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I’m so excited to bring you the first episode of manifesto's Leaders with Purpose x International Fundraising Congress collaboration with none other than The Resource Alliance CEO, Willeke van Rijn. We had a powerful conversation about a shrinking civic space, collective courage, and what it truly takes to mobilise change right now. When I asked Willeke what purpose means personally, the answer resonated deeply with me: "Purpose is really the question: why do you exist, and what do you want to achieve? And once it’s clear, it is very obvious that you have to collaborate. There is not a single organisation that can tackle climate change on their own. There is not a single organisation that can end inequality on their own." It can be easy to get caught up defending our own logos, targets, and silos. But genuine purpose forces us out of that mindset. It demands that we call people in, share the table, and build movements based on who we serve, not who gets the credit. This is the first of a series of 6 episodes. Over the coming weeks you’ll hear from inspirational leaders from amazing organisations including Greenpeace MENA, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), International Rescue Committee, Canadian Red Cross and Save the Children International. I really hope you enjoy it as much as I did when speaking to these inspirational leaders. Check out the full episode of Leaders with Purpose to hear Willeke’s take on building trust, radical collaboration, and why "courage is collective": https://lnkd.in/eY3bBWAn Interested in joining IFC next year? There is currently an early bird offer with £400 off a full-price ticket. Find out more here: https://lnkd.in/e8y93AYY More coming soon! #charity #impact #purtpose #leadership #IFC2027

No single organisation can tackle climate change, inequality or extreme poverty alone. If that’s the change you exist to make, collaboration needs to be part of how you work. Willeke van Rijn, CEO of The Resource Alliance, brings purpose back to two questions: • Why do you exist? • What do you want to achieve? The answers should shape your decisions, your priorities and the partnerships you build. For charity leaders, that means looking beyond your own organisation. Who shares your goal? What could you learn from them? Where could working together get you further? When the purpose is clear, the need to collaborate becomes clear too. Watch the full conversation recorded at the International Fundraising Congress (IFC) on Leaders with Purpose: https://lnkd.in/ermV-R9y

“Can we grab a coffee?” might be the reason why you’re being left on read. For Debbie Wall, a clear reason to meet makes all the difference. In this mini episode of Leaders with Purpose, Debbie shares what she looks for in a partnership pitch, having worked on both the charity and corporate sides. Her advice? Be specific about the help you need and why that organisation could be the right partner. That starts with understanding the people you’re approaching. Listening to a podcast interview can tell you far more about someone’s priorities than a quick glance at their job title. It also means recognising what your charity brings to the relationship. Debbie shares an example from Sage’s Growth Project, which paired business leaders with charity leaders. What began as advice for the charity became a learning opportunity for both. For anyone working in fundraising or partnerships, it’s a useful reminder: your expertise has value too! Watch the mini episode (<6mins) for Debbie’s advice on starting those conversations and building partnerships that work for both sides https://lnkd.in/eQmiewNY

How do you keep pushing for change when the world starts moving in the opposite direction? It's a question many charity leaders will recognise. And one Debbie Wall was passionate about when she joined me on manifesto Leaders with Purpose. As ESG Director at Aston Martin F1 Team, Debbie is finding ways to use a high-profile sporting platform to support charities, measure impact and create opportunities for people who might otherwise be overlooked. In this episode, she talks about the responsibility to keep going on inclusion and sustainability, even when those priorities lose support elsewhere. That determination runs through our conversation. We explore how she built an ESG function from scratch and brought commercial partners into the work, connecting what businesses want to achieve with what charities need to grow. For anyone working on corporate partnerships, Debbie also offers a useful perspective from the other side of the table: What makes a partnership approach and pitch stand out? Why does a direct and clear ask matter? How to show where your ambitions connect? We really hope this episode gives us an insight into another leadership world, grappling purpose and measurable ESG and of course provides charity leaders with another perspective for meaningful partnerships as well as encouragement to keep challenging how things have always been done. It was really impactful for me personally to expand our sector perspective, and understand a broader purpose landscape and lens. Watch the clip below and listen to the full episode: https://lnkd.in/eY3bBWAn #transformation #leadership #ESG #purpose #charity #motorsport #partnerships #corporate #change

Can you see a future for yourself in an organisation if you've never seen someone like you there? For people from underrepresented backgrounds, that sense of possibility matters. And for organisations, creating it is no longer a nice-to-have. In this week's episode of Leaders With Purpose, Debbie Wall, ESG Director at Aston Martin F1 Team, talks about what modern ESG really looks like, and why sometimes you have to break the rules to get ahead. She shares how the team is using its platform to open doors for people who might never have seen themselves in motorsport, and how partnerships with charities can create value that goes both ways: helping good work go further while strengthening the business too. Debbie also acknowledges that there's more to do. Visibility helps people imagine their own future, but inclusion means making sure they feel welcome once they arrive. That's a responsibility leaders can act on… creating opportunities for people to connect and making sure those coming through feel they belong. As Debbie puts it, they need to feel they can "reach out" and "become part of the gang". Watch the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/exCQSV-s

What can charities learn from the way Aston Martin builds partnerships? Louise Lai is joined by Debbie Wall, ESG Director at Aston Martin F1 Team, to explore how a global sporting platform can help create opportunities far beyond the track. Debbie’s career has taken her from marketing to building Sage Foundation and back into motorsport, connecting businesses with causes they can help grow. She shares how those relationships can give charities access to expertise and networks, alongside funding, and help young people find a route into industries they might never have considered. They also discuss what it takes to make change happen inside a big organisation, including the confidence to challenge established ways of working. Watch the trailer below and listen to the full episode: https://lnkd.in/ek-VNNGq