Driving sustainability and excellence: a FinOps story at Platform.sh

FinOps Professional Sumaira Nazir defines herself by her commitment to growth. With a master's degree in psychology and a background in both business analysis and project management, Sumaira’s passion for self-improvement means she’s always in pursuit of her next professional milestone. In fact, this love of learning is part of what drew her to Platform.sh.

In this guest post, Sumaira shares her journey to FinOps, the transition to Platform.sh, what makes her proud to work here, and the company’s latest achievements in sustainability. Ever-evolving, she also reveals her upcoming plans for continued professional development.

When I joined Platform.sh in 2022, I vividly remember my team lead telling me, “Sumaira, at Platform.sh, you're not just here to solve the FinOps puzzle—you're here to design it.” He couldn’t have been more right.

Over my past few years here, it’s become clear that my passion for professional development mirrors the company’s commitment to ongoing excellence in transparency, customer service, and sustainability. I’m excited to see us both continue to grow together, and thankful for the support of my team and the whole company.

So, how did I get into FinOps and find my way to Platform.sh? 

Navigating FinOps and discovering an inspiring work environment

I first became interested in FinOps as a business analyst in 2021. Browsing job postings, I noticed an open FinOps role at Cisco and grew curious about it. I was captivated by the idea of using strategic analysis and resourcing to save organizations a substantial amount of money.

So, always ready for a new challenge, I joined Cisco and truly enjoyed the shift to FinOps. But, eager for continued growth, I kept looking for new opportunities.

Later, when I got an offer to work at Platform.sh, I wondered if moving to a smaller company was the right choice for me. But while I considered the idea, I recalled a memorable interview I’d had years ago at another small organization.

In that interview, the Senior Director told me, “Sumaira, we are a small boutique-style company. Companies like us may be small in size, but we compete with the big companies by offering a unique approach. For us, every project and customer is unique and every employee has the autonomy to influence their work.”

The Platform.sh team members who interviewed me reminded me of that experience. They had amazing things to say about their work culture; that solidified my decision. 

I joined Platform.sh as a FinOps Practitioner in September 2022, and now I can say that it was one of the best decisions of my career. The work culture here has truly given me the collaborative, supportive, growth-focused work culture I’d been craving.

For example, FinOps has monthly meetings with other teams to discuss our plans and build strategies in advance. This lets teams be a part of the decision-making process. 

In my role, I’m lucky to work with different teammates, from engineering leads to business analyst leads. Every day, I enjoy wearing different hats and working with different roles. 

This job never lets me get bored! But although the role is varied and exciting, I’m certainly not done growing…

Professional growth fosters personal and company-wide success

When I joined Platform.sh, I was already working towards my FinOps Certified Professional designation, thanks to a scholarship from FinOps.org. Joining a new company while pursuing this achievement was a huge jump in terms of education and workload. So, I was grateful that everyone around me truly supported my journey. 

I was one of the first 50 people to earn that Professional designation in 2023. And afterward, I immediately thought, “What's next?” I wasn’t ready to stop learning!

So, since then, I’ve taken courses about FinOps for container environments, engineering, cloud infrastructure, AI and machine learning, and so much more. All of it helps to strengthen my understanding of FinOps, the mission of Platform.sh, and each of the different teams I work with daily.

I appreciate the commitment to sustainability at Platform.sh, which adds meaning to my work. FinOps and cloud sustainability complement each other, fostering responsible tech use and efficiency for a more sustainable planet. Focusing on one amplifies the impact of the other, creating a cycle of positive change.

The summer of sustainability for Platform.sh

In June 2024, Platform.sh earned two gold medals in sustainability from independent corporate social responsibility rating agencies EcoVadis and Greenly, landing in the top 5% of all organizations assessed. 

Then, in August, we earned the prestigious distinction of Certified B Corp. Typical organizations have a median Impact Score of 50.9, while companies must score 80 or above to achieve B Corp certification. But Platform.sh received a 96.9 Impact Score in recognition of its efforts in sustainability. 

We've celebrated numerous successes as a team, and when I heard from our VP of Data Protection & Compliance, Joey Stanford, that Platform.sh was approved for B Corp certification, I was overjoyed—the company truly deserves it. The supportive work culture here has empowered us to elevate our FinOps practice to new heights.

I believe these 3 key components helped us earn our B Corp status:

1. Transparency: Clear, customizable products and services that our customers understand and trust
2. Engagement: Every day, I see employee engagement growing at Platform.sh
3. Sustainability: Cloud-based sustainability is a growing priority for organizations worldwide, but at Platform.sh, it’s a fundamental value
   • Platform.sh uses up to 12x less CPU power  vs. traditional hosting methods
   • Platform.sh customers can earn a 3% resource usage discount when selecting regions using low-carbon grids 

What’s next for me?

In January 2024, I became the first FinOps professional ever to earn a Certified in the Governance of Enterprise IT (CGEIT) certification—and as you might have guessed, I’ve already got my sights on my next professional goal.

Next year, I’m excited to pursue an Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA)! 

It’s an honor to work and grow with the team at Platform.sh. Not only is the work culture incredibly transparent and supportive, but the company is a perfect match for my values. It’s wonderful to work somewhere that is just as committed to learning, collaboration, transparency, and sustainability as I am.

For me, happiness isn’t just about what you achieve—it’s about who you become along the way. My journey at Platform.sh has been steering me toward my goal of pursuing an Executive MBA, and that time is almost here. So thank you, Platform.sh, for all your support, and for making this journey an extraordinary one. I’m looking forward to many more years of growth together.