The Impact Collective PDX

Portlanders know how to vote with their dollars for the city they want to see. It's up to businesses to be clear about their values and how their success will lead to a healthier environment and flourishing people. This purpose orientation is foundational to Portland's identity, and I see it in action every day at B Local PDX. By leading with impact - and optimism! - local B Corp brands are actively reversing our "doom loops," both real and perceived.

Our awesome Executive Director Wesley Griffin wrote an opinion piece for Portland Business Journal sharing his perspective on the "urban doom loop" and how Portland businesses can help break it. https://lnkd.in/gffU4hyV

And we're back with another Sunny Brands episode! This week we're diving deep into the LEGO Group's remarkable journey towards sustainability and their commitment to positive impact. From their family-owned roots to their mission of inspiring children through play, we explore how LEGO is building a better future brick by brick. 🧱 Key highlights: • LEGO's innovative environmental initiatives • Their transition to renewable energy • Sustainable packaging solutions • Brand framework and governance Join us for an fun discussion about how one of the world's most beloved toy companies is taking serious steps toward environmental responsibility while maintaining their core mission of creative play. Watch & Listen on Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gNaNwR2J Watch & Listen on YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gNCjJwm9 Listen on Apple Podcast: https://lnkd.in/gqGWPsuY The Impact Collective PDX Sarah Holdeman Rebecca Goldcrump

Organizations that are ready to truly make an impact by integrating it with their overall strategy know that it takes time. We love working with these organizations over the long term to more intentionally align their day to day operations with their long term impact. Beneficial State Bank sought to refine its impact strategy by developing a comprehensive Mission Framework. The Impact Collective collaborated with the Chief Impact Officer to create logic models, identify key metrics, and incorporate stakeholder feedback. Our work included mapping existing reporting structures, identifying redundancies, and developing an evolution concept to track impact over time. Additionally, we supported the internal impact team by defining roles, implementing an internal communications plan, and co-creating a retreat to align the team with the new mission framework. This comprehensive approach ensured that our client had the clarity, structure, and internal alignment needed to drive measurable, mission-aligned impact. Outcomes: ➡️ Developed logic models and impact narratives for six Mission Framework Pillars. ➡️ Identified key metrics aligned with existing reporting. ➡️ Incorporated feedback from diverse stakeholders. ➡️ Mapped existing reporting structures to the impact framework for alignment and simplification. If you're ready to commit to long term impact that's integrated in your day to day operations, reach out!

We love working with teams that are ready to start measuring, managing and communicating their impact. That always starts with a full-day workshop where we ground in your purpose, generate ideas, and clarify the story of your impact. Read below for how we did exactly that with the Economic Development team at Port of Portland. The Economic Development team had made significant strides toward the Port of Portland’s vision of shared prosperity but struggled to clearly communicate their role and value within the larger organization. This lack of clarity meant missed opportunities for collaboration and strategic decision-making. The Impact Collective facilitated a full day workshop and then worked closely with the team and relevant stakeholders to develop compelling narratives and create a storytelling framework that clarifies how economic development is integral to the Port’s long-term strategy. Through this process, the team gained the tools to effectively communicate their impact, ensuring that economic development will be a priority across all strategic initiatives at the organization. Outcomes: ➡️ Consolidated and clarified the team’s past work, defining their role within the organization’s overarching mission and vision. ➡️ Developed impact narratives to articulate their purpose and value to potential collaborators. ➡️ Conducted stakeholder interviews to ensure the framework was clear, accessible, and useful. ➡️ Created decision-making frameworks to ensure economic development is prioritized in all strategic initiatives. ➡️ Implemented an impact framework linking day-to-day operations to long-term regional impact. If you want to talk about how to bring an Impact Storytelling Framework to your team, reach out!

Retreats are one of our favorite offerings for clients. Are you feeling the pull to dive deep into defining your purpose so you can better tell the story of the impact you’re making and attract values-aligned partners? Read below for how we partnered with a recent client to do just that. Soul Lab, a B Corp certified coaching and consulting company, has always been driven by a passion for helping individuals and organizations lead with soul. However, as the business grew, it became clear that while the impact on clients was deeply felt, articulating and measuring that impact remained a challenge. Through a custom retreat, The Impact Collective PDX guided Soul Lab in defining its narrative arc, clarifying who they serve, and establishing a clear purpose. With this foundation, we developed a roadmap for the next year, ensuring alignment between their messaging, community engagement, and service offerings. As a result, Soul Lab gained the clarity needed to confidently communicate its impact, attract the right audience, and move forward with a strong sense of direction. If you're feeling like spring is the perfect time for your own Purpose and Impact Clarity retreat, reach out!

Congratulations to 11A Collaborative on your B Corp certification! It was a pleasure walking this journey with you and we're thrilled to welcome you into the movement!

Wondering what the outcomes of Impact Strategy work look like? Check out our blog for some examples! #impactstrategy #socialimpact #businessforgood

One of the great things about serving purpose driven businesses, is that, as a purpose driven business, we're able to use our expertise on ourselves! Rebecca Goldcrump and I hosted our own Impact Reporting Sprint today to revisit our impact pillars and make sure we're still making progress towards realizing our vision. We pulled tarot cards, did crafts, and used a LOT of stickies. For clients I usually restrain myself on craft items (and, don't always bust out the "good" stickers) but, not today! Our card for today was Anima Mundi - which "simply put, it is the living soul of the world in all its multi-faceted, multi-dimensional layers, bonded together by loving cosmic forces". Feels pretty spot on 💞 Our vision is that the strength of the collective determines the success of the economy. Our impact pillars are "Whole Humans", "Whole Organizations", and "Vision of a Better World". Stay tuned for the full impact report coming at you soon!

AI....for good? I think one of the most egregious misuses of AI I've ever seen was an AI generated....Impact Report. So depressing and such a sad "check the box" usage (and yes...it was to get points for for B Corp certification). I've heard that people are using ChatGPT in place of Google now - I know someone who uses it every morning to interpret their dreams - I know people who use it to create deliverables for clients... 🫣 I'm not claiming to have never used ChatGPT (after being sick for several weeks, this past weekend I asked it to create "the most nutritionally sound meal plan that's ever been" so that I could get some of my energy back!). But I have become incredibly wary of it. Real talk - how are you using AI in your day to day? Do you use it for work? What have you found to be most helpful? Most unhelpful? Any examples of egregious errors or misinformation?? If you haven't checked out the most recent episode of the Sunny Brands podcast, you can listen here! https://lnkd.in/gxfWxq3y