As partner and CEO at Junxion, an award-winning consultancy and certified B Corp, Mike Rowlands doesn’t need convincing about the shifting role of business. He believes that to meet the high expectations of customers, companies must develop a social purpose that leads to a greener, more socially just economy. Brands that fail to meet their obligations to society, he maintains, will simply fall by the wayside.

However, becoming purpose-led is more challenging than ever. According to a survey by the ANA Center for Brand Purpose and The Internationalist, 76 percent of marketers said it is more difficult now to build a truly purposeful brand than in the past, and 71 percent said purpose is more difficult to express authentically through marketing and advertising. Even more troubling, 76 percent of respondents said a purpose gap exists now between companies’ state values and the actions they take.

In this final episode of Beyond Profit, a podcast of the ANA Center for Brand Purpose, Mike joins host Ken Beaulieu to discuss the myriad issues at play and how to shift to a purpose economy. Based in Vancouver, Canada, Mike is accomplished entrepreneur, consultant, and advisor who has spent more than 20 years working to catalyze social responsibility and sustainability with organizations on four continents.

As market realities and consumer attitudes shift and evolve, often at breakneck speed, businesses that remain adaptable, and never lose sight of the brand’s heritage and true purpose, can deliver bottom-line growth, even in times of economic uncertainty.

It’s an argument that is not lost on Alison Clark. The brand management and marketing expert, who has worked for both for-profit and nonprofit organizations, has a long history of employing what she calls “structured flexibility” to drive sustained brand awareness, ensure brand health, and achieve targeted outcomes.

Most recently, as a senior director at United Services Organizations, she led a successful, enterprise-wide brand transformation to drive the nonprofit’s mission, reach new generations of donors, and build a future-ready revenue stream.

In this episode of Beyond Profit, a podcast of the ANA Center for Brand Purpose, Alison joins host Ken Beaulieu to discuss the importance of brand and its alignment with purpose, her great work at the USO and the lessons learned, and whether the ideals of brand purpose are still relevant today.

Over the past several years, organizations both large and small have taken significant steps to prioritize diversity and inclusion, understanding that these efforts not only drive sales and business growth but attract top talent.

That momentum, however, is beginning to slow, thanks to DEI blowback from conservative lawmakers and activists, as well as miscommunication, misinformation, and fear. In fact, a number of brands and agencies have announced that they are scaling back or cutting their DEI programs and, in some cases, eliminating the chief diversity officer position.

This news does not sit well with Jordan Weiss, who has been a leading voice for advancing diversity and inclusion. As cofounder and president of Diversity in Action, a digital and print magazine, he is committed to supporting and promoting diversity in science, technology, engineering, the arts and math (STEAM). His inspiring publication examines topics and profiles people who bring a diverse array of views and who nurture innovation regardless of how they identify themselves.

In this episode of Beyond Profit, a podcast of the ANA Center for Brand Purpose, Jordan joins host Ken Beaulieu to discuss the essence of his magazine and how it has shaped his personal view of diversity, his assessment of the building backlash over DEI, and how he will continue to champion diversity at every turn.