The latest buzz in the business world revolves around sustainability, resilience, social impact, future-readiness, and building thriving communities. Almost overnight, a wave of “impact consultants” have emerged, promoting workshops and training programs designed to accelerate the business with purpose movement. Ironically, some institutions are even offering incentives and awards to encourage enterprises to integrate purpose into their business models.

But here’s the key insight: businesses are made up of people. A company cannot truly embrace purpose unless the individuals within it understand both the “business” of purpose and the purpose of business. It is not about just embedding purpose into a strategy—it is about aligning individual values with organizational values to drive real, sustainable impact. People are the true catalysts of business evolution.

For change to be effective and lasting, it is critical to ensure that an organization’s values, culture, and mindset are fully aligned with those of its people. This point was powerfully emphasized by Frank Quante during our Business Evolution Coach certification program, led by Francisco Palao Reinés. It was a pivotal moment for me, as it explained why some movements gain unstoppable momentum, while others struggle and fail.

If we want to build businesses that create real impact, we must start with people first—their values, beliefs, and aspirations.