19 Jan 2022

Why businesses need to wake up to the call for community

By Olivia Hill

PRESS RELEASE: 19.1.2022

Impact consultancy, Seismic, appoints Chief Community Officer in response to growing trend

Community adoption is no longer confined to the world of challenger brands, it has become mainstream. Companies are investing in community in a meaningful way; creating culture and prioritising relationships with stakeholders. Crucially, the role of Chief Community Officer is on the rise.

This call for community is particularly strong in the world of social and sustainable change, reflected in the fast growing B Corp movement. Community forms an essential part of the B Corp mission to make business a force for good.

Seismic, an impact consultancy that specialises in B Corp certification, has announced that Cofounder Andy Schmidt will be taking on the newly created role of Chief Community Officer: “We have noticed time and again a deep desire amongst purpose driven professionals and brands to collaborate and support one another around social and environmental issues. The creation of the Chief Community Officer role is our response to this increasing longing for belonging,” says Andy.


Seismic identified three trends that led to Andy’s move from COO to CCO:

  1. Individuals and organisations are looking for ways to come together to solve the challenging social and environmental issues of our time.
  2. Consultancies like Seismic are being asked to go beyond their traditional business advisory services and help support clients’ communities.
  3. There is growing demand to participate in a number of impact capacity building programs being offered around the world, and having been involved with a number of these initiatives, there is a clear desire to not only develop one’s own capabilities but to stay connected in a values aligned community.

The role of Chief Operating Officer will be taken up by John Taylor, previously Managing Director at Enhabit Ltd, whose significant Carbon experience and ‘people-first’ approach will support Seismic’s commitment to community and mission to help change society and fix our planet.

Andy concludes: “Companies that traditionally compete for market share are now collaborating on social and environmental challenges. A longing for community was already a trend, but set this against the backdrop of the pandemic, and we see this desire for connection has taken a giant leap. I’m so pleased that in passing the role of COO into John’s capable hands we bring his brilliant skills to Seismic. And I am honoured to have the opportunity to shape how we nurture and support the communities purpose driven brands and professionals seek, in order to tackle the challenges we collectively face.’


Seismic is an international team of impact experts on a mission to help businesses prosper by becoming increasingly impactful forces for good. In addition to their broad corporate sustainability experience, Seismic has developed world leading B Corp expertise, helping hundreds of companies leverage the B Corp framework to understand, improve, measure and communicate their impact.