Building community, one act of giving at a time
At Microsoft, the badge employees wear on a lanyard rarely tells their full story. Behind the job titles, projects and product launches are people who use their time, skills and energy to make a difference far beyond their day job. In the first in our ‘Beyond the Badge’ series, we find out about Jo Dinnerville, and the amazing work she does.
Jo Dinnerville is a Production Partner Manager in the Xbox team working with game developers and publishers from idea to launch and after. Her impact stretches across schools, charities, colleagues and communities.
“I just really love helping people,” Jo says. “Working at Microsoft gives you opportunities to stay balanced. The company really encourages empathy, team building and humanity with a strong emphasis on giving back to the wider world.”
Chance conversations, lasting impact
Jo’s journey into volunteering didn’t start with a master plan. Instead, it began with curiosity and a conversation.
Several years ago, after attending an Xbox event, Jo had a chance meeting with representatives from SpecialEffect, a UK-based charity that helps people with physical disabilities play video games using adaptive technology. From bespoke controllers to eye-gaze control systems, SpecialEffect enables people who might otherwise be excluded to connect, communicate and play.
“The work they do is phenomenal,” Jo says. “They even help people who can only use their eyes to play games. It’s lifechanging for individuals, for families and for mental wellbeing.”
SpecialEffect estimates that more than one-in-four people in the UK live with a disability, and accessible technology plays a critical role in promoting independence, inclusion and social connection. For Jo, seeing that impact first-hand changed everything.
What started as a single encounter grew into a long-term relationship. Jo became an ambassador for the charity, bringing Xbox colleagues and partners together to take part in fundraising runs, walks and awareness campaigns, including One Special Walk, which saw participants walk from West Ham to Wembley in support of the charity.
“It becomes more than fundraising,” she explains. “It’s team building, it’s shared purpose, it’s mental health support, and it’s a reminder that gaming can be a force for good.”
Giving is connecting
Alongside her work with SpecialEffect, Jo supports multiple causes through Microsoft’s volunteering and giving programmes.
She has completed charity walks and a triathlon for the Ruth Strauss Foundation (a charity supporting families facing incurable cancer diagnoses & driving the need for more research into non-smoking lung cancers), packed books for underprivileged children as part of literacy initiatives, regularly gives blood, and volunteers at her daughters’ local school, reading with children and supporting parental fundraising activities.
“One of the biggest benefits is connection,” Jo says. “I work closely with US-based teams, so it’s easy to feel siloed. Volunteering introduces you to people across the business you might never otherwise meet.”
Whether walking for hours alongside colleagues and partners or working together on charity projects, Jo sees how shared purpose removes barriers.
“Hierarchy disappears when you spend 10 hours walking and talking. You make real connections.”
Pride and perspective
And why does Jo give back?
“I don’t think we always realise how privileged we are,” she reflects. “At Microsoft, we have paid time to volunteer. Charities receive support. It costs me nothing but a bit of my time, and I get so much back.”
Jo doesn’t see herself as extraordinary, but her story is a reminder that impact is often built through small, intentional acts.
“Whether it’s joining a walk, packing books, giving blood or volunteering at a school, it all matters,” she says. “Helping others makes life feel better, and Microsoft is a fantastic place to make it happen.”
Find out about how Microsoft Xbox is making gaming more accessible to people with disabilities.