Geographic Solutions Named Honoree in Fast Company's 2025 World Changing Ideas Awards
The Annual Award Recognizes Innovative Companies and Projects Addressing the World's Most Urgent Challenges
PALM HARBOR, Fla., June 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Geographic Solutions, a leading provider of workforce development software for government and public sectors, has been named a honoree of Fast Company's 2025 World Changing Ideas Awards in the Enduring Impact: 15+ Years in Business category. The annual recognition honors bold and transformative efforts that tackle the world's most pressing issues—from fresh sustainability initiatives and cutting-edge AI developments to ambitious pursuits of social equity that are helping mold the world.
This year's award recognized Geographic Solutions' work in developing and launching the Entry to Employment (E2E) Network in partnership with the California Prison Industry Authority and the California Employment Development Department. The E2E Network leverages Geographic Solutions' Virtual OneStop Reentry Employment Opportunities system to provide justice-involved individuals with the necessary tools and resources to help them find employment before reentering society.
'We are incredibly honored to be recognized by Fast Company for our impactful work on the E2E Network,' said Paul Toomey, the Founder and President of Geographic Solutions. 'This award underscores our enduring commitment to using our software in transformative ways to help individuals find employment, minimize unemployment durations, reduce recidivism, and enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of workforce development agencies.'
This year's awards, featured on fastcompany.com, showcase 50 winners across 12 categories and 50 additional winners across industries, for a total of 100 outstanding projects. A panel of Fast Company editors and reporters selected the winners from a pool of more than 1,500 entries and judged applications based on their impact, sustainability, design, creativity, scalability, and ability to improve society.
'The World Changing Ideas Awards have always been about showcasing the art of the possible,' says Fast Company editor-in-chief Brendan Vaughan. 'We're proud to recognize the organizations and leaders that are making meaningful progress on the biggest issues of our time.'
About Geographic SolutionsGeographic Solutions is the leading provider of integrated software for state and local workforce agencies in over 40 states and U.S. territories. The company's online solutions manage all federally-funded partner programs under WIOA, labor exchange, job aggregation, labor market information, service and fund tracking, human services, and unemployment insurance benefits. Geographic Solutions' software is currently being utilized by over 1,200 American Job Centers to serve more than 204 million individuals—reaching over 75% of the job seekers and employers in the country. For more information, visit www.geographicsolutions.com
ABOUT FAST COMPANYFast Company is the only media brand fully dedicated to the vital intersection of business, innovation, and design, engaging the most influential leaders, companies, and thinkers on the future of business. Headquartered in New York City, Fast Company is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with our sister publication Inc., and can be found online at www.fastcompany.com.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Malaysia Dateline
2 days ago
- Malaysia Dateline
'Ensuring Benefits for the Rakyat with Responsible Use of Mobile Phone Data'
by Prof Emeritus Dr Sureswaran Ramadass, Chairman of APAC IPv6 Council & Cybersecurity Subject Matter Expert Recent discussions surrounding the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission's (MCMC) Mobile Phone Data Program have stirred public debate, raising questions over privacy, cybersecurity, and the government's role in data stewardship. As someone deeply involved in nation building in the areas of network infrastructure and cybersecurity, I feel it is crucial to bring technical clarity to the Malaysian public regarding this issue and separating speculation from substantiated fact. Understanding the Nature of the Data First and foremost, the data collected under the Mobile Phone Data Program is aggregated, anonymised, and devoid of any personally identifiable information (PII). The data only provides generalised metadata such as signal strength, network usage trends, location area codes, and other non-personal metrics that can help our regulator assess mobile network performance, digital divide issues, and emergency response readiness. To equate this program with intrusive surveillance is technically inaccurate and misleading. The data points collected are no different, if not significantly less granular, than the metadata routinely collected by global platforms like Google, Apple, Meta, and numerous other mobile apps for analytics, service optimisation, and targeted advertising. Legal and Ethical Boundaries Are Intact The Malaysian regulator, MCMC, in line with the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 and the Personal Data Protection Act 2010, operates within strict regulatory boundaries. This particular program does not collect names, phone numbers, call logs, browsing history, or message contents. Generally, the participating Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) are very cautious on sharing their data yet, they have had no issues in working closely with MCMC on this project. Furthermore, access to the metadata is limited to selected analytical tools within the Commission, with no commercial or third-party exposure. This makes the dataset fundamentally different from the kind of data typically vulnerable to misuse or monetisation in commercial tech ecosystems. Strategic Importance in a Digital Nation From a technical and policy standpoint, the Mobile Phone Data Program is strategically very important for national digital infrastructure planning. With Malaysia advancing toward wider 5G deployment and smart city initiatives, regulators require real-time, evidence-based insights into mobile coverage, device density, and population mobility to guide resource allocation, spectrum planning, and emergency readiness. For instance, during natural disasters or public health crises, such data can significantly improve our authorities' responses, enabling faster and more targeted assistance being provided to the needy. Several advanced economies, including South Korea, Finland, and Estonia, have long adopted similar anonymised data programs providing effective public benefits and without any complains about infringing on personal privacy. Addressing the Misinformation Ecosystem It is unfortunate that a narrative of distrust has taken root, largely fuelled by misinformation and a poor understanding of network-level data analytics. In the absence of context, the public is led to fear a 'surveillance state,' even when the technical facts clearly indicate that no such risk exists. MCMC's proactive move to engage cybersecurity experts, telcos, and the public through open communication is the correct path forward. Transparency, ongoing stakeholder dialogue, and third-party audits should be encouraged, not to defend against wrongdoing, but to reinforce trust in a system that is technically sound and ethically implemented. Final Thoughts The integrity of our digital ecosystem must be safeguarded, not only from cyber threats but from disinformation that can undermine our national progress. The Mobile Phone Data Program is not a breach of privacy but instead, an important tool for digital nation-building, designed with checks and balances that preserves user anonymity and protects public trust. Let us not conflate good governance with intrusion, or precaution with paranoia. This part of Malaysia's digital journey uses the carefully redacted data to ensure better mobile coverage and connectivity, amongst other things, to bring better comfort and telco services to the Malaysian public.
Borneo Post
3 days ago
- Borneo Post
Ensuring benefits for the rakyat with responsible use of mobile phone data
The Mobile Phone Data Programme is not a breach of privacy but instead, an important tool for digital nation-building. – AI IMAGE R ecent discussions surrounding the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission's (MCMC) Mobile Phone Data Programme have stirred public debate, raising questions over privacy, cybersecurity, and the government's role in data stewardship. As someone deeply involved in nation building in the areas of network infrastructure and cybersecurity, I feel it is crucial to bring technical clarity to the Malaysian public regarding this issue and separating speculation from substantiated fact. Understanding the Nature of the Data First and foremost, the data collected under the Mobile Phone Data Programme is aggregated, anonymised, and devoid of any personally identifiable information (PII). The data only provides generalised metadata such as signal strength, network usage trends, location area codes, and other non-personal metrics that can help our regulator assess mobile network performance, digital divide issues, and emergency response readiness. To equate this program with intrusive surveillance is technically inaccurate and misleading. The data points collected are no different, if not significantly less granular, than the metadata routinely collected by global platforms like Google, Apple, Meta, and numerous other mobile apps for analytics, service optimisation, and targeted advertising. Legal and Ethical Boundaries Are Intact The Malaysian regulator, MCMC, in line with the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 and the Personal Data Protection Act 2010, operates within strict regulatory boundaries. This particular programme does not collect names, phone numbers, call logs, browsing history, or message contents. Generally, the participating Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) are very cautious on sharing their data yet, they have had no issues in working closely with MCMC on this project. Furthermore, access to the metadata is limited to selected analytical tools within the Commission, with no commercial or third-party exposure. This makes the dataset fundamentally different from the kind of data typically vulnerable to misuse or monetisation in commercial tech ecosystems. Strategic Importance in a Digital Nation From a technical and policy standpoint, the Mobile Phone Data Programme is strategically very important for national digital infrastructure planning. With Malaysia advancing toward wider 5G deployment and smart city initiatives, regulators require real-time, evidence-based insights into mobile coverage, device density, and population mobility to guide resource allocation, spectrum planning, and emergency readiness. For instance, during natural disasters or public health crises, such data can significantly improve our authorities' responses, enabling faster and more targeted assistance being provided to the needy. Several advanced economies, including South Korea, Finland, and Estonia, have long adopted similar anonymised data programs providing effective public benefits and without any complains about infringing on personal privacy. Addressing the Misinformation Ecosystem It is unfortunate that a narrative of distrust has taken root, largely fuelled by misinformation and a poor understanding of network-level data analytics. In the absence of context, the public is led to fear a 'surveillance state,' even when the technical facts clearly indicate that no such risk exists. MCMC's proactive move to engage cybersecurity experts, telcos, and the public through open communication is the correct path forward. Transparency, ongoing stakeholder dialogue, and third-party audits should be encouraged, not to defend against wrongdoing, but to reinforce trust in a system that is technically sound and ethically implemented. Final Thoughts The integrity of our digital ecosystem must be safeguarded, not only from cyber threats but from disinformation that can undermine our national progress. The Mobile Phone Data Programme is not a breach of privacy but instead, an important tool for digital nation-building, designed with checks and balances that preserves user anonymity and protects public trust. Let us not conflate good governance with intrusion, or precaution with paranoia. This part of Malaysia's digital journey uses the carefully redacted data to ensure better mobile coverage and connectivity, amongst other things, to bring better comfort and telco services to the Malaysian public. * Prof Emeritus Dr Sureswaran Ramadass is Chairman of APAC IPv6 Council & Cybersecurity Subject Matter Expert Data Collection MCMC Metadata mobile data
Malaysian Reserve
10-06-2025
- Malaysian Reserve
Geographic Solutions Named Honoree in Fast Company's 2025 World Changing Ideas Awards
The Annual Award Recognizes Innovative Companies and Projects Addressing the World's Most Urgent Challenges PALM HARBOR, Fla., June 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Geographic Solutions, a leading provider of workforce development software for government and public sectors, has been named a honoree of Fast Company's 2025 World Changing Ideas Awards in the Enduring Impact: 15+ Years in Business category. The annual recognition honors bold and transformative efforts that tackle the world's most pressing issues—from fresh sustainability initiatives and cutting-edge AI developments to ambitious pursuits of social equity that are helping mold the world. This year's award recognized Geographic Solutions' work in developing and launching the Entry to Employment (E2E) Network in partnership with the California Prison Industry Authority and the California Employment Development Department. The E2E Network leverages Geographic Solutions' Virtual OneStop Reentry Employment Opportunities system to provide justice-involved individuals with the necessary tools and resources to help them find employment before reentering society. 'We are incredibly honored to be recognized by Fast Company for our impactful work on the E2E Network,' said Paul Toomey, the Founder and President of Geographic Solutions. 'This award underscores our enduring commitment to using our software in transformative ways to help individuals find employment, minimize unemployment durations, reduce recidivism, and enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of workforce development agencies.' This year's awards, featured on showcase 50 winners across 12 categories and 50 additional winners across industries, for a total of 100 outstanding projects. A panel of Fast Company editors and reporters selected the winners from a pool of more than 1,500 entries and judged applications based on their impact, sustainability, design, creativity, scalability, and ability to improve society. 'The World Changing Ideas Awards have always been about showcasing the art of the possible,' says Fast Company editor-in-chief Brendan Vaughan. 'We're proud to recognize the organizations and leaders that are making meaningful progress on the biggest issues of our time.' About Geographic SolutionsGeographic Solutions is the leading provider of integrated software for state and local workforce agencies in over 40 states and U.S. territories. The company's online solutions manage all federally-funded partner programs under WIOA, labor exchange, job aggregation, labor market information, service and fund tracking, human services, and unemployment insurance benefits. Geographic Solutions' software is currently being utilized by over 1,200 American Job Centers to serve more than 204 million individuals—reaching over 75% of the job seekers and employers in the country. For more information, visit ABOUT FAST COMPANYFast Company is the only media brand fully dedicated to the vital intersection of business, innovation, and design, engaging the most influential leaders, companies, and thinkers on the future of business. Headquartered in New York City, Fast Company is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with our sister publication Inc., and can be found online at
