In a world increasingly hungry for authentic impact, few leaders have navigated the transformation from corporate success to social purpose as deliberately as Pia Wong. Her journey from crafting campaigns for mobile phone giants and luxury brands to pioneering Hong Kong’s first comprehensive impact measurement research represents more than a career pivot—it’s a testament to the power of aligning professional expertise with personal values.
“Early in my career, I was a storyteller, just for all the wrong brands,” Pia reflects with characteristic candor. “I spent years crafting campaigns for mobile phone giants, soft drink companies, and luxury labels, mastering the art of selling wants rather than needs. But motherhood sharpened my perspective.”
The moment of reckoning came when she evaluated the products she was promoting. “None of this truly matters. Worse, some of it was actively contributing to problems—waste, overconsumption, unhealthy habits. I didn’t just want to sell; I wanted to solve.”
This philosophical shift would prove to be the catalyst for a career transformation that has since influenced thousands of organizations across Asia and beyond. Through Purpose Impact Action, founded in January 2024, Pia now helps organizations move from good intentions to measurable social impact, proving that the skills that drive commercial success can be even more powerful when applied to social change.
THE CRYSTALLIZING MOMENT: WHEN PURPOSE BECOMES PERSONAL
Every transformative leader has a defining moment that crystallizes their mission. For Pia, it wasn’t in a boardroom or strategy session—it was watching children discover the magic of books for the first time.
“The moment that crystallized everything for me was watching a crowd of wide-eyed children with huge smiles on their faces, clamoring to board our ‘Bring Me a Bookmobile,’” she recalls. “These were kids who’d never met an author, never owned a storybook, never even had bookshelves at home to fill. Yet there they were, buzzing with excitement, choosing books like they were treasures.”
That scene revealed a profound truth that would shape her entire approach to social impact. “Right then, I understood that literacy isn’t just about reading words—it’s about unlocking worlds. That bookmobile wasn’t just distributing stories; it was delivering possibility.”
This revelation came during her 12-year tenure with Bring Me A Book Hong Kong, where she witnessed firsthand the gap between good intentions and measurable outcomes. When she joined in 2006, Hong Kong had one of the lowest levels of parent-child reading globally, with only 12% of parents reading to their children compared to the international average of 36%.
The challenge was enormous, but so was the opportunity for transformation. By scaling their reach from 300 to 20,000 families annually, the organization achieved remarkable results: 98% of parents in their programs changed their reading behaviors, and 96% of children increased interest and confidence in reading. These weren’t just feel-good statistics—they were proof that systematic approaches to social change could produce measurable, lasting impact.
BUILDING BRIDGES: FROM CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS TO SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION
Pia’s foundation in corporate communications, built during her time at Weber Shandwick Shanghai and Synovate, provided unexpected advantages in the social impact sector. Rather than abandoning her commercial skills, she discovered how to amplify their effectiveness for social good.
“I learned that purpose-led leadership hinges on communication, not just data,” she explains. “My work involved turning complex research into stories people could connect with to drive real engagement. When you anchor decisions in a clear ‘Why’ and craft a compelling narrative, you don’t just inform people, you inspire action.”
This realization became central to her approach at Purpose Impact Action, where the core philosophy centers on driving “impact culture for sustainable prosperity.” For Pia, this isn’t just another corporate buzzword—it represents a fundamental shift in how organizations operate.
“Driving impact culture means embedding an impact mindset across operations, from strategy to daily operations. But for it to be meaningful, it must be measurable,” she emphasizes. “I define it as a mindset where teams don’t just do good work but actively track how that work creates tangible change.”
THE MEASUREMENT IMPERATIVE: TURNING INTENTIONS INTO EVIDENCE
Pia’s expertise in impact measurement emerged from a frustrating observation: too many organizations were confusing activity with achievement. In 2025, she and her colleague, Marianna Lemus-Boskovitch, conducted Hong Kong’s first comprehensive impact measurement research which revealed the true extent of this challenge.”The gap between measuring activities and measuring change remains one of the sector’s most persistent challenges,” she discovered. “While two-thirds of surveyed organizations report measuring impact to some degree, their methods reveal a telling imbalance: 83% primarily track outputs like participant numbers and events held, while only 57% systematically measure outcomes—the actual changes in awareness, behaviors, or conditions that signify meaningful impact.”
This finding reinforced her conviction that impact measurement isn’t just about accountability—it’s about effectiveness. Organizations that focus on outputs might count how many people attend their programs, but those focused on outcomes track whether those people’s lives actually improve as a result.
The distinction matters enormously. “Common misconceptions about social impact measurement include thinking ‘It’s just CSR’s job’ and ‘Impact equals outputs,’” Pia notes. “In reality, every department plays a role, and impact equals outcomes—behavioral and societal changes from your actions.”
OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE: THE HIDDEN FOUNDATION OF LASTING IMPACT
One of Pia’s most influential contributions to the sector has been highlighting the critical importance of operational funding for nonprofit sustainability. This insight crystallized through the viral “Bake a Difference” campaign, which she helped launch with Voice for Social Good on International Day of Charity 2023.The campaign used the simple analogy of baking bread to illustrate a complex funding challenge. “Just as customers need to pay for the baker, staff, and equipment to bake bread, funders should allocate budget for staff salaries, training, utilities, and workshops for effective program delivery,” the campaign argued.
The message resonated powerfully. The campaign video found 87,000+ viewers online, was reposted 700+ times on LinkedIn, and led to 80+ downloads of their discussion guide. More importantly, it sparked conversations and successfully influenced funders to change grant requirements, paving the way for more sustainable and effective social programs.
The numbers behind the campaign tell a sobering story about nonprofit efficiency. Research by the Centre for Asian Philanthropy and Society (CAPS) found that 86% of nonprofit respondents spend between 10-40 hours monthly raising operational support—time that could be better spent on strategy or impact evaluation.
“Time is zero-sum,” Pia observes. “This time could be much better spent on addressing gaps, improving effectiveness, and scaling impact.”
THEORY OF CHANGE: THE STRATEGIC COMPASS FOR IMPACT
Central to Pia’s methodology is the integration of Theory of Change frameworks into business strategy. For her, this isn’t an academic exercise—it’s a practical tool for navigating an increasingly complex operating landscape.
“The operating landscape is changing fast. ESG regulation is tightening while investors and policymakers focus on measurable impact,” she explains. “A Theory of Change not only helps define and articulate a business’s strategic long-term goals, it maps causal pathways to achieve outcomes and defines what success looks like at each stage.”
She illustrates this with Khan Academy’s approach to digital education equity. While the organization has delivered free education to 136 million learners globally, what matters more are the specific outcomes: doubled math proficiency gains for low-income students in the US and 30% higher college enrollment rates in Brazil.
“This is important because it specifies metrics, demonstrates scale, and shows systemic change,” Pia emphasizes. “Education leads to economic mobility—that’s measurable impact.”
COLLABORATIVE FRAMEWORKS: BRIDGING SECTORS FOR SYSTEMIC CHANGE
Pia’s experience has taught her that lasting social change requires collaboration across sectors. Her work with EPAM Systems, a technology company, while at Bring Me A Book demonstrates how strategic partnerships can amplify impact for all parties.
“We partnered with EPAM because they were aligned with our SDG goal of Quality Education. This led to a website revamp, digital programs, and the world’s first bilingual search engine for under-resourced families,” she explains. “For EPAM, our collaboration supported their SDG target while engaging idle ‘on the bench’ consultants, boosting both efficiency and employee engagement.”
This partnership model reflects her broader philosophy about business-nonprofit collaboration. “Businesses and nonprofits can collaborate more effectively by adopting outcomes-based frameworks, aligning on shared Sustainable Development Goal targets, and using verified third-party impact data to ensure accountability.”
THE STORYTELLING ADVANTAGE: DATA WITH HEART
One of Pia’s distinctive strengths lies in her ability to transform complex data into compelling narratives. This skill, honed during her corporate communications career, has become essential in the impact sector.
“Storytelling transforms impact data into compelling narratives, showing donors how their funding drives measurable change,” she explains. “By pairing human stories with verified outcomes, organizations boost credibility and engagement while challenging harmful stereotypes—replacing ‘savior’ narratives with proof of community-led impact.”
Her approach to data visualization involves formative, summative, and quasi-experimental evaluations that test hypotheses with real data. This methodology helps clients determine whether interventions are working as intended and what impact programs truly have.
“The results allow clients to prove impact, optimize strategies, and communicate value to stakeholders—backed by evidence, not assumptions,” she notes.
EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATIONS: PHILOSOPHY MEETS PRACTICE
Pia’s educational journey from philosophy at UCL and Tufts University to sustainability studies at Cambridge has profoundly shaped her approach to impact work. The philosophical training provided tools for critical thinking that prove invaluable in complex social challenges.
“Those years were filled with probing, questioning, reflecting, and debating. I learned that the pursuit of answers, even when they elude us, is a powerful form of learning,” she reflects.
Her later studies at Cambridge focused on the intersection of business and sustainability, developing strategic understanding of sustainability ecosystems from ESG compliance to operationalizing responsible leadership. “This work reinforced my conviction that businesses must integrate sustainability at their core to drive meaningful impact.”
ASIA’S RISING INFLUENCE: REDEFINING GLOBAL IMPACT
As someone working at the intersection of Asian business culture and global impact trends, Pia has unique insights into the region’s evolving role in sustainability and social change.
“Recent funding cuts and tariffs have exposed our over-reliance on Western support. Companies in Asia are already forging their own path with bold, independent, and locally-led strategies and solutions,” she observes.
She’s noticed significant cultural differences in approach. “Western frameworks tend to be more structured and rigid, while Asian ecosystems thrive on informal networks, trust, and long-term relationships.”
At the same time, Asian consumers and professionals increasingly demand transparent, ethical business practices. In Hong Kong, 70% of SMEs aspire to integrate sustainability into their business operations, with 28% having already taken action.
“Asia’s opportunity is three-fold,” Pia explains. “First, champion evidence-based, equitable models, secondly, bridge nonprofits, social entrepreneurship and business with accountable governance, and thirdly, leverage growing influence to redefine sustainable development.”
DEMOCRATIZING IMPACT: TOOLS FOR EVERY ORGANIZATION
One of Pia’s core beliefs is that impact measurement shouldn’t be limited to large organizations with extensive resources. Through Purpose Impact Action, she’s worked to democratize access to impact measurement tools and methodologies.
“Fortunately, with AI and increased focus on measurable impact and customer expectations, there are more easily accessible resources available,” she notes. Her website offers free toolkits to help organizations begin their impact measurement journey, including steps to develop a Theory of Change and considerations for outcomes-based frameworks.
This accessibility focus extends to capacity building workshops designed to bring impact measurement mindsets to various organizations, whether they are for-profit multinationals, foundations, social enterprises or nonprofits.
THE VERIFICATION REVOLUTION: STANDARDIZING SOCIAL OUTCOMES
Looking toward the future, Pia is most excited about the trend toward outcomes-based frameworks and standardization of social outcomes. “This enables independent verification to ensure investments drive measurable results,” she explains.
“One of the biggest challenges in social impact is the lack of reliable data for funding decisions. Standardization could transform how we assess and allocate resources for social good.”
SCALING SYSTEMIC CHANGE: THE COLLABORATIVE FUTURE
As Purpose Impact Action evolves, Pia’s vision extends beyond individual client work to sector-wide transformation. The organization seeks to drive collaboration by developing localized, shared impact measurement frameworks.
“Aligning common outcomes and key indicators will enhance data comparability, reduce duplication, and streamline impact reporting,” she explains. “This will ultimately strengthen the ecosystem’s ability to demonstrate collective progress.”
This systems thinking reflects her broader philosophy about sustainable change. Rather than competing for recognition or resources, organizations working toward similar goals should share frameworks and learnings to amplify collective impact.
LEGACY OF TRANSFORMATION: FROM STORYTELLER TO SYSTEMS CHANGE AGENT
Pia Wong’s journey represents more than individual career transformation—it demonstrates how professional expertise can be redirected toward social good without sacrificing effectiveness or impact. Her work bridges the gap between commercial rigor and social purpose, proving that the same skills that drive business success can be even more powerful when applied to societal challenges.
Through her leadership of impact measurement research, development of collaborative frameworks, and democratization of assessment tools, she has influenced how many organizations approach social change. Her emphasis on outcomes over outputs has helped shift sector conversations from good intentions to measurable results.
Perhaps most importantly, her story demonstrates that career pivots toward purpose don’t require abandoning previous expertise—they require applying that expertise more intentionally. The storytelling skills that once sold luxury products now communicate the value of social programs. The analytical frameworks that measured consumer behavior now track community transformation.
“My early fascination with philosophy taught me that the pursuit of answers, even when they elude us, is a powerful form of learning,” Pia reflects. “Now I apply that same curiosity to understanding how we can create more effective, more accountable, and more collaborative approaches to social change.”
As organizations worldwide grapple with increasing demands for transparency, accountability, and authentic impact, leaders like Pia provide essential guidance on navigating this complex landscape. Her work demonstrates that the future of social change lies not in choosing between heart and head, but in combining both to create sustainable, measurable transformation.
The bookmobile full of excited children remains a powerful symbol of her mission—not because it represents charitable giving, but because it demonstrates how systematic approaches to social challenges can unlock human potential at scale. In a world hungry for authentic impact, that combination of vision and rigor offers hope for addressing our most persistent social challenges.
