Siri Oswald
Vice President of Talent Management, CRDF Global
This year, CRDF Global reached a key milestone in the maturation of its organizational culture – recommitting to and consciously infusing its values, competencies and expectations into its global infrastructure and governing principles. Throughout the enormous challenges the company and its partners faced during the pandemic and the ongoing war in Ukraine, its employees have embodied company values of doing the right thing, caring for each other and delivering with excellence.
The organizational culture has only been strengthened through these experiences, and Siri Oswald’s team took conscious steps this year to ensure the culture created will continue to define the company as it grows.
CRDF Global CEO Mike Dignam said the company’s expansion in recent years owes much to the positive organizational culture Oswald and her team fostered. According to Dignam, the team has effectively integrated the company’s vision and values into daily operations. This has created a workplace where employees are well aware of how their contributions support not only the organization but also the objectives of their funders, leading to a shared sense of accomplishment.
“In her executive leadership role, Siri clearly leverages her strong background in operations and strategic management, but the most evident driver of her success in this role is her underlying care for others and the mission of this company,” Dignam added.
Why Watch
In 2023, CRDF Global’s HR team is working on improving leadership skills and setting up consistent training and support for career growth across its worldwide staff. As the company expands globally, it’s also boosting its support systems to make sure they work well for everyone, no matter their location. Oswald said the team is the company’s most valuable resource, and investing in leadership training will benefit not only current employees but also those who join the company in the future.
Over his 17 years at CRDF Global, Oswald has come to appreciate the truth in the saying, “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.” The company was founded on the idea of international cooperation. This principle is still important in how it serves clients and works internally.
“Everything we do, whether that be specific mission support or a working group on an internal initiative is designed and implemented to include diverse perspectives and reflect the sum of who we are,” Oswald added.