2022: Capturing the Opportunity By Blocking Out the Noise

As I’ve been setting my intentions for 2022, I’ve realized that in many ways 2021 was a pivotal year. The field of impact investing is more crowded than ever with new entrants, new products, a flurry of corporate pledges about diversity and inclusion and employees in every sector flexing their newfound power for more meaningful careers.

I believe 2022 presents us with great possibility. But with so much activity and so many new voices, it’s harder than ever before to know what’s real and what’s noise. I find myself asking how do I stay focused on leading a team of people and clients while continuing to build our ecosystem? How do I make sure that our efforts create real change rather than adding to the noise?

Since I don’t think I’m alone in having a hard time separating the real from the noise, I wanted to share our collective thoughts on some of the top opportunities and challenges facing our planet, our people and our policies as we look ahead to the new year.

Climate must be our number one priority – As my colleague, Yihana von Ritter, recently wrote “climate change is only getting started” – which means climate mitigation solutions must be our focus. One problem with so much noise in the space right now is that we risk losing sight of the issues that can have huge knock-on effects in the climate agenda. In fact, Leslie Kaufman of Bloomberg argued earlier this month that it’s not super droughts or unexpected snowstorms that have U.S. environmentalists terrified. Rather, it’s a Supreme Court case that’s scheduled for oral arguments at the end of February that could gut the EPA’s regulatory powers to curb climate offenders.

Clearly, the decisions we take today about our climate will impact us for generations to come. So we all need to stay laser focused on the issues that matter most.

DEI – an inflection point for systems change? They say that history repeats itself every 50 years. Not since the civil rights era have the issues of diversity, equity and inclusion been at the forefront of the national conversation. But will the outcome be different this time? Are we finally ready to break down the systems to create lasting change?

To get there we will have to continue to challenge the unconscious biases built into our centuries old traditions and systems; expand the opportunity set for everyone; and empower those who haven’t had a seat at the table or even been in the right room to gain equal access to the levers of power. Last quarter, I identified seven different ways that each of us can bring about change. It’s going to take each of us working together and on our own to make 2022 the year that tips the scales in favor of a more diverse, equitable and inclusive society!

Democracy as we know it is on the line – Regardless of what side you’re on, policy affects nearly every aspect of our lives, from corporate behavior, to how we combat climate change, to how we interact with one another. In this highly polarized political moment, the U.S. is facing perhaps the biggest policy fight in generations. Nothing less than a functioning democracy is on the line and on the ballot in 2022. However we proceed, collaboration will be essential, and we will either succeed or fail together.

In closing, at the start of every year, I always take the time to reconnect with what inspired me to begin my impact journey in the first place; this has gotten more difficult with the added noise. One thing I now realize is that, sometimes, to hear your own voice you have to get really quiet so you can connect with your own purpose and discover your own path for engagement. As you set your own goals for the year, I encourage you to find that quiet place where you can recharge and reaffirm your purpose.

Understanding what is real and what is noise is only going to get harder as more people crowd into impact, but it’s essential. It’s the only way to know if the steps you take towards solving our biggest challenges are driving real progress or just adding to the noise. As we move forward, join us in committing to one another to working together to push out the noise so we can create lasting systems change.

With gratitude and best wishes for the new year,
Jenn