Causenation
A blog by Cause Consulting

Collage of images of people volunteering and working together

Boosting “Fulfillment, People-Centricity, and Leadership”: Tips for Social Impact Professionals

Inspired by HP’s Work-Relationship Index, these strategies offer a blueprint for creating a thriving, purpose-driven work environment. Discover actionable recommendations for designing impactful programs and leadership opportunities.

Newsletter: Essential Tips for Your Social Impact Playbook

As business strategists, program architects, and storytellers, we embrace best practices, draw insights from those closest to the issues, and engage...
Nikki speaking at event

A Pep Talk: Calling on Social Impact Professionals to Be Bold

Leadership, or lack of leadership, is a hot topic right now on many fronts, including within the business world. With so many urgent challenges across the globe, deeply troubling local tragedies, and ongoing community concerns, it’s a critical moment for professionals at all levels to step up, get engaged, and lead. Check out three tips for social impact leaders to navigate increased scrutiny, trust themselves, and lead with courage.

5 Ways to Advance Your Corporate Community Investment Efforts

Today more than ever, corporate community investment work demands flexible and adaptive approaches. Social impact professionals need to regularly assess strategies, aligning them with the shifting community needs and expectations of stakeholders, as well as emerging trends. Explore these 5 ways to advance your corporate community investment efforts.

CSR Passion Fuels Innovation

This week I facilitated a panel at the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship conference on how corporate social responsibility can fuel business innovation.  We had a rock star panel with Amy Skoczlas Cole (eBay’s Head of Environment and Director of eBay Green Team); Eve Callahan, (Umpqua Bank’s SVP, Corporate Communications); and Kris Bowring (Best Buy’s Senior Director, Home Management).

We had a dynamic conversation about how each of these companies are being intentional about creating disruption in their cultures and challenging the status quo.  They are doing this not because it’s fun and easy (we learned quite the opposite), but because ultimately their work will not only fuel their business and create new growth opportunities, but also positively impact society. From “real” community banking; to a sustainable shipping box; and a best-in-class electronics recycling initiative, we had a powerful session.

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Celebrating Volunteerism in Boston

As a member of the Boston Cares board of directors I was thrilled to celebrate the organization’s 20th Anniversary last week at Fenway Park. Joined by Boston’s Mayor Menino, Massachussetts Governor Patick, and hundreds of volunteer award winners and guests, we toasted the past and announced an ambitious agenda for the future.

Under the leadership of Executive Director Patrice Keegan and Board Chair Howard Kogan, the staff created and filled over 70,ooo hours of opportunity for Bostonians to take action in 2010 alone. And take action they did; some 25,000 people volunteered and helped hundreds of Boston nonprofits achieve their critical social and educational missions.

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Teaching and Learning

We are psyched to be back on the road teaching and learning. Here is a sample of our recent and upcoming travels:

February

+ Nikki just got back from New Profit ‘s 2011 Gathering of Leaders in Miami with some of the nation’s pre-eminent entrepreneurs and investors in the social innovation field.

March

+ We are co-teaching a day-long training program for corporate practictioners on “Maximizing Signature Cause Programs” with the Association for Corporate Contributions Professionals. This session is hosted by Bank of America in NYC and only open to ACCP members, but please let us know if you’d like to attend.

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The Power of Coaching

I place my recent experience as a Segal Fellow Coach in the category of things I feel guilty about. Why? Not because I didn’t show up on time or give it my all, but because I got so much out of the experience. I can almost hear Eli knowingly chuckling about the power of service to help transform those who serve.

I am grateful to my Segal Fellow Alan Ratliff who during the time we spent together gave me a window into his dynamic and highly complex work informing GBLT (gay, bi-sexual, lesbian, and transgender) policy development on the state-wide level.  Over fancy salads, Japanese noodle soups, and something Thai that I am still not sure about, I learned about the disconnects between public officials and a new generation of youth leaders and activists in this arena.  Alan is bravely in the process of positioning himself as a bridge.  He is learning to speak the languages of multiple stakeholders and helping them find new ways to first “hear” one another and then, hopefully, work together.  Like most Fellows, he is a pioneer.

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“If you are not at the table, you are on the menu”

Participating in the UN Conference for Global Change was a one of the most engaging six hours I have spent all year. Last month, I sat in a very outdated hotel meeting room at the end of a long table, surrounded by business leaders, United Nation’s staff and other NGO leaders. Everyone was committed to leading, learning and/or exploring CSR. The group was convened by the newly established Foundation for Social Change and the United Nations. It was the most powerful information sharing I’ve experienced in a long time.

Why so engaging?  Because the corporate and NGO leaders who presented their cases were well past searching for a business case for CSR, they are blazing the trail of corporate sustainability.  They were pioneers helping their businesses use CSR to be relevant, profitable survivors in today’s complex and competitive business world. 

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Change the World with “Zilch”

Zilch. It’s not a word we typically connect to something positive. Well, Nancy Lublin, my friend and Founder of Dress for Success and lead executive for Do Something has a fresh and real perspective in her new book Zilch.

Whether you’re in a company, nonprofit or searching for your next gig—Zilch speaks to how successful nonprofit leaders have built great brands, teams and organizations making real impact, without a lot of resources…well, not much at all.  It’s practical, honest and straightforward and, candidly, a breath of fresh air about how all of us can be empowered to do big things in our work by applying creativity, teamwork, passion and problem-solving and not typical approaches.

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Youth Design Launches Kids in Careers

Youth Design just graduated another class of summer youth designers and again their work is inspring and impressive. This innovative program places inner-city Boston high school students into paid summer internships with some of Boston’s most creative design professionals.

In addition to doing actual client work, this year’s class also created social message campaigns – a topic close to our hearts at Cause Consulting. As a judge for this Time to Design Competition, I was privledged to review the student’s work and help select the top designs for a limited edition cause T-shirt. I can’t wait to get and wear mine. First place was awarded to Youth Violence, see image above, for an amazing use of typography and words that send a life or death message.

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Inspired by Youth Produced Films

You must take five minutes this weekend to watch this inspiring short film created by 16 year-old David Were about his realities living in the largest slum in Kenya. I have been working on the Adobe Youth Voices program since its inception four years ago, and I am continuously inspired.

This and ten other youth produced films are being celebrated this week at Lincoln Center in New York City as part of the Human Rights Watch International Film Festival. Over a hundred additional films are uploaded at the Adobe Youth Voices Gallery.

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Sam Adams Wins CECP Philanthropy Award

Congratulations to our client the Boston Beer Company for receiving the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy’s (CECP) prestigious Founder’s Award for Excellence in Corporate Philanthropy.  This award recognizes the Samuel Adams Brewing the American Dream® program for its demonstrated CEO leadership, dedication to measurement, successful partnerships, and innovation.

We are proud to be a part of the Samuel Adams team and honored to work on this exciting program that supports low and moderate income micro-entrepreneurs in the food and beverage industry.

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Weighing in on Scale

Scale is the “hot” word and theme that is permeating my work, research and interactions with my peers from the CSR and philanthropy arenas.  How do we scale proven nonprofit models?  How do we scale green business models and innovations?  How can companies take great philanthropic programs and scale them across the globe?  The list of questions goes on…
 
Recently, I joined 75 business leaders in Washington, DC as part of the Progressive Business Leaders Network to share our voice around key policy issues with select representatives from Congress and to hear from them about current “bills in the works.”  We tackled many issues, including sustainability, education, workforce issues, financial reform, among others in a jam packed schedule.  It turns out that no matter the conversation, we consistently returned to a discussion about the challenge of scale.

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Cause Consulting Ranked #3 CSR Communications Firm

Cause Consulting is proud to announce its #3 spot on the CR Top Ten in Communications and Advertising List appearing in the January/February 2010 issue of Corporate Responsibility Magazine.

“This list evaluates firms, segment by segment, against their peers based on customer feedback and rates them based on their ability to help public companies keep their corporate responsibility promises,” according to CR Magazine. The list is based 100% on customer organization responses to an online survey that is recorded anonymously.

We’re honored to be on this prestigious list in the same magazine issue that unveils the CR 100 Best Corporate Citizens List,® recognizing companies working hard at corporate social responsibility every day. Our team is passionate about our work and committed to developing innovative strategies and initiatives in the corporate responsibility field. We deeply appreciate our clients’ participation in this survey and are grateful for their ongoing support and partnership. Learn more at Cause Consulting.

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Samuel Adams Brewing American Dream Op Ed in Boston Globe

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. 

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True Momentum for CSR

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.

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Method vs. Motive in CSR

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.

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Service is a Strategic Weapon

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.

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Cause Consulting Summer Update

We are having a busy Summer working and playing. We hope you are too. Here are some highlights from our world: Brewing the American Dream on CNN;ARAMARK released case study; FutureStage took over Broadway; and the Black Eyed Peas headlined Adobe Youth Voices Live.

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Training the CSR Professional

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.

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Voices that Matter

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.

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Speed Coaching

I recently had the privilege of volunteering along with the employees of our client, Samuel Adams, at their “Speed Coaching” event. Speed Coaching is an integral part of Samuel Adams Brewing the American Dream, the company’s signature philanthropy program that helps lower-income food and beverage microentrepreneurs build and strengthen their small businesses, realize their dreams, and achieve economic independence. The program offers microloans, and other hard-to-come-by resources, through the Samuel Adams Microloan Fund with nonprofit partner ACCION USA.

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Green Ads: Earth Day 2009

While waiting for spring to arrive in Boston, we are spending too much time watching TV and analyzing the ads.  Here’s a taste of our Earth Day viewing:

Green Stamp of Approval:   Wal-Mart’s “Earth Month Thanks” ad captures the spirit of the anniversary.  Wal-Mart understands the power of mobilizing their 200 million customers and are moving people toward earth friendly products.  The best news is that for Wal-Mart this isn’t just an “Earth Day Special.”  Year-round they are taking a lead on sustainability issues.  They certainly aren’t perfect, but we give them strong marks for making progress and pushing consumers and vendors to action. Check out their earth-related sales promotions and their master sustainability activities on their  website.  Also a January 2009 New York Times article tells the story of their green evolution.

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POP QUIZ for CSR Professionals

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...

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Clean Drinking Water: Companies & Consumers are Ready

Today is World Water Day. I’ve been working on clean drinking water issues for years and was inspired to check in.

Unfortunately, the world water crisis is as dire as ever – Nearly one billion people lack access to safe drinking water – Almost 4,500 children die each day to water related diseases.

There are no simple solutions.  Water issues are complicated by geographies, politics, cultures, and poverty.  Not only is water essential for life,  but access to safe drinking water is directly correlated to improvements in personal health, educational achievement, and worker productivity.

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Sticking Your Neck Out For Employees

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...

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A Renewal Strategy for Citizenship

As President Obama and Congress go to work trying to breathe life into the economy, we thought it wise to take the pulse of causenation and see how it’s fairing in these strained times. We talked with dozens of folks from across the spectrum of professionals who have...

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Cause for Creativity

I can still see the proud faces of the Adobe Youth Voices teens as they watched their videos shown behind the Black Eyed Peas as they performed at the hottest new club in Los Angeles. It was a night right out of the pages of People with music industry stars, paparazzi...

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Adobe Partners with Black Eyed Peas

Adobe Youth Voices, the Black Eyed Peas Peapod Foundation, and the Entertainment Industry Foundation joined forces to connect underserved youth with the chance to learn and use multi-media production tools, including those for video, music, dance, and art, through...

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