Apr 5

Apr 5 5 Key Takeaways from SXSW 2018 for Conscious Business Leaders

The annual SXSW Conference that sweeps through the city of Austin, Texas, each March has been described as the “world’s fair of the future.” Presenting an eclectic mix of creative innovations spanning film, music, and technology from around the globe, the festival provides a glimpse into the pioneering ideas — from VR/AR to startup and tech creations — that are shaping today’s and tomorrow’s world. This year, celebrating its 25th anniversary, SXSW 2018 also marked the launch of an expanded social impact program that was not only contained within its dedicated conference track, but permeated conversation across the festival’s 24 wide-ranging tracks. Here are my top takeaways for conscious business leaders from the social impact conversation at SXSW 2018:

Dec 19

Dec 19 Reflections on the State of Impact Convening

Pioneers Post

Convening

Thirty years ago a group of young American business leaders began to convene values-driven entrepreneurs, investors, and capacity builders as a way to help catalyze a burgeoning impact movement. In the years to come others followed suit: dozens of conferences showcasing business innovations that were both financially sustainable and beneficial for society and the environment began to sprout — both as a response to Reagan-era consumerism and “Greed is Good” mentality, and as a declaration that business could be a force for good.

Founders of pioneering conferences, such as Social Venture Network (SVN) and Investors’ Circle, sparked a new way of thinking about the purpose of convening. They also incubated and inspired the creation of a new crop of impact-focused conferences and networks, including Net Impact and B Lab, that have spread innovative business ideas across the globe and emboldened a new generation of impact-focused business leaders over the past decades.

Aug 17

Aug 17 Convening for Impact: Latino Policy Summit ‘Day of Action’

Nayelli Gonzalez

Convening

This May the Latino Community Foundation (LCF) convened 300 Latino community leaders, advocates, and elected officials at its fourth annual Latino Policy Summit to discuss policy solutions that will positively impact Latino communities in California. The Summit showcased an array of impact-focused convening best practices, including an inspirational keynote from Xavier Beccera, the first Latino Attorney General of California, and a march to the State Capitol. As the largest network of Latino philanthropists in the country, LCF is a connector and convener who knows a thing or two about the power of convening for impact. Conveners.org’s Nayelli Gonzalez spoke with Jacqueline Martinez Garcel, CEO of LCF, about the role that convening plays to LCF’s growing network, and how the organization convenes for impact.

Mar 24

Mar 24 Why Capitalism Needs Conscious Leadership

Triple Pundit

Convening

For the past 30 years, a small yet growing faction of leaders have pioneered frameworks that are an antidote to single-bottom-line thinking — notably the Natural Step, shared value and the triple bottom line. While those and other frameworks have focused on reinventing capitalism by shifting business strategy, accounting principles and operational standards, a new movement called conscious capitalism offers a holistic approach that puts people and moral conscience at the center of business practices.