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From vision to impact: creating positive value for people and nature through impact management. 11 August 2026 Consultancy.nl Many organizations are looking for ways to create positive value for people and nature - think of increasing equal opportunities or making the living environment more sustainable. However, the road from vision to actual impact is long and challenging. To prevent beautiful ambitions from stalling along the way, Grant Thornton developed the Future Fit Management Model: a five-step plan for effective impact management. Making an impact is no longer reserved for charities. More and more businesses also want to demonstrably contribute to solutions for social and ecological issues. However, good intentions are only the beginning - the real challenge is to turn them into measurable results and lasting improvement. This is where impact management comes into play. Where the emphasis is often on reporting, Grant Thornton emphasizes that it is essentially about making conscious choices: "Impact management is not just about accountability. The real value lies in using insights to make better decisions and increase positive impact." To support organizations in this, the accountancy and advisory firm developed the Future Fit Management Model. This model describes impact management as a continuous cycle of five steps: vision and analysis, implementation, measuring, improving, and reporting. Organizations can enter at different points, but ultimately it is about completing the entire cycle. "Impact management is not a one-off project, but a continuous learning process in which organizations continually reflect, adjust, and improve," the researchers state. 1: vision and analysis. The first step is to formulate a clear vision. In this, as an organization, you examine which social issues align with your identity, expertise, and ambitions. You also map opportunities, risks, and relevant developments. Tools such as portfolio analysis, scenario thinking, and theories of change help make this vision concrete. 2: implementation. A vision only has value when impact becomes part of everyday practice. This requires not only support among employees, but also appropriate processes, systems, and practical tools. "By making sharp choices, a better picture emerges of what really works and where improvement is possible." Grant Thornton emphasizes that different functions within an organization need different knowledge. "For one employee, the emphasis is on impact measurements, while a board member must incorporate impact into strategic decision-making." The researchers therefore advise organizations to link impact management as much as possible to existing annual cycles and decision-making processes. This way, impact does not become a separate initiative, but an integral part of the organization. 3: measuring. Measurements provide valuable information from which organizations can learn and with which they can improve their approach. The researchers advise organizations to formulate clear learning questions in advance and to focus on a limited number of desired changes. Subsequently, appropriate research methods can be chosen, such as interviews, questionnaires, or creative measurement tools for specific target groups. "Not everything needs to be measured at once," the researchers say. "By making sharp choices, a better picture emerges of what really works and where improvement is possible." 4: improving. Perhaps the most important step in impact management is actually utilizing the collected insights. According to Grant Thornton, many organizations get stuck at collecting data, while translating results into concrete improvements yields the most social value. "Be honest about what went well, but also about what can be improved." It is therefore wise to regularly organize joint reflection sessions in which teams discuss the results, give meaning to the outcomes, and determine which improvements take priority. "It is precisely the disappointing results that often offer the greatest opportunity to learn and further increase social impact," the researchers write. 5: reporting. Only in the last step does reporting come into play. Organizations are increasingly communicating about their social impact, partly due to stricter laws and regulations and the growing need for transparency among stakeholders. Grant Thornton emphasizes that an impact report must always align with the target audience. Donors, investors, collaboration partners, and the general public all have different information needs. In addition, it is important to share not only successes, but also limitations of the research, assumptions made, and lessons learned. "Transparency increases trust," the advisory firm states. "Therefore, be honest about what went well, but also about what can still be improved." Finally: a continuous growth path. Above all, it is important to never lose sight of the goal: impact management ultimately aims to increase positive social value. This requires ongoing engagement of stakeholders, attention to future risks and opportunities, and the willingness to adjust activities when insights give cause to do so. "Those who see impact management as a continuous growth path lay the foundation for an organization that not only creates social value today, but also remains relevant and future-proof in the future," Grant Thornton concludes.

Grant Thornton recognized in Abode's inaugural Early-Career Engagement Awards. August 03, 2026 CHICAGO - Grant Thornton, one of America's largest brands of professionals providing end-to-end audit, assurance, tax and advisory services, has been recognized with the Overall Excellence Award in Abode's inaugural 2026 Early-Career Engagement Awards, recognizing the firm's outstanding approach to engaging, developing and supporting early-career talent. The honor recognizes organizations that demonstrate excellence across the full early-talent journey - from offer acceptance through onboarding and beyond. Presented by Abode, an AI-powered talent experience platform focused on the early-career lifecycle, the awards recognize organizations that go above and beyond to help students and new hires feel connected, supported and prepared before they begin their careers. Programs selected for the Overall Excellence Award demonstrated exceptional performance across five categories: keep-warm strategies, community building, preventing reneges, mentorship and buddy programs, and internship-to-full-time conversion. "Creating an exceptional employee experience begins long before a new hire's first day," said Jeanna Shapiro, Grant Thornton's chief people and culture officer. "This recognition reflects the dedication of our University Recruiting team and the many professionals across our firm who invest in helping early-career talent build meaningful connections, develop critical skills and see a future for themselves at Grant Thornton. We are honored to be recognized for the intentional work we do to support the next generation of leaders." Grant Thornton's nationally coordinated early-career engagement strategy helps students build meaningful connections with the firm before their first day through personalized communications, professional development opportunities, community-building experiences and mentorship. Key elements of the program include a research-backed engagement strategy for future hires, a centralized digital community for interns, a multi-layered mentorship model and an immersive internship experience that mirrors the responsibilities and development opportunities of full-time associates. Through hands-on client work, structured feedback, leadership interactions, networking events and Business Resource Group programming, interns and early-career professionals gain the support, connections and experience needed to thrive at Grant Thornton. "This award is especially meaningful because it recognizes the entire candidate and intern experience," said Missy Heusinger, Grant Thornton's director of university recruiting. "We're intentional about creating opportunities for students and new hires to build relationships, gain confidence and feel part of our culture from the moment they accept an offer. We're proud of the experiences we've built and grateful to everyone across the firm who helps make them possible." About the Grant Thornton Advisors multinational platform The Grant Thornton Advisors multinational platform is a group of firms within the Grant Thornton International Limited network that connects priority markets and operates with aligned standards, technology and delivery expectations. Firms remain locally led and legally separate. The Grant Thornton International Limited network provides access to its member firms in more than 150 global markets. The platform is currently home to almost 20 aligned firms stretching from the Americas across Europe and the Middle East to the Asia-Pacific region. These firms bring together almost 25,000 professionals to deliver cross-border solutions powered by advanced technologies, a shared commitment to quality and a growing reputation as the industry's employer-of-choice. The platform firms operate as separate legal entities. About Grant Thornton Advisors LLC Grant Thornton Advisors LLC provides non-attest offerings, including tax and advisory services. It is one of two specialized entities known collectively as Grant Thornton in the US, alongside Grant Thornton LLP, a licensed, certified public accounting (CPA) firm that provides audit and assurance services. Grant Thornton LLP, Grant Thornton Advisors LLC and their respective subsidiaries operate as an alternative practice structure (APS). The APS conforms with applicable laws, regulations and professional standards, including those from the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Grant Thornton LLP is a CPA firm, while Grant Thornton Advisors LLC is not. "Grant Thornton" refers to the brand under which the member firms in the Grant Thornton International Ltd (GTIL) network provide services to their clients and/or refers to one or more member firms. Grant Thornton LLP and Grant Thornton Advisors LLC serve as the U.S. member firms of the GTIL network. GTIL and its member firms are not a worldwide partnership and all member firms are separate legal entities. Member firms deliver all services; GTIL does not provide services to clients.

GT and Teesside Uni launch AI focused business apprenticeships. * POSTED BY Admin * July 31, 2026 All three courses have been developed with Teesside University, an Ofsted Outstanding apprenticeship provider, and include a specific programme for C-suite and senior management focusing on AI leadership. Grant Thornton said the launch builds on the existing AI & Digital Skills for Business Impact programme and responds to growing demand from organisations seeking structured, practical ways to build AI capability in-house. Businesses are increasingly clear on the potential of AI and automation, but many are still working out how to build the internal capability to act on it, Grant Thornton said. The challenge is no longer whether to adopt AI - it is finding, developing and deploying the right people to do it effectively at every level. The three cover distinct workstreams across the business, fully funded through the apprenticeship levy: 1. AI & Digital Skills for Business Impact - a Level 4 apprenticeship for non-technical roles across operations, finance, customer support, project teams and change functions. Participants develop skills to identify business needs and drive process improvements in their area. Runs over 12 months, with one day per week allocated to programme activity, followed by a six-month assessment period. Already live. Fully funded through apprenticeship levy 2. AI Leadership Units - new online programme of 30-hour modules for senior leaders including C-suite, directors and associate directors. Focused on AI strategy, governance and investment decision-making, these units are designed for leaders who need working knowledge of AI to lead transformation effectively - not to build systems themselves. Fully funded. 3. AI & Automation Practitioner - new Level 4 apprenticeship for technical teams, automation specialists and innovation leads. Participants learn to design, build and deploy AI and automation solutions using low- and no-code tools, systems integration, prompt engineering and data analytics - within robust governance and risk frameworks. Fully funded. Ruth Walsh, talent solutions partner at Grant Thornton, (pictured) said: 'Organisations are moving beyond asking whether to adopt AI to how to make it work - safely and responsibly. 'One pattern Professional Accountants Limited is seeing is at board and leadership level: many organisations don't yet have the AI ethics and governance frameworks to match their ambition. This offering builds that capability, alongside the practical skills to implement and invest well.' The new apprenticeship agreement builds on private equity backed Grant Thornton's recently announced GT Augment framework and the firm's own leadership in AI adoption. It also follows the announcement of a £500m investment in the in-house tech stack to overhaul legacy practices and end silo working with an early rollout of AI tools to all 5,300 staff in the UK. Useful reading *** Croner Intelligence is the brand new AI virtual assistant designed specifically for accountants, and brought to you by Croner. To find out more, Book a demo here ***