EP 21 - Augustus Willman (Microsoft)

SummaryKira Traore, Director of Social Impact at Chime, discusses building corporate impact programmes at Amazon and Chime, and how to balance measurable evidence with human consequences. She shares practical lessons on financial education, organisational focus, risk tolerance and choosing where a company can create meaningful value.KeywordsKira Traore, corporate social impact, Chime, Amazon, AWS, ESG strategy, financial education, impact measurement, corporate responsibilityKey topicsKira traces her path from Peace Corps service and nonprofit environmental remediation to Amazon, where she made the case for connecting employee engagement with community impact.Amazon’s decentralised, entrepreneurial culture let teams pitch ideas, test proof of concept and use data to demonstrate value.She argues that impact work needs both quantitative evidence and anecdotes, especially when long-term data is hard to collect.An AWS programme trained formerly incarcerated people for data centre jobs, but background-check barriers led the team to pause after a small cohort ran into problems.At Chime, she built a top-down impact strategy spanning financial education, wealth building and AI upskilling.Chime moved away from standalone financial education and unsuccessful coaching experiments towards funding accredited partners who support high school personal finance courses and their teachers.Making money conversations engaging and less taboo can help families talk about savings, credit and financial habits.Impact teams must keep telling stories to stay connected with employees and leadership.A strong strategy defines what the company will not do, so resources stay focused where it can add value.Kira advises impact professionals to narrow their focus while staying open to opportunities that may lead somewhere unexpected.Takeaways“If you don’t fail, you’re not trying hard enough.”“A very important thing in a company to have some measure of risk tolerance.”“The anecdotes are probably right, and how you’re collecting and measuring the data is probably wrong.”“When you’re dealing with people, you can’t just keep kind of testing.”“Financial education standalone doesn’t really do much.”“The storytelling piece around impact is hugely valuable and important.”“You need to build out a programme and a strategy that you can get to no.”“Make sure you narrow your own focuses on what you can do and not do.”“Let go of the things that you can’t drive an impact on or can’t add value.”“Say yes to everything ’cause you never know where it’s gonna lead.”Key frameworks(left blank, as in the raw notes)Sound bites“If you don’t fail, you’re not trying hard enough.”“If your data is saying one thing but the anecdotes are saying another, the anecdotes are probably right.”“Say yes to everything ’cause you never know where it’s gonna lead.”Chapters00:00 Kira Traore’s path from Peace Corps service to Chime02:24 Making the case for impact at Amazon04:38 Why risk tolerance and failure matter06:05 When anecdotes should outweigh incomplete data08:58 Why Kira moved from Amazon to Chime10:51 Financial education that leads to action13:35 Making money conversations less taboo17:20 Using impact stories to engage employees and leaders19:33 A good strategy needs to know what to say no to20:24 Chime’s next impact priorities and career adviceGuest linksKira Traore on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kiratraore/Chime: https://www.chime.com

SummaryCarol Cone, CEO of Carol Cone ON PURPOSE and host of the Purpose 360 podcast, has spent more than four decades connecting companies with social and environmental causes. She traces cause marketing from American Express’s Statue of Liberty restoration campaign to today’s corporate purpose work, and explains how Rockport, Kerry Group and Patagonia built purpose into the core of their businesses. She also shares the story behind My Special Aflac Duck, a social robot for children with cancer, and why she wants to see OnMed CareStations reach rural communities.Keywordscause marketing, cause branding, corporate purpose, social impact, brand purpose, social innovation, sustainability, purpose-driven business, corporate social responsibility, purpose queenKey topicsHistory and origins of cause marketing and purpose brandingThe role of authenticity and values in social impactCase studies of purpose-driven initiatives, including Patagonia and AflacThe importance of partnerships and community engagementFuture trends in purpose and social impact, including AI and healthcare innovationSound bites“Companies and brands must engage and align with a social issue or an environmental issue.”“You want to create something that comes from the soul, that works on the competencies, that is where the puck is going, not to where the puck has been.”“Every company’s purpose today can be made to work harder.”Chapters00:00 Introduction to Carol Cone and her impact in cause marketing00:20 The origins of cause marketing and the role of American Express00:47 The evolution of purpose branding and shared value01:13 How companies can navigate political and economic cycles01:36 Carol’s journey into social impact and cause marketing01:43 Case study: Rockport and the walking movement01:47 The development of the Aflac social robot for children with cancer01:49 The importance of authentic purpose and values in business01:50 Innovative projects like the OnMed CareStation for healthcare access01:52 The role of partnerships and community involvement02:04 Future trends: AI, social impact and corporate responsibility02:05 Carol’s advice for companies and individuals in purpose-driven workGuest linksCarol Cone on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carol-cone-8651aa3/Carol Cone ON PURPOSE: https://carolconeonpurpose.com

SummaryCoro Strandberg, President of Strandberg Consulting and co-founder and Chair of the Canadian Purpose Economy Project, traces her path from social work and the Vancity board to more than two decades advising businesses on social purpose. She explains how CSR evolved into sustainability and ESG, why metrics and executive incentives decide whether purpose ever leaves the boardroom, and how the Canadian Purpose Economy Project is working with boards, investors, business schools and disclosure standards to make social purpose the norm. She closes with practical first steps for companies ready to define their purpose and bring it to life.Keywordssocial purpose, CSR, sustainability, purpose economy, purpose governance, corporate governance, social impact, ESG, purpose disclosure, business transformation, social innovationKey topicsThe origins of social purpose and CSRTransformational company guidelines and leadershipThe importance of metrics and disclosure in purposeThe Canadian Purpose Economy Project and global effortsPractical steps for companies to define and implement purposeSound bites"Aligning those incentives was what drove subsequent innovation and really moved it from a boardroom agenda to, if you will, a management agenda.""Boards of directors don't know the purpose of the companies that they're stewarding.""A lot of businesses have an implicit purpose and they need to make it explicit."Chapters00:00 Introduction to Coro Strandberg and her background01:28 The start of Coro's journey in social responsibility02:49 Early moves in community development and credit unions03:15 The shift from philanthropy to strategic CSR in 199204:17 Communicating and embedding social responsibility in organisations05:34 Incentivising management for social and environmental goals07:27 The significance of metrics and sustainability reporting09:16 The frontier ideas of purpose-driven business models10:58 Transformational company guidelines and leadership qualities12:54 The evolution from CSR to sustainability to ESG15:01 The discovery of social purpose within organisations16:46 The Canadian Purpose Economy Project and its vision18:15 Gaps in purpose understanding and disclosure19:27 Purpose governance guidelines and global outreach23:20 First steps for companies to define purpose24:41 The motivation behind purpose-driven work26:07 Mobilising business for societal impact27:01 Transforming business models to embed purpose28:09 Operational shifts needed for purpose integration29:32 Final thoughts and the importance of explicit purposeGuest linksCoro Strandberg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/corostrandbergStrandberg Consulting: https://corostrandberg.comCanadian Purpose Economy Project: https://purposeeconomy.ca

SummaryChristian Bader leads corporate social responsibility at Premium Food Group, in one of the most scrutinised industries there is: meat. He started out in journalism, then spent years farming in Zimbabwe, where he learnt that sustainability only sticks when it pays. He explains what really drives the carbon footprint of a steak, how deforestation-free soy became a sector-wide standard, and why a customer buying a product a second time is the number that tells him a sustainable product has worked.Keywordssustainability, food industry, climate action, responsible sourcing, regenerative agriculture, carbon footprint, deforestation-free soy, primary data, vegan food, hybrid food, industry collaborationKey topicsChristian's career transition from journalism to sustainabilityThe complexity of environmental metrics and acronymsThe role of economic viability in sustainable farmingImpact of meat production on climate changeInnovative practices like regenerative agriculture and deforestation-free soyIndustry collaboration for sustainability standardsConsumer behaviour and product repurchasing as success metricsThe potential of vegan and hybrid foods as alternativesSound bites"Sustainability and economic viability have to go hand in hand.""When you are standing on a field in your gum boots, you realise that here sustainability is not a theory. It's about someone's livelihood.""We're not gonna save the planet by hoping that people are going to become vegan."Chapters00:00 Introduction to Christian Bader and his background01:22 The complexity of environmental metrics and acronyms01:53 Christian's career transition from journalism to farming and sustainability02:46 The role of economic viability in sustainable farming04:00 Christian's entry into corporate sustainability and climate action06:49 Balancing animal welfare and climate impact in meat production11:59 Exploring alternatives to traditional meat, including vegan options13:43 Measuring success through consumer re-purchasing and product acceptance15:34 Industry collaboration and setting sustainability standards17:17 Collecting primary data and sector-wide sustainability initiatives20:48 Christian's experience moving back to Germany and cultural adaptationGuest linksChristian Bader on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-bader-84b43190/Premium Food Group: https://premiumfoodgroup.de/en/

SummaryEmily Salazar is Director of Social Impact and Advocacy at Lime. She got her start in impact work as a master's student in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, when a community garden she ran for local kids was sold to a developer. She organised the community, then went to the city as a partner rather than an opponent, and came away with a bigger garden on better land. From there she moved to HeadCount, where she brought digital tools into a paper-based voter registration operation, and then to Lime. She talks through Lime Access, Lime Hero and Lime to the Polls, and why impact only scales when it's built into the core business.Keywordssocial impact, urban mobility, micromobility, community engagement, advocacy, civic participation, voter registration, food access, sustainability, transport, Lime, HeadCountKey topicsFrom community gardening to a career in impact and advocacyTreating stakeholders as partners instead of opponentsBringing digital tools to in-person voter registration at HeadCountWhy impact needs tech and marketing to scaleLime Access, Lime Hero and Lime to the PollsTakeawaysAdvocacy works better when you treat the other side as a partner.Digital tools paired with in-person organising reach people you'd never meet face to face.Impact needs tech, marketing and product thinking behind it to scale.Impact programmes grow fastest when they're tied to the core business.Expect to fail and iterate. The collaboration lesson has to be relearned more than once.Sound bites"Impact is not just impact, it's tech, it's marketing, it's all of these other things, and it can't be siloed into just this impact space.""Impact and advocacy doesn't have to work against business and development.""Mobility is such a fundamental part of everyday life for city dwellers."Chapters00:00 Introduction to Emily Salazar01:05 Community gardening and food access in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania03:13 The garden sale and grassroots organising05:02 Shifting from adversarial to collaborative advocacy07:25 Learning the collaboration lesson again and again08:24 Scaling civic engagement at HeadCount10:43 Bringing digital tools to voter registration12:37 Why impact needs tech and marketing13:21 Burnout, 2020 and the move to Lime15:33 Why transport access is social impact17:47 Lime Impact Lab and Lime Access20:28 Lime Hero, Lime to the Polls and Lime's impact pillars22:18 What's next for EmilyGuest linksEmily Salazar on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilygibbs1/Lime: https://www.li.meLime Impact Lab: https://www.li.me/why/communityHeadCount: https://www.headcount.org

SummaryRichard Donovan shares his journey from being involved in the launch of a new bank to leading global social innovation at Experian, highlighting key projects, challenges, and insights into creating impactful social programmes.Keywordssocial innovation, corporate responsibility, financial inclusion, social impact, Experian, innovation culture, social programmes, debt management, youth employment, systemic changeKey topicsJourney from the launch of Egg to leading social innovation at ExperianThe importance of being prepared and creative in crisis situationsTransferable skills from communications to social impactThe process of integrating culture during mergers and acquisitionsDesigning and testing social innovation programmes using research and AISuccess stories like the Brazil debt platform and work experience centresThe role of systemic thinking in social programme success and failureSound bites"We realized we were way more successful than expected""Over indebtedness is a huge issue in Brazil""Using AI to build better customer journeys at speed"Guest linksRichard Donovan on LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/richardadonovanExperian: https://www.experianplc.comChapters00:00 Introduction and Richard Donovan's background01:12 Starting at Egg and the launch chaos02:02 Lessons from the Egg launch experience03:01 Transition from innovation to social impact04:11 Cultural integration during the Egg and Citi merger08:27 Focusing social innovation efforts at Experian11:30 Success and challenges in social programmes12:41 Brazil's debt platform and its impact14:08 Personal motivation and career shifts16:34 The importance of problem understanding in innovation18:14 Using workshops and AI for social innovation19:53 Rapid development and scaling of social solutions20:07 Impact of AI on social programme speed21:11 Advice for social innovation and corporate responsibility25:29 Systems thinking and systemic change in social programmes26:39 Closing remarks and gratitude

SummaryFaith Taylor has built sustainability functions from scratch at Wyndham Worldwide, Tesla, and now Kyndryl. She walks through what actually works — making the business case with small wins, focusing effort where it counts, and staying resilient when progress is slow — and argues that intentionality matters more than ambition in creating change that lasts.KeywordsESG, sustainability, CSR, climate change, data centres, renewable energy, resilience, leadership, social impact, innovation, hospitalityKey topicsFaith's move from brand leadership into sustainabilityBuilding a global CSR function at Wyndham WorldwideWhy climate awareness became a strategic issueOperationalising sustainability across hospitality and techMeasuring impact and applying the 80/20 rule to ESGTechnology and innovation in the energy transitionThe challenge of embedding sustainability in franchise modelsResilience and positive vision in climate actionEstablishing and scaling sustainability and citizenship at KyndrylTakeawaysFollow your passion and build your own role inside the organisationProve the business case for sustainability through small winsUse the 80/20 rule to concentrate on high-impact areasResilience and a positive vision sustain long-term changeGlobal collaboration and leadership are essential to climate solutionsChapters00:00 Introduction and career overview01:11 From brand leadership to sustainability02:07 The rise of green consumerism and climate awareness03:25 Creating her own role at Wyndham Worldwide05:13 Building the business case through operational savings07:47 Tracking impact and scaling initiatives10:44 Using the 80/20 rule to focus effort12:53 Bringing people and environmental goals together15:24 When sustainability becomes part of everyday business17:11 Saying no and staying true to your values21:26 Balancing energy growth and sustainability in data centres25:34 Global collaboration and leadership in climate solutions29:52 Getting involved in social impact and human rightsGuestFaith Taylor, Global Sustainability and ESG Officer, Kyndryl — LinkedIn

SummaryAnthony Sanchez, VP and Global Head of Community Impact at Moody's, traces his path from underserved communities to running corporate philanthropy at scale. He makes the case that volunteering only works when it's a genuine employee benefit rather than an obligation, and shares what he's learned about measuring impact that actually means something.Keywordscommunity impact, employee volunteering, corporate social responsibility, nonprofit partnerships, skills-based volunteering, pro bono consulting, Moody's, American Express, disaster relief, impact measurementKey topicsAnthony's background and what drew him to community serviceHow employee volunteering trends have shiftedWhat's worked in Moody's community impact programmesChallenges and hard lessons from CSR initiativesMeasuring success in volunteer programmesAdapting as social impact priorities changeSound bites"I always knew I wanted to serve communities.""Community impact evolves with the times.""Volunteering is a benefit offered to employees."Chapters00:00 Introduction and Moody's impact strategy04:43 Anthony's background and motivation for community service08:27 What actually drives employee engagement in volunteering10:36 [programme name — verify] and skills-based volunteering13:02 Lessons from disaster response: Superstorm Sandy15:33 Balancing volunteer demand against organisational resources20:05 Measuring programme success and impact21:31 Where Moody's focus is heading next23:40 Advice for corporate peers on community impact26:12 Strategies for increasing employee participation30:17 Leadership involvement and authentic storytelling35:29 Overcoming barriers to volunteer programme uptake40:39 Navigating reputation, risk, and compliance in CSR44:25 Authenticity and transparency in impact programmes46:23 Closing thoughts

Augustus Willman shares his journey from retail to tech, and how authentic partnerships and strategic storytelling turn CSR into lasting community impact aligned with measurable outcomes.Key topics- Building authentic partnerships in CSR- Strategic storytelling for impact- Aligning corporate purpose with community needs- Scaling community programmes globally- Overcoming internal buy-in challengesChapters00:00 Introduction to Augustus Willman's journey04:48 Starting in retail and moving to tech09:29 Myth busting: CSR does not have to be one-off12:08 Building the Microsoft community programme16:07 Challenges in showcasing value to stakeholders19:02 Key supporters and mentors in CSR work22:46 The future of CSR and corporate investment in social impact26:50 Effective communication with leadership30:19 Living in Ireland and building community34:20 Next steps and building a global networkResourcesMicrosoft corporate responsibility - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/corporate-responsibilityGivingForce - https://givingforce.com

content typeInterview primary goalEducational summaryIn this episode, Jill Stonberg shares her journey from environmental studies to leading sustainability at Virgin Voyages, highlighting the challenges and successes in decarbonization, community impact, and engaging travelers in sustainability efforts. keywordssustainability, decarbonization, cruise industry, social impact, environmental responsibility, Virgin Voyages, corporate responsibility, eco-tourism, community engagement key topicsJourney from environmental studies to cruise industryDecarbonization strategies and board engagementEngaging guests in sustainability activitiesBalancing strategy with tangible actionsOvercoming challenges in sustainability leadership takeawaysPersistence and resilience are key in sustainability roles.Engage leadership and stakeholders early and often.Start small with tangible projects to build momentum.Effective communication with non-experts is crucial.Authentic guest engagement enhances brand loyalty. guest nameJill StonbergTitlesFrom Tech to Travel: Jill Stonberg's Sustainability JourneyDecarbonizing Cruises: Inside Virgin Voyages' Strategy sound bites"Decarbonization strategy was the hardest thing I faced.""You can't do this work on your own, stakeholder engagement is key.""Follow your passion and start small to build momentum."Chapters00:00 Introduction and Warm Welcome00:00 The Journey into Sustainability05:28 Transitioning from Tech to Travel09:28 Balancing Strategy and Hands-On Work16:28 Challenges in Decarbonization22:53 Advice for Newcomers in Sustainability resourcesVirgin Voyages Official Site - https://www.virginvoyages.com/Presidio Graduate School - MBA in Sustainable Business - https://www.presidio.edu/Jill Stonberg - LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillstonberg/ guest linksLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillstonberg/Twitter - https://twitter.com/jillstonberg