We are still a long way from the end of the coronavirus crisis: what that means for Tomorrow and where our responsibility lies.
This crisis is not a sprint; it’s a marathon. Everyone should have realised that by now. The current situation is challenging us all, both as individuals and as a society. If we want to overcome it and emerge from the pandemic and imminent financial crisis as unscathed as possible, then we have to work together.
It’s actually very simple: if everyone only thinks of themselves right now, we will all suffer. That’s nothing new, of course. But it’s something that we’re being reminded of right now especially. Because this time it’s happening right on our doorsteps.
What we need to do now: show solidarity and keep going
Here at Tomorrow, we are also contemplating on a daily basis how we can take responsibility during the crisis. About what is important and appropriate right now. About the measures we can take to show solidarity with those who are the hardest hit. About what internal changes we need to make as a company to get through this and emerge stronger. Or how weare making sure that physical distancing doesn’t turn into social distancing within our team.
But one thing is clear: losing our composure or grinding to a halt are out of the question. That’s why we’re doing the exact opposite!
How we are taking responsibility
1. Transparency is everything
Whenever situations become complicated or overwhelming, the only way to make progress is by being completely transparent.
So that’s why we want to clarify the most important point first. For everyone asking what will happen with their money at Tomorrow, please rest assured: your money is safe with us. Even though we are currently working from home, you can still reach our support team via chat, e-mail or phone as usual. We are here for you! Without restrictions.
But while everything at Tomorrow is continuing as it has been, behind the scenes we are preparing ourselves for what’s still to come. And that means adapting processes, considering new models and, above all, continuing to come up with new ideas! That’s a challenge, but a good one!
And of course it also involves changes being made to internal team processes. And if things stop functioning in the way they normally would, simply because we are all working remotely now, then they can’t have been very well organised in the first place! Our team is being even more open with one other: about everything from what’s on the table, which processes we need to revise and what fundamental changes we need to make. In a nutshell: communication, communication and more communication – across all channels.
2. Solidarity shouldn’t just be a buzzword
Everything we do is based on the idea of positively changing the world of tomorrow – together with you. And we do that by financing micro-loans and investments in climate funding projects all year round.
But is all that enough considering that the crisis is hitting the weakest the hardest? Those without a strong lobby, such as the refugees stranded at the borders to Europe and on the Greek islands. We see it as our collective mission to ensure that solidarity doesn’t end at national borders. The virus knows no borders so we shouldn’t be building walls either. That’s also why, together with our Tomorrow community, we have been collecting donations for Doctors Without Borders, Ärzte ohne Grenzen e.V. since mid-March to pay for the medical care of refugees, including in Europe. We’ve meanwhile notched up an impressive total of 16,000 euros – thanks to all you fantastic people out there!
But even in this part of the world, not everyone is affected by the situation in the same way. The fallout from the coronavirus is exposing something else that people are usually only too happy to sweep under the carpet: privilege. Most of us right now have the privilege to work from home, or simply stay at home and not work. To self-isolate and stay healthy. To have a steady pay check that means we can still afford to pay our bills and buy groceries. We can (and should!) express our gratitude for this by showing solidarity wherever we can. There are so many projects and institutions that need financial support right now; our initiative is just one of them. And it certainly won’t be our last.
During our first Tomorrow hackathon at the beginning of April, we looked at how we can provide even more support in various areas and how technology can make a positive contribution to the current situation. And within just 24 hours our individual teams came up with a whole host of fantastic ideas that we will also be implementing. We’ll be revealing exactly what that entails very soon so stay tuned!
3. Climate matters shouldn’t be taking a backseat right now
Even though this crisis is often forcing us to live in the moment, we’re not going to let it deter us from thinking about tomorrow. So of course we’re continuing to invest in climate protection projects: we are working on new approaches and features regarding climate protection, have just increased the investment in the ‘Green Bond’ by 4.7 million euros to a total of around 10 million and are continuing to offset your carbon footprint with our Zero current account.
After all, once this crisis has been dealt with, we will still need to tackle the next one: climate change. Another global threat that will have even more of a forceful impact on us than the pandemic did – if we don’t sit up and finally take action. Our joint mission is to create a tomorrow worth living in, for each and every one of us. So let’s carry on pulling in the same direction – we’re all in this together!