Charting the Change from BPO to BoP: Training the Next Generation of Skilled Labor in India
Before the services industry boom, the choice for a young graduate in India was very limited. You had to be an engineer or doctor to even think of getting into decent salary league, let alone high-paying salary league. No one can deny the business process outsourcing (BPO) boom was the ultimate game changer, as the […]
When Volunteers Become Voluntold
This blog originally appeared in The Huffington Post. Corporate volunteer programs offer such a multitude of benefits that they sometimes seem beyond reproach. When these programs are executed well, employees get to participate in meaningful work outside of the office that is recognized and supported by their employers; companies earn the appreciation of their employees […]
The 3 C’s of Successful Non-Profit Relationships
Like any healthy coupling, the recipe to a happy, long term business relationship between a non-profit organization and its corporate volunteers and donorsis commitment, communication and compromise, with a large dose of appreciation sprinkled on top. As the Manager of Volunteer Services at Family Centers, Jennifer Flatow has discovered that applying these ingredients to her […]
5 Tips for Creating Corporate Volunteer Programs
Corporate volunteer programs provide excellent opportunities for businesses to create a positive corporate image, establish friendly relations among staff members and, most importantly, do something good for the community. In a corporate volunteer program, a company partners with a nonprofit organization, encouraging its staff to become advocates of a cause. The program can range from […]
The Business Case for Employee Volunteering – Case #2
Many companies have employee volunteer programs, but for many companies in Europe, Canada and the US these programs are underfunded, underdeveloped and underutilized. This blog series is meant to offer a number of compelling reasons why your business needs to invest (a bit more) in employee volunteering. Finding New Talent “Firms are also facing strong […]
Employee Retention and Corporate Volunteering: 5 Facts For Human Resources Professionals
For those searching for employee engagement ideas, corporate volunteering has become an extremely hot topic. The Volunteer IMPACT Survey that Deloitte released last year further validated what had been increasingly acknowledged amongst corporate social responsibilityexperts for some time; employees who participate in corporate volunteering are more strongly engaged with their companies…and more likely to stay […]
The Fairest Olympics the World has Ever Seen
Last Friday, London, the largest Fairtrade City in the World, welcomed the London 2012 Olympic Games that are the Fairest Olympics the World has ever seen. During the Games, an estimated 10 million Fairtrade bananas from the Windward Islands and South America will be eaten, 7.5 million cups of Fairtrade tea served, 14 million cups […]
Creating Shared Value in the World’sToughest Places
Over the past few years, for-profit and non-profit partners have been experimenting with new ways of working together, creating what’s often now referred to as ‘shared value’. At its heart this concept is about bringing companies and NGOs together and leveraging the expertise of both, in order to achieve the greatest possible social and economic […]
Kourage: The Power of Sport to Fight Poverty
I’m Chris Markl an economics professor and an expert on foreign investment and job creation. I’m also the founder of Kourage Athletics. Kourage Athletics is Kenya’s running brand. Our mission is to leverage the tradition of Kenyan runners to create authentically kenyan running apparel. In addition Kourage seeks to become the first African brand that […]
A Skills-Based Revolutionary: Taproot’s Aaron Hurst
A taproot is the core root of a plant that gathers nutrients from lateral roots and delivers them to the plant so it can flourish. Which makes it the perfect name for an organization that sees itself as a taproot for the nonprofit sector, drawing nutrients from the business community and delivering them to nonprofits […]
Moving Capital- Are you investment ready?
Finding the right people and resources can be tough in a climate of austerity, especially if you are a social entrepreneur. However, there are great opportunities in the sector for those willing to put in the hard work. Andrew Stunell, Communities Minister, has recently announced that £30 million in grants will be available for local […]
Why Is Digital Communication Increasingly Important For Marketing At The Bop?
Prahalad’s BoP concept has become well known by now among scholars and practitioners. Co-creation with poor people as active consumers, producers, and innovators are central to the concept. It envisions social development through market growth. In order to discuss why digital communication is increasingly important for marketing at the BoP, two perspectives are key: Firstly, […]
THE SOURCE AWARDS – REWARDING OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS IN FASHION AND SUSTAINABILITY
The SOURCE Awards put the spotlight on the most innovative and inspirational businesses, individuals, and initiatives in the fashion industry, globally. The awards recognise excellence in 12 different categories, from design innovation to brand leadership across women’s, men’s, accessories, and children’s wear, sustainable supply / manufacture, retail, and individual contribution. SOURCE recognises that sustainable practices […]
Paul Polak – At Least a Million
For many years I have been a vocal advocate for what I call the “Don’t Bother Trilogy” in the practice of design, which states: 1. If you haven’t had good conversations with at least 25 customers before you start 2. If the product or service you design doesn’t pay for itself three times in the […]
How To Get Your Employees To Stop Job Hunting
Studies show that engaged employees generate an average of between a quarter to a third more profitsfor their companies. Fantastic, right? But here’s the question: do you think that most of your employees are engaged? If you answered yes, chances are you’re dead wrong. According to one eye-opening study, fewer than a third of all […]
Brainstorming Fundraising Ideas? Don't Overlook Corporate Philanthropy
For every non-profit, there’s no way around it. Your cause is relevant and worthy. You’ve identified the need and crafted a breakthrough solution that will ensure tangible impact. Your mission statement is both beautiful and inspiring. You’ve assembled an impassioned, dedicated staff ready to execute your vision. All’s in place. Time to get the ball […]
Brainstorming Fundraising Ideas? Don’t Overlook Corporate Philanthropy
For every non-profit, there’s no way around it. Your cause is relevant and worthy. You’ve identified the need and crafted a breakthrough solution that will ensure tangible impact. Your mission statement is both beautiful and inspiring. You’ve assembled an impassioned, dedicated staff ready to execute your vision. All’s in place. Time to get the ball […]
Kickstarting Youth Entrepreneurship: an answer to youth unemployment?
Youth unemployment is a global problem. A recent OECD report reveals that the average rate of youth unemployment in OECD countries is 16% while the troubled economies of Greece and Spain are struggling with youth jobless rates above 50 per cent. In Africa, an increasingly youthful population needs more opportunities to make a living, an […]
3 Ways For Non-Profits to Get the Most from Corporate Volunteer Programs
Sometimes they’re a true blessing. Other times, well, not so much. Hopefully your non-profit’s experience with corporate volunteer programs has been nothing but positive. The program was organized, the volunteer team was filled with eager and genuinely engaged employees, the team took their work seriously, stayed on task, accepted direction, and the day was a […]
Access to Food and Improved Nutrition at the BoP: Five business interventions to achieve social impact, financial sustainability and scale
Improving food and nutrition security through better availability, accessibility, and utilization of food and food products is a complex challenge. It involves a sector where key activities – such as the production, distribution and consumption of food and the identification of food markets – are largely in the hands of private enterprises. Interventions by the […]