New Profit x GreenBiz 2025
Why GreenBiz?
In February, New Profit attended GreenBiz, the leading sustainability conference that brings together 3,000+ corporate ESG leaders and social impact organizations. The aim was to pilot engagement with corporate leaders to cultivate funding and cross-sector partner pipelines while generating brand visibility through on- and off-stage opportunities.
New Profit (and friends) led a number of conversations
During the opening keynote, Tulaine spoke with Caitlin Leibert, VP of Sustainability at Whole Foods, about the power of interdependence, solving complex problems, and how to measure progress—using the food system as an example.
Later that day, we hosted a live recording of Say More, which featured Tulaine in conversation with Rev Lennox Yearwood, founder of Hip Hop Caucus, an organization that uses the power of culture to serve environmental justice. Be on the lookout for this powerful episode releasing Spring 25′.
New Profit, Managing Partner, Nikhil Gehani participated in a panel focused on creating authentic communications that drive outcomes in a complex environment, how to better understand our risk exposure to make informed decisions, and how to find ways to turn communications challenges into opportunities to increase the precision, simplicity, and resonance of our language.
Susan McPherson, founder of our PR/Media partner McPherson Strategies, led a session on Social Impact and Business Resiliency. It explored how we, as impact leaders, can continue to focus on outcomes and move the work forward even when shrouded in uncertainty.
Finally, Archie Jones, part of the idea team at New Profit and a long-time friend and ally, spoke on the mainstage about supporting and investing in leaders who have often been overlooked.
Learnings and resources:
In terms of learnings, a couple stood out:
1.) There are common themes between social impact and sustainability communications, including how to use language that allows us to continue to create impact today while staying aligned with our long-term vision. It reminds us that cross-pollination is important, including looking outside of our sector for guidance and ideas.
2.) There’s also a clear need to build organizational resilience and adaptability since the pace of change is unlikely to slow (technological and cultural).
Resources:
Potential Energy Coalition: The Return on Responsibility: Reframing Corporate Climate Messaging Around Materiality, Not Morality.
New York Times: How Charlie Kirk Became the Youth Whisperer of the American Right
Shared America: Noise Level by Soren Duggan