Our Social Impact: Realize 2021-22 Impact Report

“We bring value to our members, clients, and partners by reinvesting in, engaging, and collaborating with the communities we serve.”

2021/22 has been a year of growth and new ventures. As the world around us has shifted and adapted to the new needs and norms of the workplace, we have been listening closely to the needs and aspirations of our clients, members, and partners.

The theme of this year’s Impact Report is “Circular Economies”. Through our educational, economic, leadership, and community work, we are investing in a sustainable and equitable purpose-driven economy where organizations actively reinvest in and engage with the communities they serve. As a purpose-driven organization ourselves, we are intrinsically linked to the needs of our community and members. At Realize, we don’t just provide a one-off service and call it a day – we care about your purpose, values, and goals and strive to help boost your own community impact. For example, this past year we achieved a new record of generating over $3.26M for our members through our Community Innovation Cash Pool Program!

A few highlights from our 2021-22 Impact Report include:

• Generated over $3.26 million for our Realize members through our Community Innovation Cash Pool Program (operated in partnership with Vancity) – a record high! These funds support the vital work of our members and helps build stronger communities and organizations. Interested in learning more about what being a member of Realize can do for you? Reach out to us

• 2022 Best for the World™ B Corp honoree for our exceptional positive impact in the Governance and Worker categories for the sixth consecutive year. This means we rank in the top global 5% of all B Corps within our corresponding size group.

• Launched RealizeU, a multidisciplinary education program for emerging and established leaders, designed and instructed by the experts at Realize Strategies. We also launched the RealizeU Education Grant to create accessible leadership development for community organizations serving marginalized populations. In our inaugural year, we sponsored 40 community leaders, elevating their leadership and governance skills through RealizeU.

• Realize staff volunteered a total of 537 hours to support a variety of community non-profits and events. All team members are encouraged and supported (e.g., paid volunteer hours) to help make a difference as active volunteers in the community. Check out our living Talent, Culture, and Performance Strategy to learn more about how we support staff.

Check out our full 2021-22 Impact Report for more stories about our community-driven and focused educational, economic, and leadership work!

Thank you to everyone who has been a part of our journey. In this Impact Report, we are proud to celebrate and highlight the successes of both Realize and our member communities. We hope this report inspires others to reflect on and celebrate their people and communities as well as hold our team accountable to continuing to use business as a force for good and keeping people at the centre of everything we do.