August 2025
Brief
Headlines
Updates from the consulting industry + the world's biggest problems
UK Development Minister Annelise Dodds resigned over Parliament's decision to slash aid budgets in favor of additional military spending -UK Parliament
McKinsey grapples with a new reality where AI can perform many of the same tasks as its highly paid consultants, within minutes. -Wall Street Journal
A new bill in the US Senate may expand guaranteed access to plant-based milk in schools - currently, students must provide a doctor's note. -Mercy for Animals
Faced with a growing threat of polio, Angola has launched a door-to-door blitz to vaccinate children: health authorities plan to reach nearly seven million children under five. -World Health Organization (WHO)
China has proposed establishing a global AI cooperation organization and warned against allowing AI to become an 'exclusive game' for a few countries-a comment that appears to reference U.S. export restrictions. -Reuters
Quick wins
Courses, tools, and other impact hacks
Professionals aiming to pivot into a career in AI governance are invited to apply for the AI Governance Taskforce, a part-time, 12-week program. Applications close August 17. -Arcadia Impact
Stay on your guard against plausible-sounding misinformation using these fact checkers. -Berkeley Library
Watch lives get saved in real time with this malaria vaccine impact tracker. -1DaySooner Africa
Exploring a career in alternative proteins? Check out this interactive global map of the industry landscape. -Good Food Institute
Deep reads
Nuanced takes worth your time
Our CEO Sarah Pomeranz's latest: Why consultants are uniquely suited to tackle the world's toughest problems. -Consulting Magazine
Want to use your career to make a difference in AI? Start here. -80,000 Hours
The definitive guide to building a DC policy network. -Emerging Tech Policy Careers
"Ten AI safety projects I'd like people to work on." -Secret Third Thing
Why do some consultants give up on their dreams of doing good? Perhaps it's about career path clarity. -Slate
More memes, more insights, less burnout Follow us on LinkedIn!
Coming up
Events worth changing your Slack status to OOO for
August
- Compassionate Future Summit, August 21-25
- EAGx SaoPaulo, August 22-24 (Apply by August 9)
- Asia for Animals Conference, August 25-29
September and beyond
- EA Summit Paris, September 13 (Apply by September 9)
- EAG Summit Philippines, September 27 (Apply by August 20)
- EAGx Berlin, October 3-5
- EA Global New York City, October 10-12 (Apply by September 21)
- Reducetarian Summit, October 24-26
Meet the member
Today, we're excited to share Tony Senanayake's pivot from Deloitte into development economics and eventually becoming CEO of Fortify Health, an India-based nonprofit tackling anemia at scale through wheat flour fortification.
Why development economics? My parents came from Sri Lanka, and I'd see all this charity happening there that wasn't changing lives. But development economics was steeped in science, rigor, and pragmatism: doing good with data, willingness to say when something doesn't work, and pivoting. Really putting impact first and measuring it honestly.
Do you like your work now? I love it. I love it. I think more than anything else is the constant challenge, the learning and development that comes in a role like this, because the organization itself is adapting and changing constantly. It requires me to adapt and change as well.
Jobs
Get paid to solve the world's most pressing problems!
- Chief Executive Officer - Ambitious Impact (Apply by August 10)
- Hiring Specialist - Centre for the Governance of AI (Apply by August 17)
- Strategy and Operations Associate, Alignment Team - UK Government, AI Security Institute (Apply by August 18)
- Research Manager - Lead Exposure Elimination Project (Apply by August 25)
- Horizon Fellowship - Horizon Institute for Public Service (Apply by August 28)
- Chief Executive Officer,Global Senior Developer (Accelerator)- Evidence Action (Rolling)
- Senior Researcher - GiveWell (Rolling)
- Senior Associate, Global Markets; Senior Associate, Global Operations - Clinton Health Access Initiative (Rolling)
- Special Projects Associate, Special Projects Manager - Center for AI Safety (Rolling)
- Contractor, Communications / Outreach / Operations - Center for Reducing Suffering (Rolling)
Want to talk jobs?
Our team brings 15+ years of consulting experience and has advised hundreds of professionals exploring high-impact roles. We'd love to help you navigate your career journey, too!
