filter by tag: global

October 14, 2011 at 1:01 PM by Research & Insights

Three years into the global recession, it is no surprise consumers worldwide cite economic development as the one issue they want companies to support, according to the 2011 Cone/Echo Global CR Opportunity Study. Yet, Americans – more than any other country’s citizens – were the most resolute that this issue be the number one priority for companies to address (43% versus the global average of 34%).

 

 

Although economic development may seem like a big problem to tackle, companies are already embracing the issue and bringing it to life with campaigns that are relevant to both consumer needs and the brand itself. Starbucks has recently launched the “Create Jobs for USA” campaign, which pools donations to support small business lending in order to spur job creation across communities nationwide.

Companies should take note that economic development is a macro issue that extends beyond microfinance and into a variety of material issues affecting both business and communities. For example, Chipotle has enlisted the help of Willie Nelson and the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s Karen O in a movement to support America’s small farms. Not only does the effort invigorate local economies, but it also assists Chipotle’s “Food with Integrity” brand.

The 2011 Cone/Echo Global CR Opportunity Study showed 87 to 96 percent of consumers in all countries expect companies to support a range of causes, from the environment to poverty. Addressing these diverse issues is the cost of doing business today. Yet, to encourage further differentiation, companies should think about creating new programs or reframing current social commitments within the context of economic development. Doing so will allow companies to make real impact around the one issue truly on the minds of today’s American consumers.

Tags: research global economicdevelopment campaign

Did you like this post? Please share it:

Email Post
Comments (0)

October 7, 2011 at 2:55 PM by Research & Insights

Welcome to the world of responsible business. The unequivocal takeaway from the 2011 Cone/Echo Global CR Opportunity Study, which surveyed 10,000 people in 10 countries (markets home to nearly half the world’s population), is that consumers globally believe companies have an explicit responsibility to help change the world.

 

 

Key global findings indicate:

• 81% of consumers say companies have a responsibility to address key social and environmental issues beyond their local communities;
  
• 93% of consumers say companies must go beyond legal compliance to operate responsibly; and,
  
• 94% of consumers say companies must analyze and evolve their business practices to make their impact as positive as possible.
  

What’s more, consumers report they are already using their own spending and loyalty to press these demands. More than three-quarters of consumers surveyed (76%) bought a product with an environmental benefit in the past 12 months, and 65 percent have purchased one tied to a cause. But companies should also beware - more than half (56%) have also boycotted a company they believe has acted irresponsibly.

Data from each country, along with insights from some of the world’s foremost thought leaders on corporate responsibility, revealed several areas of opportunity for companies that span geographic bounds. Among these are:

• Bridging stakeholders: Companies are not always viewed as a partner of choice for NGOs and consumers for a variety of reasons, so before building a cause marketing or corporate responsibility program, the first step is to initiate collaboration among key groups to build a common language, trust and understanding.
  
• Companies as a social partner: Although corporate and individual philanthropy and volunteerism may not be the cultural norm in some countries, consumers show a strong willingness to join corporate efforts. Companies can be a catalyst to facilitate giving and volunteering by providing the right opportunities.
  
• Emerging markets: To sustain their business and ensure growth, most global companies must address social and environmental challenges in emerging markets. Citizens in these markets will more readily embrace companies as a solution to these problems, recognizing the constraints of their own governments.
  
• MNCs forge the way: Multinational companies are bringing CR into new markets and raising the bar as local firms face increasing pressure to demonstrate their own commitments.
  

The bottom-line? Responsible business is an expectation regardless of social, cultural, economic, political or geographic forces. But, to achieve the greatest business and social value, a country-customized approach to CR is the way to get there. To learn about the key social and environmental issues, business approaches, preferred communications channels and other expectations of consumers around the world, please download the full 2011 Cone/Echo Global CR Opportunity Study here.

Tags: CR corporateresponsibility global consumer

Did you like this post? Please share it:

Email Post
Comments (0)

March 22, 2011 at 10:38 AM by Cone Communications

Today is World Water Day, an international day of awareness and action in support of our planet’s growing water needs. World Water Day reaches people around the world, from the one in seven people worldwide who lack access to clean water to the companies, NGOs and governments that support this important cause.

ITT (Cone client) is taking action on World Water Day through its corporate citizenship program, ITT Watermark. For the second consecutive year, ITT is hosting a week-long Facebook campaign to raise funds to deliver clean water solutions to communities around the globe. This year, ITT will donate $1 for each post, comment or “like” on the ITT Watermark Facebook page, up to $10,000 (between March 21 and March 25). Funds raised will support ITT Watermark’s nonprofit partners: Water for People, Mercy Corps and China Women’s Development Foundation.

The 2011 campaign builds on the success of last year’s Facebook initiative, through which ITT donated $1 for each new Facebook “fan.” The evolution of ITT Watermark’s Facebook campaign demonstrates the effectiveness of a tried-and-true social media strategy: first, build your audience; then activate them. After recruiting thousands (4,486 to be exact!) of new fans during the 2010 campaign, this year ITT is focused on activating fans by engaging them in dialogue. The campaign was designed not only to incentivize participation (by offering a $1 donation for taking a turnkey action); its structure, by default, creates dialogue. Throughout the week, users will be asked to answer trivia questions, offer opinions or post photos, all of which trigger a $1 donation. The planned result? This influx of consumer-generated media will encourage others to join the conversation and build a stronger sense of community on the page.

If you’re looking to join millions in taking action on World Water Day or just have something to say, visit ITT Watermark’s Facebook page and ITT will donate $1 for your two cents!

 

- Kate Dyer, Senior Account Executive

Tags: causebranding campaigns newmedia global

Did you like this post? Please share it:

Email Post
Comments (1)

March 3, 2011 at 11:57 AM by Ziba Cranmer

I am an athlete, I am a fan, and I am a woman.

As an athlete, I celebrate. I celebrate the skills and lessons I learned on the field (and truth be told, sitting on the bench).

As a fan, I cheer. I cheer because I love the feeling of solidarity and community that comes from a shared commitment to a local or professional sports team.

But as a woman, I cringe. I cringe because I know that some of our most celebrated sporting events, from the Super Bowl to the World Cup, are also the occasion of a terrible crime: the sex trafficking of tens of thousands of women and children.

Experts estimated that as many as 10,000 prostitutes descended on last year’s Super Bowl in Miami, many of whom were trafficked. And it’s not just American football. Tekla Roberts, a trafficking survivor and anti-trafficking activist, spoke of her first-hand experience at NASCAR races and golf tournaments.

A study by the Future Group noted that during the year of the 2004 Olympics in Athens, the number of known human trafficking victims nearly doubled. With more than 2 million people trafficked each year globally, most of whom are women and girls, the problem is obviously larger than sporting events. But because of its high profile, the sports industry has a unique opportunity to address this issue.

So what are the changemakeHERS among us doing to tackle this problem? Experts in this field often point to the 4P approach to combating trafficking: prevention, protection, prosecution and policy.

There are a few interesting examples involving individual Changemakers from the sports and airline sectors. One such example is Trafficking911, which launched its “I’m not buying it” campaign around the 2010 Super Bowl. Several athletes, including Dallas Cowboy Jay Ratliffe, got behind the effort and recorded a compelling video stating “real men don’t buy sex.”

The Airline Ambassadors, the industry’s relief and development organization, partnered with the nonprofit Innocents at Risk to educate airline personnel and issue procedural guidelines for addressing suspects of trafficking on flights. Free Generation International launched its “RED Card against Trafficking” campaign in conjunction with the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, but it struggled to find corporate partnerships willing to associate their brands with this important but difficult issue.

These efforts are commendable, but to really make change in an issue that crosses sports and countries, companies need to get involved. Having worked for the past seven years in corporate responsibility at Nike, I was incredibly fortunate to broker partnerships between my company and nonprofits around the world. We focused on supporting programs that leveraged the power of sport to bring about positive social change, from women’s empowerment to conflict resolution. But it is time for us to also work with this industry to address the dark underbelly of its own events.

I look forward to hearing ideas and solutions from the community of ChangemakeHERS about how to help the sports industry realize its full potential when it comes to empowering and protecting women.


- Ziba Cranmer, Vice President

 

This post was written for and posted by Ashoka's Changemakers Idea ExChange Blog as part of its 2011 HERS Campaign in celebration of International Women's Day.

Tags: global causebranding superbowl cone events trends employees

Did you like this post? Please share it:

Email Post
Comments (0)

February 24, 2011 at 8:57 AM by Sarah Kerkian

Cone launched its new agency speaker series last week with a presentation by filmmaker and activist Socheata Poeuv whose award-winning documentary, “New Year Baby,” resonated deeply with many of our staff.  New Year Baby, a film about the Khmer Rouge genocide in Cambodia, begins with a stunning revelation about Poeuv’s family, survivors of the genocide, and takes us through a highly personal and poignant story as she visits Cambodia to learn more about her parents’ past. 


When Poeuv spoke to us after the screening, she focused less on the plot of the movie and her animated family and more on the storytelling techniques she employed, which made for a riveting film that both educated and inspired its viewers.  A few of the lessons she shared struck me as universal truths for any cause-related video, whether a 30-second spot or a full-length documentary:

1. Showcase the “at stake.” This is the heavy, consequential implication of the issue you are facing.  It may innately be personal – in Poeuv’s case, the role of the Khmer Rouge in redrawing her family tree – but it should be told in a way that’s universal, to ensure it resonates with every viewer.
   
   
2. Ensure an ebb and flow of tension and relief. A moment of humor or a change in perspective is a courtesy to viewers to make sure they don’t drown in the heavy moments of your video. The issues at stake are grave, but the seriousness of the message won’t necessarily be lost with a moment of levity.  In fact, audiences need, and often respond to, lighthearted moments, too.  Releasing built-up tension can help your audience better absorb the gravity of the situation without being overwhelmed.
   
   
3. Provide a resolution. In “New Year Baby,” the resolution was Poeuv and her family’s return to their home in the United States. It signaled they learned something deeply unsettling about the past, but still have hope for the future. No matter the issue, what a critical, uplifting and persuasive message to leave with an audience:  there is hope for the future, and by the way, here’s how you can get involved.

Has your organization told a compelling story about your cause using video? Consider entering it into the DoGooder Nonprofit Video Awards taking place now on YouTube.


- Sarah Kerkian, Insights Supervisor, @sarahkerkian



Tags: cone entertainment causebranding children parents bestpractices activism global

Did you like this post? Please share it:

Email Post
Comments (0)

January 28, 2011 at 1:29 PM by Research & Insights

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis in Africa is under fire after revealing “grave misuse of funds” in four countries where it operates. The Fund released its report last year, but an Associated Press story brought renewed attention to the situation this week, revealing the Global Fund is demanding the recovery of $34 million in grants out of $13 billion.

 
In the U.S., the development fund may be better known as the NGO behind the (PRODUCT)^RED cause brand. (RED) is backed by a house of iconic brands, including Starbucks, Apple, NIKE and American Express, who have successfully helped generate more than $160 million for the Fund through a unique licensing agreement to sell (RED)-branded merchandise. For these or any companies facing donation fraud or other crises within their cause partnerships, we recommend the following short-term measures to help protect the cause brand and retain consumer trust:

1. Review existing NGO/cause partnerships to confirm whether credible auditing is in place and whether audit results are accessible to the company and its stakeholders.
   
   
2. If any doubt exists, make a formal request to partners for information and escrow further donations until such auditing and results are confirmed.
   
   
3. Prepare a reactive public statement to this effect, for use in the event of media or consumer inquiries. Make sure appropriate employees – from customer service representatives to store managers – are armed with this statement to respond to questions in real time.
   
   
4. For major ongoing product-based partnerships such as (PRODUCT)^RED, post the statement on the media page of the company’s website. Encourage consumers to continue supporting the cause, but assure them their money is safeguarded until it will have the social impact the company desires.
   
   
5. Keep consumers informed of any changes in how their money will be directed as things progress.

Even the most successful and celebrated brands can face immense challenges with the complexities of on-the-ground activation. The situations faced by programs such as (PRODUCT)^RED and Pepsi Refresh (which has also experienced its share of controversy) should reinforce to all companies the importance of ongoing cause brand management and transparency to maintain consumer trust.


Visit our website for Cone’s full POV on the Global Fund crisis.

 

 

Posts under the Knowledge Leadership byline come from Knowledge Leadership team members Sarah Kerkian and Casey Brennan. Follow us on Twitter: @ConeLLC, @SarahKerkian, @CaseyB

Tags: corporatepartnerships causebranding global nonprofitcausebranding crisis employee

Did you like this post? Please share it:

Email Post
Comments (2)

January 21, 2011 at 2:23 PM by Research & Insights

As interconnected as our world is today, it is still difficult to understand the impact of a natural disaster or serious issue from afar. To help bridge this divide, organizations are creating interactive online tools to better connect individuals to global issues, making them more relevant than ever before. Two disaster-related examples caught our eye this week:


IfItWereMyHome.com – a visualization tool that allows users to overlay the map of an area affected by disaster (the BP oil spill or Pakistan flood) atop a map of their own communities. For example, we can compare the devastated area in Pakistan to our office location in Boston, which shows the flood area would extend along the entire east coast. Suddenly, we realize the true extent of this disaster in proportions we can understand. Once users are attuned to the scope of the disaster, the site offers some further information and opportunities to donate.

The Haiti Aid Map – a collaboration of InterAction, BCLC and FedEx – details NGO efforts in Haiti following the 2010 earthquake. The map pinpoints 486 efforts underway by 77 different organizations, allowing visitors to search by topic, community or organization and learn more about what efforts and progress are happening within each. As the challenges in Haiti persist a year after the earthquake, donors may be questioning whether their dollars are being used effectively. Ideally, this site will bring a heightened level of transparency and coordination to the many efforts on the ground and ensure the continued flow of support.   

Interactive “on-the-ground” tools like these are a trend to watch in 2011 as the demand for transparency and accountability in the cause space grows. But they should not be restricted to disaster response. It’s a technique that other large national or global causes should also adopt, as it invites consumer engagement and promotes organizational transparency and accountability – both things sometimes in short supply.


Tags: transparency global trends engagement causebranding crisis newmedia

Did you like this post? Please share it:

Email Post
Comments (1)

June 18, 2010 at 2:00 PM by Research & Insights

Sports have an uncanny ability to unite communities, capture attention and inspire goodwill, so major sporting events are a natural fit for cause-related messages. Which is why we are disappointed that so far during the FIFA World Cup – the sporting event boasting the world’s largest audience – the only buzz we’re hearing is coming from vuvuzelas.

With some digging, we found Coca-Cola’s “Youth Talent Development Initiative” in South Africa and FIFA’s “20 Centres for 2010” – an effort launched in 2007 which aims to promote public health, education and football in disadvantaged communities across Africa. But we were hard-pressed to find word of these efforts in major U.S. media. And what about on-the-ground or online cause messages? Those were few and far between as well – most created by NGOs.

No one has followed the topic closer than blogger John Kim on his site, World Cup CSR. For over a year he’s been tracking any and all corporate commitments to the greater good affiliated with the event. His conclusion? Nil. Kim tweets, “Fifa's Centre's 4 Hope R the closest things 2 sponsor related CSR initiatives I've seen while here: disappointed.”

Is this a sign of a trend? The global meeting in South Africa is not the first major sporting event with lackluster cause tie-ins. The 2010 Super Bowl, which despite the hoopla over Pepsi’s departure, lacked social messaging almost entirely during the actual game. This was a decline from the array of cause campaigns we observed in 2009. Prior to that, the 2008 Summer Olympics seemed to lack cause messages aimed at American viewers, as well.

Despite the immense resources put into these events, brands with an established cause or CR presence have not been using the world stage to communicate their commitments and to activate consumers. The World Cup will stand as yet another missed opportunity and overall a disappointment for cause marketers.

What do you think? Did you see something we didn’t? Post the World Cup cause messages you’ve seen by commenting below.
 

Tags: causemarketing causebranding events trends sports global superbowl

Did you like this post? Please share it:

Email Post
Comments (1)

April 9, 2010 at 1:11 PM by Research & Insights

Going barefoot in the office is usually a faux paux – unless you’re an avid supporter of TOMS Shoes.

Yesterday marked the annual One Day Without Shoes event, which challenged people across the country to spend the entire day (or even a few hours) sans shoes. TOMS rose to fame in the cause world through its simple, but powerful, buy one, give one model. For every pair of TOMS Shoes someone buys, a pair is given to a child in need. Yesterday’s effort drew support from 250,000 people through more than 1,600 events around the world. How did they achieve such success?  Here are a few thoughts:

 

Low Barrier to Entry – Consumers didn’t have to contribute financially to take part in the effort, they simply needed to kick off their shoes for the day. This easy call-to-action allows both TOMS Shoes loyalists and non-customers to take part.

Wow Factor – Sometimes the best way to garner awareness is by causing a scene. A shoe-free day is less extreme than wearing nothing but an apron to work – which LUSH Cosmetics employees do once a year to make a statement about over-packaging – but is nonetheless an eye-catching spectacle for a good cause. And getting some celebrities, including Kristen Bell, Matisyahu, Morgan Spurlock and Heather Graham, to kick off their shoes for a day doesn’t hurt either.

Teaching Moment – TOMS was able to supplement its existing sales-based cause efforts with an educational, worldwide event to help inform the public about the risks millions face by living without shoes. The threats range from cuts and scrapes that can lead to infection to Podoconiosis, a debilitating and disfiguring disease caused by walking barefoot in volcanic soil. Suddenly, shoes are about more than just comfort and style. 

Personal Connection – The event helps bring participants closer to the issue through first-hand experience. Instead of discussing TOMS’ mission in the abstract, the organization gave consumers a way to experience the cause for themselves and gain appreciation for what life is like for the children the company serves.

Widespread and Grassroots – The success of the campaign is largely due to the hundreds of regional events across the globe within cities, college campuses and even elementary schools. The One Day Without Shoes Web site offered toolkits to help participants organize, promote and execute the local efforts.

TOMS Shoes has already established a cult following among socially conscious fashionistas and is slowly creating a movement with its simple rallying cry for the cause. By executing an engaging and powerful event, TOMS was able to reach a wider audience with the message and hopefully increase its band of loyal followers who will provide shoes to the world’s children, one by one.

Did you participate?  Tell us what you thought of the experience.

Tags: advocacy causebranding global campaigns engagement celebrityengagement

Did you like this post? Please share it:

Email Post
Comments (4)

March 23, 2010 at 11:42 AM by Cone Communications

Nearly 25 years ago the National Women’s History Project, a grassroots organization, lobbied Congress to turn National Women’s History Week into a month-long celebration, designating March as International Women’s History Month. The project aims to recognize the achievements of women in many careers – science, community, sports, government, literature, art – and to help pave the way for new opportunities for girls and young women. Each year, Americans and people around the globe are encouraged to honor women’s rightful place in history.

It’s easy to recognize women’s place in sports, thanks in part to the media and nationally televised events such as tennis’ U.S. Open or the recent Olympic Winter Games. Unfortunately, not all categories are receiving the U.S. media spotlight they deserve.

 

For example, did you know about two-thirds of Americans can’t name one famous female scientist? Of those who can name one, Marie Curie is about the only name they recall. The survey, Women, Science and Success: The New Face of Innovation, was sponsored by Cone client, L’Oréal USA. The global beauty company embraces the issues of women in science as its strategic corporate philanthropic initiative. Through its For Women in Science program, L’Oréal makes a significant investment in supporting female scientists, offering professional development and generating awareness of its notable work and future ambitions.

I recently flew to Paris to attend L’Oréal’s For Women in Science awards. The company rolled out the red carpet to honor numerous female science heroines. That’s right, heroines. These women have dedicated their lives to unlocking the scientific mysteries that will improve the quality of life for all, such as finding cures to debilitating diseases. Global media swarmed the event, clamoring for seats at the Global Laureates’ workshops and roundtable presentations as they discussed their passions and ambitious research projects. As a result, European media outlets, such as ELLE-Germany, are writing feature stories about the Laureates.

U.S. media do not always react this way. We see plenty of coverage on the latest tech toys that can improve our lives, but we could use more stories about inventive scientific minds behind the race to solve blistering skin diseases. In fact, media are a powerful force in generating greater awareness of issues, including smashing the stereotype that scientists are geeks. Scientists are tasked with solving global problems in an increasingly complex world, and in France they are celebrated by media. It wouldn’t hurt for U.S. media to increase this kind of reporting.

Hopefully, media will be on board as we celebrate the inaugural National Robotics Week, April 10-18, 2010 (Cone client FIRST is an advisory council member). Created by a private-public partnership, National Robotics Week aims to educate people about the “social and cultural impact of robotics technology.” Young people will be encouraged to exercise their greatest muscle – their minds – and could be inspired to, at the least, foster a greater appreciation of science. At best, they could become the next Marie Curie.

R&D are critical for stimulating economic growth and improving our quality of life. There’s no question this is news alongside the scientists who are making this happen. The question is: Will media get excited enough to increase coverage of this type of news?

 

- Maureen O'Connell, Senior Account Supervisor

Tags: causebranding currentevents brandmarketing global

Did you like this post? Please share it:

Email Post
Comments (0)

March 22, 2010 at 10:43 AM by Jillian WilsonMartin

If you haven’t heard, today is World Water Day, an international day of awareness and action in support of our planet’s growing water needs.

For months, Facebook and Twitter have been abuzz about this momentous occasion, which should not come as a surprise given the water sector has been at the forefront of social media fundraising (think water Tweestival). From activating followers to participate in stunt events (longest toilet queue), to taking over users’ statuses for a week, water leaders are leveraging the power of social networks to support their cause.

 

ITT (Cone client) is no different. The company, a global leader in the transport, treatment and control of water, is conducting a social media campaign of its own in support of World Water Day and its corporate citizenship program, ITT Watermark. ITT will donate $1 to safe water solutions for every new fan of ITT Watermark’s Facebook page between March 22 and March 26. Money raised will be evenly distributed between ITT Watermark’s nonprofit partners: Water For People, Mercy Corps and China Women’s Development Foundation. Given that experts estimate the global cost of providing water to someone for a lifetime is just $25 – or 25 fans in this instance - the campaign provides an opportunity for ITT to rally its stakeholders to make a real difference.

So why would a B2B company invest resources in a social media fundraiser? The biggest reason is the company’s employees. According to the 2009 Cone Consumer New Media Study, 79% of Americans who are active on new media believe companies and nonprofits should use these channels to raise money and awareness for causes, and employees are no different. By engaging employees via social media, ITT is connecting with key stakeholders where they are.

 

ITT epitomizes a Cone best practice: offering a range of ways to support the cause. By providing a spectrum of engagement opportunities – from the easy, click-to-give campaigns – to the more time-intensive global volunteer trip, ITT is giving everyone a chance to get involved. On World Water Day, this is especially true. In addition to the Facebook campaign, ITT is activating its 40,000 employees through local awareness, fundraising and volunteer activities at its sites around the world, while hosting 11 employees on a volunteer trip to India.

 

To learn more, or to join the cause, visit www.ittwatermark.com/facebook.

 

- Jillian Wilson-Martin, Account Supervisor

Tags: Twitter causebranding employees campaigns global Volunteer newmedia

Did you like this post? Please share it:

Email Post
Comments (0)

March 5, 2010 at 2:15 PM by Research & Insights

Donations for relief efforts in Chile pale in comparison to those for Haiti. The Chronicle of Philanthropy reports in an interview that a mere $250,000 raised by Americans three days following the Chile disaster, which starkly contrasts the nearly $97 million raised three days following the Haiti earthquake. Despite experiencing a stronger earthquake, Chile’s existing building codes and infrastructure better prepared it to cope with damages. However, several other factors may have influenced the difference in donations:


Consumers Are Tapped Out – Many Americans responded to the Haiti crisis by taking part in the widespread text-to-give campaigns promoted by major relief organizations, through which the American Red Cross alone raised $32 million. Mobile giving was a fast and easy way to respond to the crisis, but some may simply be overwhelmed by donating to the second major disaster in a two-month period. In addition, there has seemingly been more media attention for the Haiti disaster, which continues to capture headlines amidst the Chile crisis.  

Call To Action Was Less Urgent – The Chile government’s call for aid didn’t take place for several days after the disaster which influences donor urgency. According to The 2010 Cone Text-to-Give Trend Tracker, more than one fifth (22%) of respondents indicated they would donate to causes via text message only when the need was urgent.

Haiti Activated Grassroots – In Haiti, the need for donations was immediate and urgent. Individuals were activated to help not only through popular donation campaigns by organizations such as the American Red Cross and Yele Haiti, but also through their own grassroots efforts that utilized events and social media. The Wall Street Journal this week highlighted some of the more extraordinary methods for individual fundraising, such as a skydiving nun and pajama-clad office workers.

Celebrity Involvement – The star power that surrounded Haiti undoubtedly drew additional attention to relief efforts. Whether sports stars making a statement on the courts or a star-studded telethon, celebrities came together for the cause and inspired other Americans to do the same.

None of these factors are the responsibility of any one stakeholder. Governments, relief organizations, businesses, influencers and consumers need to work collaboratively toward a common solution for maximum impact, and we saw this collaboration in top form following the earthquake in Haiti. The sobering reality of the back-to-back earthquakes of 2010, however, made it clear that no two disasters, or their resulting relief efforts, are the same. What will you and your organization proactively prepare to do when another disaster strikes?


Tags: causebranding crisis donation currentevents global fundraising newmedia

Did you like this post? Please share it:

Email Post
Comments (2)

January 29, 2010 at 3:20 PM by Research & Insights

Transparency is a critical issue for corporate leaders, one that separates the compliers from the leaders in corporate responsibility reporting. It is a difficult aspect to measure, but Corporate Knights has tried to do just that with a new and improved release of its annual study, The Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World.

 

 

The Corporate Knights added a unique measure this year, called a Transparency Indicator. The number quantifies how easy it was to find information for the 10 other Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), therefore indicating the level of disclosure companies are practicing. As Corporate Knights' editor-in-chief Toby Heaps notes, "You need to have transparency if you want people to take you seriously. Then you can get beyond platitudes and discuss issues that people really care about."

 

But Corporate Knights is not the first to incorporate transparency. In 2009, CRO based its analysis of the 100 Best Corporate Citizens on data that was publicly disclosed, but Corporate Knights took it to the next level by creating a transparency metric that factored into the overall scoring.

 

What effect does transparency have on the final rankings? At #1, GE had a 73 percent transparency rank and at #2, PG&E had a 25 percent transparency rank. It's difficult to say without further analysis, but could decreasing the transparency gap have helped PG&E rise to the top? Fortunately, Corporate Knights walked its own talk by publishing complete data tables on its Web site for you to review.

 

Tags: global corporateresponsibility research transparency

Did you like this post? Please share it:

Email Post
Comments (0)

January 22, 2010 at 11:30 AM by Research & Insights

Malaria has long been a global epidemic, with sub-Saharan Africans under the age of 5 bearing the brunt of almost all the estimated 3 million fatalities occurring every year. Nothing But Nets and similar programs have made great strides toward preventing the spread of this disease in African nations, but a cure has not yet been found.

Image: http://www.gsk.com/community/malaria/factsheets/amp_english.pdf

 
Some may say it’s a problem too big to solve – but GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) thinks otherwise. This week, the global pharmaceutical giant announced it will freely distribute its malaria research to any scientist interested in joining the challenge – marking the first time that a pharmaceutical company has made so much of its data public. What’s more, GSK will provide “open lab” placements for 60 scientists at one of its research labs and is collaborating with Medicines for Malaria Venture, a foundation focused on anti-malarial drug development. In an industry that is often highly confidential and competitive, GSK intends to use open-source collaboration to solve this epidemic.

This collaborative approach to the research process could speed solutions. As Dr. Timothy Wells of the Medicines for Malaria Venture notes, “By sharing the data, the research community…could set a new trend to revolutionize the urgent search for new medicines to tackle malaria.”

GSK is making a huge statement for the pharmaceutical industry, and for all of the corporate world, by recognizing some problems are too big and too important to solve alone.  By engaging the right stakeholders, sharing knowledge and taking a collaborative approach to critical social issues, GSK could be changing the way solutions are found for both business and society.

Tags: research engagement global disease sharedresponsibility

Did you like this post? Please share it:

Email Post
Comments (0)

October 30, 2009 at 1:22 PM by Research & Insights

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is taking a results-driven approach to promoting American investments in global health efforts by releasing an advertisement centered on impact. The video, part of the Living Proof Project, will strike a chord with policy-makers, philanthropists and citizens alike not by centering on unmet need, but by highlighting true and measureable change: “Polio cases reduced by 99%;” “Mother-to-child HIV prevention in 16 million pregnancies;” “Malaria cases down 50% in 29 countries.” This approach instills confidence that funding saves lives.

 

 

Aimed at policymakers to sway additional funding, the positive message will reach stakeholders beyond those already engaged with the project. The Gates Foundation hopes the commercial, and specifically the measured results, will encourage grant makers and individual philanthropists to give where it counts. As Bill Gates points out, “We see that these things are working, and we’re willing to continue to make investments. I think then other people say, Okay, it must be working or people wouldn’t put their own money into it.”

 

Additional messages on the project’s Web site encourage advocates to pass along the positive thinking and to “Dispel the myths. When you hear someone say ‘It’s just money down a hole,’ or ‘Saving lives just leads to overpopulation,’ tell them why they’re wrong. These investments work. They empower people, and they’re appreciated."

 

In the bevy of important social and environmental issues that ask stakeholders for financial support every day, programs that show impact are in high demand. The pressure is now on nonprofits to show the ROI.

Tags: corporategiving philanthropy roi nonprofitcausebranding global nonprofit advocacy

Did you like this post? Please share it:

Email Post
Comments (1)