A3: If you could offer one piece of guidance to a corporate social impact leader stepping into 2025, what would it be?
Probably, considering the challenges mentioned above, to center its efforts in fighting climate change, improving financial allocation to climate adaptation, having an intersectional approach considering the impacts on the most vulnerable populations. On the other hand, considering the anti WOKE movement it is more necessary than ever to work on reducing the gender gap and creating new opportunities for women and girls in developing countries since they are cornerstones of development and progress in their communities.
According to the organization´s economic activities (products and services) region of operation and key stakeholders, how the organization can be impacted by international dynamics and how it can contribute to and/or mitigate regional or local problems. For this, it should define the issues it wants to prioritize and on which it can operate, key stakeholders and actions needed to be able to achieve the desired impact.
Considering the above, define internal policies approved by the governing bodies in order to support actions, have the necessary financial resources, forge alliances that enhance impact with other international and regional impact stakeholders/organizations and establish monitoring and reporting mechanisms.
Question 2: What are the most significant challenges the social impact community will likely face in 2025, and how could we approach them?
Answers: 1. Balancing Urgent Needs with Long-Term Impact
One of the toughest challenges in 2025 will be finding the right balance between addressing immediate crises and building sustainable solutions. For instance, issues like food insecurity demand immediate relief (ensuring people have enough to eat today) while also requiring structural changes like creating economic opportunities or improving local food systems to prevent future crises.
This balance isnât easy to strike, especially when resources are limited or crises overlap. This is where we can bring in tools and/or programs such as Poverty Stoplight, which help by breaking down complex problems into smaller, actionable steps, which then helps individuals and organizations prioritize both short- and long-term goals. For example, a family might focus on accessing basic needs first while simultaneously working toward financial stability. On a larger scale, this approach enables organizations to address urgent needs without losing sight of systemic change, ensuring that progress is both impactful and enduring.
2. Navigating Diverse Contexts and Regional Realities
Another critical challenge for the social impact community is adapting to the diverse and nuanced realities of different regions. What works in one country â or even one community â may not work in another. Cultural differences, economic conditions, and local priorities all shape how solutions are received and implemented.
This is where flexibility becomes essential. Tools like the Poverty Stoplight offer a great example of how solutions can be adapted to fit local contexts while still aligning with broader global goals. Our toolâs indicators can be customized to reflect cultural norms or region-specific challenges, making it easier to resonate with the people it serves.
For instance, an indicator about waste disposal might look different in a rural farming community versus an urban center. By tailoring solutions to reflect these realities, we not only ensure greater relevance but also foster a sense of ownership among the people involved. That ownership is what ultimately leads to more sustainable outcomes.
Hi everyone, Verity OâShaughnessy from The Partnership Collective here - weâre a start-up consultancy focusing on embedding business models that enable transformative social, economic and environmental impact
A1: At OHE, we work at the intersection between organisations working across the health sector. Challenges of silo working, competing priorities and short-term vs. long-term impact surround us. At the core of this and in 2025, I believe we have to move beyond these to put impact and people at the coreâembedding ESG into strategy, accelerating decarbonisation in healthcare delivery and supply chains, championing health equity and inclusion, and leveraging evidence-based decision-making to drive smarter, more sustainable choices. By harnessing data and forging cross-sector partnerships, they can create meaningful change and shape a healthier, more equitable future for all.
Question 3: If you could offer one piece of guidance to a corporate social impact leader stepping into 2025, what would it be?
Answer:
Impact begins with understanding. Spend time listening to the people who are at the heart of your initiatives. What challenges are they facing? What do they value most? By investing in conversations and participatory approaches, you can design solutions that resonate on a human level. Empowering individuals to take part in shaping their own progress is one of the most effective ways to create lasting change
A1: Identify where the vulnerabilities and hotspots are within your supply chain
By listening to workers and communities within the supply chain, understand where the risks are for the most vulnerable groups in the supply chain and how business operations impact supply chain dynamics. This allows business response to be needs-based and guided by rightsholders rather than being a top-down approach which our experience has found supports more transformational outcomes for workers, producers and communities.
Completely agree with these insights Susana! It is quite aligned with the work that we do at Build Change with microfinance institutions to facilitate access to low-income communities for resilient housing finance. It would be great to connect on our work.
Agree on more evidence. Although having worked on the business case it becomes a double edged sword⌠Social areas, like health, donât easily offer quick returns unlike environmental investments. But a better broad capture of evidence is very important⌠We did some qualitiative research on this which might be of interestâŚ
Hi everyone, I would like to share my thoughts for Q1 What priorities or actions should businesses focus on in 2025 to maximize their social and environmental impact?.
A1:
Businesses must focus on improving small scale producersâ livelihoods to lift communities at the bottom of the supply chain out of poverty and provide a better standard of living. Scaling up existing business actions is critical and closing the gap between the insufficient income currently earned by small scale producers and a living income should be a priority for businesses.
To achieve this, businesses need to adopt living income strategies as a core part of their practices, committing to long-term improvements in the incomes of producers in their supply chains. This approach not only helps businesses meet human rights obligations but also strengthens their reputation, fosters consumer trust, and opens the door to attracting new customers.
In this process businesses should consider the following:
Develop strategies that prioritize closing the income gap for smallholder farmers, aligning with sustainability goals, and following the necessary steps for a good living income strategy
Collaborate Across Sectors:
Join initiatives like the Living Income Community of Practice to share knowledge, leverage resources, and create collective solutions. Collaboration with civil society, academia, and governments will amplify efforts to address systemic challenges.
Increase Supply Chain Transparency:
Enhance visibility through the supply chains to ensure fair treatment and adequate income for producer partners. Transparency builds trust among consumers and stakeholders while addressing issues like poverty and human rights violations.
Focus on Economic Viability and Resilience:
Invest in initiatives that make farming economically viable, especially for the next generation. This includes promoting crop diversification, improving market access, and adopting climate-resilient agricultural practices.
Tailor Sustainability Efforts to Context:
Recognize that different commodities, regions, and stakeholders require unique approaches. Customize living income strategies based on the gravity of poverty issues, the risks involved, and the specific supply chain dynamics
Hi there - Monica from Build Change addressing the first question from the perspective of disaster- and climate-resilient housing.
There are several actions that come to mind for businesses, particularly in their impact and investment strategies:
Adopt and fund approaches which center justice and localization, particularly ones that shift power and resources to the most vulnerable populations. For years, development models have focused on sweat equity, but investing in the decision equity of those living in climate-vulnerable and at-risk communities can shape approaches that build upon the transformative potential of those communities.
Continue to harness the power of technology for efficiency at scale. Build Change has been engaging the power of artificial intelligence for years in our design and construction work for disaster- and climate-resilient housing, and are excited by the increased attention and investment in using the power of AI and other digital technologies to complement human-centered approaches. By digitizing our work through our technical assistance platforms, we were able to perform assessments 3x faster and design interventions 8x faster, signaling enormous potential to strengthen effectiveness of development interventions.
Promote cross-regional and cross-country learning: Especially in the field that we work in, disaster and climate resilience, the lessons are invaluable from we can learn in the way that other countries have developed and implemented effective programs that help protect houses from the most severe of disasters, such as Colombia, or early lessons on how to rebuild after a disaster has already struck, such as in Turkiye. Programs that strengthen and promote cross-regional learning, especially from Global South to North is critically needed for a more sustainable and resilient world.
A2: What are the most significant challenges the social impact community will likely face in 2025, and how could we approach them?
Burnout. Social impact leaders are among the most driven dedicated, and passionate people. They are also, for want of a better word, the most forgetful when it comes to their own wellbeing, probably because their own needs seem trivial compared to the most pressing global issues. Weâve know this. Weâve seen this. Weâve been this. Sadly, we are this. Burnout in the sector is not new, though. Whatâs changing, I think, is perception. Weâre becoming more open and accepting. We acknowledge self-doubt, exhaustion, frustration, and the need for a space to discuss and face these struggles head-on. We can use 2025 to further encourage and build safe spaces and projects that protect and recognize how wellbeing and real social change are connected.
A1:Understand and engage in the power of producer collectives and networks
Weâve been working with Textile Exchange to map initiatives that aim to deliver socially beneficial outcomes within Tier 4 of their preferred fibers and materials. What has stood out through stakeholder interviews, desktop research and producer conversations is the power of producer networks and collective organising as a mechanism to deliver multiple impacts across environmental, social and economic needs.
Producer collectives offer members increased bargaining power and the opportunity to explore different models of cost sharing which increases the viability of livelihoods and long-term sustainability of supply chains. In addition to this, collectives offer a ready platform for information and knowledge sharing, advocacy, and responses to the variety of needs of producers and their communities. Our research has found that impact initiatives delivered through producer networks have more diverse and equitable outcomes than those that donât engage through producer collectives.
When brands and supply chain partners facilitate and amplify these networks, they can support the impact multiplier effects which increases the efficiency of investments and contributes to longer-term equity and sustainability within the supply chain.
Yes, Verity! Itâs critical to work at the local level and in partnership with workers and communities. Resilience can only be build from the âbottomâ up, and critical supply chains are dependent on co-created approaches.
Very interested in this⌠we have a focus on womenâs health in global supply chains⌠see it as central to living wage and poverty⌠Accountability Platform for Womenâs Health
Fully agree on your point about responding to context! Our experience and research has found that the initiatives which deliver the most transformative impacts are those that are needs-led, co-designed with producers and communities and therefore are context specific
A1: Integrated supply chain partnerships
In response to emerging legislation such as CSDDD and CSRD, suppliers are facing increased compliance requirements being passed along the supply chain from multiple touch points within buyer businesses. By taking an integrated approach that includes environmental sustainability, social impact, and procurement processes, businesses can work in more effective partnership with suppliers. This will increase efficiency and build relationships that are based on impact as well as risk and cost.