SUMMIT AGENDA

Welcome to the Positive Impact Summit! Join our MC, Fast Company Editor-in-Chief Stephanie Mehta, as she introduces the day and the kind of big-picture, inspired thinking required to really take on the world’s biggest challenges. What can we truly accomplish and why does it matter, both for our own organizations and the ecosystems in which we operate?

There is wide agreement that fully engaging private business and capital is critical to achieving the SDGs and the sustainable growth needed to address poverty, inequality and climate change. While many companies and investors have committed to ambitious goals, most have found it difficult to integrate their CSR and sustainability initiatives into core business strategies, attract investors and capital, and achieve outcomes at scale. Harvard Business School professor and celebrated author Dr. George Serafeim introduces the concept of Inclusive Growth, and discusses how companies can rethink their roles as buyers, suppliers of goods and services, and employers by co-creating strategies that drive both commercial and social impact.

While many development and sustainability projects struggle to survive after their initial funding runs out, some organizations have been trying new approaches. A diverse panel of experts from the private sector, government, and the world of impact investing discuss their unique approaches to identifying, structuring and incubating transformative solutions that create many times greater economic and social value in pursuit of inclusive outcomes.

How can we identify the right opportunities to create the most value and impact? It takes bold thinking and inspired leadership. In this short video followed by Q&A, we take a look at how (and why) Kaiser Permanente, the largest private integrated healthcare system in the U.S., put up the money to keep rents low in an East Oakland neighbourhood on the verge of gentrification.

One of the key innovations required for Inclusive Growth at scale involves determining who within an ecosystem needs to be included and how this can be structured for long term mutual benefit. This panel explores the pros and cons of pre-competitive alliances, public private partnerships, special purpose vehicles, incubation of social enterprises, and other organizational models. Panellists weigh in with their unique perspectives on what it takes to engage all key actors in the ecosystem, while also ensuring a structure that can endure beyond initial donor or grant funding.

What does a collaborative business model actually look like, and what does it take to realize results? In this interview with Christina Cassotis, CEO of the Allegheny County Airport Authority, learn more about the vision and partnerships that transformed the Pittsburgh International Airport and the region it serves.

Investors often overlook ‘bread-and-butter’ businesses in favor of those with technology-enabled high-growth potential. But these businesses provide the everyday products and services we rely on, and drive job creation to boot. How can we segment this market to provide the right financing instruments and distribution mechanisms? This panel will explore hybrid instruments and the returns investors can expect.

The Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth advances sustainable and equitable economic growth and financial inclusion around the world. Hear from Founder and President Shamina Singh about the importance of connecting small scale and start-up entrepreneurs to markets, know-how and capital, and the lessons that we can apply to our own development and inclusive growth programs.

How can every participant in an inclusive ecosystem be aligned on their objectives and the execution of their inclusive growth strategy? How can all stakeholders feel confident that they are getting the expected results and the information they need to make decisions? Moderated by Harvard Professor and co-creator of the Balanced Scorecard Dr. Robert Kaplan, this session explores the governance models and tools that can be used to implement ecosystem strategies.

Touton is a leader in the agro-industrial space, building on 150 years of experience to pioneer inclusive programs that meet the needs of stakeholders across an entire supply chain. In this short video followed by Q&A, we explore the realities of aligning stakeholders in a new or existing ecosystem.

You’ve spent the day listening, networking, and asking questions; now it’s your turn to take the stage. Tell us about a challenge you’re facing when attempting to scale the impact of your projects, and ask your fellow attendees for thoughts, perspectives, and advice. Leverage the collective insights of this room of experts! Participate in a Survey before or during the Summit to learn how your organization is doing with Inclusive Growth at Scale and help you better frame your questions.