Net Impact’s 2021 Q1 Impact Report

2021 Q1 IMPACT REPORT

LETTER FROM THE CEO Turning the page on 2020, entering a new calendar year,

in our world. We all, individually, can assert our purpose in

didn’t put an end to the difficulties we all endured. We

the workplace, harmonizing our values with our actions.

still face a world largely in lockdown due to pandemic, a global trend of polarized political perspectives, stoked and

Our Network, through our chapters, programs, and speaker

simmering biases, and sharpened and glaringly visible

series, remained busy into the first Quarter of 2021. We

distinctive risks and outcomes for advantaged versus

nominated distinguished chapters from our network to

marginalized peoples worldwide, a function of systems

compete for Chapter of the Year and launched a virtual

requiring redesign to redress these inequities.

Town Hall conversations series to invite our community to participate in dialogues about the most pressing challenges

But then, a new year. A mobilized, wholesale delivery of newly

we face in ensuring a healthy democracy. We also hosted

created vaccines to thwart COVID; a collective demand for

the “Good Work” virtual conference as a part of our

public accountability regarding bias and violence against

“Reimagining Capitalism” series, which equipped our global

BIPOC; insistence on equitable digital access for all students;

network with the tools, resources, and connections needed

outcry at measures to limit voting accessibility; a drop (albeit

to design a career for a just and sustainable world. And our

small) in carbon dioxide emissions during the pandemic; and

Up to Us program, Food Solutions Challenge, and Future of

business, as a force for good, stepping up in support across

Energy Challenge exemplified impact in action.

all these (and other) issues.

Net Impact has made great strides in this past Quarter in Did you sense a change in momentum during these first

building out the Net Impact Black Professional Chapter,

three months of 2021? I can feel it. There is a growing

amplifying BIPOC voices, pressing agency, and forging

optimism that we are turning a corner. Not, perhaps, that

alliances with business to collectively drive this important

we’ve identified solutions, but that we’ve identified allyship

work. The successes here are leading to new ideas around

— that we can forge better outcomes together. Business is

thematic disciplines and affinity networks, programs

collectively embracing broader ‘stakeholdership,’ working

and activations.

toward shared value across all constituencies: employees, consumers, communities affording them license to operate,

It is the obligation of the organization to be at the frontier

supply chains, and shareholders. Our global Net Impact

of the movement toward business as a force for positive

network along with business are stepping into the moral

change. It is the objective of our engaged community to

chasm together. In a world with so much abundance, we

hasten change while building lives that harmonize their

are collectively forging limits to assure better outcomes for

values with the work they do, how they consume, how they

people and the planet. It is no longer the default presumption

invest. Together, we can seek exponential outcomes to

that we can borrow forward for the benefit of a few today.

foment a just and sustainable world.

And we can and must seek exponential outcomes. At Net

If not us, who? If not now, when?

Impact our mission is to inspire, equip, and activate emerging leaders to build a more just and sustainable world. Through the collective power of our 435+ global chapters of nextgeneration leaders, we and business can collectively help shape the role industry can play as a powerful force for good

PETER M. LUPOFF CEO, Net Impact

MISSION Net Impact is driven to hasten change for the better.

Our mission is to inspire, equip, and activate emerging leaders to build a more just and sustainable world.

L E ADE RSH I P

C IVIC E N G AG E M E N T

J U ST IC E , D IVE R S ITY, EQ U ITY, & IN C LU S I O N

CI RCUL AR I TY: RESP O NSI BL E PRODU CT I ON & CO NSUMPT I ON

S O C IA L CA PITA L & IM PACT INVE ST IN G

E NVIR O N M E N T & C L IM AT E C H A N G E

Like-minded communities committed to making a difference in the world

CHAPTER OF THE YEAR FINALISTS Each year, distinguished chapters from our network of 435+ global chapters are nominated to compete for Chapter of the Year. This award exemplifies dedication to Net Impact’s mission by sparking profound impact across multiple environmental, economic, and social issues.

This year we celebrate the work of our finalists who collaborated through the unparalleled circumstances of 2020 on behalf of social and environmental justice.

US UNDERGRADUATE CHAPTERS:

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT CHAPTERS:

Mesa Community College

Indian School of Business

Central Texas College

University of Port Harcourt

University of Minnesota

Delhi University

University of Colorado, Boulder

University of Alberta

US GRADUATE CHAPTERS:

US PROFESSIONALS CHAPTERS:

Anderson School of Management,

Boston, MA

University of California, Los Angeles

New York City, NY

Scheller College of Business, Georgia Institute of Technology Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University Graziadio Business School, Pepperdine University

Washington DC Chicago, IL

INTERNATIONAL PROFESSIONALS CHAPTERS: Bamenda, Cameroon Amsterdam, The Netherlands Accra, Ghana Gambia

“Lean into discomfort.

That is where change can really happen” S T E FA N I E T H O M A S , Impact America Fund and Founding Member of the Net Impact Black Professional Chapter

LET’S TALK ABOUT #DEMOCRACY In February, Net Impact launched a virtual Town

leaders from HeadCount and the American

Hall conversation series, dedicated to meeting

Sustainable Business Council who provided our

our community in the present moment, in honest

community with advice on how to challenge

dialogue, about the most pressing challenges we

businesses and government to build a democracy

face in ensuring a healthy, thriving democracy

representative of all people and not a select few.

for all. Led by social impact leaders, these dialogues offer a chance for reflection and equip

The second event in the Town Halls series

our community with the civic knowledge and

highlighted women leaders breaking down

actionable measures needed to create change.

barriers in sustainability and social impact.

Changemakers from Impact America Fund,

The inaugural event of this curated series centered

Timberland, and Intentionalist discussed how

on what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. described as

women leaders are driving impact across local and

the “Two Americas” — where freedom and human

global communities, changing company cultures

dignity are unalienable rights for some, but for

to ensure inclusivity and diversity, advocating for

others, injustice and inequity stifle hope and access

more equitable economies, and empowering the

to opportunity. The Town Hall took place in the

next generation of innovators.

weeks following the insurrection at the US Capitol on January 6th and reminded many of us that

In the months ahead, these Town Halls will serve

Dr. King’s sentiments can still be heard echoing

as a dedicated space to uplift the voices of our

through the United States today. Presented by the

community and dive deeper into the difficult

Net Impact Black Professional Chapter and Robert

conversations necessary to instill hope for a

F. Kennedy Human Rights, the event featured

brighter, more equitable future.

REIMAGINING CAPITALISM: GOOD WORK: DESIGNING A CAREER FOR A JUST AND SUSTAINABLE WORLD Our 2020-2021 theme of “Reimagining Capitalism”

design a career for a just and sustainable world.

centers on the vision that business can lead

With over 15 participating corporations and 450

change, tackle inequities, and be a force for

attendees from across industries and levels of

good. If 2020 taught us how fragile our social and

professional experience, the Good Work conference

economic systems are, then we begin this new

brought clarity and perspective on the evolving

year activated with the deeper understanding that

landscape of Environmental, Social, and Corporate

our society and planetary challenges are great,

Governance and Corporate Social Responsibility, all

but not insurmountable. In order to empower our

while providing concrete steps to building a more

community of emerging social impact leaders,

impactful career.

we hosted a free virtual conference on how to

“All sessions were impressively engaging and interactive. The career expo and the networking sessions in particular were highly educational.”

PROGRAMS SPOTLIGHT:

THERE IS POWER IN OUR COLLECTIVE ACTION Net Impact programs offer ways for our community

For the fifth year, Net Impact and Bayer partnered

to take tangible steps toward creating an impact

for the Food Solutions Challenge, which invited

for the planet and people.

next generation innovators to pitch creative,

Now in its ninth year, our Up to Us program is the nation’s only campus-based campaign focused on empowering students to build a sustainable economic and fiscal future.

actionable solutions on how to strengthen smallholder farming resilience. For the first time, Net Impact’s Food Solutions accelerator program partnered with Eidos Global’s Social Innovation Warehouse to help develop our semi-finalists’

Our Up to Us community shined at two major

solution into scalable enterprises. To date, the

conferences at the start of 2021. In March, six of

challenge brief has been downloaded over 354,

our alumni participated in the Clinton Global

with final submissions due on May 15.

Initiative University’s Annual Conference, where they were spotlighted for their leadership in driving social change alongside distinguished speakers President Bill Clinton, Secretary Hillary Clinton, and Vice President Kamala Harris, among others.

Additionally, three of our alumni were featured as panelists at the 2021 IMPACT national conference, the largest gathering in the country focused on the civic engagement and social action of college students.

In partnership with Shell, the Future of Energy Challenge has inspired innovators to build a more sustainable energy future. This year’s prompt asked participants to consider “What solution, whether applied to individual consumers or commercial activities, could support significant scope 3 emissions reductions?” Through our expansive network, Net Impact provides challenge finalists the resources and mentorship to transform their ideas into viable proofs of concepts for sustainable business ventures. Our finalists begin the accelerator in June, with a winner announced

by August.

INSPIRE COLLECTIVE ACTION Forward-thinking companies from across sectors partner with Net Impact to foster meaningful dialogue and help solve real-world sustainability challenges with next-generation leaders.