What Is Social Impact and Why Does It Matter?
If you’re involved in any community organizations or non-profit work, you might have heard the phrase "social impact" thrown around. It’s a pretty broad term for an ideology that covers a number of different strategies. But ultimately, social impact comes down to doing good in a community, making it a more equitable and fair space.
Want to learn more about social impact? You’ve come to the right place. Today we’re going to break down the basics of social impact and why it’s so important.
What Does Social Impact Mean?
Let’s look at a textbook definition first. Duke University defines social impact as: "Significant or positive changes that solve or at least address social injustice and challenges."
Now, that can mean a lot of different things. Consider for a moment some of the most pressing challenges in our country:
Issues of racism, discrimination, and lack of diversity.
The gender pay gap and unfair labor practices
Food deserts in underserved areas.
These issues are apparent in just about every corner of the United States. Social impact companies and initiatives can look to help alleviate some of the symptoms related to these issues. They could lobby politicians, host workshops and events that spread awareness for these topics, or deliver healthy food to underserved areas.
National social impact initiatives can have a big effect, but they require a robust organizational system to support themselves. That’s why many social impact initiatives shift to focus on challenges that are constrained to their surrounding community.
For example:
Hunger in East Los Angeles.
The housing crisis in San Francisco.
Vaccine deployment to the unhoused community in New York.
By narrowing the lens of the issue, organizations can deploy all their resources to one community, creating a positive social change for individuals and neighborhoods.
The point is that social impact can scale from the local all the way up to the international. Where you choose to make your change is up to you.
Different Types of Social Impact
Social impact campaigns don’t necessarily need to originate from mainstream non-profit organizations. Many businesses have started to create social impact verticals within their organization as a form of corporate good.
In 2015, the United Nations created a list of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to help business owners and nonprofits steer their social impact initiatives.
These goals represent a blueprint for the global community looking to create change:
No Poverty
Zero Hunger
Good Health and Well-Being
Quality Education
Gender Equality
Clean Water and Sanitation
Affordable and Clean Energy
Decent Work and Economic Growth
Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
Reduced Inequality
Sustainable Cities and Communities
Responsible Consumption and Production
Climate Action
Life Below Water
Life on Land
Peace and Justice Strong Institutions
Partnerships to Achieve the Goal
As you can see, these goals are wide-reaching and varied. The United Nations is particularly focused on making conscious efforts to minimize the environmental effects of climate change. As such, sustainability, water, and energy each received their own separate goal.
The idea with these 17 goals is that the international community can rally around various causes and work together to chisel away systemic challenges. Small change, with everyone pitching in, can go a long way.
The Bottom Line: Examples of Social Impact at Work
Now that you have a solid understanding of who is responsible for social impact and the wide array of challenges social impact can address, let’s look at some examples.
As we mentioned, companies and brands are often responsible for some of the biggest social impact campaigns, as they have the benefit of financial backing. A strong example of this is Google’s emphasis on sustainable energy research.
The company reduced its energy consumption and now uses up to 50% less energy in its data centers compared to its competitors. In a great example of corporate social responsibility (CSR), Google has also committed over a billion dollars in renewable energy initiatives. That’s called putting your money where your mouth is.
Netflix
Leading by example is a compelling way to encourage companies and organizations to do the right thing and enact positive change. One such example of that strategy is Netflix’s paid parental leave policy. The United States is one of the only Western countries that does not have comprehensive parental leave laws.
So Netflix created one, offering their employees up to 52 weeks of paid leave during the first year of their child’s life. This is a strong example of how social impact doesn’t need to be exceptionally flashy. It can just be a bullet point in the employee handbook.
Cure Violence
Some social challenges are so big that they require more than just a brand’s commitment. Some challenges require whole networks of people working towards one common goal. That’s when a non-profit organization steps in.
A strong non-profit to look at is Cure Violence, which is an organization that seeks to address the spread of violence across the world. Using innovative tactics, Cure Violence has managed to reduce violence up to 70% in certain communities with its strategies. That’s the kind of hands-on work that makes social impact so powerful.
Greta Thunberg
We’d be remiss not to highlight the power of the individual because social impact strategy is about more than just companies, investors, and nonprofits. Consider the work of Greta Thunberg, a young climate change activist who has received global recognition for her campaign to slow environmental damage.
Greta started a small protest called "School Strike for Climate '' that takes place on Fridays every week in Sweden. This movement spread like wildfire around the world. Now, Thunberg holds politicians accountable, and she’s even received three Nobel Prize nominations.
Looking at these examples, it’s clear that social impact initiatives come in all shapes and sizes. Large-scale sustainable businesses and social entrepreneurs may have the advantage of access and money. Yet, we shouldn’t underestimate the ability of an individual to make their mark on the world.
The real power of social impact theory is the intention. With a firm belief that you really can make the world a better place, you can do anything.
Why Does Social Impact Matter?
More likely than not, you already know how powerful social impact can be. So many of us interact with organizations, programs, or people who have been positively changed by social impact initiatives.
Social impact relies on a faith that the world can be better than it is right now and that we, the people — no matter what our backgrounds are — can work together to see about that change.
When the stakes are as high as these, that’s a powerful message. Really consider some of the goals that the United Nations set. Hunger. Inequality. Sustainability. Inclusion.
These are the worthiest of causes; they deserve our total and undivided attention.
The Ripple Effect: Social Impact Assessments
Perhaps the best thing about social impact is what comes after. “Impact” is really the word that deserves emphasis here.
Positive change in our communities isn’t just about the change itself. It’s about the effect that change can have on other people. The more we see community leaders working to improve the lives around us, the more we understand we can be a part of our own solutions too.
Good in one community can spread to a neighboring community. From there, we can start a movement.
It’s okay if we start small. It’s okay if we focus on what we, regular people, can change first. We can start small and still dream big. The ripple effect of one positive change can be felt for years. Hope is contagious in the best way.
Social Impact and You: What You Can Do to Cause Change
Are you feeling inspired to help your local community? We thought you might say that.
Here are some tips for lending a helping hand and creating positive change.
Take stock of your community and see what really needs addressing. You may want to eradicate hunger for children. That’s a big goal, which requires working with schools to ensure students can pick up healthy meals at no cost to themselves or their families.
A simpler start would be to start packing meals for homes in need and delivering them door to door. It may feel like a slow crawl towards your bigger goal, but remember that positively impacting just one person can have that ripple effect.
Talk to your friends, your family, and your peers about what you want to change. It takes a village. The more allies and connections you can find, the better. Two pairs of hands really are better than one.
Get to know leaders in your community who are working towards the same goals. They may have valuable insight to share with you about the unique challenges you’ll be facing. They can also connect you with resources, so you don’t have to burden the cost of positive impact.
Remember, equality is a long road. Don’t get discouraged if the impact takes longer than you expected to arrive. By believing you can enact change, you’ve already positively impacted at least one person: yourself.
Greta Thunberg: Who is the climate campaigner and what are her aims? | BBC News