Good work, toxic enviroment - Manager, Public Policy and Advocacy AccessNow Employee Review

Title says it all. It's a special place with special people. No place is perfect, but the people at Access Now have character, intelligence, commitment to their virtues, critical thinking, and conviction. Hard to find a place like that.

Typical non-profit gripes. Grant funding purse strings can sometimes become restrictive. Sometimes there are long hours, sometimes there is less to do.

Access Now does incredibly important work, and being part of a mission-driven team advocating for human rights in the digital age was deeply fulfilling. I had the opportunity to work with talented, passionate colleagues who truly care about making a difference.

Unfortunately, the internal culture does not reflect the values the organization promotes externally. Favoritism played a significant role in opportunities and decision-making, and leadership often came across as condescending and dismissive. Promotions were rare and not based on merit or transparency. Compensation was far below industry standards, and the workload was unsustainable, leading many to burnout.