This week, business executives, nonprofit leaders, government officials and issue advocates met in National Harbor, Maryland for the annual 3BL Forum. The theme of the conference was “Brands Taking Stands – What’s Next” and dove into how brands and organizations can continue to push forward on the world’s most pressing social and environmental issues by digging in on activism, engagement and activation. Here are a few key takeaways we took from the event:
Live Your Purpose, Then Tell the World: Alison DaSilva, EVP of Purpose/CSR at Porter Novelli/Cone shared tips on how to avoid Purpose-washing and lead with authenticity in a session kicking off the conference. DaSilva stated too many companies want to go straight to the “tell” aspect of Purpose. Organizations must first find and live their Purpose, before they communicate externally. This means first identifying a crystal-clear Purpose, then creating the programs, policies and goals internally that align with that Purpose. Brands must remember to always balance “living your Purpose and telling your Purpose.”
Civic Citizenship is More Than Volunteerism: In the panel called, “A Stake in the Ground for Our Nation – Engagement and Activism at Every Level,” Jenny Lawson, Chief Civic Innovation Officer at Points of Light, shared how civic citizenship is changing. Lawson drove home that civic engagement is about much more than volunteerism – sharing a chart that included such activities as voting, social entrepreneurship, purchasing power and more. And, Lawson purported, the urgency to expand our definition of civic citizenship is being driven by Millennials and Gen Z.
Robust Employee Engagement Leads to Strong ROI: While a handful of sessions touched on the nuts and bolts of strong employee engagement strategies, Bryan de Lottinville, Founder and CEO of Benevity, provided the data to back it up. In the session, he shared data uncovered from the Benevity platform which found the average churn (or turnover) rate of employees who neither donated or volunteered was 28 percent. Yet, for robust employee participants who give and volunteer, the churn rate fell to 12 percent – proving employees who participate in employee engagement programs stay longer.
If Your Brand Isn’t Supporting an Issue, it is No Longer Relevant: Matthew McCarthy, CEO of Ben & Jerry’s* shared just how important it is for companies to align on issues and values in a session entitled “The Scoop About an Iconic Company's Activism and Balancing Act.” McCarthy shared that if your company is not having a specific impact on a social or environmental issue “you’re probably dead and you just don’t know it yet.” He also stressed the power of the consumer, stating, “We don’t own brands. The person who buys your brand owns your brand – and they can shut you down in an instant.”
As 3BL Forum came to a close on Wednesday, practitioners and thought leaders were armed with myriad practical tips, inspired ideas and areas for opportunity. And the feeling leaving the conference was bright – as one speaker so eloquently put it: “the best hope for business is the business of hope.”
*Porter Novelli/Cone client