< PreviousStudy shows that robust employee users of our software had 52% lower turnover rates in their companies than non-users, making the pursuit of a higher sense of purpose a win for companies, their people, and society. We are showing the world that they can count on businesses to be a positive force in society. Whether it’s the fi ght for justice, equity, and accessibility, or responding to other devastating world events, Benevity, our clients, and networks are right there doing all we can. So far, our clients and their people have generated more than $12 billion in donations and 56 million hours of volun- teer time to support 418,000 non-profi ts worldwide — and 92% of those funds have been paid electronically. Th e company’s solutions have also facilitated 900,000 micro-actions and awarded 1.2 million grants worth $18 billion. Our platform has also helped to rally companies and their people around DEI causes. For example, in June 2020, we saw a 15x increase in support of racial justice causes following the murder of George Floyd, with $166 million contributed in June versus $10 million in May. Countless more people got involved through their company’s corporate purpose programs, tracking 434,000 volunteer hours and 29,000 positive actions. How would the world be better off if it were more diverse, equitable, and inclusive? When diff erences are valued and every- body has access to the same opportunities, it’s easy to see that diversity, equity, and inclusion benefi t everyone. And when people feel a sense of belonging and the safety and security of being accepted, they can be their true selves. Our team has over 50% representation of women both as a company and at the senior leadership level. Our team is also about one-third Black, Indigenous, and people of colour. We have reached this not by setting targets but by focusing on the behaviours that we felt were needed to drive a truly inclusive culture. And we’ve seen fi rsthand that the good created from a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace reaches far and wide, allowing for business, personal, and societal growth. Tell us about Benevity’s goals. At Benevity, we have something called a “Moonshot,” that is to act as a catalyst to infuse a culture of goodness into the world. Our main goal is to help companies help people be their best selves in their everyday lives by connecting them with a sense of purpose and belonging while delivering business and social impact. Benevity Founder and CEO, Bryan de Lottinville, speaks at Goodness Matters, Benevity’s annual client conference, about the macro- trends informing the dynamic CSR industry. Employee users of Benevity's software had lower turnover rates in their companies than non-users Benevity's clients and their people have generated more than in donations andnon-profi ts worldwideof volunteer time to support 50 MAKE THE WORLD BETTER MAGAZINEWhat do you most want people to know about Benevity? Benevity is not just a fi ntech engine to process donations to non-profi ts. Our goal is to inspire everyday goodness in people, and our products provide many ways to do that, including volunteering time and skills, participating in learning and activism, or making small, everyday behavioural changes like confronting unconscious bias and creating less waste at the offi ce. All these things help to activate one’s sense of personal purpose and make a positive change in the world. How can people help or contribute to Benevity’s mission? When a tragic event happens in the world, we encourage you to look for avenues to take action and gain back the empower- ment, connectedness, and hope that we all have intrinsically within us. One way to do this is to fi nd out about your company’s workplace giving program and get involved in it. Ninety-three percent of companies that use Benevity’s employee engagement software enable donation matching for their people. Th e most common match is one-to-one to the cause of the employee’s choice, although we are seeing more and more companies do two-to-one, three-to-one, and even up to fi ve-to-one in special circumstances. While Benevity has seen an incremental increase in participation across corporate purpose programs from 11% in 2021 to 12% in 2022, it is estimated that $10 billion dollars in matching funds go unused every year, and a big reason for this is because people simply don’t know it’s being off ered! Imagine the social impact that could be made if more people took advantage of these powerful programs. Top: Benevity-ites celebrate International Women’s Day. In , Benevity Founder and CEO, Bryan de Lottinville, contributed , of his personal funds in double donation matching for women’s causes with the hopes of inspiring incremental progress toward gender parity. Bottom: Each year, volunteers, or what Benevity calls Do-Gooders, give back during Benevity’s annual client conference, Goodness Matters. In , Fortune company CSR leaders joined the Mojave Desert Land Trust for a stewardship event. Are there any upcoming initiatives or projects you'd like to share? We’re constantly innovating within our product ecosystem, sifting through data to uncover new trends and speaking with trailblazers to stay ahead of the curve. One initiative is our Benevity Impact Labs, an incubator and resource hub that helps companies, non- profi ts, and individuals maximize their impact and authentically live their purpose. Another initiative is the Speaking of Purpose podcast, hosted by Sona Khosla, Benevity’s Chief Impact Offi cer. Sona speaks to some of the world’s most disruptive brands, leaders, and changemakers whose unparalleled insight, inspiration, and advice help us understand how critical purpose is in business and the world. The episode, “DEI&B – More Than Another Corporate Acronym,” provides a deep dive into diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. There’s also the weekly Social Impact Show. We have episodes that explore important DEI-related topics, including how it impacts business today, modern strategies to promote DEI in the workplace, how CSR and diversity build better workplaces, and more. benevity.com linkedin.com/company/benevity twitter.com/benevity instagram.com/benevity facebook.com/Benevity JULY 2023 • ISSUE 05 51hen spaces are inac- cessible and, therefore, exclusionary, it has a deep and profound impact on those aff ected. Yet rather than truly understanding its widespread eff ects, accessibility is often not given the level of consideration and implemen- tation needed to make the places where we live, play, and work truly inclusive for everyone. We spoke with Karin Pasqua, Co- Founder and Accessibility & Universal Design Consultant at Meaningful Access Consulting, about how Meaningful Access Consulting is shifting perspectives, transforming inaccessible spaces, and empowering everyone to have equitable access and participation. Tell us about Meaningful Access Consulting’s mission. Meaningful Access Consulting is an ac- cessibility and universal design consulting fi rm that believes everyone should have the opportunity to participate in every aspect of community life regardless of their ability or disability. We work with developers, cities, businesses, and not-for-profi ts to help ensure that their locations are not only accessible but functional and beautiful. What inspired you to start Meaningful Access Consulting? Marco, my husband and Co-Founder of Meaningful Access Consulting, is a wheel- chair user and is directly impacted by inaccessible spaces, and my mind works like a cross between an occupational therapist MEANINGFUL ACCESS CONSULTING Creating equitable and accessible spaces for everyone 52 MAKE THE WORLD BETTER MAGAZINEMeaningful Access Consulting Co-Founders, Marco & Karin Pasqua. Being accessibility consultants helps us create a lasting impact not just for those with disabilities, but for our communities as a whole, including seniors, children, people with temporary disabilities, and those of us who just need a bit of extra assistance for one reason or another. and an engineer. Together, we love solving complex accessibility problems and turning barriers into thoughtful solutions. Being accessibility consultants helps us create a lasting impact not just for those with disabilities, but for our communities as a whole, including seniors, children, people with temporary disabilities, and those of us who just need a bit of extra assistance for one reason or another. What were some of the challenges you encountered? Marco never wanted to be seen as a person with a disability who stood on a soap box and advocated for access. He started out as a game developer but was laid off in 2008 when the recession hit, so he turned his attention to inspiration- al speaking. It took him a long time to reconcile his lived experience with his professional experience and accept the professional designation of accessibility consultant. Once the company launched and I joined him, the next challenge was to navigate moving from a team of one to a team of two and take into consider- ation the needs of our "Junior Associate," our two-year-old daughter, Stella. What do you consider Meaningful Access Consulting’s biggest success? Our biggest success is seeing how our work has changed people's attitudes. We know that the biggest barrier for most people with disabilities is attitudinal bar- riers, and shifting mindsets allows people to join us in improving the understand- ing of what better accessibility means for everyone. We have really seen a shift over the last few years in the perception of acces- sibility and inclusion. It's no longer "the right thing to do" but rather becoming part of people's active consideration because of how accessibility impacts people directly — not just for the person who identifi es as having a disability but also the senior awaiting knee replacement surgery, the person who's a new parent and only has one hand free, the avid athlete who was injured last week, or the person needing support with their mental wellness. Accessibility impacts all of us, and we are starting to see that change in attitudes. JULY 2023 • ISSUE 05 53Left: Marco emceeing the th Inclusive Employer Awards. Right: Marco emceeing and hosting the Accessibility Professional Network Conference. What makes Meaningful Access Consulting unique? We are a family fi rm. We are a married couple, one with a visible disability and one without, and we bring our toddler along on many of our assessments and to job sites. We work together extremely well, and our combined experience really lends itself to the work that we do. We fi rmly believe that you should meet someone where they are at but then not leave them there. We focus on the positive and always provide a roadmap on where a business, organization, or government can take next steps to do even better. How do you feel Meaningful Access Consulting makes the world better? We help change people's minds and per- spectives and really help people understand that accessibility is not only “the right thing to do,” but really impacts all people of all ages, now and in the future. We help our clients understand that everybody needs to belong and participate in their communities. It's not good enough just to add a ramp to the front of the building or use a service elevator. It's about equitable access and participation. It's more than just getting in the door but actually partic- ipating in every aspect that we wish to participate in. How would the world be better off if it were more diverse, equitable, and inclusive? Th e world is a better place when we are all able to be seen, heard, and participate fully in all aspects of our communities, be it live, work, play, or learn. When we create spaces where we are all welcome, our diverse perspectives can be shared, appreciated, and respected. Every person's story matters, and every person deserves the opportunity to not only share their story but continue to write new and exciting chapters for themselves. Tell us about Meaningful Access Consulting's goals. Our goal is to help shift mindsets by help- ing businesses, not-for-profi ts, and govern- ment organizations make changes to their employment strategies, built environment, and attitudes to work toward creating a more inclusive and accessible province, country, and planet. Are there any upcoming initiatives or projects you'd like to share? We are currently working with the Province of British Columbia, sitting on a technical subcommittee to help advance accessible employment strategies, as well as on the technical subcommittee for the Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certifi cation (RHFAC) program. As such, we are helping to inform the Province of Alberta's Accessibility Legislation en- gagement project as well as various cities' Accessibility Strategic Plans, including the Cities of Surrey, Richmond, and Regina. We are also very excited to be helping to shape communities around British Columbia, including the new Coronation Park planned community in Port Moody. At any given time, you'll fi nd us on a construction site, behind a computer reviewing plans, or, in Marco's case, on stage providing disability awareness training events. What do you most want people to know about Meaningful Access Consulting? We are here to work with you, your design, and your budget. We're not here to tell you everything you've done wrong, rather we enjoy pointing out all of the things you've done well – oftentimes, it's not even things you've thought about through the lens of accessibility. How can people help or contribute to Meaningful Access Consulting’s mission? Give us a call or an email! We'd love to help you become more accessible and inclusive to people with disabilities. Be an advocate within your organization and see where there might be barriers or accessibili- ty gaps for your staff and your clients. Marco demonstrates that universal design benefi ts everyone by playing with his daughter at the accessible playground at Unwin Park in Surrey, BC. meaningfulaccess.com instagram.com/ meaningfulaccessconsult linkedin.com/company/ meaningful-access-consulting/ 54 MAKE THE WORLD BETTER MAGAZINEDiversity, Equity, and Inclusion Resources for Purpose-Driven Organizations Boost your DEI journey with these purpose-driven resources Want to deepen your understanding and give your DEI eff orts a boost? Check out these helpful guides, toolkits, ebooks, and DEI resources from individuals and organizations featured in this edition of Make The World Better Magazine. MORE DEI RESOURCES Want even more DEI resources? Sparx has compiled a list of 20+ resources you can use to deepen your understanding and enact positive change. Visit our blog for the complete list. → sparxpg.com/blog/diversity-equity-and-inclusion- resources-for-purpose-driven-organizations SXWPILEMAÁT SIYÁM / CHIEF LEANNE JOE AND LILY RAPHAEL STEP INTO THE RIVER: A FRAMEWORK FOR ECONOMIC RECONCILIATION Th is Framework draws on Indigenous worldviews about wealth, sustainability, and lived experiences of Indigenous thought leaders and off ers values, practices, and ideas for action, providing a deep exploration of the ways in which economic reconciliation could transform our economic system and create positive impact. → sfu.ca/ced/economic-reconciliation/framework-for- economic-reconciliation.html RAVEN INDIGENOUS CAPITAL PARTNERS RAVEN IMPACT MEASUREMENT FRAMEWORK Raven Capital's framework, the Raven Impact Measurement (RIM), provides insight into how they measure the impact the businesses in their portfolio are having on Indigenous Peoples, communities, and on the ecosystem, along with sharing their epistemology, philosophy, investment practices, and alignment to the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. → ravencapitalpartners.ca/about_us/our-impact/ impact-framework BAKAU CONSULTING RESOURCES TOOLKIT Bakau Consulting has compiled an exhaustive list of DEI articles, books, podcasts, and other resources covering a wide range of topics, from fundamentals of anti-oppression to strategies for 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusion and everything in between. Available in English, Spanish, and Russian. → bakauconsulting.com/resources-intro BENEVITY BELONGING: THE THIRD PIECE OF THE DIVERSITY & INCLUSION PUZZLE EBOOK Benevity fosters a culture of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging and is sharing this fundamental part of their workplace culture with everyone. Th is guide, directed at corporate social responsibility leaders, teaches companies all about belonging, its importance, and how it benefi ts the workplace. → benevity.com/resources/ csr-diversity-inclusion-belonging-guide CANADIAN CENTRE FOR DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION GLOSSARY OF TERMS Th e Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI) has put together a comprehensive 76-page glossary of terms important for understanding and discussing DEI. → ccdi.ca/media/ /ccdi-glossary-of-terms- v-eng.pdf 56 MAKE THE WORLD BETTER MAGAZINECanada’s linear economic model is not sustainable. It’s time for an enormous shift. circulareconomyleaders.ca | info@circulareconomyleaders.ca Together, let’s build a thriving, resilient Canada. CELC is working to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon, circular economy — a model which will create jobs, strengthen communities, and protect our planet for generations to come. Circular Economy Leadership Canada Circular Economy Leaders @ CELeadershipCADIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION A 2021 study shows that 62% of Canadians are more likely to do business with a company they know has specific policies to support employees with disabilities. Angus Reid Institute 58 MAKE THE WORLD BETTER MAGAZINEFACTS ACCORDING TO ACCENTURE, BUSINESSES THAT ARE DISABILITY-INCLUSIVE HAVE 28% HIGHER REVENUE AND 30% HIGHER PROFIT MARGINS THAN COMPANIES THAT AREN’T, AND TWICE THE NET INCOME OF OTHER COMPANIES. Accenture Canadian GDP could see an increase of $16.8 BILLION BY 2030 if workplace improvements are made to empower the over half a million Canadians with disabilities to work more. The Conference Board of Canada JULY 2023 • ISSUE 05 59Next >