Month: May 2023

The Points of Light Conference 2023 will take place from June 14-16, 2023, at the Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile. This gathering is an opportunity for CSR and social impact professionals who are passionate about civic engagement to connect with peers and gain insights from renowned speakers. Registration closes June 10. Register now and join the Points of Light Conference 2023 to connect, learn and drive real and sustained change. For more information, visit pointsoflight.org/conference.

The event offers more than 50 educational workshops, inspirational leadership discussions and networking opportunities, something for every champion of social good.

The conference will feature 132 speakers, from different industries and sectors, including:

Sheryl Lee Ralph, singer, actress and activistJohnny Cupcakes, CEO & brand hysteria expertNeil Bush, board chair, Points of LightMichael D. Smith, CEO, AmeriCorpsNicole “Nikki” Clifton, president, Social Impact and The UPS FoundationShermann “Dilla” Thomas, co-founder, Chicago Mahogany Foundation

Sessions will offer a diverse range of topics designed to cater to different interests and social impact experts including volunteer and community engagement, service and volunteering, social innovation and change, equity, corporate social responsibility, civic engagement and activism. Here are a few highlights:

Closing Plenary Luncheon: Let Your Life Shine With Sheryl Lee Ralph — The culmination of conference features an inspiring presentation from Sheryl Lee Ralph, Emmy-Award Winning Star of ABC’s Abbott Elementary, singer, producer and activist. She will discuss the power of using your voice and tapping into joy to overcome obstacles and face challenges with positivity. Plus, hear from Young Changemakers, a discussion moderated by Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy and Impact Officer Tina Tchen who oversees the Girls Opportunity Alliance, an Obama Foundation program that seeks to empower adolescent girls around the world through education. This panel of impressive young people is driving real and sustainable impact around the world. You’ll be inspired by their activism and their deep connection to civic engagement. You’ll walk away with a better understanding of how small actions can make a big difference.Opening Plenary: Keynote Speaker With CEO & Brand Hysteria Expert Johnny Cupcakes — Johnny Cupcakes, a world-renowned t-shirt brand founder, will be the keynote speaker at the Opening Plenary. He will share insights on building brand loyalty, creating memorable experiences and inspiring innovation. Individuals, companies and organizations are all rallying toward real, sustainable change. Communities have distinct goals, and together, we can lean on our unique and collective backgrounds, experiences and perspectives to change the world. This year’s all-conference Opening Plenary features global leaders and special guests, including influencers and entertainers who exemplify Chicago’s vibrant history and culture. Plus, enjoy moving conversations that explore how our lives have changed amidst the complex challenges we’re collectively working to solve.Civic Engagement Leadership Summit: A Theatre Stage Page Metaphor for Leadership — This dynamic session is designed specifically for leaders of nonprofit organizations preparing their organizations for growth and mission success. Participants will examine leadership characteristics by analyzing the importance of data in the development of their own leadership. Participants will be introduced to a “stage page” metaphor of leadership as a personal framework. They will examine their own leadership qualities and how best to deploy them at the right time in the right context for the right goal. Then, with the guidance of a theater director, experienced facilitators, and a faculty member, we will explore leadership and change from a theatrical lens, focusing on times of challenge and change, all in the service of promoting the well-being and resilience of the people and communities we represent.Civility & Civic Engagement: The Opportunity for Business to Help Find Common Ground, Inside and Outside Your Company — As communities around the globe are increasingly faced with diverse political, economic and social pressures, companies are stepping into uncharted roles as leaders and advocates in civic engagement and community-building. How can businesses – especially CSR leaders – use their resources, time, talent and voice to encourage civic action and thoughtful dialogue that illuminates common ground and unity? Join us for the Business Summit where attendees will hear from leaders about the field of depolarization, how companies have started to engage and the practical strategies they can bring back to their company.

For those unable to attend the conference in person, access the latest ideas and trends in social impact through the on-demand content option. Choose from more than 20 sessions, including exclusive new workshop content and replays of mainstage moments. On-demand content will be available for in-person an on-demand registrants from June 21 – September 30, 2023.

About Points of Light

Points of Light is a nonpartisan, global nonprofit organization that inspires, equips and mobilizes millions of people to take action that changes the world. We envision a world in which every individual discovers the power to make a difference, creating healthy communities in vibrant, participatory societies. Through 145 affiliates across 39 countries, and in partnership with thousands of nonprofits and corporations, Points of Light engages 3.7 million people in 16.7 million hours of service each year. We bring the power of people to bear where it’s needed most. For more information, visit pointsoflight.org. 

Download CSR and ESG: A Practical Guide to Social Impact Reporting

The events of the past few years have encouraged the public to be more socially conscious. They’re ready to take action to spark change in their communities, expecting the companies they support to do the same. But how can businesses effectively communicate the impact of their corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs without being accused of greenwashing or lip service? That’s where the combination of impact data and storytelling comes in.

Impact data provides quantifiable evidence of the effectiveness of your social impact, demonstrating just how much your CSR programs are bettering society. However, data alone can be dry and difficult to relate to. That’s where storytelling comes in. Stories humanize the data and make it more engaging for your audience. 

The increasing prominence of ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) reporting adds a new wrinkle to sharing the results of our social impact efforts. A lack of sector-wide standards around social impact reporting makes it challenging to know just what kind of data to collect—and how to measure it well. 

That’s why our partners at True Impact created their latest white paper: CSR and ESG: A Practical Guide to Social Impact Reporting.

With this guide, ESG professionals will have the tools to use CSR to help power the “S” in their ESG reporting and CSR professionals will have the insights to substantiate their corporate social impact via ESG reporting. 

The white paper offers an easy-to-incorporate framework to help your team better demonstrate the value of CSR to company leadership and shareholders, drive improvement for stakeholders and strategically communicate the value of CSR in your ESG reporting—even in the face of ESG backlash. 

This guide will give you the knowledge to:

Align your social impact initiatives with clear business value for the company.Substantiate your CSR initiatives with validated social impact data.Generate strategic insights about your programs to drive decision making .Strengthen your CSR storytelling and communications, even in an anti-ESG environment.

The report also includes dozens of reports, resources and templates from some of the top organizations in the sector, such as Edelman, Deloitte, Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose (CECP), PwC, KPMG, The Conference Board, BDO, Sustainalytics, IBM, the UN Principles for Responsible Investment and the most common ESG reporting frameworks.

Data plus stories can lead to compelling impact for your company and local community. This guide can help you and your team propel that impact even more.

Download CSR and ESG: A Practical Guide to Social Impact Reporting.