The year 2023 in our software development company was a time filled with challenges, numerous journeys, focused on the development of our employees, and abundant, and interesting corporate events. We underwent a demanding ISO certification process, became laureates of prestigious awards recognized worldwide, initiated new and exciting business projects, and shared knowledge with others during numerous conferences – it was indeed an intense period! Let’s now summarize the most significant events and achievements of VM.PL.
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We are the laureates of Forbes Diamonds 2023
In the past year, VM.PL joined the ranks of laureates of one of the most prestigious business awards – Forbes Diamonds 2023. This ranking is curated by Forbes magazine and recognizes companies with positive credibility assessments and the most dynamic growth in value over the last 3 years. The ranking is based on the Swiss method of company valuation, which combines know-how and investment value. Companies are identified based on their sales, net income, value of fixed assets, or level of investments.
We have been awarded the title of Business Gazelle
We have also been honoured as laureates in the Business Gazelle ranking published by Puls Biznesu (Business Pulse). This places us among the small and medium-sized companies that have consistently shown growth in recent years. This achievement would not have been possible without everyone who contributed to this success – our exceptional employees and business partners.
We have achieved ISO 27001 and 9001 certifications
The attainment of ISO 27001 and 9001 certifications has provided us with the assurance that the standards we have implemented meet international norms. The certification process was conducted by a German certification institution to ensure that we do not overlook any aspect crucial to our clients (90% of our revenue comes from German-speaking clients who prioritize excellence). This achievement will enable us to better support our clients in securing new contracts, both in tenders and private orders.
The ISO 9001 standard provides a framework for organizations to establish, implement, and maintain processes and procedures aimed at consistently delivering high-quality products or services to their customers and stakeholders. The ISO 27001 standard is highly valuable to us as it helps protect confidential information, mitigate security threats, and build trust among stakeholders. Attaining the ISO 27001 certification is a clear signal of our organization’s commitment to safeguarding informational resources and ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of sensitive data.
VM on the road
We travelled hundreds of kilometres for face-to-face meetings with our clients and potential customers. All of this was done to ensure that expectations were thoroughly understood and to build strong collaborations with clients and their teams. We make every effort to foster mutual trust. As a result, in the past year, we visited our clients in cities such as Berlin, Munich, Dresden, Heidelberg, Bochum, Ingolstadt, Munster, Bonn, Oldenburg, Essen, Dingolfing, Chemnitz, Regensburg, Leipzig, Stuttgart, Halle, Reutlingen, Ettlingen, Salzburg, Mannheim, Warsaw, Krakow, Karlsruhe, Luneburg, Kiel, Hamburg, Wiesbaden, Hof, Wurzburg, Zurich, Solingen.
Business conferences
Business meetings were not the only reasons for our travels. To expand our knowledge of the market, explore new sectors, and share our technological solutions, we participated in numerous conferences.
We were present at the Hanover Trade Fair (Hannover Messe) – a leading event in industrial technology. We engaged in discussions on topics such as handling legacy code, conducting digital transformations, and driving business development.
We visited Vienna to participate in the B2B Software Days. We encountered conferences, inspiring workshops, and fruitful business meetings, all organized in line with the principles of a green event – the organizing team was committed to reducing the impact of the event on the environment and promoting sustainable practices among participants.
Our representatives also travelled to Essen for the E-world energy & water – a European event in the energy industry.
For the third time, we were present at the Silicon Saxony Day in Dresden. The Silicon Saxony Association is one of the largest German and European clusters in microelectronics and IT. Undoubtedly, it was a fruitful time full of knowledge exchange within the high-tech community.
Our Head of Technology Consulting was a speaker at the FinTech conference in Zurich. A substantial amount of knowledge was shared by leading IT service providers in the field of nearshoring, based on specific case studies.
VM as event sponsor
In March, we participated in the Academic Job Fair held at Wroclaw University of Technology, marking the 38th edition of the event. We have been a consistent presence for several years. Our recruiters shared insights about our software house, our work culture, and provided tips for those taking their first steps in the IT job market.
For the second time, we were sponsors of the Devoxx conference in Krakow, where over 2000 individuals from various countries gathered at the largest event dedicated to Java developers in Poland. We extend our gratitude to all participants for three inspiring days of discussions.
Employee development – training, certifications, guilds, and webinars
In 2023, our programmers expanded their knowledge in the field of cloud solutions, yielding fruitful results – they obtained certifications as AWS Cloud Practitioner and AWS Certified Solutions Architects – Associates. Project managers also enhanced their skills and achieved certification as Professional Scrum Master I.
Furthermore, we provided our developers with the opportunity to participate in technological conferences such as Confitura, Devoxx, .NET Developer Days, and NG Poland.
Internally, we organized training sessions on the Spring framework led by our developer, as well as a session on React. In terms of soft skills, a training session with coach Anita Przybył took place, focusing on the imposter syndrome.
We also conducted webinars on “Agile and Project Management” and “Political Correctness in a Foreign Language.”
We actively nurtured regular guild meetings for Java (covering structural patterns, parameterized testing, programming patterns) and soft skills (addressing topics such as assertiveness and improvisation).
Company events
Our event calendar was packed with exciting activities! We ensured numerous opportunities for our employees to connect, both within teams and the entire VM team. Here are some of the highlights:
- Ski trip to Zieleniec
- Ping pong tournament
- Self-defense course on International Women’s Day
- Spring welcome in the office
- Online cooking – Mexican cuisine
- Football tournament
- Motorboat helmsman course
- Chocolate Day
- Cycling rally in the Barych Valley
- Toast festival
- Soccer tournament
- Online cooking – Indian cuisine
- St. Nicholas Day for employees’ children
We help others
In the past year, we organized several charity initiatives. We invited children from the Children’s Home in Oborniki Śląskie to our company picnic on Children’s Day. We provided numerous attractions with professional animators, including face painting, skill games, a balloon zoo, and plant planting workshops.
Our sports-minded (but not only!) employees participated in the Corporate Run to support the wards of the Everest Foundation. We managed to form 4 teams, which means that as many as 20 people got involved! It was a wonderful time spent in team-building activities in a sports atmosphere, aiming to raise funds for the treatment and rehabilitation of those in need.
We also supported the “Koci Zakątek” (‘Cat’s Corner’) Foundation, where our developer took the initiative and independently designed and created a VM-themed calendar for the New Year. The funds raised were donated to the foundation.
We organized a charity fair in our office, and the proceeds were donated to the “Mali Bracia Ubogich” (‘Little Brothers of the Poor’) association. Our employees were fully engaged, enthusiastically participating in the initiative.
Looking back, the year 2023 was incredibly intense. We don’t plan on slowing down, and we hope that the current year, 2024, will bring us many positive experiences, new business projects, team-building events, and continuous growth – that’s what we wish for. 😊 Keep your fingers crossed!
