On Impact

Envision a world that moves in only one direction: forward

A world where inequality is shrinking. Where natural resources are regenerated, and people can unlock their full potential and benefit from shared prosperity. A world focused not only on minimizing harm, but on doing measurable good. 

Sir Ronald Cohen wrote the manifest On impact, A Guide to The Impact Revolution: 8 beliefs that should help change the world in 2018 to spread the word, to shake consciousness, to change minds. It’s very simple to read and understand but it’s very hard to change and to act.

1.     Impact is the potential of an action to improve lives and the planet - we must shift it to the center of our consciousness. At this point we need to answer: What kind of world do we want to live in? How can we transform our lives and the lives of others? What type of revolution is needed? How do we align all stakeholders to face the most challenging problems?

2.     When weighing business and investment decisions, we must adopt a new paradigm of risk-return-impact.

3.     It is possible to do well and do good at the same time. In fact, we can deliver better returns because of impact, rather than in spite of it.

4.     Impact can be measured and compared. We need to standardize measurement and fold it into decision-making across our society to amplify results.

5.     We must come together to adopt pay-for-success impact models, to prevent social problems from arising. This improves lives, while governments and philanthropy save money.

6.     We must shift to measuring outcomes, not activities. Instead of measuring an organization’s time and dollars spent, and countries and people reached, let’s measure the actual improvement made to lives and the environment.

7.     Impact entrepreneurs are powerful allies. Through their innovation, risk-taking, and access to capital, they are perfectly positioned to deliver impact at scale. We should support their efforts globally.

8.     We must act now. Ending the plight of billions of lives and the decline of our planet depend on our urgent action. There is a will. There is a way. And there has never been a greater need or a better time.

Time is short. Problems are colossal. Determination is low. Some will brawl for this cause, some will not. At the end of our days lets hope to say from the depts of our souls I have fought the good fight to the end; I have run the race to the finish because the few, the happy few, the band of brothers that will pursue one of the greatest battles in history shall be remembered. I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat. We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We have before us many, many long [years] of struggle and of suffering. But, finally this story shall the good man teach his son (…) from this day to the ending of the world.