I’m thrilled to share that 2021 was a truly incredible year for our Institute!
We led important conversations, launched new content, and formed strategic partnerships that greatly expanded our network. None of this would have been possible without your participation!
I invite you to take a moment to celebrate our collective achievements by reflecting on three ideas that guided our remarkable growth in 2021. Thank you for being a part of what we created together!
We were fearless about trying new things
- 2021 was a year when perhaps more than ever we yearned for human connection. FNEI wanted you to see and hear from real practitioners and benefit from their perspectives when we weren’t able to meet in person, so we added short video interviews to FNEI Insights, our monthly thought leadership blog, and highlighted thought leadership opportunities and programming with monthly video announcements on our LinkedIn Page.
- After executives told us they were struggling with the digitally-driven, rapidly changing work culture of the pandemic, we launched FNEI (Re)Boot Camp for Senior Leaders, our debut on-demand professional development program. The first course: “Develop Your Executive Presence: Six Key Elements You Should Know,” which gives executives practical tips for how to improve their poise, professionalism, confidence, and capability while speaking remotely as well as in person.
- FNEI invited our network to participate in FNEI Reads, an informal book club discussion featuring Bart Édes, author of “Learning From Tomorrow: Using Strategic Foresight to Prepare for the Next Big Disruption.”
We created conversations and content that addressed timely, complex issues
Working closely with partner organizations and speakers, FNEI organized 15 different programs over the past year covering key topics in sustainability and ESG; diversity, equity, and inclusion; global affairs; government affairs; and digital transformation. Your favorites included the following:
- “Keep a Seat” gender equity discussions (and ongoing programs organized around consistent themes) proved to be a great way to strengthen our community through continuity. In fact, they inspired our comprehensive report featuring lessons from female executives about work-life balance and resilience leadership during the pandemic.
- ESG, ESG and did we mention ESG? ESG was top of mind for our community in 2021. We organized an in-depth post-COP 26 interview with corporate leaders and a discussion focusing on health as an ESG priority. Stay tuned for FNEI’s new guide about how different companies are approaching ESG strategy, coming out in 2022.
- Deciding when to speak out or stay silent on key issues was a defining moment for companies in 2021. Edelman found that 86 percent of respondents expect corporate leaders to publicly engage on major societal issues.To contribute to the conversation, FNEI organized a well-received “Assessing Companies’ Roles in Corporate Activism” roundtable.
- Noting how many people were starting new career opportunities during the pandemic, FNEI reached out to top thought leaders in government relations to create “Setting Yourself Up for Success in a New Government Affairs Role.”
FNEI grew bigger and better than ever, thanks to our generous, creative collaborators and supporters
Having meaningful conversations with interesting people is one of the most exciting aspects of working on FNEI. I am in awe of the executives I spoke to this past year who agreed to collaborate with us through their organizations, participate in interviews and speaking opportunities, and who joined us to share their perspectives. Some highlights:
- Special thanks to the partner organizations who made FNEI programming possible and helped our community grow in new directions, including our friends and contacts at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, TheBridge, the National Institute for Lobbying & Ethics, JUST Capital, the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress, and Meridian International Center.
- We featured 52 different speakers at FNEI events and interviewed 33 executives for different content. These thought leaders were all incredible, and helped our community identify and assess best practices. We’re deeply grateful to each and every one of you, and are looking forward to more opportunities to highlight your work in 2022.
- FNEI would be nothing without the guidance and support of our outstanding Advisory Board members. My heartfelt thanks to Avi Gesser, Jim Shaughnessy, Brittany Masalosalo, Britton Nohe-Braun, Nathalie Errard, Dennis Garcia, Collis Jones, Anne Perron, Puru Trivedi, Chris Lu, Krystal Putman-Garcia, and FNEI’s founder and chairman, Dave Curran.
Happy holidays! Here’s to taking FNEI to new heights in 2022! We will be in touch with program updates and announcements in the new year.
Becca
