Though still a young field and hard to pin down, social impact is growing rapidly and has become need-to-have, not nice-to-have, for most businesses.
Defining Social Impact
Defining social impact can be challenging. Simply put, it’s the effect we, as individuals or organizations, have on people, communities, or the environment through our actions, activities, programs, or policies.
A common way to think about social impact is as the positive change that results from an action or activity. However, this often focuses on specific, immediate outcomes—so is that really the full picture?
Beyond Immediate Actions: The Ripple Effect
While measurable objectives are crucial for creating social impact, it’s equally important to consider the broader, ripple effects of what we do. Social impact isn’t just about our individual actions—it’s about how we, as individuals, organizations, and communities, contribute to a larger stream of positive change.
By broadening the definition of social impact, we can integrate it into our long-term strategy—embedding it into the “Why” behind what we do, and reflecting it in the “What” and “How” of our operations. This way, we can align our efforts with the larger picture and contribute to the ripple effect of social impact.
The Role of Business Strategy in Social Impact
We’ve had the privilege of working with companies to develop their strategies, applying a value-driven approach that focuses on the “Why” and the “What” rather than just the “How.” By doing so, organizations can mobilize their teams, create a clear mission, and define their role in contributing to social impact.
Social impact matters—it brings people together to create positive change, not just for others, but for ourselves as well. Helping others triggers a “helper’s high,” which boosts happiness, reduces stress, improves mental health, and even increases life expectancy. Most importantly, it encourages us to continue doing good.
Despite knowing the importance of social impact, many people still don’t contribute. It’s not that we don’t care—most of us deeply care about social challenges. A recent survey found that although people were equally willing to donate to senior care as to environmental or cancer causes, the majority still didn’t contribute. Why? Is it a lack of motivation, or a sense that we’re not seeing the impact? A recent survey done by us in Deliberate Impact suggests that the answer lies in two key factors: choosing causes that align with our personal passions and being able to genuinely experience the impact we create.
Moving Forward: Education and Awareness
At the Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning at Western Carolina University, students are encouraged to explore where their passions lie and how to make a difference. They ask important questions like:
- What in your community or world do you care enough about to take action on?
- How do you organize your thoughts and implement strategies for social change?
- How do you know when you’ve made a positive impact?
We encourage everyone to reflect on these questions regularly, exploring both personal motivations and the efforts of others. Many organizations already integrate social impact into their strategies, whether they’re seen as social enterprises or not.
As Steve Jobs said, “The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.” Are you ready to make an impact?
Will you be one of those people? Don’t wait for change to happen—create it. Start today by embedding social impact into your strategy and take the first step toward transforming your business and the world around you. Reach out should you want to explore how we can help.
We have also created a guide for you to get going: Aligning Your Business Strategy with Social Impact: A Practical Guide
Deliberate Impact 