Dollars and Change Podcast

Wharton's Katherine Klein talks to Corey Rosen, founder of the National Center for Employee Ownership, about how employee ownership plans are structured and why they yield great financial benefits for companies and workers alike. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wharton's Katherine Klein talks to Julienne Oyler, co-founder and CEO of the African Entrepreneur Collective, which helps micro, small, and medium businesses across East Africa. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Jean Case is a business leader, philanthropist, and author who served as a senior executive at AOL before launching The Case Foundation in 1997. She is also creator of “For What It's Worth,” a weekly newsletter to demystify impact investing, and the author of Be Fearless: 5 Principles for a Life of Breakthroughs and Purpose. On this Dollars and Change episode, Jean talks with Wharton's Katherine Klein about finding purpose and reaching beyond your bubble. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Vit Henisz, the Deloitte & Touche Professor of Management at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, discusses ESG investing today – the increasingly popular practice of considering companies' environmental, social, and governance performance and practices when deciding whether and where to invest. Measuring ESG well is difficult and many ESG investment products don't live up to the hype. What will it take for investors to realize the financial benefits and impact of ESG investing? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Liesel Pritzker Simmons, Co-Founder and Principal of Blue Haven Initiative, joins host and Vice Dean of the Wharton Social Impact Initiative Katherine Klein to discuss the work and strategy of her single-family office that focuses on impact investing and ESG. She also talks about why theater is the best major for a career in business, and dives into why she advocates for a wealth tax.Transcript. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Roma McCaig, Senior Vice President of Impact & Communications at Clif Bar, joins host and Vice Dean of the Wharton Social Impact Initiative Katherine Klein to discuss how Clif Bar's business model produces a virtuous cycle where productive growth delivers positive impact. McCaig outlines the company's plans to cut carbon emissions, discusses their support of organic food science research, and talks about ways to create a restorative food system. Compostable packaging and plant-based pet treats are just a few of the company's upcoming sustainability innovations.Transcript. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Michael Brown, Head of Research at Wharton Social Impact Initiative, joins host and Vice Dean Katherine Klein to discuss the complexities around impact measurement. Most impact investors report meeting or exceeding their impact performance metrics. But is this truly the case? Brown collaborated with Wharton PhD candidate Lauren Kaufmann on research that uncovers how it is common practice for impact investors to report impact metrics primarily to market, or publicize, their success – rather than to evaluate and understand where their impact may fall short. While the reality of impact measurement may not meet the rhetoric, Brown believes this is due to the challenges of measuring impact rigorously while simultaneously running an investment fund. He offers recommendations for measuring impact, and also explains why the field needs to get more comfortable with impact underperformance in order to learn and grow.Transcript. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Cheryl Dorsey, President of Echoing Green, joins host and Vice Dean of the Wharton Social Impact Initiative Katherine Klein to discuss Echoing Green's work as an early-stage funder of emerging social entrepreneurs. Supporting these extraordinary leaders is Echoing Green's core strategy to drive positive social change across the globe. Dorsey also discusses racial and gender disparities in funding entrepreneurs and their ventures. Through a new partnership with Goldman Sachs One Million Black Women, Echoing Green will invest in Black women social entrepreneurs whose ventures are addressing critical needs in their communities, such as housing, education, healthcare, financial literacy, climate justice, and more.Transcript. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Davis Smith, Founder and CEO of Cotopaxi, joins host and Vice Dean of the Wharton Social Impact Initiative Katherine Klein to discuss how the outdoor gear brand prioritizes impact in every aspect of the business—the supply chain, charitable giving, employment culture, and more. While many fashion-industry brands focus their impact efforts on the environment, Smith believes there's “no way to save the planet if you're not saving humanity at the same time” and shares why the brand prioritizes a people-focused mission in addition to its sustainable practices. And what if your business doesn't have an obvious connection to impact? Smith shares examples of how any business, regardless of industry or size, can “do good”—he's even transforming a pool table company into an impact company. Transcript. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Mary Ellen Iskenderian, President and CEO of Women's World Banking, joins host and Vice Dean of the Wharton Social Impact Initiative Katherine Klein to discuss the need to increase women's financial inclusion – access to bank accounts, insurance, mobile money apps, and even cell phones. Increasing women's financial inclusion will increase economic stability, prosperity, and equality for women. Iskenderian describes Women's World Banking's advisory role, policy advocacy, and impact investing.Transcript. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Bart Houlahan, Co-Founder of B Lab, joins host and Vice Dean of the Wharton Social Impact Initiative Katherine Klein to discuss the origins, work, and community of B Lab, the nonprofit behind the well-known B Corps certification. Houlahan describes how B Lab is building a global movement of corporations that meet the highest standards of social and environmental performance, and how these corporations are legally accountable to balance profit and purpose. Houlahan says we're at the tipping point in creating a stakeholder economy. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Sonal Shah, President of The Asian American Foundation, joins host and Vice Dean of the Wharton Social Impact Initiative Katherine Klein to discuss the state of the AAPI community in the U.S. today. Listen and learn how this new foundation is working to achieve belonging and prosperity — free from discrimination, slander, and violence — for all Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Shah shares facts and statistics about the growing AAPI community, and discusses the Foundation's focus areas: anti-hate, research, and education. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Katy Kappler, Co-Founder and CEO of InScribe, joins host Sandi Hunt, Managing Director of the Wharton Social Impact Initiative, to discuss how the virtual community platform aims to help any student (regardless of their background or their modality of learning) access the resources they need to be successful in their program. Kappler also discusses the emotional challenges of learning remotely, and why creating opportunities for connection and collaboration is important for addressing isolation and loneliness. InScribe was the company that won the winning presentation in the 2021 Turner MIINT competition. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

John Rogers, Chairman, Co-CEO, and CIO of Ariel Investments, joins host and Vice Dean of the Wharton Social Impact Initiative Katherine Klein to discuss the racial wealth gap in the United States and strategies to overcome it. Systemic racism has prevented many African Americans from participating in key sectors of the economy in which wealth is created — financial services, professional services, and technology. Rogers argues that education and business diversity (not supplier diversity) are key approaches to solving long-lasting disparities. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Bobby Turner, Principal and CEO of Turner Impact Capital, joins host and Vice Dean of the Wharton Social Impact Initiative Katherine Klein to discuss his impact investing work in affordable workforce housing. He also shares his perspective on the responsibility of business leaders to employ socially responsible practices—especially during a global pandemic, an economic crisis, and a civil rights movement. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Dave Gilboa, Co-Founder & Co-CEO of Warby Parker, joins host and Vice Dean of the Wharton Social Impact Initiative Katherine Klein to discuss how the company prioritizes its values when making key strategy decisions. Like many businesses, Warby Parker had to make significant changes because of COVID. Gilboa discusses how the company’s pivots kept employees safe while creating a positive impact for the broader community. Gilboa also talks about the company’s data-driven strategy to achieve racial equity in representation, belonging, and career advancement. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Stefanie Thomas, Founding Member & Early Stage Investor at Impact America Fund, joins host and Vice Dean of the Wharton Social Impact Initiative Katherine Klein to discuss the fund’s investments in businesses delivering strong financial returns and economic opportunity for communities of color. Impact America Fund works with entrepreneurs who have direct knowledge of the communities, systems, and problems that the fund aims to address. Thomas also discusses a broader mission to set a new standard for venture capital—one where racial equity investing becomes standard. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

David Thomas, President of Morehouse College, and Robin Ely, Professor at Harvard Business School, join host and Vice Dean of the Wharton Social Impact Initiative Katherine Klein to discuss the “business case” for diversity – the idea that the more racial and/or gender diversity you have in your organization, the better it will perform financially. This idea sounds good, but it’s simplistic and not backed by research evidence, Thomas and Ely explain. Even worse, it lets leaders off the hook in creating the conditions within their organizations for all employees to thrive. Getting serious about diversity requires committed leadership from the top of the organization and alignment with the organization’s values and practices. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Brigitte Hoyer Gosselink, Director of Product Impact at Google.org, joins host and Vice Dean of the Wharton Social Impact Initiative Katherine Klein to discuss what’s distinctive about Google.org in the world of corporate philanthropy. Through Google’s focus on technology and innovation, the company aims to bring their expertise to organizations that are working on pressing social and environment challenges. Gosselink discusses the Google.org Fellowship (where Google employees apply to work full-time pro bono for a nonprofit for up to six months), their AI Impact Challenge, and Google.org’s work with Give Directly, an organization that gives cash to low income families. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Shawn Cole, Professor at Harvard Business School, and Robert Gertner, Professor at Chicago Booth, join host and Vice Dean of the Wharton Social Impact Initiative Katherine Klein to discuss the Impact Finance Database—a joint effort of HBS, Booth, and Wharton to dramatically increase the pace and scope of academic research on impact investing. Cole, Gertner, and Klein discuss the data they are collecting and the insights they hope to create. As researchers, they discuss the importance of being “honest brokers” to communicate what claims are or are not true in the field of impact investing. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Karl Khoury, Co-founder and Partner at Arborview Capital, and Russell Diez-Canseco, President and CEO of Vital Farms, join host and Vice Dean of the Wharton Social Impact Initiative Katherine Klein to discuss their successful partnership. In 2014, Arborview Capital made an impact investment into Vital Farms, an ethical and sustainable food company that produces pasture-raised eggs and butter. Karl remains on the board of Vital Farms after the company went public in 2020. Karl and Russell reflect on why it’s important for investors to be aligned to the mission of the companies in which they’re investing. They also discuss why stakeholder capitalism makes business even more successful. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Rachel Robasciotti, founder and CEO of Adasina Social Capital, joins host and Vice Dean of the Wharton Social Impact Initiative Katherine Klein to discuss how her firm is serving as a bridge between social justice movements and the financial markets. She also discusses why she sees the potential for real impact in public markets. "If you're going to make systemic change, you're actually going to be required to have impact that extends well beyond your own portfolio. And the only real way to do that is by organizing other investors," Robasciotti said. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Suzanne Biegel, Founder of Catalyst at Large, joins host Sandi Hunt, Managing Director of the Wharton Social Impact Initiative, to discuss their recently published co-authored report, Project Sage 3.0. This report presents a global scan of gender lens private equity, venture capital, and private debt funds, as well as key findings on the current state of the field. In this podcast, Biegel and Hunt reflect on what they hope readers of the report do with it, what these findings show, and why it matters. Access more insights as well as the full Project Sage 3.0 report here. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Roy Swan, Director of Mission Investments at the Ford Foundation, joins host and Vice Dean of the Wharton Social Impact Initiative Katherine Klein to discuss how the Foundation uses grant capital, mission-related investments, and program-related investments to advance social, economic, and racial justice. In addition to capital tools, Swan discusses the importance of “influence tools”: helping others understand the flaws in our system and charting a road map for change. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Gayle Jennings O’Byrne and Pialy Aditya, General Partners of the WOCstar Fund, join host and Vice Dean of the Wharton Social Impact Initiative Katherine Klein to discuss investing in women of color. Their early stage venture fund invests in women of color and their diverse tech startups. Black women are the fastest growing group of start-up founders. Yet, biases in investing cause major disparities in the amount of venture capital dollars they receive. WOCstar Fund’s goal is to not only change the trajectory for the companies they invest in, but also help other investors find these innovative and successful businesses. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Alex Edmans, Professor of Finance at the London Business School and author of the new book Grow the Pie: How Great Companies Deliver Both Purpose and Profit, joins host and Vice Dean of the Wharton Social Impact Initiative Katherine Klein to discuss emerging research on responsible business. Edmans offers a perspective on employee satisfaction and CEO pay research to explain how both shareholders and stakeholders can receive long-term value with a “grow the pie” mindset instead of a “split the pie” mindset. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Second-year Wharton MBA students Ellen Halle and Susanna Hamilton join host Sandi Hunt to discuss how they helped launched the Philadelphia chapter of Off Their Plate. This grassroots movement helps provide meals to hospital teams while restoring jobs to restaurant workers who have lost work due to COVID-19. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Lisa Hall, fair finance lead and fellow-in-residence at the Beeck Center, joins host Katherine Klein to discuss “fair finance,” a term coined at the Beeck Center “to really describe what it means to have shared prosperity using the tools of the financial market.” She also discusses the tools and strategies that could be employed to “increase the fairness of finance” and the lessons learned from other programs that have tried to address inequality. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

C. B. Bhattacharya, Professor of Sustainability and Ethics at the Katz Graduate School of Business at the University of Pittsburgh, joins WSII's Sandi Hunt on Knowledge@Wharton to discuss why sustainability needs to be strategic to a firm’s business and how it can be orchestrated. Bhattacharya says that when a company defines its purpose, it will find that sustainability is built into that definition. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Cynthia Muller, Director of Mission Investment at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, joins hosts Nick Ashburn and Sandi Hunt to discuss the unique position of corporate foundations in addressing systemic inequities. Since 1930, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation has focused its investments on benefitting disadvantaged children in poor and rural areas and addressing race-based issues. Original airdate: June 27, 2019. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Vincent Stanley, Director of Philosophy at Patagonia, joins WSII's Sandi Hunt on Knowledge@Wharton to share career advice for those looking to work for the most impactful companies—or those looking to make their current companies more impactful! He discusses what makes Patagonia a special place to work and how students can go about their job search and interview process. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Jennifer Holmgren, CEO of LanzaTech, joins hosts Nick Ashburn and Sherryl Kuhlman to discuss the future of carbon recycling and sustainability. LanzaTech reduces carbon emissions and makes new carbon-neutral products, such as plastics and fuel. Original airdate: March 28, 2019. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Miriam Altman, CEO and Co-Founder of Kinvolved, joins hosts Sandi Hunt and Katherine Klein to discuss chronic absenteeism in schools. Her startup Kinvolved makes students’ attendance data available to parents and acts as a connection tool for parents, teachers, and school administration. Original airdate: March 21, 2019. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Jason Wadsworth, Category Merchant for Packaging & Sustainability at Wegmans, joins hosts Nick Ashburn and Sandi Hunt to discuss the negative impact of food waste. He talks about the grocery store's efforts in reducing food waste and increasing sustainable packaging. Original airdate: April 4, 2019. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Damon Centola, Associate Professor in the Annenberg School for Communication and the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania, joins hosts Sandi Hunt and Sherryl Kuhlman to discuss his book “How Behavior Spreads”—a look into how changes in societal behavior occur. His findings offer insights for those looking to harness networks for social change. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Noorain Khan, Director of the President's Office at Ford Foundation, joins hosts Sandi Hunt and Sherryl Kuhlman to discuss how the organization incorporates a disability lens across all of their grant making. She also discusses why inclusivity and accessibility are embedded in all of the foundation’s operations, from communications to staff training and beyond. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Dollars and Change broadcasts live from the 2019 CEO Connection Mid-Market Convention, a conference that brings together the leadership of the mid-market subject matter experts, prominent academics, and senior government officials. Hosts Sandi Hunt and Sherryl Kuhlman are joined by: Anthony DeCandido, Partner and Financial Services Senior Analyst at RSM US; Sharon Rossi, CEO of FoodScience Corp; Scott Jackson, CEO and President of Global Impact; and Jeffrey Kiesel, CEO of Restaurant Technologies. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Claudine Gartenberg, Assistant Professor of Management at the Wharton School, joins hosts Nick Ashburn and Sherryl Kuhlman to discuss her research on corporate purpose. She says employees need clarity on how their actions are directly linked to the company's purpose. Original air date: July 11, 2019. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

David Fajgenbaum, Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, joins hosts Sandi Hunt and Sherryl Kuhlman on Dollars and Change. He discusses how he combined skills and expertise from both his medical and business degrees to work towards a cure for Castleman disease, a rare disease that presents as a cross between cancer and an autoimmune disorder. He is also a patient of the disease, and believes that research and treatments for Castleman disease have been accelerated through his innovative use of a business-inspired approach to medical research. He recently published a book about his experience called, “Chasing My Cure: A Doctor's Race to Turn Hope Into Action.” See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Hoffman, President of Tellus Products, joins host Sandi Hunt to discuss how the company uses sugarcane fibers to create eco-friendly alternatives to plastic products like plates, bowls, and take-out containers. He also discusses some of the issues stemming from plastic waste. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Lucinda Cramsey, Founder of Moink and an eighth-generation farmer, joins host Sherryl Kuhlman to discuss why the company sells humanely-raised and ethically-sourced meat. She also discusses regenerative agriculture, the issues facing American small farmers, and entrepreneurship. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tim Flacke, Executive Director of Commonwealth, joins hosts Sandi Hunt and Sherryl Kuhlman to discuss how the organization is building innovative solutions that tackle the challenges of financial vulnerability. He discusses the psychology (and anxiety) of saving and offers tips on how people can save more. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Stacie de Armas, VP of Strategic Initiatives and Consumer Engagement at Nielsen, joins hosts Sandi Hunt and Sherryl Kuhlman to discuss insights from the recently published report, “La Oportunidad Latinx: Cultural Currency and the Consumer Journey”. She offers thoughts on why brands and policymakers need to know about the issues that are important to Latinx consumers. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

James O’Toole, Author of “Enlightened Capitalists: Cautionary Tales of Business Pioneers Who Tried to Do Well by Doing Good”, joins hosts Sandi Hunt and Sherryl Kuhlman to discuss the complicated history of pursuing profits and social impact. He also talks about why he is hopeful, citing trends like the growth of social entrepreneurship, the rise of B Corporations, changes in investor attitudes, and more. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Melissa Hanna, Co-Founder and CEO of Mahmee, joins hosts Sandi Hunt and Sherryl Kuhlman to discuss the alarming rates of maternal mortality in the U.S. Mahmee aims to tackle this crisis by offering comprehensive prenatal and postpartum support. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Yurij Rudensky (Redistricting Counsel, Democracy Program at the Brennan Center for Justice) and Christopher Warshaw (Assistant Professor of Political Science at George Washington University) join hosts Nick Ashburn and Sandi Hunt to discuss the trends and challenges of gerrymandering. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Aaron Seybert, Social Investment Officer at Kresge, joins hosts Sandi Hunt and Sherryl Kuhlman to discuss opportunity zones and the importance of local context, transparency, and accountability. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Nicole LaVoi, Co-Director of The Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport at the University of Minnesota and Cheryl Cooky, Associate Professor of American Studies at Purdue University, join hosts Nick Ashburn and Sherryl Kuhlman to discuss takeaways from the Women's World Cup, pay gaps, and gender inequality in sports. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Sophie Lanfear, Director on Netflix’s Our Planet, joins hosts Nick Ashburn and Sandi Hunt to discuss the nature documentary series. Our Planet focuses on humans’ impact on the environment and the effects of climate change on all living creatures. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Danyelle Solomon, Vice President of Race and Ethnicity Policy at American Progress, joins hosts Nick Ashburn and Sandi Hunt to discuss structural inequities and systemic racism in the U.S. She discusses the H.R.40 bill and calls on Americans to better understand U.S. history and the impact of slavery. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Anne Tucker, Professor of Law and Faculty Director of Legal Analytics & Innovation Initiative at Georgia State University College of Law, joins hosts Nick Ashburn and Sherryl Kuhlman to discuss how the law helps define strategic options in impact investing and opportunity zone funds. She offers insights on what to look for in legal contracts of impact funds to ensure they are holding themselves accountable to impact objectives. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.