Profit AND Purpose: How the 10% Pledge at One Young World Is Reshaping Business with Skilled Refugee Talent 🌍

At the One Young World Summit in Munich this November, which gathered over 2,200 young leaders, EqualReach made a compelling case for how businesses can double their impact by investing in skilled refugee talent. Founder and CEO Giselle Gonzales, alongside Gary Shaughnessy, CBE, Chair of the Z Zurich Foundation, took the main stage to challenge business leaders to commit 10% of their project budgets to outsourcing tech work to vetted refugee teams. This bold pledge is not charity; it is a market-based, profitable strategy to drive both social good and business success.

EqualReach’s unique platform connects organisations with teams of highly skilled displaced and local tech professionals who are seeking top-tier digital services, from website development to digital marketing.

Following the summit, momentum continued to build after our recent win at JPMorgan Chase’s Founders Forward Perfect Pitch competition.

‍The 10% Pledge: A Call to Action 🚀

Giselle emphasised that impact sourcing is a competitive business advantage, not a philanthropic afterthought. “For too long, businesses have overlooked extraordinary talent simply because of where someone comes from,” she explained. “By redirecting just 10% of your digital or project spend to refugee professionals, you create paid, dignified opportunities that deliver world-class outcomes while advancing your organisational mission.”

This approach turns traditional philanthropy on its head, creating independence not dependence. For example, a graphic designer connected through EqualReach helped increase a company’s year-on-year sales by 400%, proving talent recognition transcends status labels. With projects commissioned by groups including Accenture, Ford, AWS, and local NGOs, this collaboration showcases how business impact and social impact multiply together.

Gary Shaughnessy, echoed these sentiments: “EqualReach shows that what displaced people need is not help, but opportunity. Refugees must be treated as individuals capable of adding tremendous value to our society.”

If every leader reading this allocated just 10% of their contracting or project budgets towards highly skilled refugee teams, the ripple effect would be transformational, creating millions of pounds worth of job opportunities across vulnerable communities. Giselle’s challenge remains clear: “What is stopping you from leveraging your organisation’s procurement power for good?”

Watch the full inspiring conversation on profit and purpose here!

Build Your Business Case with Data 📊

Taking the 10% Pledge requires internal support from your colleagues. EqualReach has created the resources to help you make that case.

To help businesses start this journey confidently, EqualReach offers a comprehensive research toolkit. This resource provides free insights, data, and practical guidance designed to help you convince colleagues, boards, and teams internally on the value of impact sourcing. It combines measurable business outcomes with social impact metrics, enabling you to build a compelling business case tailored to your organisation’s needs.

Explore the research toolkit here: https://www.equalreach.io/the-research-toolkit

Thanks to Z Zurich Foundation & Our Supporters 🙏

A warm and heartfelt thank you goes to the Z Zurich Foundation for their unwavering support, without which this pivotal work bridging economic opportunity and social equity would not be possible. Their commitment to building resilience in vulnerable communities worldwide perfectly complements EqualReach’s mission.

EqualReach also enjoyed meaningful connections at the exhibition booth. Many delegates stopped by, took cards, and engaged with the team, sparking conversations about how to use economic power for good. A huge thank you to everyone who visited and contributed to the vibrant energy throughout the summit!

Learn More & Take Action 🌟

Here are the ways you can join the movement and leverage your organisation’s power for good:

1. Build the business case with data: Discover further insights and data to build your business case for impact sourcing here.
2. Submit a project: Submit your project to skilled refugee teams today here.

EqualReach’s experience at One Young World Munich 2025 powerfully demonstrated how profit and purpose can go hand in hand, ushering in a new era of impact sourcing that reshapes business as a force for good.