Aspen Institute Business & Society Program

What Aspen Institute Business & Society Program does

The Aspen Institute Business & Society Program is a non-profit policy and convening program within the Aspen Institute, founded in 1998 and operated as one of the institute's flagship initiatives focused on the role of business in society. It serves corporate executives, institutional investors, scholars, and policymakers engaged with questions of corporate purpose, stakeholder capitalism, economic mobility, and the energy transition. Its core offerings include the First Movers Fellowship (for corporate leaders advancing decarbonization commitments), the Economic Mobility Fellowship (for executives working on inclusive economic growth), the annual Business & Society Summit, the Aspen Leaders Forum, and the Insights publication channel comprising blog posts and reports. The program does not sell a commercial product; its outputs are convenings, fellowship cohorts, and published research intended to shape corporate practice and public discourse.

The program is staffed by approximately 27 employees and operates from offices in New York (192 Lexington Ave, Suite 1102), with the parent Aspen Institute headquartered in Washington, D.C. Its business model is philanthropic: revenue is generated through foundation grants, corporate partnerships, and individual donations rather than fees for service. Distribution and go-to-market rely on thought leadership, C-suite convenings, and a network of 13 international partner organizations that extend the program's reach into global corporate-purpose dialogues. The program is not a technology platform; its underlying 'infrastructure' is intellectual capital, brand affiliation with the Aspen Institute, and a curated network of senior business and policy leaders.

Name

Aspen Institute Business & Society Program

Legal name

The Aspen Institute

Website

https://aspenbsp.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1949

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Aspen Institute Business & Society Program is a non-profit, founded in 1998, that convenes corporate executives, scholars, and policymakers around corporate purpose, stakeholder capitalism, and inclusive growth via fellowships, summits, and research.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Leadership Development and Convening

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Professional Organizations (81392), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Executive Summits & Invitation-Only Forums (MPAGAGAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Corporate Foundations & CSR Grantmaking (BPAGAKAC), Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies) (THAHACAA)

Keywords

• Nonprofit convening
• Leadership fellowship
• Sustainability research
• Business thought leadership
• Executive networks

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington D.C.

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Foundation and Corporate Partnerships: The program operates as part of the Aspen Institute, a global non-profit convener. Revenue is generated through foundation grants and corporate partnerships that support the organization's mission to align business decision-making with long-term societal and environmental health.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Aspen Institute Business & Society Program operates a portfolio of fellowship programs (First Movers Fellowship, Economic Mobility Fellowship), an annual Business & Society Summit, the Aspen Leaders Forum network for senior sustainability executives, and an Insights publishing platform (blog posts and reports). The program convenes senior business leaders to align business decision-making with long-term societal and environmental health through dialogue, reflection, and peer exchange.

Product overview

The Aspen Institute Business & Society Program operates as a portfolio of interconnected offerings rather than a unified tech product. The core portfolio includes two fellowship programs (First Movers Fellowship and Economic Mobility Fellowship) that support business leaders in building inclusive systems; the Business & Society Summit as a flagship convening for dialogue; the Aspen Leaders Forum as a peer network for sustainability executives; and an Insights platform publishing blog posts and reports. These offerings work together to align business decision-making with long-term societal benefit.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Business & Society Program: Program focused on aligning business decision-making with long-term health of people and planet
• Business & Society Summit
• Aspen Leaders Forum
• First Movers Fellowship
• Economic Mobility Fellowship

Products and services

• First Movers Fellowship A fellowship supporting business leaders working to build more inclusive, equitable, and resilient systems, providing space for reflection, connection, and tools to turn values into lasting change. Selected participants engage in a structured development experience.
• Economic Mobility Fellowship A fellowship supporting business leaders focused on economic mobility, helping them develop strategies to advance inclusive economic opportunity through peer learning and structured development.
• Business & Society Summit An annual summit that brings together curious and courageous leaders to explore how business can contribute to a more just and sustainable world through honest reflection, constructive dialogue, and shared ambition.
• Aspen Leaders Forum A curated network of senior sustainability leaders committed to aligning strategy with long-term societal impact, offering curated dialogue and ongoing exchange sessions to strengthen members' capacity to lead with purpose. Membership involves an application/selection process.
• Insights (Blog & Reports) Fresh thinking at the intersection of business, leadership, and society, including blog posts and in-depth reports that surface emerging questions and practical solutions for long-term impact.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• World Economic Forum: Operates the Davos-style executive summits and leadership networks engaging CEOs and heads of state on global business and societal challenges, directly comparable to Aspen's convening and thought-leadership model.
• BSR (Business for Social Responsibility): Global non-profit network of leading businesses focused on sustainability strategy, advisory, and peer learning among corporate sustainability leaders — overlapping directly with the Aspen Leaders Forum audience.
• Ceres: Non-profit sustainability advocacy organization convening investors, companies, and policymakers to address climate and ESG issues — directly comparable mission of aligning business with long-term societal health.
• Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy (CECP): CEO-led coalition of companies focused on corporate societal investment and societal strategy — comparable member-driven convener model serving senior corporate leaders.

Broad incumbents

• The Conference Board: Long-established business membership organization producing research, convening executives, and providing peer networks on corporate strategy, ESG, and leadership development — overlaps with Aspen's Business & Society Summit and Insights content.
• FSG (Foundation Strategy Group): Consulting and convening organization focused on foundations and corporate philanthropy strategy, working at the intersection of business and societal outcomes similar to Aspen BSP.
• Stanford Corporate Governance Program: Executive education offering fellowships and convenings for senior corporate leaders — comparable format to Aspen's fellowship and Summit programming, with overlapping sustainability leadership audiences.

Emerging players

• JUST Capital: Non-profit that ranks companies on stakeholder behavior and convenes business leaders around more 'just' corporate practices — overlapping with Aspen's mission of reorienting business toward societal value.
• Net Impact: Non-profit professional network supporting students and professionals using business to drive social and environmental impact — overlapping with Aspen's fellowship programming for emerging leaders.
• B Lab (B Corporation): Non-profit certifying and convening businesses around social and environmental performance standards — adjacent to Aspen BSP's mission of aligning business with stakeholder value.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/aspeninstitute
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/AspenInstitute
• Facebookfacebook.com/AspenInstitute
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-aspen-institute
• Instagraminstagram.com/aspeninstitute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Aspen Institute Business & Society Program