Summa & Friends

Sir Ronald (Ronnie) Cohen, a preeminent philanthropist, venture capitalist, private equity investor, and impact pioneer is driving the global Impact Revolution. Ronnie's nearly two decades of initiatives in impact investment have catalyzed global efforts towards social and environmental good, through business and investment.With advances in technology, artificial intelligence, and machine learning, Ronnie says the impact revolution has never been more possible. The fact that technology allows for granular measurement of a company's impact in monetary terms, is truly a game-changer for impact transparency.In this episode of Summa & Friends, Ronnie explains why the impact revolution will see a huge acceleration in the coming years, and how businesses can optimize to ensure risk, return, and impact are balanced. To find out more, download and listen today. On today’s podcast:What is the impact revolution?How to accelerate the translation to impact economiesFrom social investment to impact economiesDon’t confuse impact investing with philanthropyMake impact the center of your focus Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why does it matter that we learn to navigate failure? Because, says Amy Edmondson, Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at the Harvard Business School and author of global bestseller, Psychological Safety, and soon, her upcoming book The Right Kind of Wrong: The science of failing well, the only mistake we make in this life is not trying. “We live in a time of increasing uncertainty and interdependence. Either one of those factors creates the inevitability of some failures along the way. So we have to learn to manage them and navigate them.”In this episode of Summa & Friends, Amy explores the difference between mistakes and failures, the importance of failure for innovation, the value of honest feedback, and more importantly, the need for humans to be open to failure. Not a single one of us is infallible, says Amy, it is possible to thrive as a fallible human being. To find out more, download and listen today. On today’s podcast:The difference between mistakes and failuresWhy failure can be strategicNavigating the ladder of inferenceHow to increase organizational psychological safetyThe importance of a growth mindset  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Collaboration is key to achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), says John W McArthur, co-founder and co-chair of 17 Rooms, an innovative method for advancing helping people take the Sustainable Development Goals into their own hands, driving action through cooperation at all scales of community. Right now, says John, while positive progress is being made on some of the SDGs, elsewhere others are going sideways, and some are even going backwards. “The only way to make them go positive is to get all the stakeholders together into the same room and discuss the theory of change, how to get there, and how we collaborate to get there.”To learn more about the 17 Rooms initiative, a partnership between the Center for Sustainable Development at Brookings and The Rockefeller Foundation, or to find out how you can get involved, don’t miss John, Reynir and Vesna on this episode of Summa & Friends. On today’s podcast:The basic essence of 17 RoomsWhy businesses should lean in and lead on SDGsHow to end extreme povertyWhy the world needs trust and hope right now Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do you lead despite ambiguity in the world of sustainable investing? That’s the question Zoe Bulger, Impact Manager at Summa Equity is discussing on this episode of Summa & Friends. With more traditional actors entering the Impact ESG space, and lots of regulatory movement as well, Zoe shares some of the challenges and shifts defining this momentWith a background in the social sector focused on supporting mission-oriented founders and organizations, Zoe’s role at Summa is all about integrating impact ESG across the investment process and across portfolio companies, as well as the reporting side of it.On today’s podcast:The challenges and shifts defining this moment in impact investingHow do you stay the course despite the ambiguity of regulation?What’s the impact of Article 9?What is a theory of change and how does it work? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you focus on trying to change the lives of just five people it will bring you meaning, says Roberto Verganti, Professor of Leadership and Innovation at the Stockholm School of Economics, and Design Theory and Practice at the Harvard Business School, but you won’t bring about much change on a large scale. But, if every one of the eight billion humans living on this planet changes the lives of five people, we can change the world. “I really believe that change is connected to human relationships and especially intimate human relationships. A few people who interact well can give you a lot of meaning.”In this episode of Summa & Friends, Roberto explains why reframing is the most advanced leadership skill we can possess, and how learning this skill can not just improve us as individuals, but it can enhance organizations, and it can even change the world. To find out more, download and listen to this latest episode. On today’s podcast:Why reframing is the most advanced leadership skillThe myths of leadershipHow to connect reframing with sustainabilityHow AI is helping people create new thingsMaking choices to design your life work Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are you paying enough attention to the future needs of your children? Your grandchildren? That is the question driving Conor Kehoe, Chair of the IIRC Council, Senior Adviser and former Senior Partner at Mckinsey & Company. Striving to make integrated reporting and accounting practices mainstream, Conor is concerned that while Millennials are in the driving seat, demanding corporations have a positive purpose, are they themselves doing enough to influence politicians.On this episode of Summa & Friends, Conor joins Reynir and Vesna to discuss why we urgently need a common standard on sustainable reporting. Because the only way you can be certain change is happening, and that we’re heading in the right direction, is if you measure and report on it and keep everyone accountable for it.To find out more about Conor’s work with creating this common standard for integrated reporting and accounting, and the work of the International Financial Reporting System (IFRS), download and listen to this episode. On today’s podcast:Why integrated reporting and accounting needs to become mainstream practicesThe benefits of impact investing and sustainability reportingHow to create a global set of standardsWhy younger generations need to get more politically involved Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With COP 27 just around the corner, what really is sustainable development and what does the world need most right now to achieve it?Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland, the former Prime Minister of Norway, and chair of the World Commission on Environment and Development, known as the Brundtland Commission, which produced the The Brundtland Report, explores this very topic on Summa & Friends. From how she achieved full consensus with the Brundtland Commission, to why we need to focus on the social aspects of sustainability, and what’s holding us back from reaching sustainable development, Gro is frank and honest about how we as individuals, as companies, as nations, need to unite and collaborate to save the world. This is a truly inspirational episode with an incredible woman. Download and listen today.On today’s podcast:Achieving consensus with the Brundtland CommisionThe social aspect of sustainabilityThe lack of mandate at the World Bank and IMFWhy the speed of change is slowWhat the world needs now is unity Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Having taken over the helm of the family business, LGT, in 2006, H.S.H. Prince Max von und zu Liechtenstein founded LGT Venture Philanthropy in 2007 and subsequently Lightrock, a pioneering impact investment firm. But what drove this prominent member of the Princely Family of Liechtenstein, a family that has been entrepreneurial for centuries, to focus so heavily on impact investing? In this episode of Summa & Friends, Prince Max shares his passions, his transformational moments, and how he’s progressed LGT in so many ways on its broader journey to sustainability. So, if you’re curious how impact investing can help make the world a better place, and what one small thing you can do today to bring about change, download and listen today. On today’s podcast:The values of the princely familyIntegrating sustainability into LGT Transforming philanthropy through a venture capital modelLightrock - sustainable capitalismThe world needs a win-win mindset Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

They say be the change you want to see in the world. And one year ago, Tariq Fancy, a former Wall Street investor turned nonprofit founder, wrote an essay sharing how he had gone from evangelizing sustainable investing for the world's largest investment firm, BlackRock, to actually criticizing sustainable investing as a dangerous placebo that harms the public interest.In doing so, he challenged business leaders to prove him wrong. In this episode of Summa & Friends, Tariq, the CEO of Rumie Initiative, an education tech company using innovative mobile based micro learning to bring free digital learning and to close learning gaps, explains why he did this. He shares why he sounded the alarm. What reactions he got from those in the investment community. And what impact his manifesto actually made. So, if you’re curious how we might reform capitalism to address important environmental and social challenges with concrete action, download and listen today.On today’s podcast:Calling investment firms’ bluff on ESG effortsThe need for government regulationSparking the debate and rocking the boatDifference between ESG and impactChanging the narrative Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Conscious capitalism is the new way of doing business. But how can it create better leaders, better business, and a better world?In this episode of Summa & Friends, founding member and global leader of the Conscious Capitalism movement, and author of The Healing Organisation, Raj Sisodia, shares insights on what conscious capitalism is and how it can help us build a better world. So, if you’re looking for a way to improve your leadership, improve your organisation, and take people to a better place, download and listen to this episode.  On today’s podcast:Building a better world that works for allThe difficulty of shifting mindsetsExamples of companies performing conscious capitalismBusiness as a place of healingWhat the world needs most  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.