Modeling Our Values of Positive Impact and Transparency
As a convenor for a community creating and directing capital to bold innovations around the world, SOCAP is a platform for impact leaders, entrepreneurs, and investors. Inspired by the SOCAP community and driven by our shared vision for impact, we are constantly finding more ways to align our values with our work.
Since assuming the day-to-day management and leadership of SOCAP earlier this year, the Sorenson Impact Center continues its commitment to shaping the conversation for the next era of impact at SOCAP. To bake our values into our DNA and governance, we recently converted the SOCAP Global organization from a C-Corp to a Public Benefit Corporation (PBC). As a PBC, we are solidifying our commitment to hold ourselves accountable to our global stakeholders. We are committed to operating in an ethical and sustainable manner that is additive to the field of impact and toward our shared vision for positive global outcomes.
Improving Accessibility
Indigenous Access Fund: For the first time, SOCAP has committed to providing monetary support and scholarships for Indigenous people to attend the flagship conference, along with bringing Indigenous content to the event. During our 2021 conference, Indigenous ambassador Sikowis Nobiss rightly noted the limited attendance of Indigenous entrepreneurs and social impact leaders and asked to create a fund to increase these numbers. Aligning with SOCAP’s goal to build an economy centered on equity, justice, inclusion, and impact while addressing racism and decolonizing economic structures, organizers created the Indigenous Access Fund.
Thanks to our partnership with the MacArthur Foundation, the Indigenous Access Fund will help Indigenous changemakers attend SOCAP22 by covering access costs. It will also provide funding for Indigenous leaders to help curate and host content, art, and social events.
Equitable Access Speakers Fund: Industry conferences are a vital place for experts in their field to market themselves and their services and to increase their network of personal and business relationships. The trade-off is that speakers are often asked to bear the burden of the cost of attendance, sometimes limiting access to important networks of information, capital, and resources. We know from honest and direct feedback from our own speakers that this arrangement feels and is extractive in many cases.
While we don’t pretend to have all the answers to making this right altogether, we are working to ensure that speakers who need to be heard are heard, and, importantly, their participation is additive to their personal and professional goals. One way we work to amplify our speakers’ ideas is to re-share the ideas presented on the SOCAP stage to our broader digital community, including via our website, emails, and social platform. We strive always to give credit where credit is due and attribute clearly with easy links back to the organizations and people who have developed the ideas we want to amplify; our goal is to uplift and connect people beyond our live event to one another.
SOCAP, like many other conferences, has historically charged speakers and panelists a registration fee. Conferences often run on small margins with sometimes wildly variable expenses. This year, we are trying something new. SOCAP has partnered with Halloran Philanthropies to seed the Equitable Access Speakers Fund to cover speaker registration fees for SOCAP22. We are pleased to make these improvements. Thanks to Brian Halloran and Halloran Philanthropies for sharing this vision for change in our industry.
Our Partners
As part of our model to drive social and environmental impact and live our values in our business, we’re focusing on working with social enterprises committed to positive impact on people and the planet in their operations.
Make Justice Normal: The content team for SOCAP22 is helping us consider new topics, voices, and ways of connecting at the convening. MJN is a diverse, women-led collective fiscally sponsored by Moore Impact founded to open space for people working to move capital — a proxy for structural power — toward justice.
TaylorMade Experience: The event production team for SOCAP22 is a woman-owned and Women’s Business Enterprise National Council Certified company. TME helps clients realize their vision and goals for each event with an emphasis on building relationships among event guests.
Bark Media: A women-owned content marketing firm and Certified B Corporation that leads marketing for SOCAP. In collaboration with its clients, Bark crafts stories and content strategies that foster audience engagement and expand impact.
Confluence Partners: An LGBTQ- and women-run communications strategy firm working at the intersection of finance, impact, and philanthropy. Confluence operates with a commitment to bringing about a more equitable and just world for all.
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts: The new home for the SOCAP conference. Located in the heart of San Francisco, YBCA is adjacent to the public gardens, serving as a serene oasis in the middle of the bustle of downtown and the neighborhood’s cultural anchor. Recognized as San Francisco’s center for art and progress, YBCA has a mission to generate culture that moves people.
+PlusMedia Solutions: Provides impact management systems that connect audiences with engagement opportunities. At SOCAP22, the woman-owned company will enhance the event experience to encourage greater attendee engagement and amplify impact.
Feel Good Foods: Has the oh-so-important task of providing made-from-scratch meals at SOCAP22 that incorporate local, organic ingredients. At SOCAP22, the woman-owned catering company is dedicated to seasonal and sustainable food. Look forward to flavorful, beautiful meals at the event, thanks to Feel Good Foods!
