Measuring society beyond the numbers | Jennifer Shulman | TEDxMechanicsville
Economic growth alone doesn’t define progress—people do. Traditional metrics like GDP and profit miss the deeper story of well-being, inclusion, and trust, which are essential for a thriving economy. By using new tools like AI to measure what truly matters, we can build a more just, equitable, and sustainable future. Jennifer is a Partner and National Lead for Equity at Deloitte LLP. She has been working at the intersection of economics, finance, and social impact for over 20 years and has led multiple studies for corporate, government, and not-for-profit clients across a wide range of industries. She has deep experience in the specific are of social equity, human rights, social-based data, and the complexities of social measurement and reporting. Jennifer has an extensive skill set in helping clients with multiple, often competing, stakeholders with developing and implementing ESG strategy and business transformation, ESG measurement and impact analysis, as well as cost/benefit impact methodologies and strategies. This work brings together elements of economics, statistical modelling, cost accounting, and game theory/incentive alignment. Jennifer holds a BA in International Relations from McGill University and MA and PhD degrees in International Political Economy from the University of Michigan. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
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