John Knights
Name: John Knights
Role/Function: Director of Services, Global Reporting Initiative
What are you working on these days?
The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) is the home of the global sustainability reporting standards that are used by thousands of companies around the world. I lead three teams that support sustainability professionals and users of the GRI Standards. We have some big milestones coming up, including new and revised standards, opening up the ability for companies to use our digital taxonomy, and exciting new and improved services and courses. Most exciting for me is our deep dive into user experience and digital — making our standards more accessible and actionable for people on the ground.
What was the “aha” moment that sparked your interest in social and environmental impact?
It was seeing my mother give so much of her time to causes. Whether she was acting as a school governor, a church elder, an anti-apartheid campaigner or part of the anti-racist movement, she was always active. I joined many of these events — I helped make the food, did the clean-up and sat in the back of rooms listening to amazing people from all over the world. The message I absorbed wasn't from a book, but from those experiences: You can change things, and if you have the capacity to do so, you should. It made the idea of working to achieve "impact" feel like a natural responsibility rather than a specific career choice. It taught me that systems are just made of people, and people can be influenced if you're willing to show up and do the work.
How did you break into the impact space? What career advice would you give to professionals who are just starting out or looking to transition?
I was a bit lucky. I had worked in the UK central government for around five years in roles centered on positive social impact. In one of my jobs, I funded non-profits to run mentoring programs for various communities. There was one program I really admired that matched people granted refugee status with mentors in their local communities.
When the person running the program went on maternity leave, I decided to be bold. I told them I was interested in stepping in to run it, and they said yes. The lesson there really goes back to my mum’s motto: “If you don’t ask, you don’t get.” My advice to those starting out is don't be shy about asking for opportunities that inspire you.
Working in impact is often about driving change. What is the skill or trait that has been most important for your work as a change agent? How did you learn or hone it?
On the "hard skills" side, project management and financial monitoring have been vital. You cannot drive change if you cannot manage the resources and the timeline to get there. However, the "soft skills" are what actually make the work stick: cultural intelligence, kindness and humility. I have found that relationship building is the core of being a change agent. It is about the ability to facilitate a room and get a meeting to move beyond endless discussion into actual decisions and actions. I learned this mostly through trial and error; realizing that you have to meet people where they are, rather than where you want them to be, if you want them to move with you.
What most excites you about the impact space right now?
It has been a tough year or so for the impact sector in many places, but I have hope that this adversity — whether it is funding shifts or policy changes — is pushing many of us to try new ways of working. It is forcing a move away from total dependence on grant funding and toward more creative, sustainable ways to run projects.
In my current job, I am also constantly energized by the people just entering the job market. They come in with entirely new perspectives, different aspirations, and a real digital fluency. Seeing their ideas and their drive to improve the sector gives me a lot of confidence in where we are headed.
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