Differencemakers Tour 2010: Chris Jarvis, of Realized Worth, presenting in Toronto, July 13, 2010

(3BLMedia/theCSRfeed) Toronto, Canada – March 18, 2010 – For the first time ever, in July, August and September of 2010, two of the world’s leading experts in the practical advantage of linking corporate responsibility, social entrepreneurship, and innovation, will be sharing the stage and their passion, insight, and fascinating experienceswith select audiences in major cities around the world. (For more information: http://3bl.me/dvdhbw)

You will leave this 8-hour high content, high value, hands on, practical, no nonsense, Master Class with insights and ideas you can implement immediately that will make a real difference in your life and work, and as a consequence make a difference to others.

You will take away strategies and tactics you can use immediately and in your own way.

Waking up the world to the infinite possibilities for sustainable growth by combining true innovation (changing what is normal) with authentic corporate responsibility, and social entrepreneurship.

Stop doing what you don’t love, and start doing what you do love in theservice of people who love what you do. Imagine how much you would increase your productivity if you stopped doing what you don’t love to do! And, how much happier would you be? (For more information: http://3bl.me/dvdhbw)

Who should attend? If you

• are interested in learning about social entrepreneurship, authentic innovation, sustainability and corporate responsibility.

• own/lead a business that is for people, the planet, and for profit

• lead a corporate responsibility team in a corporation

• are, or aspire to be, a social entrepreneur or social intrapreneur

• work for or with a non-profit or charity

• want to be more engaged with your philanthropy

• or simply want to make a bigger difference in all that you do

then this Master Class is for you!

REGISTER HERE: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/590590472/tour2010toronto/1270172401

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Mixing It Up On Nonprofit Boards: Diversify or Fail | 3BL Media

I love Scott E. Page’s book, “The Difference: How the Power of Diversity Creates Better Groups, Firms, Schools, and Societies.” First of all, he is a kindred spirit, talking about joy, diversity, and Ben and Jerry’s New York Super Fudge Chunk (my favorite). He also opens his chapters with delightful and illuminating quotations from an eclectic array of historians, rock stars, writers, comedians, philosophers, and others. 

“What each of us has to offer, what we can contribute to the vibrancy of our world, depends on our being different in some way, in having combinations of perspectives, interpretations, heuristics, and predictive models that differ from those of others. These differences aggregate into a collective ability that exceeds what we possess individually,” shows Page, a professor of complex systems, political science, and economics.

I have seen this phenomenon with many dozens of nonprofit boards..

For continuation, see http://bit.ly/ddspP7

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Grow your Business through Community Building

Synergy comes from the Greek word synergia, meaning joint work and cooperative action.   Synergy is created when things work in concert together to create an outcome that is in some way of more value than the total of what the individual inputs is.

 Solutions to complex problems can be sparked by unusual pairings.  Consider how you can grow your business by partnering with a nonprofit, NGO, or the like to not only address business sustainability concerns but also solve and improve community issues.

 In a report by Forum for the Future, the authors discuss the hallmarks of business sustainability leaders.  Specifically in the area of community relations, the report discusses some key business distinctions.
 

• Community activities have strong links to the core business, its brands and its products/services.
• The business measures the outcomes, rather than just inputs, of its community activities.
• A clear strategy at group level provides the framework for initiatives carried out at the local level through partnership with community groups, local businesses, regulators etc.
• Measures are in place to ensure initiatives add value both to the community and to the business.
• Initiatives are delivered via mixed investments of time, finance, knowledge and skills.

 
How can you grow your business through community building?  Match your company values with partnering organizations in the community.  Focus on:
 

• Shared interest
• Creating a win/win outcome
• Meeting commitments to the local community
• Delivering on social business targets
• Building local trust
• Improving stakeholder relations
• Developing a skilled local supplier base

 
These kinds of partnerships lead to beneficial back scratching -to affect change and get a better grounding for the corporate social responsibility programs and business sustainability strategies.  Organizations working together allow sustainability plans to synergize in a way neither organization can achieve on its own. 

Non-Profit Service: A Key to the Executive Suite?

According to Harold (“Terry”) McGraw III, Chairman, President and CEO, The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP), nonprofit board service is a key qualification for any executive he might hire or promote. In a private interview with me, Terry McGraw explained that “If I don’t see that [board service], I’m discouraged about the candidate. I want to see how complete a person is. Board participation tells me a lot about someone’s interest and experience in teambuilding and openness toward coaching. A candidate who doesn’t serve on nonprofit boards is underdeveloped.”

McGraw also believes that as the CEO, he needs to be a role model through his own community service and nonprofit board participation. “Otherwise, no one will take this seriously.” McGraw chairs the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy (CECP), and serves on the boards of the New York Public Library, National Organization on Disability, National Academy Foundation, Council for Economic Education, and Prep for Prep, among others. McGraw also serves on the boards of public companies.

Just like the CEOs I consult to and write about, McGraw’s very first board of directors experiences…

See continuation here…http://bit.ly/bKqH0l

Posted via web from 3BL Media, CSR News, and Emily

Taiga Company – Benefits of Sustainable Supply Chain Management

Supply Chain Management (SCM) over the past few decades has proven there to be opportunity to reduce cost and add value in the supply chain.  However, traditional supply chain management has focused primarily on cost, with professional consulting targeting costs (including transport, inventory, and administration) of 7% to 9% of revenue.

 The recent emergence of sustainable supply chain management provides the opportunity to review processes, materials, and operational concepts from a different perspective.  It incorporates the role of the environment in supply chain value creation.

 Leading companies are finding unique value opportunity in sustainable supply chain management: Pepsi-Cola Saved $44 million by switching from corrugated to reusable plastic shipping containers for one liter and 20-ounce bottles, conserving 196million pounds of corrugated material.

 Benefits and additional reasons to incorporate eco awareness in the supply chain includes:

 1.    Increase Profitability – Proactively incorporating sustainability concepts into your supply chain will decrease cost and add the value to operations.
2.    Asset Utilization – Incorporating greater eco awareness into transportation and inventory practices will increase utilization of key assets.
3.    Risk Mitigation – Promoting greater understanding of sustainability within the company’s supply chain will mitigate environmental, social, and market risks.
4.    Innovation – Incorporating sustainability concepts into the supply chain will be a catalyst for supplier innovation.
5.    Alignment – Negotiating business sustainability policies with suppliers and customers will promote alignment across the supply chain.
6.    Continuous Improvement – A common understanding of sustainability concepts, goals and objectives provides a platform for continuous improvements.
7.    Customer Service – Implementing sustainable best practices within the supply chain will standardize operations and allow for improve customer service.
8.    Regulatory Compliance – Green supply chain management will help ensure regulatory compliance.
9.    Product Differentiation – Creating uniquely different green supply chain practices will differentiate the company and its products in the market place.
10.    Enhance Reputation – Demonstrating green business practices will promote business sustainability and enhance company reputation.

 As sustainability consultants we see some common best practices in the successful implementation of a sustainable supply chain:

• Align supply chain goals with business sustainability goals
• Evaluate each product and service supply chain as a single full life-cycle system
• Leverage a sustainable supply chain as a catalyst for innovation with suppliers and customers
• Focus on source management

 These practices don’t just apply to the large manufactures or environmental businesses.  Taiga Company provides small business resources to clients of all sizes seeking to make incremental steps towards a sustainable supply chain.  Successful implementation of a sustainable supply chain takes commitment.  Our professional consulting focuses on the business drivers that help you see the value.

Posted via web from 3BL Media, CSR News, and Emily

Second round of the GRI’s Reader’s Choice Awards opening today

(3BLMedia/theCSRfeed) Amsterdam – March 18, 2010 – The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) has today announced the organizations that are still in the running for the Reader’s Choice Awards.

Readers can now continue to vote on the shortlisted organizations from 13 different countries. They determine who deserve recognition for their sustainability reporting.
 
Voting is now open at http://awards.globalreporting.org and closes 8 April.
 
Since the re-launch of a simpler, more user-friendly format, voting is now easy and quick. Already over 3,500 people from across 88 countries worldwide have participated during the first phase of the competition.
 
Solitaire Townsend, Co-founder of Partner organization Futerra said:
 
“This year the global response has been phenomenal. Brazil, India and the USA are the top 3 countries at the forefront of voting but other votes are coming in from every corner of the world. Everyone wants to have their say on the future of sustainability reporting and we can’t wait to see the final results.”
 
Wim Bartels, Partner at KPMG Sustainability Netherlands said:
 
“As two years have progressed since the first Readers’ Choice Awards, this year’s shortlist and survey results will show how readers assess the efforts companies worldwide have put into sustainability reporting. We look forward to learning about the progress made and the challenges ahead.”
 
The 6 winners will be announced at the GRI Awards Ceremony taking place at the Amsterdam Global Conference on Sustainability and Transparency, 26-28 May 2010.
 
The GRI Conference will be the world’s largest gathering of leaders, thinkers and doers in the field of sustainability reporting.  It will feature debate on how reporting can be used to help build a better future. Expert practitioners will lead workshops and interactive sessions to define the building blocks of more effective reporting.
 
GRI developed the world’s most widely used sustainability reporting framework and partners for the Awards with KPMG Spain, KPMG Netherlands, SustainAbility, Futerra, TCS and ACCA.
 
To take part in the Survey and Awards as a reader or reporter, click here now.
 
Click here for further information on the Amsterdam Global Conference on Sustainability and Transparency.
 
Media Contact
 
Marjella Alma
e: alma@globalreporting.org
t: +31 (0)20 531 00 36 
 
About The Global Reporting Initiative
 
The Global Reporting Initiative has pioneered the development of the world’s most widely used sustainability reporting framework and is committed to its continuous improvement and application worldwide. This framework sets out the principles and indicators that organizations can use to measure and report their economic, environmental, and social performance. www.globalreporting.org
 
About the Readers’ Choice Awards
 
The GRI Readers’ Choice Awards was designed to give all sustainability report readers worldwide the opportunity to shape the future of best practice in sustainability reporting by voicing their opinions on the state of reporting today. GRI and its partners developed the GRI Readers’ Choice Awards concept as a way to capture the preferences of readers, but also as a way to alert potential new readers to the value of sustainability information available to them today. 

Posted via web from 3BL Media, CSR News, and Emily

The Journey of the Volunteer: Tourist, Traveler & Guide: Part 2

Realizing Your Worth Blog

Working with the Stages 

The idea of taking the time to pay attention to the differences in your volunteers may seem exhausting. Noticing their name tags is difficult enough! The fact is, it tends to take more energy to neglect the differences than it does to address them. Trying to treat everyone like they’re exactly the same is a waste of time. We’re not the same. Volunteers – as with all people – must be met where they’re at rather than expected to be something they’re not.

Before you continue reading, take a second to get caught up by skimming Part 1 here: (The Journey of the Volunteer)

Working with Tourists: Most of your volunteers are tourists. This is a stage that’s easy to manage and offers tremendous benefit to your recruiting and screening process. (You can read more about this in the article “Automatic Volunteer Management: How to Offer a Great Volunteer Experience.”) Tourists can can be so excited they’re annoying, or so cynical they’re infuriating. Sometimes they just won’t show any emotion at all. The point is, they’re new. They need to be allowed to look around and take it in without much expected of them. When it comes to tourists, you will be spending a little bit of time with a lot of people. This stage is a place of discovery for you and the volunteer. Resist the urge to develop, recruit, or retain. Just observe, gently guide, and when they go – let them. Tourists who stick around will be doing it because they choose to for internal reasons – and that is the type of volunteer you want.

Working with Travelers: Travelers can be a little tricky. This stage can go by quickly or it can last for years. Each traveler has unique issues, questions, and reasons for volunteering with you. They tend to identify themselves by asking questions, showing up with regularity, making themselves more available, and becoming a bit difficult to deal with. Resist the urge to give pat answers. More importantly – do not blow these people off. Offer answers to their questions in the form of training or increased exposure to issues. Better questions are the point so focus on guiding travelers further down the road of discovery. Classes, assessments, time at a coffee shop, field-trips and introductions to broader networks will all be valuable tools for a traveler.

Working with Guides: Guides will consume most of your time and energy, and they should. At this stage, you will spend most of your time with the fewest number of people. A true guide will pay off in spades for every investment you make. They have moved beyond the need for external constructs like your volunteer program. Drop them anywhere on the planet, and they are such dyed-in-the-wool-sold-out-for-the-cause believers they will invent ways to do what they do. Facilitation is the key word here, along with collaboration. Use their ideas, partner with them, give them what they need, resource them and then let them loose. They will recruit, promote, network, fund raise, whatever – all the time. All. The. Time. And you know why?
Because they are doing it for their own reasons – not yours. There is convergence between your needs, the required work, and their needs. All three horizons (that of the tourist, traveler, and guide) have merged and now they are operating at their highest level of contribution. The only thing you can do to mess it up, is treat them or talk to them like they are tourists.

Now, volunteer coordinators, we’ve started you off with just a few basic concepts. In order to receive the greatest benefit from this article, you should take the following steps:

1. First: Don’t do anything.

Seriously. Just read about the journey of the volunteer and let it all sink in. Allow your mind to wander through personal experiences and examples of volunteers you know who fit these profiles. But don’t do anything. Your first step is to become familiar with the concepts. 

Keep on reading……

Email Chris; chrisjarvis@realizedworth.com
Email Angela at angela@realizedworth.com

C: 1-317-840-8955
Join our Facebook Page
Follow Chris on Twitter @RealizedWorth
Follow Angela on Twitter @AngelaJeane
Check out Chris’ LinkedIn Profile 

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Posted via web from 3BL Media, CSR News, and Emily