This is a non exhaustive list of tips of what you can do as an impact intrapreneur. See it as inspiration and share with us what you innovate so we can add it to the list.
1. Challenge every aspect of your organization’s net impact on society
How: Measure and report on every aspect of societal impact
If you don’t measure and report on your net impact on society, how do you know it’s positive? How do you know if you even have a right to exist? If you work for a tobacco company you know you don’t. But for less extreme examples you have to never stop pushing for clarity on your net impact.
Example: If you have a digital product or service, what is the impact of that service on the mental health of people? If you cannot measure and report on that, you’re arguably not assuming responsibility for your work.
Example: If you work in a grocery store, are you helping people in every aspect to make healthy choices? Or do you simply optimize for profit, benefiting from people’s weak will at the cashier line?
Example: Why would you need any flight travel until there is a sustainable option? How far will digital meetings take you? Or train? What is worth more, seeing each other often or saving the planet?
2. Ensure your organization invests in the wellbeing of everyone working at and with your organization
How: Invest in sustainable wellbeing
Example: Do you have a culture of psychological safety where anyone can speak up about anything? Or do you have a certain norm you’re supposed to follow where you don’t question some of how things are done? Do employees know certain things that are dysfunctional that they don’t dare to speak up about?
How: Ensure proper compensation throughout the full supply chain
Example: How are people doing working in rare metal mines? How are people doing working in low cost online retail logistic centers? How are people doing working with fishing at sea without any oversight? Are they all properly compensated? Would you be willing to trade places with them? If not, you have work to do.
3. Work for ensuring users and customers are satisfied with the work you do as an organization
How: Go beyond your market power to delight users/customers
Example: Are you part of a bank oligopoly, getting away with poor customer experiences due to high thresholds of entry and high switching friction for users?
Example: Are you a municipality with just one choice of a school platform for citizens? Getting away with a poor user experience due to a monopoly situation driven by public procurement?
Impact Intrapreneurs 