Forward Achieves Fortune's Best Workplaces in the Bay Area for 2026, Third Time in a Row
In a remarkable achievement, Forward Networks, now known simply as Forward, has been recognized as one of the Best Workplaces in the Bay Area for 2026 by Great Place To Work® and Fortune magazine. This accolade marks the third consecutive year that Forward has made it onto this esteemed list, ranking at No. 18 this year. This recognition underscores the company's dedication to fostering a workplace where employees feel respected, challenged, and inspired.
CEO and Co-Founder David Erickson commented on this achievement, stating, "Building Forward Predict, a first-of-its-kind capability that removes risks from network changes, exemplifies the kind of significant work that cultivates a culture where people genuinely want to be. This recognition validates the extraordinary talent our team brings to work that matters, showing how we can redefine network operation practices."
The process to determine the Fortune Best Workplaces in the Bay Area lists involves collecting over 70,000 anonymous employee surveys from eligible companies through a proprietary platform developed by Great Place To Work. These companies are evaluated not just on their organizational structure but also on their ability to provide consistently positive experiences, trust among leaders, colleagues, and the overall culture of the organization.
The results show that the Best Workplaces in the Bay Area list is incredibly competitive, primarily based on feedback emphasizing positive workplace outcomes, irrespective of role or organizational standing. To be eligible for such a prestigious list, companies must be certified by Great Place To Work, have a minimum of 10 employees, and be headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area.
"Congratulations to this year's Fortune Best Workplaces in the Bay Area," stated Michael C. Bush, CEO of Great Place To Work. “By prioritizing their workforce, these companies display resilience and effectiveness in a fast-paced business environment characterized by constant innovation and agility."
To explore career opportunities with Forward, individuals can navigate to the company's careers page for more information.
About Forward—The company specializes in enabling safe autonomous networking. Its cutting-edge network digital twin technology permits organizations to foresee how changes will impact their live network before implementation. This offers entities the behavioral insights necessary for rapid advancement, secure operations, and confident scaling across various multi-vendor environments and major cloud services, including AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, and IBM.
Some of the world’s largest corporations, such as Goldman Sachs, PayPal, SP Global, IBM, and Dell, along with government entities, rely heavily on Forward to ensure that network functionality aligns with their intentions. According to a recent report by IDC, the average user of Forward's services benefits annually by approximately $14.2M through enhancements in operational efficiency and security.
Supported by a coalition of investors including A. Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, Goldman Sachs, MSD Partners, and several others, Forward is anchored in Santa Clara, California. For additional details, visit their official site at www.forwardnetworks.com.
About the Fortune Best Workplaces in the Bay Area—This ranking was established by Great Place To Work after surveying 1.3 million employees working in the U.S., representing organizations that employ over 7.3 million individuals. Out of over 70,000 employee responses collected from companies meeting the criteria for the 2026 list, rankings are based solely on this employee feedback.
In order to be considered for next year’s rankings, companies can begin the certification process at the Great Place To Work website.
About Great Place To Work—Being recognized globally as the authority on workplace culture, Great Place To Work, a UKG company, has leveraged three decades of cutting-edge research to assist organizations in becoming exemplary workplaces. Their advanced platform enables assessments of employee experiences, leading to the recognition of companies with outstanding workplaces, which subsequently earn the prestigious Great Place To Work Certification.
Lastly, Fortune is a well-established multi-platform media organization known for its dependable, award-winning journalism aimed at enhancing business practices. Independently owned, it chronicles the narratives of major corporations and their leaders while spotlighting innovative entrepreneurs driving powerful business strategies forward across the globe. Fortune remains dedicated to maintaining rigorous benchmarks for corporate performance and has established numerous iconic rankings—including Fortune 500 and Fortune Global 500, alongside hosting exclusive summits and conferences focused on industry innovation.