Charla Vall - Impact Consulting, 1206 20 Ave SE, Calgary, AB (2026)

10/05/2022

Let’s take a look at these gifts side-by-side….Days after Yvon Chounaird said he's giving away his company, Patagonia, to a trust and non-profit that will use its profit to tackle climate change, Lululemon's Chip Wilson gifts $100 million to preserve BC Parks.

Was the timing just a coincidence?

It's hard to say. 😏

Don’t get me wrong, billionaires using their financial resources to solve for environmental challenges is always something to celebrate.

But let's look at how the "gifts" compare.

Yvon's move will give in-perpetuity and does not stand in isolation from the rest of the company's actions and operations.

Wilson's is a one-time gift disconnected from the company. It's rings of old-school charitable giving, where compassion for a cause isn't always reflected in the company's core practices.

The two examples illustrate the differentiating factor among purpose-led businesses: it's not just about making donations, it's about operations, practices, relationships, and services/ products all working together to create positive impact.

How did these two gifts strike you? Were you impressed by both?

All this and more in this month’s Impact Digest. Subscribe here: charlavall.com/subscribe

09/30/2022

Hello there! If our only interaction is social media - I disappeared there for a while didn't I? Otherwise, you've seen me everywhere! 😂

Truthfully, after spending several weeks swimming in the Aegean Sea and relaxing this past August, we were thrown into an entirely different pace literally hours after landing.

A bit jarring for sure, but the season is bringing forth some very exciting opportunities to create positive impact, and I'm filled with a sense of gratitude, abundance, and optimism.

For starters, this is me in my office earlier this week, where I've now made a permanent home for myself (work-wise). I've quickly started to feel a part of this fantastic co-work community , relishing in new connections with entrepreneurs, and businesses in this dynamic city.

I'll share more soon, but for now, please drop a hello below or in DMs! I'd love to re-connect!

Also, today is a very important day in our Canadian calendars: Truth and Reconciliation Day. Settlers, take time to reflect on how to work towards reconciliation in your own heart, your community, and beyond. We can do better, and we must.

08/16/2022

You've got goals for growing your business, and goals for making a positive impact on the world.

But are these goals integrated into one coherent strategy? 😏

Or are they spread out over multiple documents, spreadsheets, a notepad, a whiteboard, a napkin maybe 🙈and making you - and your staff - confused and overwhelmed.

If you want clarity and ease, all of your goals should be in one place, with priorities, major activities, people responsible, timelines and KPIs.

This is how you scale business growth AND impact, simultaneously.

Developing a common Strategy to drive both growth and impact is one of my core service offerings (see Slide 2).

DM to learn more about it or visit my website (link in bio). 😎

08/08/2022

Vacation-mode: on. That’s the subject line of my auto-reply for the next 3 weeks. 🏖

My husband and I hauled our 4 and 6 year old across the ocean to connect with their roots and meet so much of the family they’ve never met.

I still can't believe so much time has passed since we’ve been back!

The last pic is from 2011: the last time we were here and pre-kids, pre-business, pre- a lot of transformative life experiences.

We’re staying in Elias’ family home in the tiny village of Vasilitsi, about 3 hours south of Athens in the Kalamata olive region…. most importantly, right on the shoreline.

Have you been to Greece and where did you go? If not, is it on your bucket list?

06/15/2022

Grant Announcement🌟

I know how deflating it can be when you’re not making progress on a serious social/ environmental problem you care about.

… when everything feels important, but you’re burning out trying to do it all
… when you’re losing engagement from your partners because you’re not making any meaningful difference

It doesn’t have to be this way.

There are steps you can take to become crystal clear about the problem you’re tackling;

confident you’re tackling the most feasible and impactful leverage points;

certain that you’re actually making progress;

building the critical mass you need to make meaningful change.

I love to support organizations in taking these steps and I have good news!

I’m now screening applicants who might be eligible for a grant that would fund us to work together.

If you’re a Canadian-based non-profit or Collective Impact initiative, you might be eligible.

🏢Side note: If you're an impact-driven business or a non-profit outside Canada and you're feeling stuck too, don’t fret. You’re not eligible for the grant, but we can still work together. DM me!

Click the link in the my bio to learn more and to send me a quick form to check your eligibility.

If you’re wasting time and resources because you’re spinning your wheels, and the chance to make an important difference on the issue you care about is slipping by, this could be the opportunity you've been waiting for.

With clarity, confidence and a solid plan, you can accomplish so much more. And the world desperately needs you to!

Deadline to send me the form is July 15th. DM with questions!

05/09/2022

I'm so thrilled to have worked with 3 influential leaders spanning the globe, and whom I greatly admire, on this article.

Phil Preston - Founder of the Business Purpose Project and Author of Connecting Profit with Purpose
Nikhil Bumb - Director, FSG
Coro Strandberg - Advisor to the United Way Social Purpose Institute

Published in Sustainable Brands, I asked them to weigh-in on the distinctions between ESG and Purpose - two terms that are often conflated.

Why did I think this was so important to write about? As I write in the article:

"If we have any hope of achieving the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals, the last thing we want is for business leaders to be lost in a sea of meaningless jargon"

Check out the article to see what they had to say! Link in stories or copy:

bit.ly/3N5Mjf1

05/04/2022

Hands up if you agree that HR Professionals are unmistakably critical players in activating Purpose throughout a company! I’ll spell it out: If you're people aren't on Board with Purpose, you're not going to get anywhere 🥴

That's why I'm thrilled to be delivering one of the workshops at this full-day Bootcamp for HR professionals across Alberta.

My workshops is called: "Welcome to the New Era of Business – What It Means for HR Professionals"

Here's what participants will learn:

🖊The trend towards Purpose, and why it matters whether you’re a non-profit or business

🖊The 4 key benefits of becoming a Purpose-driven organization

🖊The connection between an organization’s Purpose and attracting and retaining employees

🖊How HR professionals can help infuse Purpose into the organization’s culture, starting today

Register here: http://ow.ly/HFPP50ILgGB

02/14/2022

Here's a challenge for you this week: Buy a stranger a coffee ☕.

Because if you want to push the limits of your social/ environmental impact, you'll need to expand your partnerships.

It's easier than ever to set-up a virtual coffee with anyone.

Use the search function on LinkedIn using a key topic you're interested in and the below categories to find your stranger (Eg. clean tech + academic):

1️⃣ Non-profits will give you the push you need to grow beyond your comfort-zone. They'll also help you think through the unintended consequences of your ideas.

2️⃣ Academics can make sure you are up-to-date on the latest research and help you identify key metrics to measure impact.

3️⃣ Government workers can help you think through the political and/ or regulatory boundaries of the issues you're addressing.

4️⃣ Citizens with Lived Experience - Too often, we design solutions without input from those most affected by the problem.

𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀 𝘂𝗽! 𝗜'𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸 😉

P.S. The more who participate, the better - so be sure to share this challenge.

01/11/2022

Sustainability in business made progress in 2021, but what will 2022 bring?

In my latest blog, I predict the 6 trends we can expect to see this year. Link in bio

But don't just watch for these trends! Such a passive phrase isn't it?

🌟Get ahead of them! 🌟

Awareness is the first step, but the article also offers resources....
so you're not playing catch up when the trend has past and your stakeholders are wondering what you've been getting up to 🙄

Now, I don't expect you to make significant gains on every area. Choose 1, maybe 2, and set some concrete goals.

You've got this.

Save and come back to this later when you need a refresh, and share with those who want to be in the loop!

01/05/2022

Is it because they believe your business is making a difference? 🤔

Or do they roll out of bed and slap on a quarter smile so they can get a pay cheque?

Maybe the answer lies somewhere in between...

Either way, there's things you can do.

Stay tuned for ideas about how to engage your staff in fulfilling your company's Purpose, and why it matters.

For now, drop a 🌟 if you have - or want - employees who show up because they're passionate about your company's Purpose.

12/16/2021

Like so many others, bell hooks had a massive influence on me, particularly when I was first introduced to feminist literature in my late teens.

Not only did she expand my understanding of women, privilege, and intersectional feminism, but also of love.

In fact, my husband and I had an excerpt from her book “Communion: the female search for love” read at our wedding, which included the quote on this post.

bell hooks was an incredible force that offered the world so much wisdom throughout her, much too short, life.

Rest in power, bell.

Charla Vall - Impact Consulting

10/05/2022

09/30/2022

08/16/2022

08/08/2022

06/15/2022

05/09/2022

05/04/2022

02/14/2022

01/11/2022

01/05/2022

12/16/2021

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