Our Amazing People
KBR’s Culture of Community and Kindness
By John Arnold, KBR Link Editor
When I was growing up in rural North Georgia — the U.S. state, not the country — my mom frequently intoned the following as I was walking out the door for the day.
“Be sweet!”
I’m not sure about elsewhere in the U.S., but in our part of the world that meant, and still means, “Be kind.”
I’ve traveled the world, met a lot of people, worked in a lot of places, and I’ve found that perhaps no piece advice, aside from perhaps “Always be the most prepared person in the room,” has served me as well. No matter where I’ve been or what I’ve been doing, I have always tried to treat people as equals, with empathy, with compassion. Simply put, I’ve “done unto others as I would have them do unto me” and tried to do what mama said — be nice to everyone. Now, I’m no saint. Some days it’s been a challenge. But mostly the results have been positive.
I started working at KBR five and a half years ago. That means that I’ve spent more time with KBR people than any other team I’ve ever worked on. One of the things that I’ve seen, almost daily, is that KBR people are very nice folks. I’m not talking about cursory office pleasantries or quick chats by the coffee machine. It’s something else. It’s as if not a day goes by that members of our team of teams, somewhere around the world — or several places — are spending time together, building community, and, more often than not, they’re doing something that benefits others. Whether they’re collecting toys or school supplies or food for those in need, cleaning up trash on a beach or in a bayou, raising money to help disaster victims, or simply being present in their communities, KBR people show up.
[If you don’t know what I’m talking about and need proof, go to LinkedIn, Facebook or Instagram and look at recent KBR posts. I’ll wait.]
Are you back? Great.
I digress. There are too many examples to name them all. But what follows are a few ways large and small that our people show up, live our values, and demonstrate our culture of community and kindness around the world.
It’s as if not a day goes by that members of our team of teams, somewhere around the world — or several places — are spending time together, building community, and, more often than not, they’re doing something that benefits others.
Going All In to Make a Difference
This past May, KBR launched All In, our volunteer-led community whose mission is to bring our employee value proposition to life. How do they do that? By breaking down silos, bringing people together and engaging with our local communities, helping people grow in their careers at KBR, and by helping ensure that KBR is a place where everyone can belong, connect and grow.
Since the launch, All In chapters in our major markets have hit the ground running, hosting a variety of events, including holding a back-to-school drive and collecting school supplies and donating them to BEAR (Be a Resource). You can read about other examples in the All In update article in this edition of KBR Link.
An integral part of All In is our dynamic employee group for early-career professionals, IMPACT. When they’re not learning about the business from senior leaders, growing in their careers, or meeting up for some out-of-office fun, IMPACT members regularly demonstrate KBR’s culture of community and kindness through volunteerism and active engagement. This summer has been no exception.
In India, IMPACT members from three KBR locations participated in Ecothon, an event organized to mark World Nature Conservation Day (July 28, 2025). Teams demonstrated KBR’s commitment to sustainability by helping clean up local beaches. In Houston, IMPACT members volunteered at the Houston Food Bank, Beacon Homeless Shelter, and hosted a cleanup on Buffalo Bayou and planted trees for Earth Day. They also were instrumental in raising more than $5,000 in just a few hours to help victims of the devastating flooding in the Texas Hill Country earlier this summer.
For more information about All In and how you can get involved, visit the All In SharePoint site.
Being a Hub in the Community
In August, KBR people showed up to volunteer for the Leatherhead Community Hub (LCH) BBQ. Since opening in 2022, the LCH has become a cornerstone of the local community, welcoming 3,000 visitors every month. In the wake of the worst period of the pandemic, the LCH has become for many people a home away from home, providing opportunities to connect and strengthen local networks.
KBR volunteers flipped more than 400 burgers in the summer heat and kept visitors fed and cared for. Why does this support matter for KBR? KBR project manager Sophie James said it best:
“Supporting initiatives like this isn’t just the right thing to do — it’s a reflection of KBR’s commitment to being a responsible business. Through meaningful community engagement, we uphold our Zero Harm values, fostering environments where people and places can thrive. These efforts are also central to delivering social value, which is increasingly a decisive factor in securing and delivering contracts. By engaging locally, we build trust, demonstrate our long-term commitment to communities, and generate positive outcomes that align with both client expectations and the U.K. Social Value Model.”
Driving Change for Worthy Causes
If you’ve worked at KBR for a while, you may have heard about our annual charity golf tournament. Since 2007, the KBR Charity Golf Tournament has raised nearly $12 million for organizations that do amazing work in health care, public safety education, environmental sustainability and other critical areas. In the tournament’s history, more than 50 charities have benefited from funds raised. But the tournament couldn’t happen without the tireless efforts of an entire team of employee volunteers who go above and beyond and give hundreds of hours to ensure the event goes smoothly every year.
Besides our people, the primary engine behind the tournament is the KBR Charitable Foundation, which ensures the funds raised go to local and national nonprofits that align with KBR’s vision and values. But did you know that the foundation also helps employees in need?
Back in 2017, in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, the foundation was given a new purpose — helping KBR employees affected by natural disasters. Through a rigorous approval process, employees may be eligible for financial assistance to alleviate burdens that insurance alone won’t cover. Since 2017, hundreds of employees have been helped in states across the U.S.
For more information about the KBR Charity Golf Tournament, visit charitygolf.kbr.com.
So what are you waiting for?
As you can see, we’re not short of opportunities to get involved at KBR.
And there’s a place for you!
Find it and come belong, connect and grow with us.
In the meantime, be sweet!
