HackerOne Company Values Matter: Respect All People

At HackerOne, our company values - Default to Disclosure, Respect All People, Win as a Team, Lead with Integrity, and Execute with Excellence - reflect our beliefs, priorities, and aspirations.

Five Hackeronies are recognized each year for their unique contribution to our company's success, and their dedication to our values continues to help HackerOne be an incredible place to work.

The Respect All People Value Award has recognized three winners since its inception in 2022. We asked them why this award is important and how they inspire and motivate others to live the company's values.

Meet Laurie Mercer: 2022 Respect All People Value Award Winner

Laurie Mercer was chosen as the first Respect All People Value Award recipient. He's been a part of HackerOne for over six years, where he builds strong relationships with our diverse community of ethical hackers and collaborates with security teams across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.

For Laurie, respecting all people means acknowledging and valuing every individual's inherent dignity, worth, and rights, irrespective of their background, abilities, or status. “As a young student, I first encountered the idea of John Rawls’ 'veil of ignorance' and was immediately captivated. The idea that we should look at the world from a perspective of pure equality was very impactful on me,” said Laurie.

Adopting this mindset has compelled me in the subsequent 20 years (!) to treat everyone with fairness and compassion. It encourages me to advocate for systems and practices that are just and equitable, to challenge biases and inequalities, and to uphold the basic liberties and opportunities that should be accessible to all.

As Director of Sales Engineering in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia (EMEA), Laurie understands how his work aligns with HackerOne’s values and goals.

“At HackerOne, we are united by the belief that the collective intelligence and diversity of the global hacker community is our greatest strength in the quest to secure the internet,” said Laurie. “By valuing each hacker's unique insights and treating every contribution with the utmost respect, we enhance our capacity for innovation.”

Meet Sandeep Singh: 2023 Respect All People Value Award Winner

Sandeep Singh joined HackerOne in 2021 and was quickly awarded the 2023 Respect All People Value Award. He knows that his Director of Technical Services role impacts the hacker community and customers across the globe and that humans are the center at HackerOne.

“It is a community of hackers from around the world working to secure our customers around the world,” said Sandeep. “The emphasis on values brings people together who share the same values, irrespective of which geography or culture they come from.”

For Sandeep, respecting all people is the principle for how we should treat one another. It requires a positive regard - a deep acceptance of others' equal humanity regardless of differences in identities, beliefs, or circumstances. More than just tolerance, it provides the foundations to understand perspectives unlike ours.

Respecting all people fosters a culture of psychological safety where individuals feel safe to take risks, learn, speak up, disagree openly, and surface concerns.

Respect for the hacker community, HackerOne employees and customers, and everyone else is one of the core tenets of Sandeep’s work in building and leading the teams that review security vulnerabilities reported by hackers.

Meet Alice Segarty: 2024 Respect All People Value Award Winner

Alice Segarty stays motivated and inspired through her work on the People Team. Partnerships are the foundation of her role, and it is critical to exercise respect, empathy, and care in every interaction and decision. This is why her colleagues nominated her for the 2024 Respect All People Value Award.

Alice believes that showing respect to all people involves building and maintaining an inclusive and encouraging space for everyone. “It is important to recognize the significant contributions that we all bring to the table through our diverse experiences, backgrounds, beliefs, and abilities,” she said. “By doing so, we can empower one another to learn, innovate, and thrive.”

HackerOne is a community of dedicated and motivated individuals who are passionate about each other's success and the success of the business. As for me, there's nothing more fulfilling than working on projects that can make a positive difference in someone's life. 

Alice finds joy in identifying ways to alleviate burdens, reframe perspectives, and create meaningful change. Through her work, she aligns our people and business strategies to ensure that HackerOne can achieve its goals and succeed collectively.

Learn more about the HackerOne company values here.