Credible Benchmarks Propel an Organization's Purpose

The landscape for how organizations and leaders can positively influence society is rapidly changing. While contributing to high-visibility philanthropic efforts and funding community-based corporate social responsibility activities are still important, the demands are now greater.

Global citizens want to see and feel how organizations benefit society through the products and services they provide. They're choosing organizations that are authentically purpose-driven -- those that are committed to making a difference at all scales and for everyone they encounter. In addition, all stakeholders want to see evidence that corporate philanthropic investments are truly making a positive difference for society.

This shift presents a considerable challenge -- but also an incredible opportunity to meaningfully change the world.

To succeed in this new era, organizations must galvanize an authentic, compelling purpose that captures how they improve the world. Then, they need to "walk the talk" and prove how their purpose drives everything they do, say and represent. Leaders need to show how their organization's existence uniquely makes the world a better place, which requires credible metrics and data.

Consider Hologic, for example. Its purpose, passion and promise revolve around enabling healthier lives and improving women's health and wellbeing across the globe through life-saving, life-enhancing medical technologies. To further this purpose, Hologic and Gallup created the Hologic Global Women's Health Index -- the world's first comparative study designed to track women's health and safety worldwide. The index fills a critical gap in the global discussion about women's health and enables leaders and policymakers to measure and inspire progress.

Measurement Is the First Step Toward Change

To start making a difference in the problems facing humankind, leaders need high-quality, globally comparable, consistent data that are relevant to their organization's purpose -- insights that shed light on their contributions and help tell their story.

Credible metrics are instrumental to instilling belief in and passion for an organization's purpose. When organizations quantify their global impact, they position themselves as trustworthy thought leaders who understand the hopes, needs and behaviors of the people they serve.

Unearth Discoveries That Change People's Lives

What questions does your organization need to answer? What data gaps do you need to fill to realize your purpose?

Gallup helps organizations define what they need to understand, isolating the parameters of problems and developing indicators of progress. Using a tailored approach, we create official global statistics that transform opaque challenges into concrete, crystal-clear measures. This makes the aspirational attainable for any organization -- even those addressing novel challenges that require new types of measurement.

For example, Cookpad aims to make everyday cooking fun and inspire more people to cook -- because people who cook at home can lead healthier, happier lives. To better understand people's cooking habits, Cookpad partnered with Gallup to conduct a global analysis of people's cooking behaviors, including how cooking habits are changing. As Rimpei Iwata, president and CEO of Cookpad, noted:

"We went around the world to find facts around how much people are actually doing home cooking, and we just could not find anything. As a way to do that, we partnered with Gallup -- who has an incredible global reach -- to really understand who is actually cooking and how much are they cooking all around the globe."

Gallup has also partnered with global organizations to develop official statistics related to sustainable development goals (SDGs). For example, the Food Insecurity Experience Scale measures the number of people worldwide who suffer from hunger, helping leaders make progress toward Zero Hunger (SDG 2). Further, Gallup's law and order statistics allow global leaders to measure and compare their progress toward the United Nations' goal of building a more peaceful and secure world (SDG 16). From happiness to financial inclusion to modern slavery, Gallup asks questions to understand and track the most pressing problems facing humankind.

Make Every Voice Count

Leaders need wide-reaching, defensible data from the right audiences -- data that are representative and predictive of the outcomes that matter. Objective, credible data create transparency and trust among global audiences. And the more reliable your data are, the more effective your strategies will be: Organizations need real answers and an in-depth understanding of the challenges they promise to solve.

Obtaining the full picture of a problem requires a global polling infrastructure and proven methodologies. The Gallup World Poll is the most comprehensive and farthest-reaching survey of the world -- representing more than 160 countries, 145 languages and 99% of the world's population. Grounded in tested and trusted methodologies, the World Poll provides organizations with credible insights and a cross-cultural perspective on any topic.

Be a Leading Voice for Change

When organizations share their story -- their purpose-driven discoveries -- they can become a leading voice for change. Conversations based on reliable studies are the basis of progress, which is why purpose-driven organizations build awareness for their purpose and spark collaboration with leaders who can create a brighter future.

Consider the Lloyd's Register Foundation World Risk Poll, for example -- an unprecedented study that has given millions of global citizens a voice for the first time. Covering 142 countries, including geographies where little or no official data exist, the World Risk Poll has revealed crucial differences in people's experiences with and views of risk. With this perspective, global leaders can take action that saves lives and helps people feel safer.

The world's greatest organizations aren't content with doing good. They have an unwavering dedication to their purpose and to finding the answers that leaders and policymakers need to pave a path for progress.

Fortunately, leaders don't need to have all the answers -- in fact, they don't even need to know the perfect questions. Organizations can make the world a better place when they imagine what's possible, maintain a purpose-driven mindset and use credible insights to spark change.

When purpose-driven leaders link arms and work together, there's no limit to what they can accomplish.