Statement of Transparency

At Schiele & Associates, we were founded on a simple yet profound mission: to be a public-benefiting company. This means our focus isn’t merely on profit for a select few, but on creating value and opportunity for everyone connected to our business. In the spirit of a public benefit enterprise, we operate with a greater purpose – striving to improve the lives and success of our stakeholders and the broader community, not just our bottom line. Below, we openly share the principles that guide how we balance our business in a fair, sustainable way.

Purpose-Driven Leadership with Modest Compensation

One of our core commitments is that our CEO (myself) and top leadership will always draw only modest salaries, no matter how successful the company becomes. We deliberately reject the common corporate pattern where executive pay skyrockets while worker wages stagnate. (For context, many CEOs today earn nearly 200× the salary of their average employees, a gap that leaves over a quarter of workers feeling less loyal to their companies) In fact, about 80% of workers believe CEOs are overpaid. We never want to create that kind of disconnect. By capping executive compensation at a reasonable level, we ensure resources are reinvested back into the company – benefiting our clients through better services and our team through fair pay and growth opportunities. This approach keeps leadership humble, accountable, and in touch with the day-to-day work of our people.

Shared Success and Equal Opportunity for All

We believe every person who contributes to our company’s success deserves to share in it. Every client, stakeholder, full-time employee, subcontractor, temp worker, and intern will have an equal shot at success and a chance to enjoy a meaningful “piece of the pie.” In practice, this means we foster an environment where rewards aren’t reserved only for a few at the top. As the company prospers, everyone should feel the upside – whether through profit-sharing, bonuses, career advancement, or other benefits. Research shows that when employees share in a company’s success, it cultivates higher engagement, productivity, and loyalty. In other words, shared success is smart business. By valuing each person’s contributions and giving everyone a fair opportunity to grow, we create a culture of motivation and mutual respect. Our clients benefit from this too: a team that feels valued and invested will go the extra mile to deliver outstanding results.

Avoiding a Top-Heavy, Disconnected Culture

Too often, companies become top-heavy – a handful of individuals accumulate extreme wealth and power, while those doing the actual work struggle to get by. This imbalance can breed resentment and a toxic work culture. Studies have found that a lack of fairness, inclusion, and purpose at work causes employees to leave in droves in fact, a toxic corporate culture (where workers feel disrespected or disconnected) is a far stronger predictor of employee turnover than even compensation. We are determined never to let that happen at Schiele & Associates. By design, our leadership structure prevents anyone from “losing touch” with the everyday worker. We maintain open communication across all levels and make decisions collaboratively when possible. There is no ivory tower here – executives and interns alike collaborate and learn from each other. This balanced approach keeps our culture healthy and inclusive, so everyone can focus on doing great work rather than battling office politics. The result is a positive environment where our team thrives and our clients receive service from a unified, passionate workforce.

Our Balanced Approach at a Glance

To summarize our plan for balancing a successful business with fairness and integrity, here are the key pillars of our approach:

1. Capped Executive Pay: We limit executive and board compensation to modest levels. This prevents extreme income gaps and frees up resources to invest in our employees and client services.
2. Shared Rewards: We extend opportunities for profit-sharing, bonuses, and advancement to all contributors. When everyone shares in the wins, it boosts morale and performance – fueling a cycle of success for both our team and our clients.
3. Equal Opportunity Culture: We cultivate an inclusive workplace where each person’s ideas and efforts are respected. There are no “small players” in our company. Whether someone is a temporary intern or a strategic partner, they can make a real impact and grow with us.
4. Grounded Leadership: Our leaders remain actively engaged with employees and clients at the ground level. By working alongside our team, leadership stays aware of daily challenges and client needs. This hands-on approach keeps us agile and accountable, and it ensures no decision-makers ever drift out of touch with the realities of our business.

Each of these pillars reinforces the others, creating a balanced, resilient organization. We believe this logical, people-centered plan not only builds a better company, but also delivers superior value to our clients.

A Promise of Trust and Mutual Growth

Transparency is more than a buzzword for us – it’s a pledge we live by. We openly set these policies because we want you, as our client or partner, to know exactly what kind of company you’re working with. When we say we are a “public-benefiting” company, we back that up with concrete actions that put people first. Our leadership’s refusal to chase outsized personal gain, our commitment to share success broadly, and our insistence on a healthy culture all serve one purpose: to create an organization you can trust.

Ultimately, we know that if we take care of our people and partners, success takes care of itself. A company that treats its own team with fairness and respect is better positioned to treat its clients with outstanding care and ethics. With this focus at the heart of Schiele & Associates, I humbly ask you to trust us with your growth and your business. We don’t want to be just a vendor or consultant – we want to be a long-term partner in your success, built on honesty, equality, and genuine mutual respect.

Thank you for taking the time to read our Statement of Transparency. We are committed to these ideals and excited to prove that a balanced, equitable approach to business can drive remarkable results for everyone involved. Here’s to a future of shared growth, trust, and prosperity for us all.