causenation

Don’t miss an Op-Ed in today’s Boston Globe entitled “Microfinance is a Solid Investment in Economic Growth.”  The piece, written by Jim Koch, Founder and Chairman of The Boston Beeer Company, and Gina Harman, CEO of ACCION USA, describes the power of extremely small business loans to help lift the fate of entrepreneurs. 

Spreading the word and getting others engaged is a core part of the Samuel Adams Brewing the American Dream program, and we are proud to be partners in creating and bringing this program to life.  Through this initiative thousands of  lower-income food and beverage  micro-entreprenuers are receiving business coaching and access to new networks and capital.  Since the program’s inception in 2008, over 250 New England jobs have been saved or created through loans made by the Samuel Adams Microloan Fund at ACCION USA.  Visit the program’s website for more information or to refer an entrepreneur looking for a loan.

My dad has given me many lessons over my lifetime and one of the ones I always seem to draw on is:  Do not confuse someone’s method with his motive.

This came to mind recently when Goldman Sachs announced a $500 million philanthropy initiative to help small business owners through higher education scholarships, access to capital and mentoring.  There is little doubt expressed by journalists and bloggers all around the country that what is motivating Goldman is a desperate need for good will coming out of months and months of revelations around the company’s role in Wall Street’s financial meltdown.

Goldman appears to have begun to embrace what we in causenation always look for from corporate America – transparency. (more…)

(Bob Pearson / European Pressphoto Agency / October 17 / LA Times)

As I travel back from the Points of Light Institute’s Presidential Summit on Community Service, hosted by Former President Bush (41) and President Obama, I am inspired by the direction and fresh momentum of the national and community volunteerism movement. Discussions have moved well beyond volunteerism as a “nice to do” or “a civic responsibility,” toward a focus on using service as a tool to achieve targeted social outcomes. 

Here are some highlights from the Summit:    (more…)

Each year, Adobe celebrates the cutting-edge use of its technology for creating engaging virtual experiences. This year Social Responsibility was added as a new category, and the diverse finalists in this category are worth checking out.  The general public has been invited to vote on the winner. Finalists include a dynamic online forum for Colorado teenagers to discuss peer pressure and making smarter choices in their lives; an interactive game to promote healthy relationships among youth; an online exploration of threatened salmon populations in the North Pacific; and an easy-to-use desktop application that helps Fiat owners drive more efficiently. View the finalists and exercise your vote! Voting will close at 12:00 noon PDT on Tuesday, October 6^th.

As Congress introduces what is hoped to be life-saving legislation to ban texting while driving, and the National Safety Council earlier this year called for a nationwide ban on cell use while driving, causenation sees a tremendous opportunity for scores of mobile device manufacturers and carriers to stand up and be counted as pro-safety.  Next week the U.S. Transportation Secretary will host the Distracted Driving Summit on this life & death issue.

Like the automobile industry before them that championed seatbelt laws and advocated for tougher drunk driving legislation, it is time for this sector to align corporate values with action and create CSR initiatives that promote more responsible and safer use of its products. The social need being both profound and timely, would allow companies in this space to take some really innovative steps toward addressing the increasing danger of using all types of mobile communications devices while driving.    (more…)

Pope Announces Cause-Related Marketing CD for Christmas -- Partnership with David Geffen

So I just read that the Pope has announced a Christmas cause marketing campaign. He has partnered with David Geffen and is making a CD of holiday music to benefit less advantaged kids around the globe. I, for one, couldn’t be happier. In my book it communicates a big, pious thumbs up for the practice of cause marketing.

The most fabulous part is that he has actually nailed many of the best practices that we counsel our clients on every day. Here we go:

• Brand alignment One of the core tenets of the Pope’s brand essence has to do with (more…)

For the past four years I have been working with Adobe on its Adobe Youth Voices  program, a signature initiative that empowers young people from underserved communities around the globe to share their voices. I could not be more thrilled that the Black Eyed Peas have continued to add their voices to support and raise awareness of the power of young people.

I am completely inspired by these kids and it has become a personal passion of mine to expose people in my networks to their creations.

One young filmmaker I really admire is Maria Centeno from East Palo Alto, CA. Part hip-hop artist, part journalist, part poet, part graphic artist, her film What Has This World Come To? is a commentary about paying attention to what is going on around you, seen through Maria’s eyes. More than 25,000 people have viewed Maria’s work! Take a few minutes to watch it.  I hope you agree it is really powerful.  Pass it along to people you know. 

Last week participants and supporters from all over the world came together to celebrate a series of milestones – the first Adobe Youth Voices Global Summit followed by Adobe Youth Voices Live! (more…)

At causenation, the corporate philanthropy programs we like best are the ones that get us up off the couch with a fist-pumping cheer for the people that cause initiatives help. So today we give a big “You Go Girl!” to Lucy Valena of Voltage Coffee who was featured yesterday on CNN’s American Morning.

I love hanging out with Lucy and drinking her lattes. Her story has inspired me, as I hope it will inspire you. Lucy is just one of the microentrepreneurs who have received a microloan and business coaching through the Samuel Adams Brewing the American Dream program, in partnership with nonprofit microlender ACCION USA.

Lucy is an example of the amazing spirit of small business heroes who put it all on the line every day in dedication to their craft. She is representative of the many independent, small business owners who are the faces of Main Street America. Her business and her life are so inextricably intertwined – the success of one is synonymous with the stability of the other.

During a recent speech, Lucy described her business journey to other passionate entreprenuers. With her permission, I am happy to share it here with you….   “Voltage Coffee is an espresso catering service that strives to (more…)

The 2009 Major League Baseball All-Star Game launched last night with a “high-five” to community service and volunteerism.  Five living U.S. Presidents honored five specific community heroes, during over five minutes of live prime time national television.  Kudos to Major League Baseball for helping to further embed civic participation and giving into popular culture.  If you missed this part of the pre-game show check it out.

Giving and volunteerism was core to the “Going Beyond” theme heralded throughout the All-Star calendar. During the Home Run Derby MasterCard held the “Hit it Here” promotion to benefit Stand Up to Cancer.  Also did you notice the RBI tally board in the outfield – throughout the game both teams were competing to hit the most RBI’s triggering a donation to charity. One-offs to be sure, but connected to a bigger, emerging national theme.

Recognizing “All-Stars Among Us” set a positive tone for the game and purposely links directly into President Obama’s call for community service through “United We Serve,” a program which encourages all Americans to be part of building a new foundation for America by engaging in sustained and meaningful community service. President Obama is encouraging all Americans to visit serve.gov to find service opportunities in their area.  To see how some companies are responding visit the United We Serve on-line community.

Be on the lookout all Summer and Fall for more and more companies to be finding ways to engage both their employees and other Americans in service and giving. 

Now, this is a game we’d love to see people and companies compete at – Play Ball!

It has been a big week for national service and volunteerism!

In an important move for both the national service and the corporate social responsibility communities, yesterday President Obama nominated Nike Foundation President, Maria Eitel, to head the Corporation for National Service. When confirmed, she will bring her extensive global business, philanthropy, and CSR experience to running the nation’s domestic service programs, including AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, and Learn & Serve America.

Since she has been instrumental in crafting and managing Nike’s corporate responsibility strategies, we hope she’ll find new ways to encourage companies to partner with national service programs and engage their employees.

She’ll inherit this position just as programs like AmeriCorps are poised to grow exponentially.  Earlier this week the President signed the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act.  Although the funding still needs to be authorized by Congress, this legislation will take national service to historic levels.  Details can be found at Service Nation; select highlights include:

• Grows the number of AmeriCorps volunteers nationwide to 250,000, up from 75,000.
• Establishes 4 new service corps to address key needs in low income communities – Clean Energy Corps, Education Corps, Healthy Futures Corps, and Veterans Service Corps.
• Establishes Youth Engagement Zones to empower low-income high school students and out-of-school youth in volunteer efforts.
• Creates 2 fellowships to support social entrepreneurs, boomers and retirees, the private sector and Americans from all generations into service.

In releated news, our recent causenation post on corporate volunteerism talks about the increasing corporate enthusiasm for service and new investments businesses are making.   

National service – just do it!