The 2026 State of Corporate Purpose with Sona Khosla

Corporate purpose has faced one of its toughest pressure tests yet. But beneath headlines of retreat, Benevity’s State of Corporate Purpose report reveals a field that is proving remarkably resilient and evolving in important ways.In this episode of Purpose 360, Carol Cone welcomes Sona Khosla, Chief Impact Officer at Benevity, for a timely conversation about what the data tells us about the state of purpose today. Drawing on Benevity’s research and unique view into corporate and employee action, Sona shares why purpose remains deeply supported inside companies even as political and regulatory pressures reshape how organizations fund, communicate, and execute the work.The result is a picture of a field entering its next chapter: more focused on trust and authentic storytelling, more thoughtful about the opportunities and risks of AI, and increasingly connected to broader business and talent priorities. For impact leaders who have spent the past several years navigating uncertainty and scrutiny, the conversation offers an encouraging takeaway: purpose has endured, and leaders now have an opportunity to move from defense to offense.Purpose 360 is produced by TruStory FM.Full Show Notes & ResourcesView on YouTube (00:00) - Welcome to Purpose 360 (00:13) - Sona Khosla • Benevity (03:04) - Sona’s Background (04:39) - Benevity (06:27) - Perspectives and Insights (08:17) - The Report (09:40) - Genesis of the Report (10:13) - Headline (12:32) - The First Two Key Trends (13:34) - Quiet Period (16:16) - The Third Trend (18:15) - The Fourth Trend (21:22) - Integrating AI (21:42) - The Fifth Trend (25:23) - Volunteerism Events (27:51) - Figuring Out Your Focus (30:09) - Speed Round (31:03) - Last Thoughts (32:13) - Wrap Up