Oct. 24, 2024

Cultivating Empathy and Corporate Responsibility Through Volunteering with Sarah Middleton

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We’re excited to welcome Sarah Vagley Middleton, President and CEO of Mission Up Consulting, to our latest episode of The Bliss Business Podcast! 🎙️

With an extensive background in corporate social responsibility, nonprofit partnerships, and community leadership, Sarah shares her insights on how organizations can build authentic connections that drive lasting change.

🌍In this episode, Sarah discusses:

🏢 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): How companies can create meaningful CSR initiatives that not only engage employees but also make a real impact in communities.

🤝 Partnerships for Change: The importance of connecting with aligned nonprofits and facilitating resource flow to activate impactful partnerships.

🌟 Building Community Connections: How communities can leverage partnerships to strengthen bonds and create sustainable outcomes.

💡 Leadership in Social Change: Why empathy, clarity, and innovation are essential for leaders looking to drive social change in today's world.

Key Takeaways:

+ Authentic CSR is Key: Successful CSR isn’t about checking boxes; it’s about fostering genuine connections with both employees and community organizations.

+ Resource Flow & Partnership Activation: Partnerships thrive when there’s a strategic focus on directing resources to where they are most needed.

+ Leadership with Empathy: In the current landscape, empathy-driven leadership is essential for creating lasting change, both within companies and communities.

+ Adaptability in Social Impact: Sarah’s journey from nonprofit to corporate leadership highlights the importance of adaptability and learning from diverse career experiences.

Join us for a deep dive into how businesses and nonprofits can collaborate to create a better future. Whether you're in leadership, social impact, or looking to improve your CSR strategy, this episode is packed with actionable insights!

Sarah Middleton

President and CEO, Mission Up

Sarah Middleton is President and CEO of Mission Up, a social change consulting firm that works alongside companies, nonprofits, and movements.

Through Mission Up, Sarah is focused on building connection that drives change. She helps:
• Companies connect with employees and aligned nonprofits through authentic corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives;
• Communities connect with their members through partnership coordination that facilitates resource flow and nonprofit activation (e.g., 2020 Census).

Prior to founding Mission Up in 2018, Sarah was the Senior Vice President responsible for global corporate citizenship at PIMCO and Executive Director of the PIMCO Foundation.

During her time at PIMCO, Sarah was part of the Points of Light Corporate Institute Leadership Faculty, acted as a regional voice lead for IMPACT2030, and served on the Orange County Commission to End Homelessness.
Sarah is past Chair of Orange County Grantmakers and was the founding Chair of the Corporate Volunteer Council of Orange County. Before joining PIMCO in 2007, she served as an AmeriCorps volunteer and worked in the nonprofit sector for six years.

Sarah has written for The Huffington Post, spoken at national and regional conferences, and was named one of Orange County, California’s 100 Most Influential people of 2015.

She is a board member for the Sisters of St. Joseph Healthcare Foundation and enjoys volunteering for local nonprofits.

Sarah holds an MBA from the University of California, Irvine and an undergraduate degree … Read More