​She began her journey igniting the novel concept of linking companies and causes for business and social impact at Cone Inc., which she founded in 1980. Through partnerships with Avon, Reebok, Rockport and the American Heart Association, she crafted social initiatives that generated not just awareness, but tangible impact.

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Her vision for the power of social impact has evolved over decades. As her eponymous firm became the nation’s leading hub for purpose strategists, innovators, and partners, she collaborated with companies and brands like Aflac, Campbells, GAF, Kerry Group, L’Oreal, LG, Microsoft, P&G, PNC, Quest Diagnostics, Unilever, Whirlpool, and Xylem to not just do good, but be good.

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Cone's approach is holistic, encompassing strategy, innovation, research, social engagement, and sustainability. She believes in unlocking the power of purpose from within an organization, aligning company values with employee passions and customer needs. It's about purpose embedded in the DNA of every decision.

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She loves hands-on creation. Collaborating with an extraordinary team of equally passionate professionals, she’s executed more than 250 purpose programs—from overall enterprise purpose, social impact, ESG strategies, and communications to cause branding and nonprofit positioning, fundraising and stakeholder engagement. To amplify the value of purpose, she has conducted more than 30 research studies to educate and inspire professionals to embrace this critical strategy. Her 31st study resulted in the Employee Purpose iQ (EPiQ) measurement methodology. She also hosts the podcast Purpose 360, which has aired more than 190 episodes. To support more powerful business and nonprofit partnerships, she authored Breakthrough Nonprofit Branding. To inspire the next generation, she has hosted more than 300 interns over the decades at her various enterprises.

 

This extensive body of work has gained her fascinating descriptions: Purpose Queen (BBC), the OG of Purpose (Sustainable Brands), to “arguably the most powerful and visible figure in the world of ‘Cause Branding’ (PRWeek Power List - #18 in 2007). 

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But Cone's impact extends beyond corporate walls. She is a tireless advocate for social change, serving on the advisory boards of Sustainable Brands and JUST Capital. She was a founding member of Business for Social Responsibility and a 9-year board member for Net Impact, the nonprofit empowering MBAs and undergraduate students to embrace purpose as business strategy for growth and societal impact.

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For Carol Cone, purpose is not a trend, it's a revolution. She inspires, challenges, and equips brands to be a force for positive change in the world. In a time when consumers demand authenticity and businesses seek meaning, she offers a path forward—a blueprint for a future where profit and purpose go hand in hand.

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In 2023, her breakthrough work gained her a Lifetime Achievement Award for Purpose from PRWeek and Trailblazer Award from the New York chapter of the PRSA.

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This is the legacy of Carol Cone: a world where businesses thrive by doing good, where employees find fulfillment in their work, and where communities flourish under the shared banner of purpose.