Tuesday, October 17
Day 1 Activities
Breakfast
Opening General Session – Problem Solving Through Creativity and Ingenuity
Dr. Samuel Ramsey
Founder & Director of the Ramsey Research Foundation
As a young graduate researcher, Dr. Sammy Ramsey looked at an old question — what’s happening to the honeybees? — through a new lens to make a breakthrough discovery that turned the field of bee research on its head. In this talk, Dr. Sammy Ramsey spurs audiences to think outside the box as he shares the story of what led to him connecting a family member’s health issues back to his bee research to arrive at a powerful hypothesis on the parasitic pandemic plaguing the honeybees. Walking audiences through his process for using unconventional thinking to push past stonewalls in thinking and productivity, Dr. Ramsey offers a unique approach for how anyone can creatively tackle complex problems to arrive at innovative solutions to the challenges they face.
Refreshments & Exhibits
Workshops
Speakers: Kari Hayden-Pendoley, ImpactSavvy; Tina Lee, Dropbox; Olivia Khalili, Pager Duty; Sandy Pierantoni, LKQ
Learn from the experts how to leverage your skillsets to build and grow your ESG, CSR, and Sustainability programs. Understand the latest legislative and regulatory landscape. Hear practical tips for influencing up while instilling out a company culture of collaboration and shared accountability. Then, workshop with your peers tips for how to build the business case, find the right executive champions, create strong cross- functional support, set realistic goals and targets, and authentically report on progress not perfection.
Speakers: Mark Feldman and Nikki Korn, Cause Consulting
In this session, attendees will learn how to identify, triage, and prioritize the ever-growing list of emerging issues and crises continuously coming across the desks of social impact professionals. During this interactive workshop, participants will develop tools to inform rapid decision-making and frameworks to guide their strategies.
Speaker: Jess Riegel, Motivote; Richard Eidlin, Business for America; Christa Nenaber, Patagonia & Hannah Berman, Aspen Skiing Company
Business is good for democracy, and democracy is good for business. From 2018 to 2022, the number of companies offering PTO to vote and other election resources grew by 400%. It’s no longer a question of whether companies should be involved with civic engagement, but what and why. With many organizations launching strategies here for the first time and others looking to level up, this session will cover making the case for why democracy and voting matter to business.
Speakers: Nancy Bonges and Paige LaCour, William Blair
Join William Blair for a case study on The Capital Collective, their wealth-building initiative designed to address one of the most pressing economic issues of our time – the racial wealth gap. Learn how human-centered design can lead to greater equity and effectiveness to address big-picture impact. Be guided through the inclusive design process to bolster buy-in and engagement and gain tools and ideas that can be immediately applied to existing and new programs.
Speakers: Lauren Reilley and Kelsey English, SuitUp
Despite budget constraints and layoffs, investing in volunteering yields significant benefits for business. In this session, participants will assess their existing volunteer programs (or lack thereof) and develop action plans to demonstrate an ROI to the company. Participants will also explore the importance of youth-based opportunities to support DEI initiatives and hiring, engagement, and retention KPIs. Attendees will “pressure test” their programs and leave with key takeaways for a better world and stronger business outcomes.
Speakers: Jennifer Bahus and Megan Wolfer, Fidelity Investments
Trust-based philanthropy is growing in popularity, but CSR practitioners are still responsible for reporting impact to stakeholders. In this workshop, explore how to develop meaningful impact frameworks and processes while respecting the time and expertise of grantees. Participants will discuss how to gather data that matters, explore tensions of power and privilege between funders and grantees, and develop reporting frameworks that demonstrate impact while allowing all parties to learn and improve.
Break
Spark Sessions
Speakers: Julie Bauer, Alliant Energy; Mary Walker, AT&T; Jodi Allison, MAP International
Signature Programs are a way for companies to dive deeper into their strategic focus areas and include significant investments that often include many layers of involvement within the organization. These programs are a chance for companies to get creative, co-create with their grantees, and engage employees in their communities. Learn how Alliant Energy introduced the Power Chronicles, a graphic novel following a school-aged girl exploring diversity within STEM and how they are using it to catch the attention of middle schoolers. The Achievery, created by AT&T, in collaboration with Warner Bros. Discovery, is a free digital learning platform designed to make distance learning entertaining and to narrow the digital divide & homework gap. Edwards Lifesciences worked with MAP International to bring its products and patient care packages into Every Heartbeat Matters, a philanthropic initiative aimed at improving the lives of millions of underserved structural heart and critical care patients.
Speakers: Joey Martin, Salesforce; Phyllis Costanza, OutcomesX & Kathy Gu, Pinterest
In today’s world, the role of a CSR practitioner is a challenging one, from increased expectations to measure the impact of a company’s work to responding to an increasing amount of manmade and environmental disasters to keeping up with an ever-changing technological landscape. Practitioners needs to stay up-to-date with new ideas in the field and be ready to embrace change when needed to better innovate solutions to today’s pressing issues. Hear about three companies and initiatives that are capitalizing on this moment to advance their social impact work and improve the field for everyone – from creating an outcomes marketplace to utilizing AI in volunteer programs to creating unique funding programs to better mental health in our communities.
Speakers: Kavell Brown, LinkedIn; Kregg Arntson, PGE Foundation
In this year’s 4th Annual CSR Insights Survey by ACCP, workforce development and job training programs remained in one of the top five priority social issue areas for companies. With a heightened focus on employee recruitment, employee retention, and DEI, many companies are investing in partnerships with local educational institutions or nonprofit networks to fund programs that raise awareness to roles within their industries. Learn how LinkedIn uses it’s product to assist in this space and how PGE created a green job internship program for Opportunity Youth.
Fireside Chats
As President and Chair of the KPMG US Foundation, Anita’s role weaves a tapestry of giving that uplifts communities and transforms lives. Anita’s influence in social impact extends far beyond her role at KPMG. She currently serves as Board Chair for Global Impact and is a board member of the Center for Disaster Philanthropy, helping drive transformative change on a global scale. Her leadership at Points of Light Corporate Service Council is a testament to her commitment to corporate social responsibility. Beginning her career in healthcare administration and financial analysis, she has forged a path towards leadership and one where purpose and progress intersect seamlessly.
At Bain Capital, Chris’s role oversees philanthropy, employee engagement, sponsorship and events working across the firm, its portfolio companies, and external partnerships. Prior to joining Bain Capital, Chris serves various roles with organizations like City Year, Reebok, New Balance, Cone Communications and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. This conversation will explore how his educational background in philosophy and experiences from nonprofit fundraising to cause marketing to corporate giving within a global brand have shaped his approach to Social Impact and his advice to continuing to grow and expand your career.
Before his Micron journey, Dr. Simmons carved a trail of transformation in education and DEI. As Chief Diversity Officer for Share our Strength and CEO of the See Forever Foundation, he championed equity. He also served as Chief of Innovation and Research in DC Public Schools, leaving an indelible legacy. As an award-winning educator, Dr. Simmons’ dedication to education earned him national recognition, as he was nominated twice for the Walt Disney National Teacher of the Year and acknowledged for his excellence with the Outstanding Educator Award. His quest for knowledge took him around the world, studying educational systems in Costa Rica and Japan as a Woodrow Wilson Fellow and Fulbright Memorial Fund fellow. Learn more about how his experiences in Education and across the globe have shaped his time in social impact, and what he has discovered since.
Continuing the Conversation Lunch
On Tuesday, October 17, we invite you to continue over lunch the conversations that were started in Spark Sessions and Fireside Chats. As you enjoy lunch, we encourage you to sit at tables with topics that spark your curiosity, engage with speakers, and share your insights. We’ll also share more about our evening reception activity.
Break
Learning Lab
Speakers: Chirlie Felix, FSG; Michelle Armstrong, Ares Management
The work of social impact leaders has never been more complex and expectations from stakeholders never higher. The corporate changemaker plays a crucial role in addressing social and environmental issues, both through corporate philanthropy, DEI, ESG and core business strategy and operations. FSG has sought to support these leaders in a variety of ways and in this session will share some key lessons alongside their panelists about practical ways they can approach these efforts.
Speakers: Christine Riley Miller, BeiGene
Setting meaningful ESG goals that are time-bound, measurable, embedded across the organization and have engagement from colleagues who contribute to their success can be challenging. In this session, we’ll discuss strategies and tactics for developing, measuring and tracking new short- and long-term goals, learn how to identify and engage key stakeholders in the goal setting process and implementation, and learn about the various frameworks that can contribute to or inform goal setting.
Speaker: Kate Stobbe, CECP
In 2022, the Collins dictionary word of the year was “permacrisis.” As CSR practitioners face a barrage of crises and companies face increased pressure to step up and speak out on key social issues, many are asking “how do we manage successfully?” Hear key insights from CECP, as well as key outcomes of joint work with the Ford Foundation on ESG backlash and with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation on Crisis and Resiliency.
Speaker: Cristina Vessels, Venable
Effectively marketing an organization’s charitable giving efforts requires not only the application of creative advertising principles, but an underlying familiarity with applicable responsibilities under federal, state, and local laws. In this session, participants will learn how various legal requirements will affect how the company structures its next giving campaign, what they say to the public about it, and where it might trigger regulatory obligations as a result.
Speaker: Victor Cordon and Keenan Harrell, Okta
The murders of several BIPOC citizens ushered in a period of unprecedented support from corporate America to address systemic racism, including an influx of philanthropic dollars to BIPOC-led and/or racial justice nonprofits. Worried that the “movement” would become a “moment”, Okta for Good worked to ensure funds were deployed alongside employees and with guidance from BIPOC leaders and communities. Sustaining Progress shares our journey and how others can leverage it to create viable pathways towards sustained racial equity.
Speaker: Taylor Amerman, CDW
CDW refocused their social impact strategy to address digital equity so that every person can experience the unlimited possibilities that technology unlocks. In this session, you will learn more about how CDW developed their evidence-based strategy and logic model to advance digital inclusion while living their values of humility, trust, integrity, and equity.
Refreshments & Exhibits
Spark Sessions
Speakers: Cori Streetman, Barefoot PR; Andrea Miller, Delta Dental; Brandy Radey, Suncor
Colorado’s business community is bold, innovative and collaborative, with companies leading the way in CSR/ESG. However, those companies sometimes face headwinds when it comes to prioritizing CSR and ESG, addressing local priorities and needs and relating them to business outcomes – all in companies with other locations, teams or a national network. Join this spark session to hear from leaders in the Colorado CSR/ESG space: Delta Dental of Colorado and Suncor, who face these unique challenges related to their CSR/ESG work. Cori Streetman, CEO of Barefoot PR, will frame the conversation, and following Brandy and Andrea’s remarks will share tips for effectively communicating a localized CSR and ESG strategy both internally and externally.
Speakers: Karla Ebio, Florida Blue Foundation; Ashley Atkins, Novartis; Jessica Zar, Abbott
The COVID-19 pandemic made even more apparent the health disparities that exist across the globe. Many companies, if they weren’t already focused on it, pivoted some of their philanthropic strategic focus areas to that of health equity. In this Spark Session, learn about the different approaches taken by companies such as Abbott, Florida Blue Foundation, and Novartis’s Beacon of Health Program to address health equity. Hear from experts with varying areas of focus like creating multi-sector partnerships focused on diversifying the next generation of healthcare leaders, advancing diversity in clinical trials, taking a train-the-trainer approach, and addressing social drivers of health.
Speakers: Mary Dohrmann, Twilio & Vanessa Light, Illumina
A powerful tool in scaling impact, building awareness and encouraging employee participation, volunteer ambassador programs are becoming a key part of many corporate social impact strategies. Also referred to as Champions or Council programs, these can vary greatly from organization to organization – from formality to roles to recruitment to education and recognition. There is no right answer and each must be tailored to fit each organization’s culture and values, but great ideas can be gathered from learning how other companies’ have structured their programs. In this Spark Session, you will hear from three such companies’ as they break down their Ambassador Programs.
Fireside Chats
Kavell is rewriting the script of social impact, one partnership at a time. As the Partnerships Manager on the LinkedIn Social Impact team, he’s steering transformative change through innovative strategies, such as the Social Impact Global Root Causes Fund. Having been fortunate enough to work in the social impact field for the majority of his career, his path has been shaped by his experiences in both the academic world and the heart of corporate responsibility at both HBO and Paramount. Hear about the shifts he’s seen in social impact through his career and how he infuses his passion for equity, social justice and purpose into his work and his mindset.
Mary Walker’s journey with AT&T has been a tapestry of diverse roles and unwavering dedication. With over two decades of experience – from roles within sales, compensation and even training and development – she’s woven a legacy of positive change, finding a way to bring these vast experiences together in her social impact work with AT&T’s Achievery. Mary’s commitment to community shines bright both internally and externally. From Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. to Twelve Months of Good, a volunteer organization she founded, she actively uplifts her community through service and philanthropy. Within AT&T, she is an active peer mentor and member of many Employee Resource Groups. Explore her personal career story, one of tenacity and taking chances, and learn about how she stays motivated in a vastly changing field.
While community and service have been lifelong passions for Morgan, they weren’t always her profession. Throughout her 5 years at PwC doing data analytics, she volunteered with PwC’s nonprofit partners which led her to doing a 6-month rotational program with PwC’s CSR team, ultimately finding her purpose. This time inspired her to align her passion with her profession and make the switch into the nonprofit space where she’s proud of the work she’s doing to make a positive impact on this world.
Plenary Sessions
Speakers: Jessica Leary, Ball Corp.; Patricia Toothman, Splunk; Iman Montgomery, Marathon Petroleum; Darwin Thompson, Gilead Sciences
Over the last few years, we have seen an increasing amount of natural and manmade disasters, as well as a climate of social unrest. This all coincides with an increased expectation from customers and employees that corporations will respond to these issues. How do teams decide when and how to respond? And what becomes of our “planned strategies” when the unexpected occurs? Hear from organizations on their progress and process of creating their respective response frameworks and considerations for developing one for your organization.
Speakers: Kelsey Midthun, Thrivent; Brandon Tidwell, FedEx
Nonprofits are continually being asked to “do more” by corporations and grantmakers – from outcomes measurement to scalable impact to new volunteer opportunities and more. But how can we, as corporations, think about our grantmaking and support differently to become more effective partners and leverage greater results? We will examine trends and multi-layer partnerships that organizations have implemented to better support their grantees and their work.
Break
Evening Reception
After a full day of learning and engagement, enjoy drinks and bites as we “make an Impact 4 Good” with a fun trivia game. To play, scan the QR code at the door and select one of three Denver-based organizations to support. Then find the codes hidden around the event to unlock questions with correct answers and score points for your selected organization. At the end of the reception, we’ll announce the winners. Will you be one?
Community Dinners *Pre-Registration Required*
Close out your first day at Conference by enjoying a meal in Denver with a small group of peers at a peer-hosted community dinner. More information regarding registration for each community dinner, including locations and hosts, will be available in early October. If you want to host a community dinner, please get in touch with Hillary Roviaro. Everyone is responsible for the cost of their meal, and registration is limited to 10 people per group.
