Britain faces big, intersectional, systemic crises. Housing, healthcare, climate breakdown, poverty – all need urgent action. It will take more than ‘business as usual’ to tackle them.

The pandemic and cost of living crisis have shown that charities and business can co-operate creatively and effectively. It is time to think beyond fundraising. It’s time for a completely new kind of leadership: visionary, collaborative, ambitious, and laser-focused on a public-interest mission.

Is business equipped to truly deliver public-interest solutions? Do charities and businesses understand each other well enough to collaborate? Are charities flexible enough to be active partners?

These questions will drive the discussion between our panellists, all experienced in taking on societal challenges – ranging from homelessness to tackling inequalities.

Event organised in collaboration with the Sheila McKechnie Foundation.

Speakers:

Harriet Oppenheimer is the Chief Executive of RNID, the national charity for the 18 million people in the UK who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus. She leads RNID’s strategy to make society and employment more inclusive, and to improve health hearing through improved awareness and access to services and treatments. Prior to joining RNID Harriet was a partner at PA Consulting, where she worked across government, health and life sciences sectors, helping organisations shape and deliver strategic change. Her early career was in charities and the NHS. Harriet is also Vice-Chair of the Board of the Refugee Council.

James Perry is co-founder and co-chairman of COOK (www.cookfood.net), a certified B Corporation. It now employs nearly 2,000 people. He co-founded the B Corp movement in the UK, and serves on the board of B Lab Europe. He is also a Founding Partner of Snowball (www.snowballimpactmanagement.com), a multi-asset impact investment manager. James is married to Jennifer, and they live near London with their three children.

Lewis Iwu is Founder of Purpose Union. He specialises in advising organisations on devising and executing winning arguments and campaigns on social and environmental issues. Over the past 15 years he has worked with some of the world’s influential organisations and individuals. This includes advising Unilever, Sky, the UN, Black Equity Organisation, Sanofi and Pfizer. In 2021, Lewis published a Masterclass with Malala Yousafzai on how to achieve social change.

Matt Downie MBE has been Chief Executive of Crisis since January 2022. He is one of the country’s leading experts and advocates on ending homelessness, serving on advisory bodies for the UK, Welsh and Scottish Governments, as well as international committees. He was awarded an MBE in the 2019 Queen’s birthdays honours, for ‘Services to tackling homelessness’. Matt was Crisis’ Director of Policy and External Affairs from July 2014, leading a number of significant initiatives in policy, research, best practice and service development in homelessness. This includes leading the campaign to achieve the Homelessness Reduction Act which came into force in 2018. Prior to his work at Crisis Matt led award winning teams and successful campaigns at Action for Children and the National Autistic Society, and he began his career at Shelter. Matt is also the Chair of London Youth Theatre, and the UK Board representative for FEANTSA, the European-wide body on homelessness.