What does social impact mean and how can we play our part?

We all want to live in a better world—but what does it take to make real change? One powerful answer is social impact. When you hear this phrase, it may sound big or complex. But it’s not. It’s about making a difference—through your choices, your voice, and your actions.

So, what is social impact? And more importantly, how can you be part of it?

Let’s break it down.

What Is Social Impact?

Social impact means creating positive change in society. That can mean helping people, improving their environment, or making systems fairer and more inclusive. The goal is to improve life for people over the long term, especially those often left out.¹

Define Social Impact in Simple Terms

To define social impact simply: it’s the result of actions that help solve big problems. These actions might be small—like choosing reusable items—or large, like changing how a business works.

What matters is the outcome. Are people’s lives better? Is the planet healthier? Is a community stronger?

If the answer is yes, that’s social impact.

Why Social Impact Matters

We live in a world facing urgent issues: climate change, ocean and land pollution, inequality, and lack of access to basic needs. The good news? Each of us can help change that.

When governments, businesses, and people like you work together, our actions add up. That’s how movements grow and problems shrink.

Here’s why social impact matters:

• It creates safer, stronger communities
  
• It reduces harm to the environment
  
• It brings opportunities to people who need them
  
• It gives your choices more meaning
  

Real-Life Examples of Social Impact

Sometimes, the best way to understand something is to see it in action. Here are a few examples of social impact in real life:

• Patagonia: The outdoor clothing company donates 1% of its sales to environmental causes and encourages customers to repair products instead of replacing them, promoting sustainability.²
• Warby Parker: For every pair of glasses sold, the company distributes a pair to someone in need, improving access to vision care worldwide.³ 
• HeForShe: Initiated by UN Women, this movement engages men and boys in promoting gender equality, demonstrating how collective action can drive social change.⁴
• Plastic Bank: As a social fintech Plastic Bank empowers communities to exchange plastic waste for financial incentives and social benefits, simultaneously addressing pollution and poverty.
  

These are just a few ways people and companies are choosing to make a difference.

How You Can Play a Part

You don’t have to start a company or lead a campaign. Small, everyday choices matter too. Here are simple ways you can create social impact:

1. Support brands that give back

Look for companies that care for collective prosperity, more than just profit. 

2. Use your skills for good

Volunteer, mentor, or offer your services to causes you care about. If you’re a designer, help a non-profit with branding. If you’re good with numbers, offer budgeting help to a community group.

3. Speak up

Use your voice. Whether it’s voting, writing to leaders, or sharing posts online—raising awareness helps build momentum for change.

4. Learn and share

Read about social and environmental issues. Then, talk about them with friends and family. Change often starts with a conversation.

Measuring the Impact

How do we know if something is really making a difference? By looking at the outcomes.

• How many people were helped?
  
• How much plastic was removed from the environment?
  
• What changed for a community?
  

For example, Plastic Bank tracks how much plastic has been stopped from polluting the environment—and how many families have been supported in the process.⁵

These numbers matter. They show what’s working and how we can do more.

You Can Make a Difference

Let’s go back to the question: What is social impact?

It’s the difference you make—whether it’s big or small.

• Choosing better products
  
• Giving your time
  
• Using your voice
  
• Supporting people and the planet
  

Your impact counts. When you act, others follow. And that’s how real change begins.Ready to get started? Explore how you can join Plastic Bank’s mission to stop plastic from polluting the environment and help people thrive. Be part of the solution today.

1. Benjamin Todd, ”What is social impact? A definition,“ 8000 hours, March 2023,  https://80000hours.org/articles/what-is-social-impact-definition
2. Ted O’ Callahan, “What can other companies learn from Patagonia’s model?,” Yale Insights, August 28, 2023,  https://insights.som.yale.edu/insights/what-can-other-companies-learn-from-patagonias-model 
3. Ronn Torossian, “Local roots, global impact: How Warby Parker disrupted the eyewear industry through strategic PR,” Medium, December 31, 2024, https://ronntorossian.medium.com/local-roots-global-impact-how-warby-parker-disrupted-the-eyewear-industry-through-strategic-pr-11cdaf94b048 
4. “HeForShe marks ten years with a movement of 2 million gender equality activists, welcomes new champions,” September 24, 2024, UN Women, https://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories/press-release/2024/09/heforshe-marks-ten-years-with-a-movement-of-2-million-gender-equality-activists-welcomes-new-champions 
5. Estee Lutte Engao, “How Plastic Bank guarantees its impact claims,” Plastic Bank, May 11, 2023,  https://plasticbank.com/blog/how-plastic-bank-guarantees-its-impact-claims/