what we believe
What is the dent you want to put in the universe? It’s a great question and one we enjoy throwing out there in our engagements with social ventures. Increasingly we use the same question with mainstream companies, too, as we help them navigate their way to the next economy. It leads to naming a purpose—the reason a business exists, beyond …
During my gap year in 2020, before studying Geography at Cambridge, I spent nine months working as an intern at Junxion Strategy’s London, UK office. Thus began my first foray into the world of work. They even paid me! Here are my biggest revelations about my experience. You are not a replacement for the office coffee machine: I researched …
The multiple social and ecological crises in 2020 so far have fuelled a lot of new interest in impact measurement. More than ever before people want to know how, and whether, their work results in desirable social, ecological, and economic results. I am a Champion for both Demonstrating Value and the Common Approach to Impact Measurement, because each distils dozens …
The Principles for Responsible Banking are one year old. Launched in September 2019 at the UN General Assembly in New York, the Principles are a unique framework for ensuring that signatory banks’ strategy and practice align with the vision society has set out for its future in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Climate Agreement. What makes the …
Fifty years ago, on September 13, 1970, the New York Times published an essay advocating that regardless of a company’s impacts on people, communities, or the planet, shareholders’ interests must come first. Half a century later, we’re reaping the results: racial injustice, deep economic crises, and an existential climate emergency. As the Times itself said on Sunday, “It was the …
Doubling down on business as usual is an understandable reaction in a crisis. Some see it as a noble way to weather the storm. The orchestra playing on the Titanic in the midst of chaos is celebrated, even legendary. We are told that leaders should act this way, even when it’s an irrational or excessively risky strategy, because… that’s what …
The global pandemic continues to unfold around the world, showing us the fragility of economies, social systems, and even ourselves. As we think about how we might ‘emerge stronger’ and ‘build back better,’ many of us are calling for recovery planning to carry us into a purpose-led, 21st century economy. We know now, beyond doubt, that businesses that put social …
The view to my right, off the starboard side of a BC Ferry is magnificent. The ocean reflects the summer sky and is textured by the warm breeze. The distant mountains on the Sunshine Coast fade into the hazy distance, a towering reminder of the unceasing patience of nature. Despite my surroundings, a knot still sits at my solar plexus—a …
What is a vision statement for? A common foundation of all approaches to social impact is a plan for creating the intended change. This plan specifies how, and why, specific activities will bring about change, including a vision, or description, of the intended change. A vision statement answers the question: “How is the world made better by our work?” A …
