Each Collective Impact event features a series of speed talks where speakers deliver a three-minute presentation, focusing on their passions around sustainability while highlighting the collective impact their work is having on the region and beyond.
Topics include equity, economy, environment, resilience, carbon, and circularity.
Afterwards, speakers engage in a group discussion with attendees and an event discussant to represent local policy makers, and have a collaborative conversation about synergies, new ideas and opportunities to amplify their work.
A day to remember
Our Los Angeles event was no exception. It was a day filled with incredible stories, passion, and activism.
I, along with Clare De Briere, Executive Vice President for Skanska USA Commercial Development’s Los Angeles region, hosted the event.
Lauren Faber O'Connor, Chief Sustainability Officer for the City of Los Angeles, acted as the event discussant.
Fourteen inspiring and thought-provoking speakers from various industries and organizations—including Zoom, Carbonauts, KADRE Architects, Diaspora Groceries and Los Angeles Metro—gave presentations to more than 80 attendees.
We made some compelling discoveries and fascinating connections surrounding our built environment and the interrelated social emergencies that exist.
One point of discussion included our relationship to grief, the importance of creating space for acknowledgement and the actionable steps we can deploy to fully embrace the grieving process.
“There is so much collective loss that underlines the work we do, but there is a healthy psychological process for coping, restoring and reconnecting with ourselves—it’s called grief. Creating more productive and resilient workplaces requires us all to get better at grief at loss,” said Ari Simon, founder and owner of Inner & Outer Engagement.
Other uncoverings included conversations about our business impact, and how to make better decisions for sustainability through design and the environment, our work and personal lives.
“Every single person can make a change, from how we engage with our children, how we buy our food, the way we design projects, it begins and ends with us,” explained Holly Hill, sustainability and ESG lead for Zoom Video Communications.
Other core themes included health, resilience, people, education, partnerships equity, business impact, and Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG).
This event series united change makers for deep dive discussions about how we’re ushering an inspired future. Want to see videos of our LA event? Visit our website here.
I can’t wait for our next event in Houston, Texas early in 2023.