Great Place To Work® and Fortune magazine have honored Forward (formerly Forward Networks) as one of this year’s Best Workplaces in the Bay Area, coming in at No. 18 on the 2026 list. This marks the third consecutive year Forward has earned a spot on this prestigious ranking, a testament to the company’s enduring commitment to building a workplace where people are respected, challenged, and inspired.
“Building Forward Predict, a first-of-its-kind capability that takes the risk out of network changes, is exactly the kind of hard, consequential work that demands a culture people want to be part of,” said David Erickson, CEO and Co-Founder Forward. “Being recognized as a Fortune Great Place to Work in Technology validates what we already know: our team brings extraordinary talent to work that matters, and that combination is what makes it possible for us to redefine how networks are operated.”
To determine the Fortune Best Workplaces in the Bay Area™ List, Great Place To Work collected more than 70,000 confidential survey responses from employees at eligible companies via its proprietary platform. Companies were ranked based on their ability to offer consistently positive experiences, building trust with leaders, colleagues, and the overall organization.
The Best Workplaces in the Bay Area list is highly competitive. Survey responses reflect a comprehensive picture of the workplace experience, with honorees recognized for delivering positive outcomes for employees regardless of role or status within the organization. To be eligible for the list, companies must be Great Place To Work Certified™, have at least 10 U.S. employees, and be headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area.
“Congratulations to the Fortune Best Workplaces in the Bay Area,” says Michael C. Bush, CEO of Great Place To Work. “By focusing on people, these companies are more resilient and effective in a business environment that demands speed, innovation, and agility.”
