Social impact culture in action: Finding “someone to save the world with”

“Neqtr is a relationship app for socially conscious people looking for love or friendship. We welcome people like you who believe in love, a healthier self, and a better world.”

When a company describes itself on LinkedIn with words like that, you know “doing good” and “caring for yourself” have become more than just a couple of catchy phrases. They’ve become a way of life.

Just ask Sonya Davis, the founder and CEO of Neqtr.

“Social impact shows up in our dating culture and millennials’ desire to do good,” she said. “One of the big reasons I created Neqtr was because I wanted millennials to have a low barrier of entry to opportunities to give back and simultaneously connect with others who care about themselves as well as others.”

And that’s exactly how Neqtr works. You choose a common interest—rescuing stray animals for example—and Neqtr helps you make a date out of it. According to Sonya, “You shine your brightest when you’re doing what you love. That’s how we make giving back sexy.”

Sonya has data to back it up, too. “Fifty-six percent of millennials are motivated to give back for the opportunity to meet people who care about the same causes and interests,” she said. “And 94 percent of millennials who volunteered in the last year said it improved their mood.”

When we connected with Sonya during our multi-year project to discover the elements that make up today’s social impact footprint—the 10 Ways to Do Good—we decided “caring” should be at the top of the list. The notion that social impact works best when you’re doing what you love was a theme repeated throughout the research study. And, as Sonya realized, it can feel downright amazing when you’re doing what you love with someone you love.