Honouring 2022’s Impact Champions
In front of a packed crowd at the Impact Week main stage, EVPA CEO Roberta Bosurgi brought up three Impact Champions to share the spotlight.
In doing so, Roberta inaugurated the Impact Champions award, meant to recognise longstanding EVPA members and former board members who have demonstrated a lasting commitment to defining, developing and growing the impact ecosystem.
This year’s recipients were veterans of impact, familiar names to many in the community – and we think their recognition shouldn’t stop at the Impact Week stage:
Anne Holm Rannaleet, Trustee and Executive Director of IKARE Ltd, has spent the last 15 years working to identify and address the root causes of social challenges in Africa, advocating for the long-term view and commitment, and inspiring peers both in person and through illuminating impact stories.
Deirdre Mortell, CEO at Rethink Ireland (formerly Social Innovation Fund Ireland), also the Co-Founder & CEO of The One Foundation, leveraged her passion for social change into building an ecosystem in Ireland for equality and sustainable solutions. This exemplary work is on view in many resources Deirdre contributed to the EVPA community, such as Rethink Ireland’s case study on impact measurement and management.
As Director of Ferd Social Entrepreneurs since its establishment 13 years ago, Katinka Greve Leiner supports social entrepreneurs in Norway, giving peers crucial examples on how to use different investment tools along the spectrum of capital, from grants to loans, SIBs and equity, and how to provide substantial non-financial support to let enterprises scale and flourish. For an example, check out this video about Ferd’s work with Unicus (and see the people with autism who are happily employed as a result).
Anne, Deirdre and Katinka have made lasting and valuable contributions to the impact community with their deep knowledge and tireless dedication. Not only that, they’ve leveraged their expertise in practitioner cases, webinars, events and generous spontaneous engagement with their peers (indeed, we observed our Champions at the centre of many impactful conversations at Impact Week).
The Impact Champion recognition confers all of the benefits of honorary EVPA membership. In the dedicated ceremony, the winners were also awarded gifts: limited-edition art print skateboards of The Caste of the Pyrenees by Renee Magritte, produced by THE SKATEROOM.
The Impact Champions award will continue at future annual conferences, which means the nominations for 2023’s award will soon be open. EVPA members, start getting your nominations ready!