What is the Impact Ecosystem

The existence of companies that generate a positive impact on people and/or the planet through their businesses doesn't happen by chance. There is a whole group of people and organizations that create the optimal conditions for these types of businesses to emerge, grow, and develop. This space is called the Impact Ecosystem.

According to a definition co-created by different actors in the Impact Ecosystem, it is "the space or platform where the actors (organizations and individuals) that comprise it come together and interact, producing and marketing goods and services, and raising resources to achieve their objectives. It is the space in which to transcend organizational objectives to build a shared vision and facilitate the conditions and values that make us feel part of a community."

The way and framework in which this definition was constructed illustrates how an Impact Ecosystem works. In March 2021, the EKHOS organization held an Impact Ecosystem Meeting in Argentina, as part of a trip called the Impact Route. The objective of this trip is to immerse oneself in this ecosystem to meet firsthand with social and impact enterprises, as well as with the people and organizations that are driving the ecosystem and transforming realities with their work.

Given the pandemic context, this meeting was held virtually and aimed to provide a current perspective on the state of the ecosystem at that time. To carry out this diagnosis, the first step was to divide the ecosystem into sectors. That is, the different areas and spheres of work in which each organization carried out its initiatives and projects, such as government, academia, ecosystem builders, communications, incubators and accelerators, investors, and consultants. Within each sector, various public and/or private stakeholders or organizations that comprised one or more of the sectors were invited to participate.

EKHOS proposed different dynamics, which it shared with each sector, and the various stakeholders worked collaboratively for two months to generate a status report for their sector and identify their needs and opportunities for coordination with other sectors. Organizations from different provinces, with varying levels of reach and seniority, collaborated by sharing their objectives, experiences, and visions, all in pursuit of a common goal: to build a shared vision of the Impact Ecosystem and identify opportunities for collaboration.

Representatives from the governments of the City of Buenos Aires, the National Government, Córdoba, and Rosario, including those belonging to different political parties, collaborated to identify the role of government in promoting impactful businesses, identify improvements, and share experiences. Groups representing each sector of the ecosystem also participated.

Each of the actors and sectors of the Impact Ecosystem is essential to creating the conditions for more and better companies with a positive impact, which focus not only on being economically profitable but also on contributing to people and the planet.

The Impact Ecosystem doesn't belong to a single organization; it belongs to all its members. It's a living, breathing space that's constantly evolving. The role of those already within it is to open the door to those who want to collaborate and build win-win partnerships.

Although there are various sectors of the Impact Ecosystem, the following were identified, which cooperated to describe its main functions:

MULTILATERAL ORGANIZATIONS (UN/IMF/WTO)

• Work together on the problems of the countries that make up the organization.

• Achieving global agreements on issues of interest such as culture, trade, peace, among others

COMPANIES

• Production of goods and services that satisfy people's needs

• Generation of economic value

• Work with other sectors to add positive social and environmental value

THIRD SECTOR (NGOs, foundations, etc.)

• I work in the defense and vindication of rights in their broadest sense;

• Management of our own services and in collaboration with the public sector to respond to the needs of groups in situations of vulnerability and social exclusion.

• Development of social participation of civil society

ACADEMY

• Research, generate knowledge and tools

• Train people

• Promote spaces for dialogue, reflection and exchange

CONSULTANCY

• Accompanies and is a link between organizations

• They promote the implementation of methods, technologies and innovations

GOVERNMENT

• Promote consumption, production and generate incentives

• Promote public and private purchases, with incentives

• Promote trade between countries

COMMUNICATION

• Communicate professionally and effectively

• Promote necessary conversations within society

FINANCIAL

• Investing in Impact Projects

• Promoting Ethical Finance. Developing vehicles and promoting metrics, best practices, and transparency.

INCUBATORS/ACCELERATORS

• Strengthen projects

• Facilitate the process from idea to action, enhance talent, strengthen the team

• Scientific and technological link with the market

ECOSYSTEM BUILDERS

• Identify sectors and actors and promote the development of alliances,

• Provide services to strengthen the ecosystem

• Recognize other ecosystems and opportunities with them

Social Enterprises, Triple Impact Companies, and traditional businesses looking to incorporate impact policies or build partnerships to do so can find key allies in this ecosystem to help them achieve their goals.

EKHOS is dedicated to facilitating dynamics to foster collaboration among stakeholders in the Impact Ecosystem at the local, national, and international levels. It has held more than seven meetings of ecosystem stakeholders since 2019, both in Argentina and India. It provides services to public and private organizations committed to working together toward shared goals. It also contributes to the creation of networks that empower the ecosystem, such as the Latam Impact Network, a network co-created by the organization with others from across Latin America that already has more than 250 members across the region, or the People and Planet First verification , which seeks to identify and unite Social Enterprises from around the world under a common identity.

NOTE https://www.eleco.com.ar/empresa-con-impacto/ Porque-crear-una-marca-a-la-hora-de-generar-impacto-positive