Net Impact is a left-of-center advocacy group that operates chapters at universities and graduate schools and in cities and companies to engage young people on grassroots organizing; diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI); and the environment and climate change. In 2021, Net Impact joined with GOOD Worldwide and Upworthy to launch the GOOD Institute, a left-of-center think tank that encourages businesses to act on environmental and voter mobilization, among other issues. ¹

Background

Net Impact was founded in 1993 to build a network of student and young professional chapters to promote environmental issues in the business community and elsewhere. Since its founding, the group has grown in scope to cover a variety of issues such as “social capital and impact investing,” “circularity” or sustainable development, voter mobilization, and critical race theory-inspired diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) ideology. ²

Net Impact operates more than 300 chapters, mostly at undergraduate campuses or graduate schools, particularly business schools. The bulk of the organization’s chapters are located at institutions in the United States such as the University of California at Berkeley, the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, and Georgetown University, but also is affiliated with local Sustainable Business Clubs and operates other local chapters in the U.S. for young professionals, including several in New York City. ³

Elsewhere in the world, the group operates chapters on most continents for professionals and students, with a focus on Africa and Europe. ⁴

Activities

Net Impact has seven focus areas: STEM education; voter mobilization and civic engagement; diversity equity, and inclusion; circularity; manufacturing and recycling; climate change; and leadership. ⁵

Various businesses and foundations fund different program areas, with the overarching theme of engaging businesses to support left-of-center policy priorities, particularly in the environmental space. The group solicits participation from companies that are “actively aligned with our social impact mission, have made commitments through social impact frameworks, and have ongoing investments that address the world’s most pressing problems.” The group requires its corporate partners to share “A strongly aligned vision for change and a relevant impactful opportunity for collaboration” and “A set of credible, ambitious, and measurable impact goals.” ⁶

Net Impact has partnered with the Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Center for Justice Human Rights to support voter mobilization efforts. Net Impact’s Black Professional Chapter hosted a town hall event with the RFK Center to bring “together leaders from RFK Human Rights, HeadCount, and the American Sustainable Business Council to discuss how to stay civically engaged and forge a democracy representative of all people.” ⁷

The GOOD Institute

In 2021, Net Impact partnered with GOOD Worldwide and Upworthy to launch the GOOD Institute, a left-of-center think tank that promotes businesses taking action on environmental and voter mobilization, among other issues. Upon the launch of the institute, the group commissioned a survey that found that “Climate Change Considered Most Critical Issue” and that “80% of General Public Sees Voting As Vital.” ⁸

The GOOD Institute was later described as having become the parent organization of Net Impact, with Net Impact CEO Karen Johns leading both organizations. ⁹

Funding and Affiliated Organizations

Board members of Net Impact include representatives of Citi, GreenBiz Group, Global ESG Prologis, ESG ClearBridge Investments, and Cornerstone Capital Group. ¹⁰

Funders of the organization include the James M. Cox Foundation, the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, Shell, Intel, International Paper, Impact Finance Center, the Lupoff/Stevens Family Office, the Walton Family Foundation, and the Pearson Foundation. ^{11 12 13}

1. “Social Impact Powerhouses GOOD Worldwide, Upworthy and Net Impact Launch GOOD Institute.” Good Institute. Accessed October 30, 2023. https://files.cargocollective.com/c1259110/GOOD_Institute_Press_Release_Nov_16_2021_FINAL.pdf
2. “About.” Net Impact. Accessed October 30, 2023. https://netimpact.org/about
3. “Chapters.” Net Impact. Accessed October 30, 2023. https://netimpact.org/chapters/search
4. “Chapters.” Net Impact. Accessed October 30, 2023. https://netimpact.org/chapters/search
5. “Key Focus Areas.” Net Impact. Accessed October 30, 2023. https://netimpact.org/key-focus-areas
6. “Net Impacts Corporate Partnership Principles.” Net Impact. Accessed October 30, 2023. https://netimpact.org/net-impacts-corporate-partnership-principles
7. “NIBPC and RFK Human Rights Presents Net Impact Town Hall: Two Americas – Building a More Democratic Future.” Net Impact. Accessed October 30, 2023. https://netimpact.org/chapters/net-impact-black-professional-chapter-nibpc/events/nibpc-and-rfk-human-rights-presents-net
8. “Social Impact Powerhouses GOOD Worldwide, Upworthy and Net Impact Launch GOOD Institute.” Good Institute. Accessed October 30, 2023. https://files.cargocollective.com/c1259110/GOOD_Institute_Press_Release_Nov_16_2021_FINAL.pdf
9. “Karen Johns.” Net Impact. Accessed October 30, 2023. https://netimpact.org/about/our-team/karen-johns
10. “About.” Net Impact. Accessed October 30, 2023. https://netimpact.org/about
11. “Key Focus Area: Impact Investing.” Net Impact. Accessed October 30, 2023. https://netimpact.org/key-focus-areas-impact-investing
12. “Key Focus Area: Circularity.” Net Impact. Accessed October 30, 2023. https://netimpact.org/key-focus-area-circularity-responsible-production-and-consumption
13. “Key Focus Area: Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.” Net Impact. Accessed October 30, 2023. https://netimpact.org/key-focus-areas/justice-equity-diversity-inclusion