Is This A Viable Alternative To Crowdsourced Social Good Campaigns?

I’m not the first to make the case that crowdsourced social good contests should retreat quickly into the night.

• They’re inefficient at creating change;
• Their current popularity has diminished the value they bring to companies and brands;
• Consumers are fed up with them (how many vote-for-me solicitations do you get a week that make you feel more like a brand pusher than a change agent?); and
• For the money and hoopla they involve, they should accomplish more than marketing the company and channeling money to (often unvetted and under-qualified) projects.

Whether you agree or not, the next question is, What’s the alternative?

First, it’s helpful to understand what these contests do offer. They’re big and loud. They attract participants, voters, supporters, media and millions of tweets, blogs and Facebook likes. Through this lens, they do provide bang for their buck.  And they only require what many companies excel at–assembling the resources to design and run a colorful marketing campaign and to write checks to the winners. Deep-root partnerships, familiarization with target communities and evaluation and reporting on the awarded funds aren’t required.

So the new question becomes What’s an alternative that can offer companies the same level of virality and visibility without skimping on substance?

Looking for an alternative campaign format is too myopic. Instead, companies should look at a broader level of engagement that supports social responsibility as a business (not just a marketing) strategy.  Admittedly, this sounds obvious, but how can companies do this and still get their marketing kick?

I suggest that companies focus on developing long-term partnership that support a social enterprise abroad. Transferring energies from internal competitions to external investments* allows companies to explore and develop for new markets (BoP populations offer significant market opportunities), test new products, improve resource efficiency and ensure ethical supply lines.  Even thought these partnerships take place outside of the United States, companies still have ample opportunity to relay their work with these communities to American consumers.

P&G’s Children’s Safe Drinking Water program, led by P&G employee Dr. Greg Allgood, is a strong example of a corporate initiative focused on external impact that’s successfully connected American consumers to its work in developing communities. An education portal and upcoming social media campaign to fund clean drinking water for its partner communities and veteran organizations tackling this cause are two storytelling mechanisms.

*This post is the current culmination of several conversations I’ve had with leaders in social enterprise and CSR over the past few weeks, as well as Tim Ogden’s evocative article, in which he talks about external investment vs. internal competitions.

What do you think? Maybe I’m biting off something too big to chew, but there’s something bigger and better than crowdsourced contests that needs to be wrestled down.

 

Olivia Khalili created Cause Capitalism to show businesses how to grow by incorporating a social mission.

Unlock the Value of Your Local Business Community

Most companies today recognize, at least at a the high-level, the consequences and negative impacts of their choices on the communities in which they conduct their day-to-day business.  Some also employ outreach programs designed to make a positive impact in the local society.  However, the evolving face of business sustainability is requiring companies to take it a step further.

The link between business sustainability and a thriving business   is more visible today than at any time in recent past.  As a sustainability consulting firm working in our own community of ecopreneurs, small ‘green’ businesses, and action-oriented corporations, we are  reminded of the importance of community relationships.  We understand that a company and the business community in which it operates are closely and strategically linked.
 
Working with both small businesses and large corporations, our sustainability consulting seeks to be a source of business sustainability information on the benefits of simulating the local economy.  In addition to mitigating negative impacts and engaging in community outreach programs, progressive business sustainability leaders: click here to continue reading.
 
 

Home to one third of the earth’s trees, the Taiga is the largest land-based biosphere and encircles the globe. Its immense oxygen production literally changes the atmosphere and refreshes the planet. It is this continuous renewal that has shaped Taiga Company’s vision to drive similar change in the business world. Taiga Company seeks to be the “oxygen for your business”.

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Cooperative Whole Health Care: Can Windham County Be a Pilot Project?Forum on August 19

(3BLMedia/theCSRfeed) Brattleboro, VT — August 4, 2010 –Marlboro College Graduate School will host a forum entitled, “Cooperative Whole Health Care: Can Windham County be a Pilot Project?” in Room 2East on Thursday, August 19 from 5:30-7:30pm.

The lead presenter will be Cheryl Conner, an attorney and holistic health care advocate who has recently formed the group, Holistic Healthcare Opportunities (H2O), to explore cooperative models of health care delivery, which the new federal health care bill provides financing for creating.

Conner, who teaches a course on new business forms and governance in Marlboro’s MBA in Managing for Sustainability program, says a cooperative model is consistent with the single-payer health care approach currently being discussed by U.S. Senator Bernard Sanders , I-Vt., among others.

“Communities can come together, building on what is good and local, to make a full spectrum of health and wellness approaches available to all people regardless of income,” says Conner. She will also present a proposal to Vermont’s congressmen and state legislators whereby Holistic Health Opportunities would spearhead a cooperative health care initiative in Windham County and the rest of Vermont.

Following Conner’s presentation, formal responses will be made by Richard Davis, the executive director for the Vermont Citizens Coalition for Health Care and weekly health care columnist for the Brattleboro Reformer, and Paul Kervick, the founder of Living Well, a holistic residential community located in Bristol, Vermont.

Public participation will be moderated by Ralph Meima, program director for Marlboro’s MBA in Managing for Sustainability, which is co-sponsoring the event in conjunction with Marlboro’s Master of Science in Management – Health Care Administration.

Interested parties are asked to RSVP at gradschool.marlboro.edu/h2o. Users can also sign-up there for information about future H2O meetings.

For more information, contact the Marlboro College public relations office at 802-251-7644 or pr@marlboro.edu.

Since 1997, Marlboro College Graduate School has offered master’s degrees, certificate programs and professional development courses to working adults in a blended format that combines online learning and face-to-face classes. Current programs include a Master of Arts in Teaching with Technology, a Master of Science in Information Technologies, a Master of Science in Management – Health Care Administration, an MBA in Managing for Sustainability, and a wholly online Bachelor of Arts completion program for Managing Information Systems. Marlboro College Graduate School is part of Marlboro College, a private, four year liberal arts college with a history of teaching students to think clearly and learn independently.

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pakistan flood appeal – over 1 million people homeless. funds to be channeled to concern worldwide. – ammado blog: pakistan flood appeal – ammado

Concern World wide releases €500,000 from its emergency fund to kick-start response. We are also launching an emergency €5 million appeal to deal with the consequences of the largest floods that have hit Pakistan since 1929.

Million homeless

The appeal is seeking emergency funding for desperately needed food, water and shelter. Over 12 inches of rain has fallen in 36 hours causing huge flooding in northwest Pakistan. This has resulted in over one million people becoming homeless.

More water

In the next 48 hours, more water is expected to flow towards Punjab and Sindh provinces, aggravating the devastation.

Assessments

Since 2001, Concern has been involved in long-term development programmes in four provinces in Pakistan. We have been working in the Swat and Charsadda districts in some of the worst flood-affected provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) and Punjab. Concern has been conducting assessments with its local partners over the last few days.  

Our response

We are now responding by providing clean water, food, shelter, mosquito nets, basic hygiene and kitchen items, emergency medical to the most vulnerable families.

Concern has over 50 staff in Pakistan, mostly local staff, and works with nine local partner organisations.

Your help needed

“The Irish  and British public have always rallied to help victims of natural disasters and we are asking for the public’s urgent help for Pakistan,” commented Concern Regional Director, Brid Kennedy. “This is a terrible catastrophe affecting some of the most vulnerable people in the world who are living in dire poverty.”

TO DONATE: www.ammado.com/PakistanAppeal

Business Sustainability: Creating the Purpose that Motivates Us

Employees are often argued to be the greatest resource of a company, and the ability to leverage top talent can be a key differentiator.  In our professional consulting, we express to clients that engaging “green-minded” employees as key stakeholders is a natural extension of any business sustainability plan and essential to implementation success.  

“Engaged employees are not just committed. They are not just passionate or proud. They have a line-of-sight on their own future and on the organization’s mission and goals. They are enthused and in gear using their talents and discretionary effort to make a difference in their employer’s quest for sustainable business success”.  – Employee Engagement Report 2008.
 
Leading business view employee engagement as a multi-prong approach.  These companies consider the following:
 
•    What does it take to attract top talent?
•    What does it take to retain top talent?
•    How to engage talent in the business sustainability direction?
•    How to harness the eco awareness and encourage innovation in the organization?
•    How to promote learning and sustainable development across the company?
 
The video, Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us offers valuable insights as to the value of purpose and contribution.  Thank you to @ADHumlen on twitter for the video introduction.
 

Home to one third of the earth’s trees, the Taiga is the largest land-based biosphere and encircles the globe. Its immense oxygen production literally changes the atmosphere and refreshes the planet. It is this continuous renewal that has shaped Taiga Company’s vision to drive similar change in the business world. Taiga Company seeks to be the “oxygen for your business”.