New York, Nov. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- This week, Purpose 360 podcast launched to examine the influence of social purpose on business outcomes, from boosting employee engagement and customer loyalty to increasing market share and driving product innovation. Each week, hosts Carol Cone, CEO of Carol Cone ON PURPOSE and a pioneer of the field of social purpose, and Chris Noble, CEO of Matchfire and cause marketing savant, interview practitioners from the world’s leading purpose-driven companies.
“The question is no longer if a company should embrace social purpose, it’s how,” said Cone. “Today, purpose is a core business strategy, but it’s not easy for organizations to activate it well – and poorly-designed programs can do more harm than good. As more people focus on the field, there is a growing need for reliable guidance and quality insights. Chris and I aim to fill that gap with our combined half-century of expertise building long-lasting, award-winning initiatives for some of the world’s largest companies, brands, and nonprofits.”
Today, 92 percent of people want to do business with brands that share their values and 78 percent think companies should address issues facing society. Building and operating a purposeful organization can pay off: 83 percent of companies that prioritized purpose showed positive growth over a three year period in a Harvard Business Review Analytics Services report, and companies with a social purpose can outperform the stock market up to 120 percent, according to Interbrand.
“If you listen to just one podcast about business and social impact, make this the one. Purpose 360 provides access to the individuals that created the practice and highlights organizations that are breaking barriers with social purpose,” said Kathleen Dunlop, Global Brand VP, Unilever. “More than dynamic conversation, Purpose 360 features actionable insights that listeners can apply to their organizations.”
The first episode features REI Co-op as it enters the fourth year of its award-winning Black Friday #OptOutside initiative, which puts empowering employees and customers to spend time outdoors ahead of sales on one of the biggest retail days of the year. Alex Thompson, REI’s Vice President of Brand Stewardship and Impact, shares the boardroom conversations that launched the movement, and how REI has evolved #OptOutside to incorporate original research and community resources, and become a year-round platform for engagement and advocacy that has inspired 15 million people to go outside.
Purpose 360 guests are C-suite executives and emerging leaders in Fortune 500 companies, brands, world-changing nonprofits, and social enterprises. Insights from Season One guests include:
- How Panera overhauled its entire menu and supply chain because it was the right thing to do. Clean food is a “mega trend” but operationally complex, especially for a fast-casual restaurant. Focusing on one key issue can help you navigate a fast-changing market. Ignoring the issue can mean losing your competitive edge.
- How Vaseline found its product’s superhuman power. Pinpoint an approach that enables your organization to make the most focused impact – maximizing your assets while amplifying visibility and reach.
- How New York Life Foundation aligned with an unexpected issue in need of visibility and support: childhood bereavement. Explore social issues connected to your brand -- even if they’re tough topics – as your organization may be the most uniquely positioned to have a meaningful impact.
- How Ella’s Kitchen put social issues at the center of the company. Organizations with social purpose embedded in their DNA lead with the issue – through product, sales, marketing, people resources, thought leadership and beyond. Done strategically, profits follow.
Upcoming guests include: Kathleen Dunlop, Global Brand VP at Unilever; Paul Lindley, Founder of Ella’s Kitchen; Jonathan Yohannan, former Vice President of Public Relations at Panera; Heather Nesle, President at New York Life Foundation; Jim King, Chief Communications Officer at Scott’s MiracleGro; and Mike Pepperman, Manager of Corporate Social Responsibility and Community Relations at LG Electronics US.
Purpose 360 is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Overcast, Spotify, Pocket Casts, and Radio Public. You can learn more about each episode and its guest at Purpose360Podcast.com and by following on Facebook and Twitter.
About Purpose 360 Podcast
Hosted by Carol Cone, CEO of Carol Cone ON PURPOSE and pioneer of the social purpose movement, and Chris Noble, CEO of Matchfire and cause marketing savant, Purpose 360 is a masterclass in the rising power of social purpose to impact business and society. Purpose 360 features leading practitioners in social purpose, representing Fortune 500 companies, brands, non-profits, and social enterprises. Listeners gain actionable insights to identify, integrate, and activate social purpose in their organizations to realize benefits including increased employee engagement, market share, consumer loyalty, and revenues. Purpose 360 can be found on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, and Radio Public. Learn more at Purpose360Podcast.com
About Carol Cone ON PURPOSE
Carol Cone ON PURPOSE (CCOP) is a 21st century consultancy whose mission is to partner with organizations to identify, accelerate and amplify their organizational purpose. It provides support with strategy and program implementation around purpose-driven HR, corporate responsibility, social impact, communications, and philanthropic efforts for companies, nonprofits, and foundations. The firm is led by Carol Cone, regarded as one of the founders of the social purpose movement, and has a leading thinker and practitioner in this field. Her work has been internationally recognized more than 200 awards and 4 Harvard Business School case studies. (www.purposecollaborative.com)
About Matchfire Co.
Matchfire Co. is a data commons that combines public and private data to empower brands, agencies, and publishers to enhance their products, applications and campaigns—and ultimately grow their businesses. Matchfire combines access to networks, a suite of technology services and operational logistics to engineer personalized experiences consumers will love. For more information about Matchfire Co., visit www.matchfire.co.
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