WASHINGTON, DC | October 27, 2014 - This week on BIZ+SOCIAL, we bring you the best from the New Global Citizen.

GLOBAL PRO BONO

Collaboration Between Endeavor and EY Yields Lessons on How Volunteering Drives Social Impact

The value of the IBM Corporate Service Corps (CSC) program is the triple benefit of high value leadership development, valuable community service and the ability to open new markets in key geographies. While providing a unique, immersive, and challenging growth opportunity for diverse high-performing employees, the communities the CSC teams serve receive substantial problem solving and capacity building directly addressing key societal needs. At the same time, the CSC delivers distinct business value to IBM via an enhanced understanding of market conditions and the formation of deeper relationships in developing markets and, most important, has significantly improved the skills of some of IBM’s top talent, preparing them for future leadership opportunities. Since 2008, nearly 3,000 IBMers have worked on nearly 1,000 CSC projects across 35 different countries resulting in specific benefits to more than 33 million people. In the process, IBM has built and strengthened relationships in nearly 40 countries in emerging and frontier markets. All this has been made possible through a kaleidoscope of partnerships. With shared goals, across private, public, and civil society, we combine many unique experiences and approaches to deliver a wide range of solutions that none of us could provide alone. The primary partnerships for the CSC are with the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) who assist us in providing strategic implementation of the program. Read More…

IMPACT & INNOVATION

Net Impact Celebrates Two Decades of Breaking Boundaries to Repair the World

Twenty-two years ago, a small group of MBA’s and entrepreneurs had a great idea. In the midst of a world where business was often viewed as an evil force, they dared to think differently. In the fall of 1993, MBA students from across the United States came together, united by their vision of a future where business could mean more than making money. Georgetown University hosted the first Net Impact Conference, attracting speakers that included Ben Cohen of Ben & Jerry’s (who showed up in an ice-cream-stained t-shirt) and Anita Roddick of the Body Shop. The conference opened the eyes of the 140 students in attendance to the power of business to improve the world. It wasn’t the first or the last time that the Net Impact community would demonstrate its commitment to breaking boundaries. This fall, the Net Impact community will once again return to this important theme. In many ways, the boundaries of the early 1990s were more entrenched and complex than those of today—the very concept of business as a force for good was suspect. While that debate may live on in some circles, today there is far more mainstream acceptance, from the C-Suite down, of not just the ability but the mandate for businesses to drive positive change in the world. And yet, while norms have shifted, the boundaries of the 21st century are less obvious but no less limiting. Read more…

LEADERSHIP

Use Lean Startup Principles to Discover your Dream Career and Lead Positive Change

Be more innovative. Stop wasting people’s time. Be more successful. These are the words of Eric Ries, who in 2011 fundamentally changed the way organizations foster innovation when he published The Lean Startup: How Today’s Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses. The premise of his book, and of the successful businesses he highlights, is that effective leaders understand that their assumptions are often wrong, but by “getting out of the building and testing ideas and assumptions,” they can more economically understand what will (or won’t) work before investing too much into development. The Lean Startup approach is not only relevant to startups and established enterprises, but also provides an invaluable method for individuals to test their professional convictions and career choices. Just as a startup should avoid spending years developing a product that nobody wants, every professional should avoid wasting time preparing for a career that they won’t enjoy. More than ever before, it’s vital that we follow this advice. Organizations both large and small, for and non-profit, are reporting a massive leadership gap. According to the World Economic Form, one of the leading barriers to progress for social impact organization is a lack of access to quality talent. Jack Welch, former CEO of GE said it best “There are only three measurements that tell you nearly everything you need to know about your organization’s overall performance: employee engagement, customer satisfaction, and cash flow. Read More…

ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT

MBAs Without Borders Use Business to Build Sanitation Markets in Africa

This summer, four MBAs packed their bags and headed off to Kenya, Ghana, Zambia, and Uganda to work on water, hygiene, and sanitation (collectively known as WASH) related issues as MBAs Without Borders Advisors. Why would four talented business professionals leave the comfort of home and corporate job opportunities to go work in the toilet business? To be honest, I didn’t fully understand the business potential of sanitation myself until last spring when I attended the “Unclogging Blockages in Sanitation” conference in Kampala, Uganda. More than 2.5 billion people worldwide live without access to basic sanitation facilities, and one billion practice open defecation, contributing to contamination and disease. This population—25 percent of the world population—represents a massive global market with tremendous profit potential. Sanitation and water problems are multifaceted and that often require locally-driven and multidimensional solutions. Organizations like Water for People and Water and Sanitation for the Urban Poor (WSUP) are spearheading efforts to bring such solutions to market. Three months after I left the conference in Uganda, MBAs Without Borders was on the hunt for four talented MBAs to support WSUP and Water for People’s work. Read more…

CITIZEN DIPLOMACY

World Trade Center Institute Convenes DC Embassies and Business Leaders for Annual Embassy Night

“Collaboration” was top of mind during the 26th annual World Trade Center Institute (WTCI) “Embassy Night” on October 7. From the breakout session “East meets West” to the carefully orchestrated distribution of influential business leaders and diplomatic officials at 34 tables, each bearing a featured country’s flag, to the keynote address by Dr. Cornelius Kerwin, President of American University, the emphasis was on the public, private, and social sector partnerships, and the power of collaboration. Dr. Kerwin addressed the 300+ guests, sharing insights on the obligation and opportunity for American universities to be both competitive and collaborative. He emphasized “competitive” in terms of accountability for universities and other institutes of higher learning, emphasizing that leaders in these organizations can no longer afford to regard themselves as apart from, but rather a part of, the network of business, civil society, and government organizations. “The ivory tower is a matter of the past. The watchword is collaboration.” As Dr. Kerwin encouraged all members of the network to consider the vast networks of universities—and to call upon their resources—he also encouraged aggressively pursuing partnerships “to serve our students, nation, and the world at large.” Read More…

MORE

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