The national Net Impact conference is coming to Philadelphia. Here’s why you should care

Net Impact’s national conference is coming to Philadelphia in November, and you might want to be there.

Take it from Ryan Spies, who has served as Net Impact Philadelphia’s president for two years: He attended his first conference in 2009 as a graduate student and called it “the most inspirational thing I’d ever been to.”

“You’re just wandering into sessions and getting your mind blown,” said Spies, who, as the sustainability and energy manager at Saint-Gobain, is also speaking on a panel about careers in corporate social responsibility. “It’s just so different from any other conference that you go to. People are really excited to share this passion around these topics.”

Net Impact as an organization is about connecting professionals who want to have an impact in the workplace — and “impact” can be interpreted broadly, from social justice to sustainability, Spies said.

The conference will feature heavyweight keynotes by leaders such as B Lab cofounder Jay Coen Gilbert and #BlackLivesMatter cofounder Alicia Garza alongside workshops, panels and professional development events.

Because the national Net Impact is based in the Bay Area, organizers reached out to Philadelphia’s professional and university chapters to help plan parts of the conference. Accordingly, Net Impact Philadelphia is hosting a networking hour and may take the opportunity to highlight some of the local nonprofits the groups works with, Spies said.

Want a 20 percent discount to the conference (which, for a “Professional Standard” pass, means a savings of $119.80)? Use the code C16_DISC_GEN. You’re welcome.