Alison Colwell

Senior Director of ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) and Sustainability

As part of the Okta for Good team, Alison Colwell is the Senior Director of ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) and Sustainability for Okta. With her cross-functional partners, Alison is leading the effort to build the ESG function at Okta and developing the company’s climate and human rights strategies. She is very passionate about the interconnections of ESG issues, which include human rights, racial justice, and climate change.

Alison has worked for over 15 years on ESG, human rights, and sustainability, including building the program at LVMH brand, Sephora, and as a consultant with BSR (Business for Social Responsibility). She holds an MA in Public Policy and Administration from Carleton University, with a Bachelor of Commerce, and a Bachelor of Arts in Global Development Studies from Queen’s University, Canada. Alison volunteers as a Fellow at Stanford’s Center for Human Rights and International Justice, guest lecturing, mentoring students, as well as learning from them, and serves as a Strategic Board member for Business Council on Climate Change (BC3). Alison loves being an “auntie,” surfing, hiking, reading, birdwatching, and dancing.

3 ways Okta can help you improve your security posture and respect privacy-forward human rights

This is the second in our blog series on trust/security and human rights. You can find our first blog here. Identity is the connection between people and technology, and it’s the front door to all digital interactions. As the threats we face evolve, Identity has become increasingly important to our communities and workplaces. Cybercriminals are…

Responsible AI innovation at Okta

AI is at the peak of the hype cycle. Its exponential growth began in 2022 with ChatGPT being released. While ChatGPT’s freemium model brought its impressive capability to mainstream attention, what drives AI commercialization is the decreasing barrier of entry. Large-scale, open-source models based on readily available APIs are constantly being…

Beyond compliance: Elevating Okta’s ESG with security and trust

As the front door to all digital interactions, Identity is the connection between people and technology. Over the last 15 years, Okta has built an incredible ecosystem across our nearly 19,000 customers. Those customers trust Okta to connect their most precious assets: their employees and customers, and they trust Okta to do it securely while…

Okta’s climate targets: Progress and opportunities one year in

Climate change is the crisis of this generation and no longer a question of “when’” for companies but instead a question of “how.” Our customers and investors increasingly expect more from Okta. We are also closely monitoring the global transition from voluntary disclosure and target-setting to mandatory regulatory compliance. We are taking steps…

Okta’s Learnings About Climate Equity

During Earth Week this year, Okta employees heard from 2 distinguished, climate-focused organizations: CLIMA Fund and Solar Stewards. They addressed the root causes of climate change and how we can assist in developing local resilience to climate impacts. Learning from these organizations is a key piece of Okta’s current climate strategy. Why?…

Here’s How We’re Playing Our Part to Combat Climate Change

Last year, the United Nations described climate change as the defining crisis of our time. UN Secretary-General António Guterres called it Code Red for Humanity, stating that “we must act decisively now…Inclusive and green economies, prosperity, cleaner air, and better health are possible for all if we respond to this crisis with solidarity and…

Reducing Emissions through Dynamic Work and Renewable Electricity

Climate change is a pressing global issue that is severely impacting people, the planet, and businesses. We can already see these impacts with increasing droughts, wildfires, extreme heat, and flooding affecting peoples’ well-being, and business operations. The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a report in…

Our Commitment to 100% Renewable Electricity and Guiding Principles for Okta’s Climate Strategy

We all recognize that we’re in a climate and health crisis. We know that the impacts of climate change are directly affecting human health; are appearing more frequently and severely; and disproportionately affect underserved communities, including many communities of color. These outcomes require an urgent response from all of us. Okta is…