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.