Our guest on Episode 6 of the For Love & Money podcast is Shared Value Project CEO, Sarah Downie.

Sarah is an accomplished executive and strategist, with a particular talent for transforming, leading and activating purpose-led organisations.

As CEO for the Shared Value Project Australia and New Zealand (SVP), she builds on 20 years’ experience in the for-profit and not-for-profit sectors to champion a better future for business and society collectively, through shared value. Driven by the belief that corporate assets, resources and innovation can unlock unrivalled social progress – whilst increasing business prosperity and sustainability – Sarah is committed to advancing a new kind of capitalism; fit for the times.

A member of the Shared Value Global Steering Committee, she directs the SVP team to deliver the evidence, tools, education and inspiration required make this urgent shift. Established in 2014, SVP has grown into a thriving and influential network of members including AIA Australia, IAG, NAB, PwC Australia, Nestlé Oceania and Optus.

This episode is a must listen especially for people working in the corporate sector. Here are just some of the topics we get into:

Sarah’s journey from brand marketing to the non-profit sector to Shared Value and her awakening about the power of business to create scaleable change
Shared Value’s story – how it started and the meaning behind the name
Co-founders Michael E. Porter and Mark R Kramer’s vision of Shared Value. We touch on their 2011 HBR article and it’s absolute relevance today 10 years on
Sarah shares some examples of Shared Value companies to demonstrate how Shared Value creates value for society and drives business success and profitability
She also shares an example of an initiative coming from a Shared Value approach - HSBC Hong Kong’s “No Fixed Address” product
We talk about how the pandemic has changed things fundamentally; how Shared Value organisations are approaching business differently with a whole new mindset on “value”
The opportunity and the need for businesses to become collaborators in change
“The Purpose Playbook” – Sarah shares Share Valued Project’s new initiative which gets into the ‘how’ of an organisation’s purpose across their strategy and full value chain
The power of one individual acting and how it can make extraordinary change

Connect with Sarah:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/downiesarah/

Connect with Shared Value Project: https://sharedvalue.org.au