For Big Path Capital, business success extends beyond the bottom line. Impact is a part of all that we do, starting with our core work to connect mission-driven companies and fund managers with mission-aligned investors. It also means shaping a workplace where people feel heard and valued and supporting community organizations through donations of time and funding.
In these ways and more, Big Path intentionally embeds impact throughout its operations and constantly seeks ways to improve upon that impact. It’s a process of learning and unlearning that requires adjustments along the way. Our recent updates include moving to a mission-aligned bank, choosing event partners based on their commitment to sustainability, and adding opportunities for employee feedback.
The impact-minded initiatives reflect our status as a Certified B Corporation seeking new ways to create positive impact for stakeholders, including our workers, communities, and customers, as well as the environment. Below, learn more about our recent impact improvement efforts and find inspiration to make positive changes in your business.
Workers: Expanding Our Commitment to Employee Well-Being
We’ve seen how creating a strong and connected team is crucial to realizing our business goals and driving impact. Through everyday actions and long-term strategy, we embody our commitment to our team members by providing skill-building opportunities, seeking input on company policy and decisions, and supporting their individual well-being — all with the goal of embedding impact throughout our operations.
Big Path’s long-term goals include creating connections among our team members and supporting their growth and professional development. In 2024 we launched internal initiatives to support our people, including an annual employee feedback and satisfaction survey. The survey helps us understand how connected people feel to their primary team, how supported they feel by their supervisor, and how well we are supporting our culture. We also seek open and anonymous comments so we can gather ideas and general feedback.
Environment: Sustainable Partnerships for the Future of the Planet
In our work with clients, we see the power of using capital for positive impact. This year we moved Big Path’s banking accounts to Climate First Bank, a B Corp bank founded to help combat the climate crisis. With this intentional choice of banking partner, Big Path is putting its money to work for good.
“Moving our operating accounts to a more values-aligned bank had been on our to-do list for some time,” said Big Path CEO Michael Whelchel. “Like many B Corps, we are intentional about who we buy from and support with our dollars. We looked at changing banks in much the same way.” While exploring our banking options and planning for the transition, Big Path began to realize how much impact this move would have. “Not only are we living our values by supporting a business committed to addressing the climate crisis, but we are supporting the bank’s ability to lend to other companies as well,” he said.
Moving to a values-based bank has a bigger impact than one may think. TOPO Finance has calculated that moving just $15,000 of deposits from one of the large traditional banks to a values-based bank can make as much difference in your carbon footprint as switching to an EV vehicle. “Even as a company in the financial sector, we underestimated the impact we could have by simply changing where our money sleeps,” Whelchel said.
As we evaluated Big Path’s environmental impact to seek other areas where change can make a positive difference, we realized that the four signature events we host each year were an area to maintain focus on sustainability. These range from half-day events intended to provide investors in a specific area the chance to connect with new impact funds to multi-day events bringing together impact CEOs from across the country, providing opportunities to establish standard practices and try new strategies.
Most of Big Path’s events involve coordinating with one or more venues for meeting space and accommodations. Through hotel contract negotiations done in partnership with fellow B Corp Trip Zero, Big Path is able to offset the carbon emissions of attendee and employee travel to and from the MO Summit and the Impact Capitalism Summit. We also look for properties that have a sustainability program in place, like the AT&T Hotel & Conference Center in Austin, Texas, which hosted MO Summit 2024.
When those arrangements aren’t possible for events, we have worked with B Corp Offset Alliance to calculate the carbon footprint and purchase carbon credits to offset the emissions impact. As a sponsor for MO Summit 2023, B Corp 3Degrees donated carbon credits to cover emissions for the entire event.
Community: Creating Ripples of Impact with Donations of Time and Money
Our workers play a large role in our community impact efforts. Through the Ripples of Impact program, Big Path honors staff anniversaries with a $1,000 donation for each year of service to the charity of their choice. The donations help nurture stronger communities and stronger connections with Big Path employees.
Big Path’s Impact Days program provides employees with two paid days per year for volunteer work. They can choose how they’d like to donate their time. In the past team members have helped clear trail paths, provided transportation to medical appointments, and assisted in soup kitchens.
We also support environmental nonprofits financially and organizationally as a member of 1% for the Planet, which has a straightforward giving model for impact: Companies donate 1% of annual sales to help protect the environment that provides for them. As one of nearly 5,000 business members of 1% for the Planet, Big Path supports the Planet Impact Fund and the Southern Environmental Law Center. Interested in becoming a member? Apply here and mention Big Path Capital as your referral.
Customers: Partnering Exclusively with Impact-Minded Clients
Big Path was founded to support the creation of an economy that considers the bigger picture — not just the immediate bottom line but the long-term impact on all stakeholders. We choose to work only with those who share this goal. Interest and commitment from the business community and financial industry have grown since we began our work in 2007.
The growing amount of capital going toward projects focused on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) impact reflects current global challenges and related business opportunities that can help shape a more resilient, inclusive economy. “From the investor perspective, you can find and invest thematically or consistently with your values. But not in a way that sacrifices returns,” said J.D. Dell, Managing Director and Partner at Big Path Capital. “There’s intentionality around what company team members or fund managers are doing and the framework they’re using. It’s not a tradeoff. It’s not disguised as philanthropy. It’s not a handout. This is investing.”
In addition to Big Path’s everyday work with clients, our events provide focused opportunities to connect with like-minded impact leaders. This year’s Impact Capitalism Summit, with the theme “Weaving Interconnected Capital Solutions into the Climate Tapestry,” featured sessions and activities that encouraged investors to recognize the interconnectedness of environmental, social, and governance factors with financial performance. Sessions at this annual summer event expose attendees to an array of strategies in a short period of time, with panels that include a cross-section of fund managers, companies, and investors that are curated to provide a comprehensive view of innovative and sustainable investing strategies.
Meanwhile, our annual MO Summit is exclusive to impact CEOs and aims to bring together leaders working toward an inclusive, regenerative, and sustainable economy. The topics discussed at the 2024 MO Summit — from the power of partnerships to navigating uncertain times with purpose — provided opportunities to ensure that companies at the forefront of social and environmental impact can make a profit and thrive as their purposeful work benefits all people and the planet.