causenation

I just returned from judging the 2010 Cause Marketing Forum Halo Awards.  And the winners are…. 

Actually, I am sworn to secrecy.  Sorry!  Finalists will be announced June 3^rd at the Annual Cause Marketing Forum Conference.  There truly are some amazing programs to look out for.

One of the best things about being a part of the cause-related world is that our collective field is constantly innovating, evolving, pushing the limits of what might be possible and, ultimately, raising the bar for all of us who practice in this space. It is an amazing experience to be part of a discipline that is old enough to recognize some best practices, yet still young and agile enough to be the source of fertile ground open to exploration. (more…)

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.

The continued research statistics about the continued momentum of the CSR movement and companies’ progress despite a down economy is encouraging.  But recently I saw first-hand that momentum in action – and that was more exciting than any statistic.

A few weeks ago,  I spoke at Simmons College School of Management  at a seminar in CSR theory taught by Dr. Shuili Du, a CSR researcher and professor of marketing.  I found the students smart and well informed and their questions and comments insightful. What has me all jazzed up, though is what happened after I left the class. (more…)

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…)

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…)

When I hear about a theme or a trend that catches my attention, I tuck it away and know I will use it at some point. If I hear about it again in a different circle I know it is an idea that is “bubbling” and is something that will likely resurface, and so I start to think about its relevance to my world. The third time this theme crosses into my domain, I know it is an established conversation that many are having. And in the past 10 days or so, at varied intersections, I have been part of conversations about what it actually takes to work in the CSR field. Is it training? DNA? Professional experience? Formal education? I don’t know the definitive answer, but I do know there is more than one path.  Mostly, I am just thrilled the conversation is actually taking place in numerous circles.

Last week I spoke at the Association of Educators in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) national conference here in Boston. The panel, Lessons in CSR, (more…)

To be successful today as corporate citizenship / corporate social responsibility (CSR) professionals, there are few excuses for not knowing your company’s activities and business cold.  

As hundreds of corporate executives gather for the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship Annual Conference, it is time for a POP QUIZ – how well do you know your business?

How did you do?

If you scored 5/6, well  done!  Our guess is that if you are that connected to your business, then are you are probably also driving citizenship activities toward business results.  Most likely you are positioning CSR as a set of solutions and have already earned a seat at numerous strategy tables.  Please share your journey with causenation. 

If you scored 3/6, you get a (more…)

Paul Levy of Beth Isreal Deaconess Hospital

In today’s Boston Globe, columnist Kevin Cullen wrote about a magnificent move by Beth Israel Hospital CEO Paul Levy. Levy asked higher-wage earning employees to think creatively about how they could collectively shoulder some of the cost-cutting burden to save the jobs of the hospital’s lower-wage earning employees. Levy reported receiving hundreds of emails an hour and his bold request and gesture generated a rousing round of applause from the employees gathered. We think this is leadership at its best, at the time it is needed most.

The fact is, and it’s no surprise, employees all over America are hurting. And we’re not just talking about those who have recently been laid off with the massive cutbacks rippling across corporate and nonprofit America alike. (more…)

You won’t be surprised to hear that another set of indicators from the Conference Board point downward for 2009.  Corporate philanthropy will dive this year – thirty-five percent of companies surveyed by the Conference Board said they would make fewer grants this year and another twenty-two percent are considering reductions. 

However, there is also good news for causenation.  In this time of need, companies and individuals are embracing volunteerism.  Forty-five percent of companies in the Conference Board survey say that they will be increasing resources dedicated toward corporate volunteerism.  USA Today reported this week that applications are soaring at government-funded service programs like Peace Corps, Teach for America and Americorps.  Buoyed by the President’s call to action and uncertainty in job market, community service is coming of age again. (more…)

Don’t waste another minute – we actually don’t think it matters what you call it. Citizenship. Sustainability. Corporate Social Responsibility. Corporate Involvement.

The labels are all around us, yet they are the least important part of the equation. No one label is exactly right, and none of them are wrong. This evolving discipline represents diverse objectives, strategies, tools, initiatives, and intentions.

Labels aside, what is imperative is that each organization brings its values into practice; embraces them as their own; and does so with a shared vision and common language to set goals, develop strategies, implement programs, and monitor progress.

In the end what is really important is that as professionals we each lead, teach, and communicate in a way that makes sense for our organizations, so that our stakeholders can play their role in strengthening business and impacting society.

What are you calling “it,” how does that work for your company?