Purpose 360 with Carol Cone

Hosted by TruStory FM

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239

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Nov 2026

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Business is an unlikely hero: a force for good working to solve society's most pressing challenges, while boosting bottom line. This is social purpose at work. And it's a dynamic journey. Purpose 360 is a masterclass in unlocking the power of social purpose to ignite business and social impact. Host Carol Cone brings decades of social impact expertise and a 360-degree view of integrating social purpose into an organization into unfiltered conversations that illuminate today's big challenges and bigger ideas.

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November 3, 2026Episode 23734 min

Building a Grief-Sensitive World with Heather Nesle

Grief touches nearly everyone, yet many of the institutions where we spend our lives, from schools to workplaces, still struggle to support people through it. In this episode of Purpose 360, Carol Cone welcomes back Heather Nesle, President of the New York Life Foundation and Senior Vice President of Corporate Responsibility, for a conversation about what nearly two decades of work in child bereavement has taught the New York Life Foundation about creating lasting change. Heather shares research revealing critical gaps in grief support, practical ways schools and employers can better respond, and how New York Life Foundation has turned those insights into resources, coalitions, and programs reaching thousands of communities. Heather also discusses their new Coaching the Future initiative and gives listeners an early look at the Golden Sweater Project, a powerful new program launching this November that invites people everywhere to honor those they’ve lost by sharing the objects, songs, recipes, and other meaningful reminders that keep their memories and connections alive. And for corporate purpose leaders, Heather shares lessons from New York Life Foundation’s experience on strategic focus, employee engagement, authentic alignment, and the evolving role of corporate philanthropy. Purpose 360 is produced by TruStory FM. Full Show Notes & Resources: https://trustory.fm/purpose360/building-a-grief-sensitive-world-with-heather-nesle/ View on YouTube: https://youtu.be/pjYoqXjeHbo (00:00) - Welcome to Purpose 360 (00:13) - Heather Nesle, New York Life Foundation (03:49) - Grief (05:28) - Lots to Learn Still (06:44) - Grief-Sensitive Locations (11:52) - Being an Ambassador (13:19) - Why We Struggle with Discussing This (15:12) - Penetrating the Workplace (18:44) - Researching What Adults Need (20:17) - Working with Sesame (21:44) - Coaching the Future (24:33) - Integrating Grief Knowledge (25:24) - Golden Sweater Project (27:03) - Philanthropy Today (28:52) - Becoming More Courageous (29:44) - Thinking to the Future (31:14) - Being Open About Grief (32:17) - Last Words (32:52) - Wrap Up

October 20, 2026Episode 23632 min

The Future of Healthcare Is Not a Hospital with Karthik Ganesh

What if solving America's healthcare access crisis didn't require building more hospitals, but completely rethinking how care reaches people? That's the possibility OnMed is bringing to life through its CareStation, an innovative healthcare facility designed to make medical care more accessible for communities across America. In this episode of Purpose 360, Carol Cone welcomes OnMed CEO Karthik Ganesh for a fascinating conversation about how technology, human connection, and purpose are coming together to reimagine healthcare delivery. Karthik introduces the CareStation, an 8-by-10-foot facility that combines advanced diagnostic technology with real clinicians to provide care in places where traditional healthcare can be difficult to access. Together, they explore how OnMed is overcoming barriers to healthcare access, why partnerships with hospitals and community organizations are essential to scaling the model, and how integrating mental healthcare could expand its impact. Karthik also shares the deeply personal experiences that have shaped his commitment to resilience, leadership, and making a difference in the lives of others. Purpose 360 is produced by TruStory FM. Full Show Notes & Resources: https://trustory.fm/purpose360/the-future-of-healthcare-is-not-a-hospital-with-karthik-ganesh/ (00:00) - Welcome to Purpose 360 (00:13) - Karthik Ganesh and OnMed (02:37) - Karthik’s Background and Purpose (04:07) - The Broken Door (05:21) - OnMed and the Care Station (08:35) - Mental Health (10:31) - Technology Meets Humanity (13:34) - Scale (16:40) - Collaborations (18:58) - Barriers (19:39) - Recognition (20:30) - Karthik’s Book (23:40) - How He Leads His Company (25:18) - OnMed’s Purpose (25:33) - Employee Reaction (26:39) - Making a Difference (27:38) - Rapid Fire Questions (28:43) - Men vs. Women (30:48) - Wrap Up

September 22, 2026Episode 23533 min

Built with Purpose: What Five Iconic Companies Teach Us

What can five iconic purpose-driven companies teach us about building a mission that lasts? In this newly re-edited Purpose 360 compilation, we revisit standout conversations with leaders from Bombas, Just Ice Tea, Patagonia, Seventh Generation, and Tony’s Chocolonely to uncover six lessons for keeping purpose intact through growth, disruption, and change. Featuring Seth Goldman, David Heath, Jeffrey Hollender, Douglas Lamont, Jason LaRose, and Vincent Stanley, the episode explores what happens when purpose is truly put to the test with insights and examples from some of purpose’s leading companies. Together, these stories offer six practical lessons on building purpose into the business, confronting uncomfortable truths, scaling intentionally, earning stakeholder trust, proving that impact can drive performance, and protecting purpose for the long term. Purpose 360 is produced by TruStory FM. Full Show Notes and Resources: https://trustory.fm/purpose360/built-with-purpose-what-five-iconic-companies-teach-us/ (00:00) - Welcome to Purpose 360 (00:13) - Staying On Course (02:21) - Start with the Mission Then Build the Business Around It (05:54) - Responsibility Is Not a Destination, It Is a Practice (11:38) - The Mission Gets Real When Growth Puts It Under Pressure (16:25) - When the Business Breaks, Relationships Reveal What Was Really Built (20:26) - Impact Has to Be Good Business, and Good Business Has to Deliver Impact (24:21) - If the Mission Matters, Protect It Beyond the Current Leader (31:13) - Wrap Up

September 8, 2026Episode 23433 min

The 2026 State of Corporate Purpose with Sona Khosla

Corporate purpose has faced one of its toughest pressure tests yet. But beneath headlines of retreat, Benevity’s State of Corporate Purpose report reveals a field that is proving remarkably resilient and evolving in important ways. In this episode of Purpose 360, Carol Cone welcomes Sona Khosla, Chief Impact Officer at Benevity, for a timely conversation about what the data tells us about the state of purpose today. Drawing on Benevity’s research and unique view into corporate and employee action, Sona shares why purpose remains deeply supported inside companies even as political and regulatory pressures reshape how organizations fund, communicate, and execute the work. The result is a picture of a field entering its next chapter: more focused on trust and authentic storytelling, more thoughtful about the opportunities and risks of AI, and increasingly connected to broader business and talent priorities. For impact leaders who have spent the past several years navigating uncertainty and scrutiny, the conversation offers an encouraging takeaway: purpose has endured, and leaders now have an opportunity to move from defense to offense. Purpose 360 is produced by TruStory FM. Full Show Notes & Resources View on YouTube (00:00) - Welcome to Purpose 360 (00:13) - Sona Khosla • Benevity (03:04) - Sona’s Background (04:39) - Benevity (06:27) - Perspectives and Insights (08:17) - The Report (09:40) - Genesis of the Report (10:13) - Headline (12:32) - The First Two Key Trends (13:34) - Quiet Period (16:16) - The Third Trend (18:15) - The Fourth Trend (21:22) - Integrating AI (21:42) - The Fifth Trend (25:23) - Volunteerism Events (27:51) - Figuring Out Your Focus (30:09) - Speed Round (31:03) - Last Thoughts (32:13) - Wrap Up

August 25, 2026Episode 23333 min

Making Sustainability Win-Win-Win with Ann Tracy

For years, sustainability leaders have helped companies set ambitious targets. Now comes the two harder challenges: delivering on them and proving their business value. In this episode of Purpose 360, Carol Cone welcomes Ann Tracy, Chief Sustainability Officer of Colgate-Palmolive, for a robust and inspiring conversation about what the next era of sustainability leadership demands. Drawing on more than three decades across engineering, manufacturing, global operations, and sustainability, Ann shares how she has learned to turn sustainability from a set of commitments into an enabler of business strategy. Ann explains why the strongest sustainability leaders speak the language of growth, resilience, risk, and financial value; how her “win-win-win” philosophy connects consumer benefit, business success, and impact at scale; and why knowing where your organization should lead is critical to making meaningful progress. She also takes listeners inside Colgate-Palmolive’s journey to reinvent its toothpaste tube—and the decision to share that technology to help move an entire industry forward—while offering lessons on empathy, partnership, pragmatism, and what it takes to lead change across a global organization. Purpose 360 is produced by TruStory FM. Full Show Notes & Resources View on YouTube (00:00) - Welcome to Purpose 360 (00:13) - Ann Tracy, Colgate-Palmolive (04:13) - Ann’s Background (06:08) - Wide Involvement Level (07:45) - Their Purpose (09:26) - Sustainability (11:50) - Swords and Shields Philosophy (13:56) - Longevity and Scale (15:16) - Win-Win-Win Framework (16:55) - Recognizing the Brand (20:09) - Recyclable Toothpaste Tube (24:05) - Communication (25:44) - Empathy (27:24) - AI (28:51) - Lightning Round (30:47) - Last Word (31:47) - Wrap Up

August 11, 2026Episode 23233 min

Opening the Doors to Mental Health with Sharlene Kemler

For too many Black women, accessing mental health care has historically been limited by cost, stigma, and a lack of culturally competent providers. The Loveland Foundation was created to change that, and in just a few years, has built one of the nation's most innovative models for expanding equitable access to therapy. Host Carol Cone welcomes Sharlene Kemler, CEO of The Loveland Foundation, for an inspiring conversation about reimagining mental health through community, partnership, and listening. Sharlene shares how the Foundation evolved from a birthday fundraiser into a national organization and the work they’re doing now to strengthen the entire mental health ecosystem—from investing in therapists' well-being and professional development to continuously improving programs based on participant feedback. Together, Carol and Sharlene explore why culturally competent care matters, how authentic partnerships create lasting impact, and why supporting both those seeking care and those providing it is essential to making mental health access truly sustainable. Purpose 360 is produced by TruStory FM. Full Show Notes & Resources View on YouTube (00:00) - Welcome to Purpose 360 (00:13) - Loveland Foundation (02:56) - Learning from Parents (05:07) - The Joy Guru (05:52) - Story of The Loveland Foundation (08:16) - Reimaging Mental Health Care (12:25) - Culturally Competent Care (13:01) - Finding Them (14:50) - Therapy as Accelerant (16:06) - Supporting Their Therapists (19:30) - Camp Loveland (22:21) - Finding the Right Partner (22:54) - Current Partners (23:16) - DEI (25:16) - Amplification of the Cause (26:33) - Advice to Young People (27:39) - Rapid Fire Questions (29:15) - Last Word (31:49) - Wrap Up

July 28, 2026Episode 23135 min

The Purpose x AI Advantage with Balaji Ganapathy and Kristian Merenda

Artificial intelligence is moving faster than most organizations can adapt. But amid the excitement, one critical question often gets overlooked: What is guiding the decisions AI helps us make? In this episode of Purpose 360, Carol Cone welcomes Kristian Merenda, Partner at Carol Cone ON PURPOSE, and Balaji Ganapathy, Founder and CEO of Social Positive, for a timely conversation about why it’s critical for purpose to be the ultimate guide for AI. The conversation explores why AI adoption is fundamentally a culture transformation rather than a technology implementation, how organizations can avoid "purpose drift" as automation expands, and why leaders should stop asking, "Can AI do this?" and instead ask, "Should AI do this?" From responsible governance and employee trust to experimentation, human judgment, and the future of leadership, this conversation challenges conventional thinking about AI and explores how purpose can help organizations use AI responsibly while keeping people, values, and long-term impact at the center. Purpose 360 is produced by TruStory FM. Full Show Notes & Resources (00:00) - Welcome to Purpose 360 (00:13) - CCOP AI Handbook (02:53) - Meet Kristian and Balaji (05:30) - Defining Purpose (06:46) - Purpose in the Age of AI (08:23) - The Case for Purpose (12:17) - How to Have the Conversation with the C-Suite (16:13) - The Guide and Purpose Drift (18:54) - Adoption (21:48) - Shaping the Culture Using Purpose (25:56) - Looking Forward (31:28) - Last Comments (33:59) - Wrap Up

July 14, 2026Episode 23039 min

Can Chocolate Change the World? with Douglas Lamont

Which came first: the business or the purpose? For most companies, the answer is the business. But Tony's Chocolonely turned that formula upside down. In this episode of Purpose 360, Carol Cone welcomes Douglas Lamont, CEO of Tony's Chocolonely, for a fascinating conversation about one of the world's most purpose-driven companies. Founded by investigative journalists determined to expose child labor and exploitation in the cocoa industry, Tony's wasn't created to sell chocolate—it was created to prove that chocolate could be made differently. Douglas shares how Tony's has transformed that original act of advocacy into a global brand while staying relentlessly focused on its mission. He explains why the company calls itself an impact company, how its sourcing model and Mission Lock governance structure protect purpose at scale, and why transparency, collaboration, and creativity are essential to driving systemic change. Whether you're leading a purpose-driven business, building one from the ground up, or simply curious about how business can become a force for good, this conversation offers practical leadership lessons and an inspiring vision for what's possible. Purpose 360 is produced by TruStory FM. Full Show Notes & Resources View on YouTube (00:00) - Welcome to Purpose 360 (00:13) - Tony's Chocolonely • Douglas Lamont (03:16) - Childhood Influences (05:32) - Favorite Flavor (06:07) - Origin Story (10:28) - Becoming the Company It Is Today (11:42) - Shifting Careers (12:45) - How They Fight Exploitation (18:42) - Five Principles (20:11) - Reporting Good and Bad (21:33) - Advice for Building Brand (22:29) - Two Governance Tracks (25:31) - Marketing (29:34) - The Name (31:07) - Advice to Young People (33:21) - Advice for Social Entrepreneurs (34:11) - Rapid Fire Questions (36:58) - Last Word (38:04) - Wrap Up

June 30, 2026Episode 22925 min

Can America Be Litter-Free? with Keep America Beautiful

What can a national litter study tell us about human behavior, environmental stewardship, and the future of America's communities? In this episode of Purpose 360, Carol Cone welcomes David Scott, Senior Vice President of Impact and Analytics at Keep America Beautiful, to discuss the organization's newly released National Litter Study—one of the most comprehensive analyses of litter and waste behavior in the United States. The findings reveal encouraging progress, including a 34% decline in litter along roadways and waterways since the previous study. But the research also uncovers important challenges, from rising tire waste and cardboard litter to significant concentrations of debris along America's coastlines. Together, Carol and David explore what the data reveals about changing consumer habits, why litter is fundamentally a behavioral issue, and how cleaner communities contribute to stronger local economies, safer neighborhoods, and healthier environments. David also shares practical insights into the proven strategies that help reduce litter, the role of shared responsibility, and why community engagement remains one of the most effective tools for creating lasting change. Purpose 360 is produced by TruStory FM. Full Show Notes & Resources Here View on YouTube Here (00:00) - Welcome to Purpose 360 (00:13) - David Scott, Keep America Beautiful (02:39) - David’s Background (04:18) - Their First Litter Study (06:02) - The Litter Study (08:53) - Coastal Areas (12:01) - Change in Consumption (14:29) - Litter Bugs (15:17) - Impact of Cleaner Places (17:07) - Key Messages (19:12) - When Seeing Someone Litter (20:15) - Social Cleanups (22:11) - Last Thoughts (24:02) - Wrap Up

June 16, 2026Episode 22844 min

The Making of Seventh Generation with Jeffrey Hollender

Long before sustainability, ESG, and stakeholder capitalism entered the business mainstream, Jeffrey Hollender was building a company founded on the belief that business could serve both people and the planet. In this episode of Purpose 360, Carol Cone welcomes Jeffrey Hollender, co-founder and former CEO of Seventh Generation, and her fellow pioneer of the purpose movement for a candid conversation about his new book, Built for a Better World , and the remarkable story behind Seventh Generation. Together they explore the realities of building a mission-driven company before the market was ready, the role of transparency in earning consumer trust, the challenges of scaling culture during rapid growth, and the difficult lessons Jeffrey learned about investors, governance, and leadership. Jeffrey also reflects on employee ownership, activist business leadership, and the boardroom decisions that ultimately led to his departure from the company he founded. Along the way, he shares why today’s purpose-driven businesses must think beyond products and profits to address the broader impact they have on people, communities, and the planet. Purpose 360 is produced by TruStory FM. Full Show Notes & Resources Here View on YouTube Here (00:00) - Welcome to Purpose 360 (00:13) - Meet Jeffrey Hollender (03:49) - Jeffrey’s Background (07:03) - Seventh Generation (09:51) - The Early Years (11:06) - The Name (12:59) - Built for a Better World (16:45) - Albertson’s Example (19:31) - Role of Employees (21:26) - Company Machinations (23:58) - Moderating Growth (26:58) - Learning Through Activism (29:13) - Going Too Radical (31:12) - Working with a Board (33:51) - Getting Terminated (35:56) - The Role of Family (38:37) - What Companies Get Wrong About Purpose (40:53) - Speed Round (42:17) - Last Words (43:07) - Wrap Up