The End of Purpose-Washing
Why real systems change matters now more than ever
According to Edelman's 2024 Trust Barometer, trust in institutions continues to decline globally, with only 51% of respondents trusting businesses to "do what is right."¹ Meanwhile, PwC's 2023 Corporate Directors Survey found that while 82% of companies claim to prioritize purpose, only 31% have metrics to measure its impact.²
We need to talk about why.
The Purpose Industrial Complex
I've dedicated my life to the purpose-driven space, watching it evolve from radical idea to corporate buzzword. An entire industry has sprung up around purpose – consultants, agencies, certifications, conferences. The global ESG and sustainability consulting market reached $16.5 billion in 2023, according to Verdantix research.⁴
Yet by many measures, we're moving backward on key social and environmental metrics. Something isn't working.
The Uncomfortable Truth
I've noticed a pattern: Many purpose-driven initiatives prioritize optics over impact. This isn’t unique to the industry, I’ve seen it numerous times across every industry I’ve worked with. Organizations invest heavily in telling stories about change and impact while their fundamental operations remain unchanged.
I've grappled with this reality in my own work. Early in my career, I focused on crafting compelling narratives about impact. But over time, I realized storytelling alone wasn't enough to create meaningful change. People need to change.
The Real Cost of Surface-Level Solutions
Last year, I worked with a social impact startup that wanted to reposition themselves and clarify their mission. They invested in messaging, visuals, and storytelling. Everyone celebrated. Yay!
But during a follow-up conversation, I realized something disheartening: The new brand messaging was grounded in values no one at the organization was committed to.
This isn't an isolated incident. It's a pattern I’ve witnessed repeatedly throughout my career, and it’s infuriating and disheartening.
Understanding Systems Change
Real transformation requires understanding how systems work. Here's a practical framework:
- Map the System
- Identify all stakeholders (including the voiceless!)
- Map relationships and power dynamics
- Locate feedback loops and leverage points
- Design Interventions
- Start small but think big
- Create feedback mechanisms
- Build in accountability and radical transparency
- Measure What Matters
- Track systemic indicators, not just outputs
- Measure negative impacts, not just positive
- Look for unintended consequences
The Economics of Change
Let's be honest about costs. Real systems change is:
- More expensive upfront
- Slower to show results
- Harder to measure
- More likely to fail initially
This is why most organizations choose surface-level solutions. But here's the deets: Research from Harvard Business Review shows that companies with strong purpose-driven initiatives that integrate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) metrics into their core strategy outperformed their peers by 5.8% annually over a 20-year period.³ This isn’t about calling out purpose as a pillar of your communications, it’s about implementing it at every level and letting results speak for themselves. I think this is one of the reasons we are seeing a pushback against sustainability communications. That, and the rise of fascism across the globe.
Small Organizations, Big Impact
You don't need massive resources to create systemic change. Small organizations often have advantages:
- Greater agility
- Deeper community connections
- Less institutional resistance
- Freedom to experiment
Think mutual aid organizations over large philanthropic initiatives.
The AI Inflection Point
AI isn't just changing how we work, it's revealing what matters. When algorithms can generate endless purpose-driven content, we must ask: What unique value do humans bring to systemic change?
The answer? The ability to:
- Build authentic relationships
- Navigate complexity
- Hold space for emergence
- Make ethical judgments
Tools for Real Change
Here are three practical tools you can start using today:
- The Impact Stack Map your initiatives on three levels:
- Surface (immediate visibility)
- Structure (systems and processes)
- Source (root causes) Aim for alignment across all three.
- The Power Map For any initiative, identify:
- Who has power to create change
- Who benefits from current system
- Who bears the costs
- Who's missing from discussion
- The Feedback Loop Audit Review your metrics to ensure you're measuring:
- System health indicators
- Unintended consequences
- Long-term impacts
- Negative outcomes
Moving Forward
The path ahead isn't easy. Real systems change means:
- Longer timeframes
- More uncertainty
- Higher initial costs
- Greater risk of failure
But the cost of not changing is higher.
A New Standard
It's time for a new standard in purpose-driven work. One that:
- Prioritizes systemic impact over optics
- Measures real change over time
- Acknowledges complexity
- Builds genuine capability
Your Next Steps
- Audit your current initiatives using the tools above
- Identify where you're creating real change vs. surface change
- Find one leverage point where small actions could create systemic impact.
- Start building feedback loops to measure what matters. Radical transparency, ftw!
The choice isn't between profit and purpose. It's between surface-level solutions that ultimately fail and systemic approaches that create lasting value.
We're at a turning point. The gap between storytelling and real impact keeps widening. The work ahead isn't easy. It's messy, it’s complex, and it’s often invisible. But it's where genuine transformation happens when our decisions are grounded in love for ourselves, the people we serve, and the planet that nourishes us.
Where do we go from here?
Sources:
¹ Edelman. (2024). Edelman Trust Barometer 2024. Edelman.com
² PwC. (2023). 2023 Annual Corporate Directors Survey. PwC.com
³ Eccles, R., Ioannou, I., & Serafeim, G. (2020). "The Impact of Corporate Sustainability on Organizational Processes and Performance." Harvard Business Review
⁴ Verdantix. (2023). Global ESG & Sustainability Consulting Market Size & Forecast. Verdantix.com