Corporate impact through profitable purpose: Phillip Haid

PodcastMarch 26, 2021
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Intro

As humans, we frequently think in absolute terms, which lead us to believe that extreme amounts of corporate profit – allowed in a capitalist economic system – also cause extreme damage. While this notion often holds, there are exceptions and caveats. On today’s episode of The Decision Corner, our host Dr. Brooke Struck sits down with Phillip Haid, CEO and founder of social impact marketing agency Public Inc.

At Public Inc., Haid and his colleagues help major corporations make positive global impacts. Nowadays, consumers are more and more interested in buying from socially- and environmentally-conscious companies. In turn, major corporations are gaining intrinsic motivation to make positive impacts, since advertising them attracts consumers. For companies, then, profit and purpose seem to go hand in hand.

In this episode, Brooke and his guest discuss:

  • The false notion that profit is inherently evil
  • The structure of a purpose-led economy, rather than a greed-led economy
  • The importance of leadership in social impact
  • Consumer views on social impact and why people care
  • Tailoring company values to match consumer values
  • Working with versus against competitors in the social impact market
  • Conveying social and environmental impacts genuinely back to consumers

About the Guest

Phillip Haid

Phillip Haid

Phillip Haid is the CEO and co-founder of Public Inc., a social impact agency that helps businesses create and advertise positive social impacts. Based in Toronto since 2008, Public Inc. has merged ‘profit with purpose’ for clients such as Starbucks, Converse, Maple Leaf Foods, Uniqlo, and Johnson & Johnson. Haid’s interest in global impact is founded in his educational background in political science and international relations. Haid is also a columnist for both Fast Company and the Financial Post.

About the Interviewer

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Dr. Brooke Struck

Dr. Brooke Struck is the Research Director at The Decision Lab. He is an internationally recognized voice in applied behavioural science, representing TDL’s work in outlets such as Forbes, Vox, Huffington Post and Bloomberg, as well as Canadian venues such as the Globe & Mail, CBC and Global Media. Dr. Struck hosts TDL’s podcast “The Decision Corner” and speaks regularly to practicing professionals in industries from finance to health & wellbeing to tech & AI.

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