Headlines and footnotes of social impact

We have a phrase at CAST: it’s nice to be in the headlines, but we have our greatest impact in the footnotes of others’ work and ambitions. That’s why we work to support social impact organisations to harness the power, flexibility and potential of digital, data and design towards their own missions. We believe that things are better when we have a more vocal and influential civil society — so we work to accelerate the agency, presence and influence of social impact organisations in the technologies that affect us all.

Last night CAST was in the headlines at the Digital Leaders’ Impact Awards where we were given the prestigious Founders Award.

When we look at what has enabled us to make a difference — of course (in the headlines of CAST) we have an incredible team, past and present, who have led, shaped and developed our work so much; a remarkable supportive, challenging and energetic Board; my co-founders Annika Small and Kieron Kirkland who created the ambition and platform with which we still work.

But whilst CAST are in the footnotes in the impact of so many incredible organisations, there have been hundreds of individuals and organisations who have been in the footnotes of creating CAST. None more so than the remarkable Catalyst network — the Producers, contributors and peers (past and present) who have given so much to the shared ambition of Catalyst, have in turn, informed, nourished, challenged and developed who CAST are and how we work. And through every interaction where we look to support organisations to develop their work and ambitions, so we reciprocally learn and develop. Thank you.

Whilst we’ll celebrate today with gratitude to all who have shaped and engaged with CAST — I’m looking forward to this being just a footnote as we collectively accelerate the agency, presence and influence of civil society in the technologies that affect us all.