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      FirstCarbon Solutions

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      FirstCarbon Solutions Reviews

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      2.9

      42% would recommend to a friend

      (54 total reviews)

      Patrick Schultz

      65% approve of CEO

      41% positive business outlook

      Ratings by category

      3.2

      Work/Life balance

      3.0

      Career opportunities

      2.9

      Diversity and inclusion

      2.8

      Culture and values

      2.8

      Compensation and benefits

      2.5

      Senior management

      FirstCarbon Solutions has an employee rating of 2.9 out of 5 stars, based on 54 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have an average working experience there. The FirstCarbon Solutions employee rating is 22% below average for employers within the Management and consulting industry (3.7 stars).

      Reviews by job title

      54 reviews
      1.0
      29 Mar 2016

      Wow

      Anonymous employee
      Recommend
      CEO approval
      Business outlook

      Pros

      There really are not any positive qualities to working here.

      Cons

      I had never heard of this website until last week when the management held a couple meetings with staff to discuss the negative reviews. If it was not pathetic enough that they took valuable time from our days to address comments on the internet, I was saddened to come on here and see the obvious fake reviews that they have been writing. We are not sure whether this discussion was intended to improve morale or intimidate others from contributing more negative reviews. As with everything they do, it was clearly not effective. I am a current employee and I was brought in a couple years ago after their song and dance about how this is an exciting growing company with a bright future. The reality of working here has unfortunately been far from this. I am not a disgruntled former employee, I am not even angry, I just want to set the record straight so that anyone that is considering working for or with this company understands what they are getting themselves into. When I joined, there were still lots of employees of the former Michael Brandman Associates working here and almost every one of them has been pushed out either through the horrifically poor management of this firm or because they knew this company had completely lost it's direction. Every one of them is rightfully angry, which is showing through reviews on this website. I agree with the each word that has been written in their reviews, their assessments are spot on. This company is in shambles. I will not repeat much of what others have said other than to say that it is all true, nobody is happy here. People do indeed talk about leaving constantly and make fun of the management for how they are running this trainwreck. There is so much infighting, so many poor choices in who has been hired, and so much turnover that morale is hopelessly low. Their solution to addressing morale seems to be to force out those that have been here a long time hoping that they are removing the problem, yet this just creates so many new issues. If you are considering working here, please ask the following questions during your interview: 1. What is the business plan for the sustainability side of the operation? You will likely hear lots of buzzwords thrown around that have no practical meaning, but push them to explain how exactly they plan to make money on their sustainability practice. 2. Why, after all these years of attempting to establish themselves in the sustainability space, have they not made any progress? 3. Are they making any profit? What is the overall outlook for the company? 4. Why are they having so much trouble retaining staff? Why is turnover so high? 5. Why have so many positions remained available at the company? There are positions that have been open for many months, are there reasons why talented staff are not joining the firm? 6. What is the reputation of FCS in the industry? When I speak with people in the industry, they often laugh at FCS and joke about what they are doing. This reputation is very concerning for someone that is trying start or continue their career. 7. What is the structure for reviews and pay adjustments? Are they done on a schedule, or are employees required to kick and scream until they get a raise? Even a recent positive review (obviously written by one of the directors in spite of the argument to the contrary) stated that they were required to speak up in order to receive a raise. If the company values their employees, why make the employees beg and plead for increases in salary. 8. With so many employees leaving the firm, how many have returned? Has anyone returned?

      1.0
      27 Mar 2017

      The wait is over..

      Finance
      Recommend
      CEO approval
      Business outlook

      Pros

      The first seven years (pre FCS dba FirstCarbon Solutions dba ADEC innovations dba ADEC Solutions) were amazing!

      Cons

      The last 4 years here have been like watching our current POTUS at a speaking engagement; full of alternative facts, endless promises of global growth and grown men putting constant blame on their predecessor. I’ve seen this company go from a respectable environmental consulting firm that generated mid-size level revenue, employed 120+ professional/technical dedicated staff that were knowledgeable in their expertise and was an overall great company to work for to an 8-person circus show, with constant vacancies (which should also be a huge red flag!). If a company that has maybe 35 staff total has 18 open positions, it is not because they are growing and they are doubling in size, ask yourself why are there so many open positions? If interviewed, ask what the turn-over is and make it very clear that you don’t want the numbers for management, you want the numbers for the actual staff that goes out and gets the work and completes the work. Unfortunately the new generation of management that took over what was once a great place to get your foot in the door has turned this company into their own personal playground with full use of all monies and no real direction. For 4 years I heard the promises of growing to a global level, becoming the BEST firm out there, the launch of Envirosite and how it would monopolize all other data delivery services, doubling our revenue, better benefits packages, matching 401k, etc. I can attest that all those promises were empty. During my tenure I saw so many people who had given so much dedication, time and hard work to this company lose all confidence and respect in management and leave. This company has no real direction... is their focus on environment consulting? Sustainability? Data Recovery? Tax evasion? Who knows and neither will you, despite how many urgent All staff meetings are held or how many times you ask (plead) for a business plan.. who will ever know.

      avatar
      FirstCarbon Solutions Response
      9y
      We greatly appreciate the time any of our former and present employees take to write a Glassdoor review—we understand that there are many other ways you could otherwise use your time. A good political crack is always appreciated as well. That being said, FIRSTCARBON does feel it is important to respond to some of the out-dated and/or inaccurate (near libelous dare we say) statements made in this comment. While the company has been in existence since 1982, FIRSTCARBON SOLUTIONS purchased its predecessor in 2012 and formally changed its name in 2014. As noted by the reviewer, the change in company did make for a major change in company culture and a large expansion in the services that are now offered by the company. In short, the company went from a California based and limited company, to one with international offices and clients to match (although California still does, and will always, play a key role and the original environmental services division remains extremely important). That shift was not without its challenges. As new best-practices were implemented that took into account the expanded company presence, many long-time employees of the former company found the transition difficult. There was a large turnover in the first few years as noted-some voluntary, some not. Internal policies were revised and goals for adding benefits and new employee options were set. Some of these took time. The good news is that FIRSTCARBON has not only stabilized but has started to shine! The number of employees went from approximately 35 at its low to now over 80. We have active contracts in California, across the U.S., and globally. The 401k match was implemented and paid out for the first time this last year. Medical benefit options have expanded and the employer contribution increased. Career Tracks gives all employees a clear pathway to advancement. Annual Salary surveys ensure salaries are competitive. Careful hiring has ensured a talented and enthusiastic staff of which FIRSTCARBON could not be more proud. The services provided are important and often cutting edge. For more information on the services offered (and there are many!) please see our website at www.FIRSTCARBONsolutions.com.
      2.0
      12 Apr 2016

      Look for other opportunities

      Anonymous employee
      Recommend
      CEO approval
      Business outlook

      Pros

      The small office I worked in had dedicated employees who I enjoyed working with.

      Cons

      The company pays lip service to actually providing adequate technical support to help balance the workload of the remaining technical staff. This is a result of treating employees like they can be easily replaced, inadequate salaries, poor morale, and an extreme focus on the bottom line. I wouldn't call it "cleaning house", so much as quality people found other opportunities where their skill sets are appreciated. The bottom line is important to focus on, but it seemed like management needed to squeeze even more production out of employees to meet the expanding overhead and losses in other business lines. If you are looking for a job, please look elsewhere. I hung on longer than I should have hoping things would turn around. It was always a good story about how things were going to be different, changes were being implemented, but in the end nothing changed for the better.

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      Glassdoor has 54 FirstCarbon Solutions reviews submitted anonymously by FirstCarbon Solutions employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if FirstCarbon Solutions is right for you.