WASHINGTON, DC | April 14, 2014 - This week on BIZ+SOCIAL, we bring you the best from New Global Citizen, SSIR, Devex, and more.

GLOBAL PRO BONO

Why Dow Believes in Learning by Doing

It would be easy for a company like Dow Chemical, with operations in 36 countries, to think we know how to successfully launch a robust business just about any place in the world. However, our recent engagements with social enterprises in emerging economies — especially in East and West Africa — have taught us just how much we still need to learn. And for us, the best way is to “learn by doing.” While this is something we knew somewhat instinctively, it became crystal clear more recently as we implemented two programs that paired corporate citizenship intent with business interests. In 2013, we partnered with Acumen on an initiative in East and West Africa for global corporations and social entrepreneurs to collaborate to address the challenges of scaling businesses in energy, food, agriculture and water to serve the needs of the poor, by merging societal need with the risk-taking of social entrepreneurism and the resources of multinational corporations. The effort brings together our collective best to create an environment where solutions can be scaled for long-term, sustainable growth. Read More...

IMPACT & INNOVATION

Part III: How an Ambitious Group of Innovators are Catalyzing Change in the Toilet Business

With a disposition as sunny as her home state of Texas, the effervescent Emily Wood is harnessing the power of the sun itself to clean up the messy business of sanitation. At the Unclogging the Blockages in Sanitation conference, I quickly learned that, when it comes to the business of sanitation, the toilet is just the beginning. In fact it’s the easy part; the blockage in sanitation is actually in the removal and treatment of human waste. In developed markets, large scale municipalities have successfully created systems to treat feces; but large treatment plants are expensive and therefore non-starters in less developed corners of the world. Decentralized and cheaper treatment models and technologies are needed to fill the gap. Emily’s story started during her time as an engineering student at Georgia Tech. During her junior year, neighboring Emory University approached Georgia Tech’s engineering department to partner on finding a solution to a problem they had uncovered. Emory was conducting a study on composting toilets in Central America. Read More…

LEADERSHIP

Social Sabbaticals and the New Face of Leadership

It’s apparent that finding tomorrow’s leaders is one of the biggest challenges facing global CEOs today. According to a recent survey, 93 percent of CEOs acknowledge that they need to change their strategies to attract and retain new talent (previous surveys have indicated the same realization), but less than a third have acted on these plans. Moreover, CEOs are concerned about finding employees who can adapt to new, fast-developing markets in Africa and Asia. Over the next year, 74 percent of CEOs expect to pursue opportunities in Africa. Meanwhile, another recent survey found that 84 percent of Millennials care more about making a positive difference in the world than workplace recognition. This has come a long way from earlier generations that often prioritized career advancement. Clearly, these trends indicate it’s time to fundamentally rethink the established approach to talent strategies. In an effort to meet these challenges, the technology and software solutions company SAP started what it calls a Social Sabbatical program, which sends high-performing employees into emerging economies such as South Africa, India, Brazil, and China. Read More…

CITIZEN DIPLOMACY

Business Blurs the Lines of Diplomacy for Social Impact

Effective, pragmatic partnerships based on shared objectives—economic growth, financial stability and more—are the future of diplomacy. Such partnerships will be the engine for increased security and prosperity, not just for advanced but also for emerging economies around the world. Creating spaces at international summits for public and private sector leaders to collaborate is critical. Existing public-private pairings such as the United Nations General Assembly and UN Foundation, the Clinton Global Initiative or the Group of 20 (G20) and Business 20 (B20) have a proven record of success. They and future collaborations such as the Concordia Summit and .CO Internet announced recently, will orchestrate long-term opportunities for cross-sector cooperation, and in turn, promote long-term economic growth that taps into public-private partnerships that are still nascent in diplomacy but was celebrated last week as part of Global Partnerships Week (GP3) at the U.S. State Department. Read More…

ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT

Discover the Beauty of Sri Lanka’s Eastern Province

A promising start to my year of supporting tourism development in Batticaloa—Batti for short—and the rest of the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka! Nine months into to my MBAs Without Borders assignment, I’m keenly aware that much remains to be done before the next edition of that guidebook changes its tune. Most visitors to Sri Lanka that I’ve met have never heard of Batti; one of the most common questions posed to me: “Is there anything out there?” The answer is yes, but it can take some digging. As travelers, we often have a mythologized ideal of an unspoiled destination—a place undiscovered, but full of magic, charm and ambiance. The Eastern Province is overflowing with all of these characteristics, but it lacks the tourism infrastructure required to attract visitors. Though many travelers proclaim their love for a hidden gem or going off the beaten path, there is a threshold that even the most intrepid visitors won’t cross. As a result, magic, charm, and ambiance alone are insufficient to grow the region’s tourism industry. It is important to recognize that the region’s unspoiled atmosphere stems, in part, from its difficult and tumultuous past. Read more…

MORE

#CATALYZE14: The 5th Annual ICV Conference - Catalyzing Growth in Emerging Markets

SAP Social Sabbatical Team Reaches Out to Kenyan Businesses in Need

Service and the New Dimension of Leadership

Vocabulary Across Boundaries: The Shift to Purposeful Global Engagement