Kathy Varol

Kathy Varol is a purpose strategy and ESG expert. Her career has focused on integrating sustainability and social impact into business operations. Varol began her professional journey in the Peace Corps, where she observed the potential for businesses to drive social change. She later developed expertise in brand marketing, strategy, and impact at global companies including Microsoft, MillerCoors, and adidas, and earned an MBA from Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business.

Varol played a key role in developing the global purpose strategy for adidas, a multinational company in the retail and apparel sector. Her work included launching a comprehensive sustainability initiative, creating a social equality platform to expand access to sport for girls and promote racial justice, and advancing a diversity and inclusion strategy. Under her leadership, adidas received a high ESG score from S&P Global Ratings, placing the company among the top tier of rated organizations.

After her tenure at adidas, Varol established a consulting practice to help organizations in apparel, consumer goods, and food and beverage industries integrate purpose into their core business strategies. She developed the "Brand Purpose Model," a four-step process designed to move companies from purpose-as-optics to purpose-as-impact, supporting growth, talent acquisition, and consumer loyalty. Varol is represented by Washington Speakers Bureau and is a keynote speaker and workshop facilitator for audiences worldwide.

Varol hosts the "Purpose and Profit" podcast, which features interviews with business leaders who are redefining success through sustainable business practices and social impact. She has discussed her experiences as a dyslexic thinker, highlighting how this perspective contributes to big-picture thinking and problem-solving. Varol also serves on the board of advisors for Masawa, a social impact fund focused on mental wellness, reflecting her ongoing commitment to leveraging business for positive change.