European community of investors, corporations, and philanthropists speak the languages of impact in Brussels
Heading to Brussels and EVPA's Impact Week for the first time, I wondered what languages I would hear from such an international community at an event in the ‘heart of Europe.’ In Brussels, almost every sign was in Flemish, French, and English, and the conference organizers were French, Italian, and Dutch, among other nationalities. But the languages I heard were varied in a way I hadn’t expected. I work with Acumen, which has been pioneering a way of solving big global challenges that brings together the best of philanthropy and finance. The EVPA community felt like a natural place to share Acumen’s insights and lessons, as it includes people and institutions with diverse expertise on ways to use capital to address social and environmental challenges. Here, participants spoke the languages of business, finance, philanthropy, and social justice, each with great fluency.