A purpose framework built for supercharging the power of sport
Fostering shared opportunity and lasting community impact ahead of the LA28 Games
The situation
Los Angeles was confirmed as the host city for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2028 on September 13, 2017, an unprecedented 11 years before the Games would take place. The full schedule of events, the roster of Olympic and Paralympic athletes competing, and so many more key details were still years away from being determined. But from the very start, leaders intended for the LA28 Games to make an impact that matters—an impact that was made to last.
By 2021, LA28’s Organizing Committee staff was growing. With a seven-year runway until the Games, ambitions and plans were evolving into purposeful actions. Leaders knew the eyes of the world would be focused on Los Angeles in the summer of 2028. But what they wanted to understand better was what legacy could be left behind when the LA28 Games end?
LA28 could pursue a multitude of opportunities to define its legacy, so leaders focused on the organization’s aspirations for social impact and community outreach. LA28 would also need a framework it could use to guide decision-making and help signal its priorities to internal and external stakeholders. With help from Deloitte—a trusted advisor and proud sponsor—that could be an immediate and achievable objective.
How can you build a framework that can support a legacy?
The solve
Deloitte began by designing and conducting two initial Greenhouse Labs for LA28. These collaborative sessions are rooted in powerful science and research from the fields of group dynamics, environmental psychology, design thinking, and innovation theory to help organizations capitalize on actionable insights, build winning strategies, and reach their goals. LA28 came into the Deloitte Greenhouse Labs with more than 30 potential areas of focus, and thought leaders from Deloitte helped guide the LA28 team through an ideation and prioritization process. The goal, LA28’s Vice President of Impact, Erikk Aldridge, says, was to identify “commitments that were going to be defined by clear objectives. We focused our efforts on driving progress within existing programs, where LA28’s impact on the Los Angeles community could be felt long after the Games. The ability to co-create a lasting legacy was a key driver in our process.”
To enable LA28 to prioritize opportunities throughout the region, Deloitte helped build a set of criteria and a decision-making model. Together, during the Greenhouse Lab, we pressure-tested the model with an array of potential scenarios. This enabled LA28 to work out its decision-making muscles and better positioned the team to determine which opportunities to pursue.
When the Games conclude in 2028, Aldridge believes, “If Angelenos feel like there was truly shared opportunity connected to the LA28 Games, our legacy will be cemented throughout the Los Angeles region and across the Olympic and Paralympic Movement.”
A purpose framework designed with game-changing opportunities at its core
The impact
What legacy does LA28 want to leave for the city of Los Angeles? It’s a challenging question, answered through big-picture ideation and targeted actions. By defining the purpose vision early, LA28 is already setting up for and delivering on impact before the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2028 start. A legacy needs to be built before it can be left behind, and LA28 is laying a solid foundation. Aldridge says, “The impact that we can deliver prior to the Games is really important because it sets the tone that we’re not waiting until after 2028 to deliver shared opportunity and create social impact in local communities.”
Making an impact that matters through purpose and performance
