Purpose 2022: Meet the Humans Building a Better Future, Using Business as the Vehicle

Partnership, Impact, Environment, Business
 
 
In partnership with Purpose

We're excited to be partnering with Purpose, a unique and immersive two-day conference for the purpose-driven business community.

Purpose exists to see the business world transformed to be entirely sustainable, responsible, ethical and human. By providing best practice knowledge around the fast-evolving landscape of sustainable and social impact, Purpose offers solutions and leadership direction so that businesses can address the world’s most urgent and complex challenges.

Held on 19 and 20 October 2022 at Carriageworks, Sydney, the event is filled with ideas, inspiration, leadership, community and conversations helping us to stay at the cutting edge of the purpose-driven business landscape. With over 600 attendees, Purpose 2022 will feature eight themes:

  • Nature x Tech: Nature’s near-perfect solutions will be explored with a focus on change-makers and entrepreneurs who are using biomimicry to create solutions, such as a mushroom-powered plastic packaging alternative and kelp forestry to absorb carbon and reduce methane emissions.
  • Impact Capital: As capital is flowing into purpose-driven and ESG focused sectors, this theme will look at the investment strategies of key impact funds. Purpose will bring together those with capital and those with cutting edge ideas and technology to see solutions developed and scaled.
  • Climate Tech and Net Zero: Gain a deeper knowledge of the scalable, climate tech solutions already available.
  • Circular Economy and Regenerative Business: Learn about shifting consumption and manufacturing paradigms from ‘take make waste’ to sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing and recycling.
  • Health and Wellbeing: With planetary health and human health so intricately entwined, Purpose will look at the physical and mental wellbeing in the context of this crisis, and what can be done to protect each other, while having a crack at protecting the future of the planet.
  • First Nations Wisdom: First Nations wisdom is invaluable in business. This theme will explore the importance of including First Nations peoples' points of view in all business operations as well as profiling a range of leading Blak-owned businesses
  • Responsible Tech: Delve into the big bad world of ethics and technology, exploring this next frontier of corporate responsibility.
  • Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging: At a time when traditional binaries are being dismantled, Purpose will explore the increased expectations on us to navigate nuanced social issues as part of our professional lives, and how diversity is vital to resilience and solving complex challenges.
 

So, who are we most excited to see on this year’s line-up?

Purposes’ program is huge, with representatives across various sectors of business tackling issues ranging from empathy and diversity, to circular tech and impact capital. But, amongst the corporations, start-ups and biotech companies is Dr Paul Callaghan – author and CEO of Callaghan Cultural Consultancy – that has us chomping at the bit for day one’s opening sesion. An Aboriginal man belonging to the land of the Worimi people, Dr Callaghan’s most recent book The Dreaming Path, written with Uncle Paul Gordon, shares ancient wisdom and the power of Aboriginal spirituality as a profound source of contentment and wellbeing. His business, Callaghan Cultural Consultancy provides a diverse range of services with Aboriginal Culture, cultural contexts, cultural protocols and cultural translation embedded in all aspects of delivery. Dr Callaghan is also a motivational speaker, storyteller, dancer and has over 20 years of cultural learning through going bush with Elders.

Joined by Dan Adams, Co-founder & CEO of Amber Electric, and Dr Sasha Courville, Chief Impact Officer of Bank Australia, Dr Callaghan will discuss the Race to Net Zero and how businesses and individuals alike can create positive impact for people and the planet.

There is no getting past 2021’s Australian of the Year, Grace Tame. Kicking off day two of the festival, Tame will sit in conversation with Michael Bradley, Managing Partner and Founder of Marque Lawyers, a B Corp certified law firm based in Sydney.

During their session, Tame and Bradley will discuss all things media, exploring the power of the media, how language choices can cause harm, the media’s responsibility when it comes to dealing with and reporting on vulnerable people and the consequences of not using a trauma-informed approach. The pair will also delve into what all businesses can learn about their responsibility when stepping into sensitive territory, and whose job is it to advocate for public policy and law reform. Suffice to say: a Purpose Fest must see.

Have you ever heard of using psychedelic-inspired medication to treat mental illness? Neither had we. Until now.

Josh Ismin and Dr Sam Banister are the co-founders of Psylo, a biotech company developing medications inspired by psychedelics found in nature by using computational chemistry. Psylo’s goal is to produce next-generation neuropsychiatric therapeutics that are accessible to a broader patient population.

Smack bang in the middle of day two, Ismin and Dr Banister will be joined by Amanda Morgan, Co-founder and CEO of Fungi Solutions, and Jim Fuller, Co-founder and Chief Science Officer, Fable Food Co to explore the wonderful world of fungi in their discussion, ‘Can Fungi Save The World?’.

Purpose 2022 is one event you don’t want to miss. Head to www.purposeconference.co to view the full program and secure your place.