When we talk about impact in the social sector, it is often measured in visible, measurable outcomes:
– A person trained and placed in a job
– Increased household income
– Improved Socio-Economic status

These are important, as they change lives in real, demonstrable ways.

But over the little time I have spent at TRRAIN (Trust for Retailers and Retail Associates of India), I have come to realize that the real impact happens when employers, CSR donors, policymakers, and communities begin to see inclusion as normal. Not as a special initiative or an act of goodwill or charity, but how society and business should naturally function.

That shift is rarely quick. The issues generally worked upon by non-profits have been built over several decades — inequality, systemic exclusion, inaccessible education, barriers to livelihoods, etc. And yet, we are often expected to show results within the span of a project or a funding cycle.

Real change is slow. It comes from persistence through small wins, from setbacks and reflections, and from steady work that reshapes outcomes, systems and mindsets.

The long game requires endurance, partnerships, and a conviction that the fruits of the efforts will take a long time to appear. Some fruits may not grow even in a lifetime. And that’s okay, because social change isn’t about owning results.

𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲.