage with our partners but also to create new partnerships and volunteering opportunities. Employees at Nasdaq are actively encouraged to notify the Purpose team of potential partners who are working toward reshaping investor engagement and volunteer opportunities to help those in need.

Purpose is our Business

As both an exchange and a global technology provider, Nasdaq’s primary business objectives also revolve around our Purpose. By serving our clients and increasing participation and integrity in the capital markets, we strive to create a secure space for all to grow their wealth and reach their full potential. 

As a technology company, we leverage innovation to power stronger economies, create more equitable opportunities and contribute to a more sustainable world. 

We saw the difficulty smaller, more local brokers and everyday investors had in digesting multi-streams of heavily technical market data to scale their businesses and portfolios. In response, we modernized our export of market data, bringing down the barriers of access by creating a modern API that allows retail brokers and new investors easy access to data. Because of our solutions, “we now have billions of people, literally billions of people who have access to real time market data,” Nasdaq Chair and CEO Adena Friedman said during a conversation with Griffiths.

As an exchange, Nasdaq’s success is tied to helping new and innovative companies find capital to advance their business objectives, bringing them into the public sphere and setting them up for success as a publicly traded company. 

Being the place where companies grow their business while investors grow their wealth, Nasdaq’s business is the foundation of a healthy economy. 

“Having a great economy solves a lot of problems,” said Friedman. “It makes [people] feel hopeful...you have less crime...[you] have better mental health,” she added.

As we create and regulate more markets, we continue to design them with an aim to increase inclusivity to make them more successful. For Nasdaq, the more people that participate in the investment landscape, the more people can share in the wealth the markets create. 

Advancing Nasdaq’s Purpose

As a foundation of the economy, when Nasdaq’s succeeds in bringing more economic opportunity, we create real change across the globe. 

In addition to Purpose Week, we continued to celebrate the amazing work we and our partners accomplished with our first annual Purpose Forum, a convening of thought leaders, change makers and innovators to discuss how we can empower individuals to embrace their lives’ purpose, advance their economic growth and reach their full potential.

Outside of our businesses, we drill down into the local communities and their needs by supporting partners who are actively engaged, helping them scale their efforts to achieve some amazing results. Core to these methods is engaging our employees and giving them every opportunity to fulfill their desire to give back. This is our Purpose.

To see all the events hosted during Purpose Week and the Purpose Forum, check out content hub.