2022 Innovator Awards
Judging Process
Nominated companies were then evaluated by an six-person judging committee on four criteria:
Quality of Innovation: Does the company’s approach represent a truly new way of integrating business strategy and social purpose?
Depth of Impact: Has the company’s approach led to deep and measurable impact?
Scalability of Innovation: Does the innovation provide valuable best practices for other companies who seek to lead business for good?
Commitment of Leadership: Does the company’s leadership show a deep and authentic commitment to harnessing the positive power of business?
Meet the Judges
- Jason Feifer, Editor-in-Chief, Entrepreneur Magazine
- Jennifer Hodges, Vice President of Whole Child Fund and Community Impact, KIPP Chicago and Baumhart Scholar Alum
- Connie Lindsey, Former Executive Vice President, Northern Trust
- Robert Parkinson, Senior Partner, Investor Relations, Vistria
- Nancy Tuchman, Founding Dean, School of Environmental Sustainability, Loyola University Chicago
- Greg Wasson, President and Co-Founder, Wasson Enterprise
Celebrating our 2022 Award Winners!
Parkinson Award Winner
Patagonia is “in business to save our home planet,” and is an industry leader in environmentally sustainable clothing and gear. As Director of Philosophy Vincent Stanley states, “to both help save nature and to address the environmental impact of our own processes, we don’t go by the book.”
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Social Impact Award Winner
Impact Shares is the first 501(c) (3) non-profit exchange-traded fund (EFT) issuer and investment manager and aims to be a bridge between capital and cause. In the words of founder Ethan Powell, Impact Shares creates a “unique ecosystem to improve how the private sector can influence the world around us.”
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Environmental Stewardship Award Winner
Rheaply is a climate technology company that combines a resource-sharing network with a user-friendly asset management platform in order to help organizations accelerate their transitions to the circular economy. CEO & Co-Founder Garry Cooper shares, “embedded in our mission, our values, and our vision is an end-point to sustaining the only planet we can live on.” This award is co-presented with Loyola's School of Environmental Sustainability.
Watch VideoThe Innovator Awards recognize companies who are at the forefront of social innovation in business.
The awards celebrate companies across three categories of innovation: social impact, environmental stewardship, and marrying purpose and profit.