Trust & Will is a mission-driven company that strives to leave a lasting positive impact as its legacy. We’re in the business of helping individuals and families protect what’s most important to them, while our own legacy is all about giving back. Giving back to our members, our workers, the community, society, and our environment. We’re in our sixth year in business, and each year seems to bring us more wins and accomplishments to be proud of. Join us as we take a look back at our achievements in 2023.
To review the full report, click here.
View our past reports below:
A letter from our CEO
Trust & Will was founded with the help of a community of individuals and organizations that are committed to giving back, and we’re paying it forward. The concept of “give first” has been coded into our genetic makeup from the very beginning. We’re a company that is guided by purpose, and we’re determined to leave a positive impact in the world. Of course this includes making strides in the field of estate planning.
With this in mind, I am extremely proud to announce that as of this year, Trust & Will is officially a certified B Corporation!
This highly sought-after designation has been years in the making, and it is truly exciting to be a part of this community that dedicates itself to making lasting positive changes in the world.
From the very beginning of our journey, we at Trust & Will made a commitment to give back in many areas, including the environment, our customers, our community, and to our team members.
Publishing impact reports is standard practice for B Corporations, and we made it a priority to do just that from day one, long before we even started our B Corporation application process. (Much like the old adage goes, “dress for the job you want, not for the job you have.”)
Moving forward, our annual impact will reflect the B Corporation reporting structure and therefore will be broken down into 5 impact areas:
Governance
Workers
Community
Environment
Customers
You will receive news and updates regarding the impacts we’ve made. Here are some of my favorite highlights from 2023:
We’re in our sixth year of business to date and have helped over half a million families put their estate plans in place. We’re helping them attain peace of mind by protecting their loved ones and securing their legacies.
Our efforts in the space of digital estate planning and eWill legislation adoption.
Our commitment to maintaining carbon neutrality by offsetting our carbon footprint, while also pushing for the digital transformation of the estate planning industry to help eliminate the waste of paper in perpetuity.
Trust & Will’s dedication to social impact. You’ll learn about our support of a number of organizations such as Girls Inc., how our employees received paid time off for volunteerism and can opt-in to our company matching program for donations to causes they care about.
Our dedication to creating work-life balance for our team of 80 employees. This year, we introduced a paid sabbatical program for eligible employees and also created a family weekend event.
As I reflect on the past year, I couldn’t be more proud of our achievements and growth. With that said, I invite you to review our impact initiatives of 2023.
— Cody Barbo, CEO
2022 annual impact report recap
In 2022, Trust & Will continued its steadfast commitment to impact reporting, a tradition embedded in our company's DNA from day one. Over the past five years, our dedication to positive contributions has evolved in sync with our growing team, expanding member reach, and heightened public awareness.
This commitment to impact work is more than a corporate endeavor—it's a cornerstone of our identity. Our team takes pride in being part of Trust & Will, recognizing that our efforts extend beyond day-to-day roles and responsibilities. As we delve into the specific impact areas of environmental, social, and governance initiatives in this annual report, we invite you to explore the meaningful contributions that define Trust & Will's journey in 2022.
Trust & Will’s 2022 environmental impact
At Trust & Will, environmental responsibility is a core commitment. Recognizing the impact companies have on climate change, we actively work to offset our carbon footprint. Various environmental initiatives, from tree planting to transparent emissions tracking, underscore our dedication to a sustainable future.
Our 2022 environmental efforts include:
Partnership with Ecologi: Since joining in 2020, we've planted 11,367 trees, elevating our climate-positive workforce for 24 consecutive months. Additionally, we reduced 1,560.9 tonnes of carbon emissions, equivalent to over 600 flights from London to New York.
Global impact: Contributed to larger projects, such as protecting and restoring forests in Uganda, providing clean energy through hydropower in Bulgaria, Honduras, and Mexico, and safeguarding old-growth rainforest in Madre de Dios, Peru.
New partnership with Bend: We collaborated with Bend to measure and analyze our real-time CO2 emissions data. This enables us to track emissions sources, identification of reduction opportunities, and customization of our sustainability profile.
Trust & Will’s 2022 social impact
To work at Trust & Will means to give back; it’s part of our culture. We select initiatives and programs that create positive change in our local communities as well as causes that our employees are passionate about. In 2022, Trust & Will's initiatives showcased our commitment to positive change and community well-being.
Some notable highlights from the year include:
Employee involvement: $250 annual charitable contribution match for employees, with over $4,000 donated to 10 nonprofits aligning with employees' passions.
Donations & sponsorships: Beneficiaries include Equal Justice Initiative, Center for Heirs’ Property, RAICES, Financial Joy School, March of Dimes, and others. Additionally, we lent our support through in-kind donations, discounted estate plans, and school & laptop donations.
Monthly Guest Speaker Series: Initiated during the pandemic, the series evolved into a remote-first company tradition. In 2022, we heard from featured speakers on Women’s History, Financial Literacy, Mental Health Awareness, LGBTQIA+ Pride, and more.
Community engagement: Actively engaged with the local San Diego community, contributing to business and nonprofit sectors. Memberships and sponsorships included organizations like San Diego Chamber of Commerce and Downtown San Diego Partnership.
Trust & Will’s 2022 governance impact
Trust & Will's governance initiatives exemplify our dedication to fostering a supportive workplace and making positive contributions to societal well-being. This means taking actions that are aligned with our mission and vision
Important developments from 2022 include policy enhancements such as:
Strengthened anti-harassment measures, including engaging Ethena for inclusive training.
Introduction of a compassionate leave policy, offering paid time off for significant life events.
Implementation of a voluntary activism policy, encouraging team members to contribute through various avenues.
Other noteworthy initiatives include:
Advancing eWill adoption: Collaborating with legislative specialists to facilitate legislative changes for widespread eWill adoption.
Achieving SOC2 Type II and HIPAA compliance, reinforcing our commitment to top-tier privacy and data security.
Web accessibility commitment: Making our website inclusive to all, irrespective of technology, ability, or impairments.
Progress towards B Corporation certification: Actively reporting activities and aiming for certification in early 2023.
To view the full 2022 report, click here.
2021 annual impact report recap
2021 was an interesting year. We came out of 2020 thinking that it was one of the strangest, most surprising years of our lives. But we soon realized that we were in for yet another unprecedented year.
One aspect of our legacy is paving the way for the estate planning industry and what it could look like in the future. In the past, estate planning was expensive and inaccessible. As a mission-driven company, Trust & Will prides itself on providing education, removing barriers, and creating access (in terms of technology and affordability) for any American who wants to create an Estate Plan. Below is a recap of our environmental, social and governance impact.
Trust & Will’s 2021 environmental impact
For businesses, one of the critical ways to enact positive change in our environment is to reduce our own carbon footprint. Through our partnership with Ecologi, we’ve made strides towards becoming a climate-positive workforce. Since joining the program, we’ve:
Planted 6,735 trees
Reduced 890 tonnes of carbon emissions; which is equivalent to 2,208,313 miles driven in a car
Been a climate-positive workforce for 19 consecutive months
Our contributions have made impacts in larger projects, including:
Protecting and restoring forests in Papua New Guinea
Providing clean energy through hydropower in Kanugu, Uganda
Preserving 186,219 hectares of the Brazilian rainforest
Trust & Will’s 2021 social impact
Below is a list of some of the incredible organizations we’ve supported in 2021:
In addition to our ongoing commitments to these organizations, we also contribute regularly to the following nonprofit organizations:
Trust & Will’s 2021 governance impact
We pride ourselves on creating a workplace where our team members feel empowered to do their best work while also making a difference in their communities. For example, Trust & Will employees receive paid time off to perform civic duties, such as voting and jury duty.
In conjunction with Pledge 1%, we offer all employees four days (32 hours) of paid volunteer time off per year. We highly encourage employees to volunteer at least one day (8 hours) per quarter. This can be done individually, as a team event, or company-wide.
We can contribute nearly 2,000 hours a year to multiple causes and nonprofits from our team alone:
32 hours a year per employee
1,800 hours a year annually
To view the full 2021 report, click here.
2020 annual impact report recap
2020 was an unprecedented year for everyone, but here at Trust & Will, we continued moving forward in our mission to help as many Americans as possible put a plan in place for their families, futures, and legacies. Below is a recap of our environmental, social and governance impact.
Trust & Will’s 2020 environmental impact
In 2020, Trust & Will took several steps to have a climate positive impact. First, we became a member of Ecologi, a company focused on offsetting our carbon footprint with a climate positive workforce. In 2020, Trust & Will:
Planted 1694 trees
Reduced 234.62 tonnes of carbon emissions
Saved 704 meters of sea ice
We also made the switch to using FSC certified sustainable paper for all of our estate planning documents and packaging.
Trust & Will’s 2020 social impact
In 2020, we worked hard to create a culture focused on doing good. We took on several projects that we believe made a positive impact and committed to several initiatives:
Frontline Heroes Initiative
Founders Pledge
Fintech Equality Coalition
Founders for Change
Invest in Parents
Other Nonprofit contributions
Trust & Will’s 2020 governance impact
In 2020, we were committed to creating a safer workplace where employees could feel inspired to do their best work and make a difference.
We gave employees election day off as a paid holiday and encouraged them to register to vote, vote, and volunteer (if willing).
We also became members of 1% Pledge, an organization that allows companies to give 1% of their equity, profit, time or product to help nonprofits and other charities.
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