The Evolution of Impact
by Kevin Edwards
After five successful years of producing the go-to list for the Top Impact Companies, it was time for Real Leaders to pause, revisit its mission, and grow an impact awards community that preserved its integrity while scaling its impact. So, we made a few changes:
1. We made it harder to make the list. We increased our minimum annual revenue requirement to be ranked as a Top Impact Company, removed public companies entirely, and disqualified applicants if they failed to submit adequate information in any of the six areas of our I.M.P.A.C.T. awards application. The Top Impact Companies were ranked by their three-year compound annual growth rate times their 2022 annual revenue.
2. We made it a tool you can leverage. Based on 13 years of experience interviewing over 1,000 impact CEOs on the Real Leaders Podcast, we asked questions that challenged the applicants to think clearly about how to communicate their I.M.P.A.C.T.:
Intention: What is the enlarged problem you’re trying to solve?
Model: Where in your value chain does your impact show up?
People: Where do you see the impact in your culture?
Accountability: What key performance indicator(s) do you use to measure your impact?
Collaboration: What is one collaboration that has helped grow your impact?
Transformation: How deep are you driving impact in the environment, society, or your governance structure?
We turned each of these areas into correlating awards categories to highlight the companies that didn’t reach the threshold for a Top Impact Company but are still making an impact and want to make the list one day.
3. We made it a collaborative community. All impact award winners are currently receiving access to impact-oriented events in a confidential forum to foster growth and innovation while collaborating on initiatives to grow awareness.
With 500+ applications, we are proud to reveal the 185 trusted brands that have inspired us and many others to preserve their mission while scaling their impact. Congratulations to all of the winners who rightfully earned this achievement and are returning dignity to business.
Kevin Edwards, President
Points of Impact
Real Leaders recognizes the rise in purpose-driven businesses with its sixth annual Real Leaders Top Impact Companies list. On the following pages, you will find a diverse group of companies around the globe that prove that businesses can thrive while helping to build a better world. We encourage you to support these companies by buying their products and services, investing in their growth, and sharing this list with your network.
From companies that have reimagined old business models to place a greater focus on all stakeholders to those that built impact into their business from day one, we are getting to the point, thankfully, where purpose-driven businesses are becoming the norm. This is something to celebrate!
Why Impact Matters
Many employees want to work for companies that align with their values, and many customers prefer to purchase products and services they feel good about. It’s crucial for the well-being of society and the health of our planet that businesses commit to a definition of success that incorporates social and environmental impact alongside profits.
Who Made the List
The Top Impact Companies list is reserved for those private companies that have completed at least three fiscal cycles and reached specific benchmarks for revenue and number of employees. You can find the full list here.
