Social Impact

“European and UK investors are calling for restaurant and fast-food companies to be more transparent on the healthiness of the food they serve, following growing concerns around public health and associated financial risks.”

Sustainable Views | Signatories ask companies to be more transparent on food nutritional value and calories

Forbes announced that it started a “true net worth” program that tracks the charitable giving of billionaires. The editor in chief has talked about the “dissonance between the world’s wealthiest people and the general public.”  

Goodgoodgoodco | Forbes announces ‘True Net Worth’ to track how much billionaires give away

Zoom’s CEO dislikes 5 day work weeks. In 5 years, he believes 5 day work weeks will be obsolete. He predicts a 3 day work week. @fortunemag

@MITSloan is working on a definition of multisolving which means using one investment of time, money, or effort to solve multiple issues at once. 

An example: Deep energy retrofits in low-income housing can cut emissions, lower utility bills, create jobs, and improve residents’ health.

@goodnueroscience tells us about a 2026 EEG study that revealed that open office plans increase negative moods by 25% and increases physiological stress by 34%.

Open offices and employee wellness are not compatible.

The key to growing a business? Women. The 𝘎𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘵𝘰𝘯’𝘴 𝘞𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘉𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 2026 found that in businesses that prioritize gender equality, “73% reported revenue growth of over 5%, while 56.2% increased staff numbers by more than 5%.” Let’s add this to the growing list of data that shows more women involved in decision making leads to better decision making. @hercircleofficial

@techbrew is alerting us to the fine print in Microsoft copilot.  They classify their AI product as for “entertainment purposes only.” “The fine print also warns Copilot may generate inaccurate or inappropriate responses and shouldn’t be relied on for professional advice or decision-making.”

A MIT Media Lab study found that frequent AI use showed a 47% drop in neural connectivity. University of Pennsylvania researchers refer to it as “cognitive surrender” in a paper titled “Thinking—Fast, Slow, and Artificial: How AI is Reshaping Human Reasoning and the Rise of Cognitive Surrender.”

Fast Company has a list of innovative corporate responsibility. This includes Microsoft detailing how AI can be a force for good and Samsung touting its Galaxy as a means of science like monitoring coral reefs. Let’s not forget a sustainable manufacturing process by Lego. The list is long and interesting

There’s a hidden cost to your company that stems from your difficult employees. A 2026 study published in the “Proceedings of the National Academy of Science” found that difficult people, or hasslers as the researchers called them, ages you and your fellow employees by causing stress from unnecessary problems and conflict. @tatlerleadership

”age-diverse collaboration strategies can strengthen innovation and decision-making capabilities: consultation, shared decision-making, and intergenerational leadership pipelines.” @mitsmr

Guess what- culture is probably not what you say it is. Corporate culture is who you promote, who you hire, who you fire, and what you tolerate. Actions. @fqleaders

Harvard Business Review this week walks through the real world requirements for ESG. Add this to the list of they’re doing it and not talking about it.

“Multinational firms are under rising pressure—from investors, regulators, and employees—to demonstrate positive societal impact in the places where they do business. With ESG-focused institutional investments projected to reach nearly $34 trillion this year and roughly 90% of large U.S. companies now disclosing ESG reports, these pressures are now a central part of corporate strategy.”

There are organizations tracking rogue AI. Tech Crunch says Meta is facing rogue AI agents that were found to be “exposing sensitive company and user data to employees who did not have permission to access it.”

Testimony before Canadian government officials from Wyatt Tessari L’Allié, founder of AI Governance & Safety in Canada, includes a laundry list of AI that far exceeds its authority and blocks access by the AI user. The stories are surreal and sound more like movie plotsAI. Testimony asks AI to be categorized as a national security risk that requires government to work toward a global solution that includes a multifaceted defense to rogue AI.

Tech Crunch | Meta is having trouble with rogue AI agents

Meet Rubi. Rubi is “basically taking the machinery of biology outside of the cell” to make the building blocks of lyocell and viscose, co-founder and CEO Neeka Mashouf told TechCrunch. The startup’s technology would allow any company that uses cellulose to build products from captured carbon dioxide. Companies circling include clothing companies that use fabrics like lyocell.

Tech Crunch | H&M wants to make clothing from CO2 using this startup’s tech

Spotify Is rolling out user taste profiles. The New Yorker is running an article about the use of “taste” uptick in tech business circles.

Taste is what users individually like. @NewYorker

Tech Crunch | Spotify will let you edit your Taste Profile to control your recommendations

They say always watch the quiet ones. Turns out quiet activism by corporations is growing. Quiet corporate good deeds means authentic, sustainable, and community driven. 92% of corporate impact professionals say their companies continue their impact. Grant funding is up 15% year over year; a 9% increase in overall donations, a record-breaking $3.7B in 2025; and 57% year-over-year increase in global employee volunteering participation.

Fortune | $3.7 billion whisper: the explosive growth of quiet corporate activism

Remember when we talked about how companies in Japan retain older works with full compensation to serve as sources of wisdom and create stability. @MITSloan talks about 4 types of earned wisdom: the Steward, the Ambassador, the Futurist, and the Catalyst.

State governments are examples of clear purpose driven AI? Governments are using AI to improve access to services, build public trust, and see measurable outcomes. 

In line with this, Humane Technology talks about China beating the US in AI because China is focused on solving clear problems with AI.  This means AI to  improve public education. Whereas, the U.S. has taken to mass AI adoption without a clear purpose.

We’ve talked about the research that supports corporate responsibility as a profit diver. Let’s talk examples of how corporate responsibility increases revenue: lower employee turnover which saves money; a significant portion of consumers follow corporate policies and support corporate responsibility, think of the backlash from Target’s anti-DEI choice that caused losses in the billions; will boycott business think of the billions; and corporate responsibility can save your business revenue such as energy efficient lighting or solar installations.

Business.com | Can You Make a Profit and Be Socially Responsible?

@MITSloan tells us that MIT Futuretech Lab has identified that bigger is not better with AI. Bigger AI leads to diminishing returns. Hence, the rise of the meek (AI) model which fine tunes AI rather than makes it bigger. 

Implanting microchips into your employees may soon be illegal in Washington State. HB 2303 @gizmodo

Costco is building 800 low income, affordable apartments above one of its locations in South Los Angeles. The project redevelops an abandoned hospital site and utilizes a new California law that allows for affordable housing developments to undergone expedited permit reviews. 

The rents are covered by Costco’s retail income at the location. No government subsidies. Let’s not forget this week, Consumer Reports named Costco the most affordable grocer in the nation. That’s some social impact.

@itswealthyeducator

Fox11 | Costco opening new warehouse under affordable housing complex in South LA

A survey of 6000 global business leaders (C-Suite) found that 80% of business leaders say AI has had little impact on their workplaces. Executives interact with AI on average 1.5 hours a week. And 1 in 4 do not touch AI.

Nobel laureate Daron Acemoglu said, “But it’s just disappointing relative to the promises that people in the industry and in tech journalism are making(about AI).” 

@the_cool_down

What will 2026 bring for corporate citizenship? “Corporate citizenship budgets enter 2026 largely stable; and delivering impact in 2026 is constrained by both internal and external pressures, as sustained expectations to demonstrate business value coincide with uncertainty around nonprofit capacity, political polarization, and media scrutiny.”

Harvard School of Law forum on Corporate Governance | 2026 Outlook for Corporate Citizenship and Philanthropy

Women sports are generating revenue. The WNBA has triggered revenue sharing for the first time based on the 2025 season. @goodgoodgoodco

This summer Sunday sports on ESPN will be women sports. Is it perfect? No. Is it better?

Sports Illustrated | ESPN Will Replace MLB ‘Sunday Night Baseball’ With Full Slate of Women’s Sports

NYTIMES

AI generated feedback has made it to City Halls and State Houses. Fun times. Southern California air board received 20,000 AI generated public comments. AI generated public comments were allegedly delivered via a “ Washington, D.C.-based company called CiviClick, which bills itself as “the first and best AI-powered grassroots advocacy platform.”

.

Governing | AI-Generated Public Feedback Raises New Questions for Lawmakers

Need to assess the friendliness of your employees? Burger King has a plan for that. Use AI. How? AI will listen to employees and watch for key words like please and thank you.

Inc.com | Burger King’s New AI Assistant Is Designed to Be Helpful, But Will Workers Beef With It?

@perfectunion

The Olympic Committee  has things to say about sustainability: “As an organisation, we want to lead by example on sustainability. Sustainability is a working principle for the IOC: when making decisions, we seek to maximise positive impact and minimise negative impact in the social, economic and environmental spheres.”

@mitsmr discusses the changing definition of digital transformation. It  is no longer about data analytics, big data, and AI. It has evolved to encompass an overarching digitally dexterous workforce. Tech isn’t the challenge, the workforce is the challenge.

TIAA is offering a sustainable investors a guide that discusses how to navigate AI’s investment opportunities and ESG risks. It discusses issues like water resources, electricity use, labor market, & regulatory changes in governance.

ESG Dive | How sustainable investors should navigate AI’s ESG risks: Nuveen

There’s a term for fake smiling at work. Hello, ‘surface acting’. Scientists say surface acting is a quick way to burn out because the practice creates a “scientifically proven exhaustion loop.”

The learning opportunity for employers: Stop telling employees to be resilient and start addressing work place policies that lead to burn out. 

@skimm

The 2025 ISG Provider Lens^® U.S. and Global Digital Sustainability report finds that U.S. companies are maintaining or increasing investments in sustainability technologies that deliver measurable financial and operational outcomes, particularly in energy-intensive and asset-heavy industries.

One major adoption trend in the U.S. is the creation of enterprise-wide environmental, social and governance (ESG) data systems that align sustainability information with financial records, the report says.

General Mills secured the number two spot in Newsweek’s assessment of America’s Most Responsible Companies within the Retail & Consumer Goods sector. 

The market response: Investors responded positively, pushing the stock price higher by 2.26%. This is a seven-year streak of ESG accolades for General Mills.

Ad Hoc News | General Mills Shares Gain on Recognition for Corporate Responsibility

The 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer found that there has been a move into insularity in developed countries in that people do not trust people who are not like them. Interestingly in developing countries there is more trust.

The trust advantage for U.S. companies is 16 points, and 31 points in Canada.

GM CEO responds to every customer letter that she receives. This level of communication is viewed as direct and intentional communication, which some experts say is an effective way to build loyalty and trust. @cnbc

UC Berkeley researchers spent eight months inside a 200-person tech company watching what happened when workers genuinely embraced AI. What did they learn? The more AI is embraced by an employee the more likely that employee will burnout.

Tech Crunch | The first signs of burnout are coming from the people who embrace AI the most

Corporate boards and investors have long considered the impact of political risk in governance. An interesting read on the Harvard School Forum on Corporate Governance concludes: : companies and investing institutions are approaching each day as if walking on eggshells. On the one hand, they worry about unanticipated potential hits from the president, the administration, state-level officials, or from the eruption of sudden reputation crises arising from clients, and media. On the other, a subset girds to welcome long-sought policy gifts from Washington

Bonjour to the Water Use Efficiency Index. The Index is the brain child of EcoLab and CDP. The Index is to serve as a “benchmark aimed at helping companies measure, compare and boost operational water performance.”

ESG Dive | CDP, Ecolab launch index to boost corporate water management

Levi’s has launched “Wear longer project” to teach consumers how to mend jeans and wear clothing longer. 41% of Gen Z lack sewing skills to repair clothing, while the generation leads in thrifting.

Is the Wear longer project counter intuitive to shareholders? Probably, yes. It is very intuitive to stakeholder economics. @retailboss

5 digital trends for 2026 are: more improvisation, less scripted; hello analog, taking a break from being online; romanticizing life with joy and delight; camp via joyous exploration; and lore via the details behind the scenes. @helloarcade

Restaurants aren’t known for their large profit margins. Shake Shack’s margin is 21%, which is 13-15% above the norm. So what did they do differently?

Instead of a punitive “wait to be told” management style that slows employees and kills margins, they rely on “excellence reflex.” Excel reflex is essentially be gracious and attentive.  Give the crying kid free ice cream, pick up napkins, in short pay attention.  @owner

@Harvard_Business_Review says the best wya to change company culture isn’t the usual inform and educate your employees, but rather to use the 4T scientific model. The usual costs businesses $164.2 billion without any measurable results.

This scientific model relies on behavioral techniques. First, you choose a specific behavior, decision, or outcome to target; second, you develop a theory of change; third, you design a timely intervention; and fourth, you robustly testyour effect.

In trend spotting news, employers are relying on their employees to be influencers for their goods or services. This use of micro-influencers is a response to the notion that people want to buy from people… this sounds a lot like regular influencing but without the overly polished veneer. Companies relying on employee influencing are said to be Chomps, Alice Mushrooms, and Duolingo. @wellcopymax

@wasted tells us that Twitter’s founder has developed a truly private messaging app that does not rely on either wifi or mobile data. Meet bitchat. Bitchat relies on a web of bluetooth. No accounts. No phone numbers.

More data parsing shows that companies are staying the course on ESG, but they continue to not talk about it. 

Why stay the course? Research shows that ESG policies lead to better decision making and stronger revenue.

Ben Carr, a director at public relations and communications agency MHP Group, told ESG Dive that most companies are “holding the course on sustainability and continuing to innovate,” and incorporating strategic changes within business operations.

ESG Dive

@Harvard_Bus_Review has a list of tips to teach empathy to leaders. (1) pay attention to how people are feeling and what they’re going through (2) regulate your own emotions (3) respond with empathy (4) follow up on your support (5) reflect and recalibrate to make sure your support is what people need.

Theory Y came from post WW2 1950s USA. It holds that “workers are intrinsically motivated, meaning that people do their best work when their leaders trust and empower them.”

Can you imagine? It is weird looking through today’s lens  that the US would see the good in people. Also in post war 1950s, Theory X emerged which involved punishing people to keep them productive. Did no one pay attention to basic psychology?

@MITSLoan

Local officials in Kansas City, Missouri wanted to stop a ICE detention center, so they passed a 5 year moratorium on non-municipal detention centers. Specifically, the 5 year moratorium applies to permits, licenses, zoning and other approvals for non-municipal detention facilities.

Now, Kansas City, Kansas may follow suit.

KSHB | Kansas City, Missouri, passes 5-year ban prohibiting non-municipal detention facilities

@goodgoodgoodco

Colorado went from an unlikely place for pay transparency laws to implementing one of the first statewide pay transparency laws. How did this happen? Denver has a growing, young tech workforce, #metoo resonated in the state, and the state government was led by Democrats.

Colorado passed its law in 2021. Since then 12 states have passed similar laws and the EU is following suit.

Governing | How Colorado Became the Epicenter of Pay Transparency

”Sustainability has become a proxy for leadership judgment in complex systems, not a separate values agenda.”

“It’s no longer enough to deliver financial performance; leaders are increasingly judged on their ability to steward long-term value, mitigate risk, and align organizational decisions with environmental and social impact.”

Grit Daily | The Impact of Sustainability and Social Responsibility on Future Leaders

According to a report from Bain & Co, companies aren’t talking about sustainable packing but sustainable packaging is still very much in play. According to Bain, not using sustainable packaging is a business risk.

”Losing momentum on sustainability would be “a serious strategic miscalculation” for paper and packaging, especially as regulation is “now shaping economics at scale.”

ESG Dive | Abandoning packaging sustainability a ‘serious strategic miscalculation’

”Superorganism, the first venture capital firm dedicated solely to biodiversity, announced the close of its inaugural fund on Tuesday, which garnered $25.9 million in investments, according to a press release shared with ESG Dive.”

Over half of the global gross domestic product (55%) — over $58 trillion — depends on nature, according to an April 2023 PricewaterhouseCoopers report. 

From 2022 to 2024 private impact funding has declined.

“The 2025 Impact Investing Update, based on a dataset of 5,000 funds making impact investments in private markets, shows that 220 impact funds raised US$82.6bn in 2024, down from an all-time high of US$161.4bn raised by 463 funds in 2022.”

Pioneers Post | Private impact fundraising nosedives from 2022 to 2024 – latest PitchBook report

Quelle surprise! Companies are still focused on sustainability, equality, inclusion, and governance, but it’s all hush hush and stealth. Could it be the political climate cannot stifle the data that links increased revenue to these practices that sustain corporate longevity?

ESG Dive | 4 trends that will shape ESG in 2026

”Despite political headwinds, the green economy topped $5 trillion in annual value last year, according to a report from the Boston Consulting Group and the World Economic Forum. The same report found that decarbonization solutions, including industrial energy efficiency and solar, wind, hydropower and nuclear power and heating are already cost-competitive solutions “in most cases or soon-to-be.”

ESG Dive | 4 trends that will shape ESG in 2026

A new book, Team Intelligence: How Brilliant Leaders Unlock Collective Genius, behavioral scientist John Levy says to identify the glue employees. These are the employees that hold teams together without seeking recognition. @wsj

A company in Sweden provides wellness funds for their employees to spend quality time with their friends. It feels like a time for a public service announcement that we’re not talking about employee bonding, but rather socializing with actual friends, not colleagues. @goodgoodgoodco

@impact is highlighting I Heart Radio’s new “guaranteed human” standard that prohibits the use of AI generated music and AI generated radio personalities.

230 environmental groups signed a letter to block new data center development.

Tech Crunch | Environmental groups call for halt to new data center construction

@Harvard_business_review foretells that the future of business is in project driven businesses. This is a pivotal shift in business. Why? Because adaptability and innovation is paramount in the current business environment.

An abbey in the UK has added 2 labradors as therapy dogs for their parishioners. Data says dogs soothe humans and alleviate stress. 

Advise your clients to incorporate dogs. Canine therapy helps when “that” long meeting, which should have been an email, happens. @globalpositivenews

Should a new CEO be measured by “the first 100 days”? Not so much.  A new CEO’s success is a long game. Here’s some ways to build success: (1) build a strong partnership with the board, (2) purposeful development of the CEO leadership team, (3) connect the company’s culture with the CEO’s strategy, and (4) structured reflection.

Beyond the First 100 Days Rhetoric: How to Ensure the Long-Term Success of New CEOs

Living walls help prevent vandalism, clean the air, and reduce noise. Reminds me of an article where a city covered walls and fences in moss to clean air. Interesting endeavor for any neighborhood beautification project. @goodgoodgoodco

@mitsloan says boardrooms, businesses, and investors need to engage in geopolitical calculus. This includes decision making concerning (1) the global distribution of innovation ecosystems, (2) U.S.-China competition, (3) export controls, import tariffs, and other levers of economic statecraft, and (4) the politicization of supply chains that underpin advances in energy, mobility, and artificial intelligence. 

Beginning in 2026, the Netherlands will prohibit the use of fireworks in an effort to protect animals, nature, prevent injuries, and protect against property damage. @brainypedia

The most common stock holder proposals this proxy season in the S&P 100 involved environmental sustainability (48 proposals, none of which succeeded), anti-discrimination/diversity (44 proposals, none of which succeeded), and human rights (20 proposals, none of which succeeded).

Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance | Silicon Valley and S&P 100: A Comparison of 2025 Proxy Season Results

We’ve heard federal officials talk about “illegal DEI.” Turns out the phrasing is important, as HR officials discuss legal DEI. What is legal DEI? Pay equity and analyzing barriers to equal opportunity, ensuring policies and practices are aimed at broadening opportunities.

ESG Dive | Pay equity, barrier analysis remain ‘very legal’ ways to advance DEI, experts say

10 years ago, Hague in the Netherlands adopted policies to make it an impact city. The city believes that economic success is directly tied to social impact.  Hague policies offer “an attractive environment for entrepreneurs focused on innovations for a better world.”

The city follows these 6 pillars: six pillars: visibility, networks, access to growth capital, infrastructure, talent and “space to experiment”.

Pioneer Post | How to build an ‘impact city’: insights from a decade in the Hague

@adamgrant explains Glassdoor data and says that job satisfaction declines, work life balance declines, and there is zero discernible impact on the bottom line by moving people back into the office building. His conclusion: return to the office mandates show that a business is failing to invest in success.

Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance brings us a lawsuit about Texas SB 2337: The Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, United Church Funds, and Ceres – represented by Democracy Forward – have filed a federal lawsuit challenging Texas SB 2337. The suit alleges that the law, which restricts investor access to expert advice and penalizes consideration of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors, violates the First Amendment.

Aligned with the UAE’s sustainability the Community Hydration Initiative is about more than providing water. It fosters a culture of empathy, connection, and purposeful giving. No matter how small the giving may be, at the core the Initiative views philanthropy as compassion, consistency, and community care. 

CBS 42 | Redefining corporate social responsibility through compassion, consistency and community care

In January a customer boycott of Target began. Target stock is down 30% in 2025. Nasdaq points to self inflicted wounds like Target’s move away from DEI, the very thing that triggered the customer boycott.

Nasdaq | Is there a future for Target?

Panera is prioritizing customer service and hospitality over tech that is looking for a problem to solve. The new CEO says, “There was a time, prior to me joining Panera, that Panera described [itself] as a technology company that sells food. We are a restaurant company that sells food that uses some technology to make it a little bit easier.”

Restaurant Dive | Why Panera’s CEO prioritizes hospitality over tech

China has imposed new rules on influencers. The big picture, if you want to promote health supplements, you need to have a degree/certification. Forbes’ summary is “any content maker producing material on medicine, law, finance, education, or other specialized areas actually hold legitimate degrees or official qualifications.”

@the_happy_broadcast

Deloitte’s annual C-Suite Sustainability Report found that sustainability spending is growing consistently. Included in the report is Chief Sustainability Officer of Delta Air Lines, says: “You get more enduring change. We’re not just doing it for sustainability’s sake, we’re doing it because it actually makes sense for the business, and that means it’s going to be stickier.”

A new tool will help companies (brands) measure their total social impact. The Total Social Impact tool is from Dash Social and “converts fragmented social signals into one trusted score across channels, formats, and distribution. TSI delivers a comparable view of performance that reveals how every post, placement, and creator contribution compounds into measurable momentum.”

Yahoo Finance | Dash Social Unveils the Total Social Impact Score: The New Standard for Brands to Measure Their Social Footprint

Heineken is decarbonizing its beer making. One of its breweries is relying on solar and thermal storage to cut down emissions.

Heineken is working with industrial heat solutions company Rondo Energy and energy producer EDP that includes a 7 megawatt-peak solar plant.  

ESG Dive | Heineken leans on renewable energy-powered heat batteries to decarbonize brewery

According to NYU’s Stern School, “Research found social sustainability messages were among the top performing messages overall, topping the list of best performing claims for three out of the seven tested brands.”

This week OpenAI completed a recapitalization to transition its for-profit entity into a public benefit corporation.

Some companies are turning their back on AI and leaning into authenticity by relying on humans. Who are these novel thinkers? Heineken, Aerie, Polaroid, and even Cadbury are riding the anti-AI wave, mocking Big Tech and positioning human-made creativity as the ultimate authenticity flex.

Some say it is smart business as more than 50% of people (humans) are concerned about AI. @morningbrew

“When brands pair clear social commitments with functional excellence, consumer preference rises from 42% to 70%. The most effective messages resonate across demographics and political lines: promoting access, meeting basic needs, responding to crises, supporting veterans, and addressing economic disparities. And here’s the takeaway: authentic, purpose-aligned social messaging strengthens both trust and market performance.” @Harvard_business_review

The Research: NYU Stern’s Center for Sustainable Business—conducted with seven major U.S. brands across industries—found that social messages focused on access, equity, and community wellbeing significantly boost brand appeal.

A Dallas area partnership between the local United Way’s Century Project, the Data Capacity Building Initiative (DCBI), and Parkland Center for Clinical Innovation equips community-based organizations with the tools and knowledge needed to analyze local challenges and develop sustainable, collaborative solutions.

The goal is that with micro-level, hyper-local data they can identify areas of greatest need and inform targeted interventions. The data seeks to showing light on the complexities of social barriers to health, access and well-being in North Texas communities.

Know how we all think workplace emergencies are rarely actual emergencies? Turns out GenZ is saying a firm “NO” to these false urgencies. Why? Because they don’t see hard work and loyalty being rewarded. Wise beyond their years, these GenZers. @washingtonpost

The 4th annual CSR barometer in collaboration with ORSE  found that 91% of respondents have a structured CSR policy that is integrated into their long-term strategy. 74% are discussing the ethical and sustainable use of generative AI.

Impact investing has surpassed $1.1 trillion in assets managed according to the World Economic Forum. A refresher on impact investing— focuses on creating positive impacts instead of merely avoiding social or environmental harm. It is a diverse investment field, and academic minds recommend tools to measure impact that are broader than simplistic financial numbers and provide a holistic picture.

The pursuit of positive environmental and social impact is now central to corporate messaging and governance.

Consumer awareness of corporate social responsibility is shaped by corporate programs that include eco-friendly products, sustainable design, waste management, and certification standards.

Social responsibility practices fall into 1 of 3 buckets: (1) environmental practices, (2) regulatory and certification standards, and (3) socio-cultural and marketing.

Science Direct | Spa social responsibility as a quality signal: Building customer loyalty through ethical and sustainable practices

Meet Flex Impact, the Flexible Packaging Association’s Social Impact campaign. “The initiative reinforces FPA’s ongoing commitment to sustainability, collaboration, and corporate social responsibility by encouraging member companies to take part in [community] activities that create visible, positive change nationwide.”

Let’s learn a new term: social outcome partnerships. It’s like social impact bonds, but re-branded. Globally, over 300 social outcome partnerships have launched. They offer low rate financing for achieving social impact. Amid cuts to public funding, social outcome partnerships are seen as having greater accountability and efficiency in public spending and philanthropic funding.

Pioneers Post | What are social outcomes partnerships?

This week “Project ROI 2025: Determining the Competitive and Financial Advantages of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability,” was released. The report  reaffirms that sustainability/corporate responsibility drives financial and competitive value for companies.

From enhancements to firm performance, sales, and risk reduction, research found that sustainability/corporate responsibility has the potential to boost:

• Firm Value by as much as 36%
• Profitability by as much as 21%
• Sales by as much as 20%
• Shareholder Returns by as much as 6%

What kind of shareholder activism and responses to shareholder activism can we expect? More communication from companies directly to their retail shareholders. More mergers and acquisition based activism. Activists don’t need a long track record, just a good story to tell. Most activist actions are settled by informal negotiations. Activists will use AI more often to source targets and identify shareholders sympathetic to the activists’ perspectives.

Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance | Shareholder Activism: Ten Trends for 2026

We’ve talked about alternative leathers from cactus, mushrooms and more. Now U.S. companies, including MycoWorks, Bolt Threads, and Ecovative, are deep into mushroom leather too. What makes mushroom leather popular?  Mushroom leather can be produced in 2-4 weeks without environmental repercussions.

By 2034, Chemical Research Insight estimates the mushroom leather industry will reach $4.2 billion and will be seen in clothing, furniture, automobiles. @thebrainypedia

@AdamGrant of the Wharton School tells us that data on 87,000 students shows better mental health outcomes for both boys and girls when there are more girls. “Girls build cultures of competence and care. “

JLL released its 2025 Global Consumer Experience Survey that stresses the importance of visibility of social impact work. Did your company add green space for employee well being- talk about it. Did your company solve a unique problem that makes the world better- talk about it. 

Sometimes having an impact means changing laws. Pennsylvania updated its law to categorize pets as family members, instead of as property. This matters when horrible things happen and you end up in court. Let’s face it, pets are family members.  @kinshippets

Companies are taking recycling denim to the next level by  recycling jeans and textiles into insulation. 

How is it made? By shredding the fabric, treating it for fire resistance, and then forming it into batts or blown-in insulation. The result is insulation that is energy-efficient, non-toxic, and  free from harmful chemicals like formaldehyde and volatile organic compounds. @thebrainypedia

A company in Sweden is training crows to collect cigarette butts, deposit them in a “bird bin,” and then be rewarded with a treat. The city spends 20 million Swedish kroner per year cleaning cigarette butts.

Moira Rose would be delighted. Sustainable Living

A study by @crewnetwork “finds that women hold nearly 40% of positions in commercial real estate but still earn 4% less in base salary and 35% less in bonuses and commissions than men. “ @costar

An Opinion piece in the NYTimes this week raises this issue: Incompetence Isn’t an Upgrade Over D.E.I. It also reminds me of my favorite law professor who repeatedly stressed to his students to presume incompetence.

36% of large businesses, those with annual revenue above $700 million in the U.S. & Europe, align capital expenditures with sustainability goals “despite a pullback in the U.S. and other countries from environmental protection efforts.”

95% of companies list environmental risks on their standing board agendas

 52% of large companies have plans to achieve net-zero carbon emissions, and 30% are working on net-zero plans.

ESG Dive | One-third of corporate spending aligns with sustainability: Risilience