This past November I had the privilege of attending the 8th annual Social Finance Conference in Toronto. Social finance is an approach to managing and investing money in organizations (for profit and non-profit) that delivers a social dividend and an economic return. Like Shared Value it uses market forces to drive social AND economic value. As a Canadian I was proud to see so many tangible examples from our country and to learn how this form of community investing is growing and maturing.
Reflections From 2 Partnership Brokers Association Courses!
If you want to travel fast, travel alone. If you want to travel far, travel together”–African Proverb It can be said that partnering creates a whole that is significantly greater than the sum of the individual parts, and in the process builds greater value than any one partner could achieve on their own. But what does it take to make a partnership successful?
Trends in Corporate Giving
One of our favourite resources for the latest research and statistics about corporate giving is the Committee for Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy’s (CECP) website. It is a wealth of information that while focused on the United States, holds great statistics that we can apply to Canada as well.Every year we await the release of their annual Giving in Numbers report. They recently released the full version of their 2015 report.
Job Purposing: Infusing 'WHY' Into Everyday Tasks
Disengaged employees. Every company has them and for a long time, we’ve been lost in terms of motivating them. What if we could infuse purpose and meaning into an individual’s job description?Imagine yourself volunteering for a charity of your choice, and helping them to achieve their goals. Let’s pretend it’s an animal shelter, you love animals and soon you realize that while the work is hard, you are genuinely enjoying it.
Leading Innovation: Measuring and Reporting on India’s CSR/Shared Value Work
India is the first country in the world to mandate corporate social responsibility. Companies by law are required to give back 2% to support community. BUT how do they make sure their support has a real impact and makes a difference for the community AND the business.Enter NextGen: India's leading CSR & Sustainability Management Company that works with Fortune 500 clients in 16 different sectors across 6 countries.
India’s CSR Law Sparks Social Innovation & Shared Value
This past September I had the privilege of accompanying my husband on a business trip to India. Incredible India lives up to its billing. India is modernizing and is dynamically and rapidly becoming a force for social innovation. India is a new CSR leader. Why and how has this happened?It’s been a little over a year since the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) law came into effect on April 1, 2014 in India.
The Meaning & Purpose of Community Investment!
Mount Royal University Launches New Community Investment CertificateThis past year I had the privilege of overseeing the development of a new community investment certificate for Calgary-based Mount Royal University. The certificate course will be offered online and will be open to students from any sector and will be available across Canada.Today community investment (CI) is a key business function for corporate Canada.
Profits + Purpose: Trico Homes - A Calgary Success Story
Is it possible for a company to achieve a social purpose while also delivering solid profits? Forward-looking organizations are already focusing on how to balance profit and purpose. Calgary-based Trico Homes is an excellent example of a business that has integrated a strong social purpose into its very core. Wayne Chiu and Trico Homes have redefined how they support community in a way that delivers value for the community and the business.
Cause Marketing at it's Best: Checkout for Charity
This past spring my colleague and friend, Boston-based Joe Waters of Selfish Giving and I had a chance to work together with a leading Canadian restaurant chain and their national charity partner. Our task? - To elevate their cause marketing program and take it to a new level.Joe and I love collaborating to give do-gooders, nonprofits and businesses the tools and strategies they need to raise more money, deepen engagement, build stakeholder loyalty and change the world.
New Power + Shared Value: Change Built to Scale
What is New Power?New power is an emerging trend of people who are rejecting traditional business, government and society as a whole. New power is more transparent, participatory and collaborative than traditional business.Jeremy Heimans describes new power as being like a ‘current’ or a wave. New power picks up energy and gains strength as it goes, rallying more and more people along the way.To contrast, he describes old power as being like currency.