Charleston, SC – April XX, 2026 – Utility 2030 Leadership Collaborative (U2030) this week announced the launch of its Community Service Program at the ENERGIZE Retreat—transforming individual service projects into a connected, multi-event initiative designed to drive meaningful, measurable community impact.

From Individual Projects to a Connected Program

Since 2023, U2030 has embedded hands-on service into its experiences—cleaning playgrounds through Park Pride, building solar-powered lanterns for communities facing light poverty through a partnership with Engineering Brightness, creating art installations with Art with Heart for TurnAround in Baltimore, creating to-go meals for the Downtown Women’s Shelter in Los Angeles, and so many more.

The new program formalizes and expands these efforts across all U2030 events.

Recognizing Participation: Service Pins & Impact Rewards

Participants now earn service pins for their contributions, one pin for projects hosted at the event venue and two pins for community-based work. After earning eight pins, participants receive a U2030-branded laptop backpack to display their pins, recognizing their commitment to service and leadership beyond the workplace.

The program also honors past contributions, allowing participants to claim pins for projects completed since the inaugural effort in September 2023, where participants served breakfast to residents of Skid Row in Los Angeles. Participants receive one service pin for a project completed at one of our event venues – like a hotel or utility conference room – and two pins for community work. 

Scaling Impact with Partners Like Paymentus

“This program is about making service a consistent part of leadership—it’s core to who we are at U2030,” says Vanessa Edmonds. “We’ve seen and felt the impact, and the response from the organizations we support has been tremendous. In 2025 alone, during our INFLIGHT Workshop Series with Paymentus, participants assembled and donated more than 650 hygiene kits for women and children in emergency domestic violence shelters across six cities. Every time we do this, people walk away saying the same thing: it’s meaningful, it’s energizing, and it’s something they want to keep doing. If more companies embedded service projects into their events and meeting the collective impact could be exponential. We’d love to see that happen—and we’re always open to sharing what we’ve learned.”

Continuing the Commitment at ENERGIZE

At ENERGIZE 2026 in Charleston, participants will continue that commitment by assembling gift baskets for families supported by the local Ronald McDonald House. In addition, U2030 will donate $100 per speaker to the organization as a gesture of appreciation.

What’s Next: INFLIGHT 2026

“If you’re feeling like you missed out on ENERGIZE, don’t worry—your next opportunity is right around the corner,” says Nicole Haskins. “INFLIGHT 2026, the workshop series we co-host with U2030, is built around the theme The Golden Age of Service. In every city, we pair that theme with action—assembling and delivering care packages to residents of senior homes. Many of these individuals are on fixed incomes and often feel invisible. We believe it’s important to show them they are seen and valued. We’ll be in Scottsdale and Chicago in June, Atlanta and Fort Lauderdale in July, and Dallas in August.”

A New Model for Events

The U2030 Community Service Program reflects a broader shift in how professional gatherings can create meaningful, human-centered impact—extending beyond the event itself and into the communities they serve.

“If community service is a priority for your organization and you’re looking for a meaningful way to get involved, we invite you to sponsor a project,” says Vanessa Edmonds. “We’ve seen firsthand how powerful these moments can be—for participants and for the communities we support. We’re incredibly grateful to partners like PSE, who sponsored a project at The Drake House during SPARK 2025, and Paymentus, who sponsored our INFLIGHT 2025 hygiene kits for women’s shelters. Their support is truly a force multiplier for change.”

By combining leadership development with tangible service, U2030’s members are setting a new standard for how events can create lasting value—for both participants and the communities they serve.


Media Contact
Isaac Edmonds
iedmonds@utility2030.org