Impact Measurement is the Wild West of ESG

Impact Measurement is the Wild West of ESG

Written by Janet Ervin “It’s the wild, wild west” – this is the phrase we most often hear when it comes to describing how companies measure the ‘S’ in their ESG strategy. It’s a common sentiment among the private sector companies we work with. They want to make...
The Compliment That Isn’t Really a Compliment

The Compliment That Isn’t Really a Compliment

Written by Janet Ervin I feel lucky to have the chance to work directly with every member of the Next Stage team. One of my favorite partners is Helen because we’re usually working to match community voice to an organization’s messaging efforts. In the course of this...
To ESG or Not to ESG – That is actually not the question

To ESG or Not to ESG – That is actually not the question

Written by Josh Jacobson Last month, our company released a new report on a continuing theme – the role of social impact in the private sector. Profit & Purpose: The ESG Addendum summarizes our findings following 18+ months of discussions and engagement with...
 Centering Community Voice in Trust 

 Centering Community Voice in Trust 

Over the last few months, we’ve talked a lot about the importance of centering community voice and building trust. But what is the cost of mistrust? Lack of trust for an organization, project or community comes at a huge cost. Cultivating authentic, long-term...
Intentionality is Our New North Star

Intentionality is Our New North Star

Written by Haley Rafferty Gone are the days of doing something just for the sake of doing it. I’m talking about things like checking a box, buying the cheap thing that we know will break in a year, choosing something that is ‘good enough’ or doing something we just...
How To Build Culture Through Workspace

How To Build Culture Through Workspace

In The Social Good Report: Profit and Purpose, company culture showed up as a key theme – and one that’s become even more important as businesses and nonprofits navigate post-pandemic, hybrid work life. In the aftermath of the Great Resignation, it’s been...
Three Things We’ve Learned About Impact Reporting

Three Things We’ve Learned About Impact Reporting

by Janet Ervin, Chief Marketing Officer When Josh and I filmed this video last year, we called out impact reporting as one of the hottest ESG topics to follow. Over the last year, we’ve had the chance to experience that firsthand. Impact reporting is hard,...
Community Voice is Not a Trend

Community Voice is Not a Trend

By Helen Hope Kimbrough “Words mean more than what is set down on paper. It takes the human voice to infuse them with deeper meaning.”  – Maya Angelou   Last week, Josh Jacobson talked about the evolution of Next Stage’s service lines with a focus on...
Three Marketing Tips For Nonprofit Organizations

Three Marketing Tips For Nonprofit Organizations

After last week’s marketing-focused blog How important is marketing to the work of social impact?, we heard from many of you that this is a topic that is front of mind for nearly everyone! And while the big picture challenges are important, the day to day...