SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IS THE NEW CURRENCY OF TOMORROW


--The tragic events and incompetence of the last eight years of Bush Administration will drive a new direction--
"A major course correction will prevail under the new leadership of Barack Obama with sustainable development providing the foundation for hope, change and opportunity for our future generations,” according to Sam Taylor, Founder of Reputation Dynamics.

The reckless financial deregulation and fragmentation of our economic infrastructure has undermined Americans’ confidence and trust which has impacted ‘business as usual,’ role and sense of community - as we once knew it.

  • A major part of the US recovery will be driven via a nationwide social, business and community rebuilding mobilization. Sustainable development and social responsibility will provide the basis for infrastructure redevelopment upon which to reinvigorate economic development and confidence.
  • The financial crisis and resultant impact on reputation and business performance, is forcing companies to further embrace sustainable program development and integration throughout their organizations.
  • While addressing climate change and environmental issues remain a priority, companies and individuals need to mitigate some fundamental global social and humanitarian issues – poverty, hunger and disease – in conjunction with Obama’s plans to retool the social contract with the poor, the uninsured and unemployed.
  • Continue to redefine the case and impact for sustainable development among key stakeholders, ensuring the proper alignment and positioning of the value proposition in a fragmented economic environment.
  • Enhance and leverage the increasingly more popular Web 2.0 tools and social networking platforms to enhance people connections, accountability and transparency.

Philanthropic Giving: It’s No Longer about Just Giving a Check

According to a recent LBG Research Institute survey, corporations’ anticipate no change or, in fact, an increase in charitable giving for 2009. Although 42% of corporations and 37% of corporate foundations surveyed say their charitable giving budgets will decrease in 2009, the Institute predicts that the overall decrease will be far less than the 12.1% drop in 2001 reported by Giving USA 2002.

In fact, 80 percent of corporations report that their giving will be more strategic next year, directed at causes in need, with greater impact and efficiency at work.

CAUSES FOR WHICH RESPONDENTS SAY THEY WILL INCREASE THEIR SUPPORT IN 2009

Environmental -- 24%
Basic Needs (food, clothing, shelter) -- 23%
Education/literacy -- 16%
Health -- 14%
Social Services -- 12%
Arts and Culture -- 4%

Conclusions for 2009:

  • Step up to the New Rules of Reputation Management: Social innovation, sustainable development, trust and transparency are the new currency for tomorrow’s companies doing business.
  • Evaluate and Measure Program Impact: Continue to assess current initiatives, stakeholder relationships and impact in the community. Use this platform to design and implement sustainable programs aligned with business objectives, as well as determine benchmarks for results measurement.
  • Philanthropy is an Integral Part of Doing Business: CEOs and their companies need to continue to invest strongly in their communities, responding to the growing expectations of employees, customers and other stakeholders.
  • Unleash the Power of NGOs for Greater Good: Align more aggressively with non-profit social actors – NGOs, (UN Agencies, development agencies). Companies have a timely opportunity to collaborate with some competent NGOs who are already in the trenches addressing key causes such as poverty, food and shelter.
  • Stakeholder Mobilization and Impact: Continue to harness the power of key stakeholders and their opinions, embrace them in community mobilization, growing influence and power of social networking platforms.

To be sure, our economy and ongoing disturbing worldwide events are unnerving, but finding solutions to these problems will entail greater support, creative innovation, and collaboration from businesses, government, NGOs/non-profits, community and academia.

Under our new administration, never will our current generation be more challenged and yet can prevail in the face of adversity and respective individual contribution(s) to ensure the course direction that the Obama administration so urgently represents.

By Sam Taylor. Source: LBG Research Institute

SUSTAINABILITY PARADIGM SHIFT – PEOPLE AND ‘CONNECTIONS’

Despite the economic turmoil, invigorating the global economy by advancing sustainable business practices was top of the agenda at last month’s Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) Conference.

The conference convened representatives from NGOs, academia, government and global leaders from corporations such as GE Capital, IKEA and Levi Strauss & Co, among others.

In fact, a "BSR/Cone 2008 Corporate Responsibility in a New World Survey" of 424 conference participants uncovered that more than two-thirds of the business leaders say that more responsible business practices could have lessened, or even prevented, the current economic downturn.

In parallel, the historic presidential election comes at a time of change, hope and opportunity for America which can be further embraced via sustainability opportunities.

This, in turn, will cause significant change in the business and policy environment requiring enhanced leadership from government, legislators, consumers and businesses. President-elect Obama recently announced intensifying his work on a stimulus plan that would dole out roughly a half trillion dollars to include ‘green’ projects, from home weatherization to renewable energy.

Water conservation, human rights, access to affordable healthcare, climate change and environmental issues continue to dominate top global concerns. Cause alignment and philanthropy are increasingly being linked to value in the sustainability evolution.

We cannot afford to delay or ignore pressing world issues…

The United Nations estimates that by 2025, two-thirds of the world’s population will face periodic and often severe water shortages.

In the midst of jolting world events, continued cost-cutting and job losses, corporations are taking a renewed approach to sustainability and embracing the opportunities as they consider it the right thing to do.

In particular, they are reaffirming their commitment by ensuring proper integration of their programs and alignment throughout their business and operations, including:

  • Supply chain
  • Transparancy and accountability
  • Community – global to local
  • Public policy/advocacy
  • Employee performance

Back to the People’

Meanwhile, a cultural paradigm shift is also taking place. Companies and the ‘public at large’ are seeking deeper and more meaningful connections, embracing community spirit and giving as a way to demonstrate concern and individual action.

In a low trust environment, driving sustainability and its success is routed in its people, connections and regaining their confidence.

Sustainability is advancing to another level by which to engage deeper connections with key stakeholders and address social problems they most care about - particularly human rights and social justice issues.

Opportunities for America’s Volunteer Sector

In conjunction with this paradigm shift, the role and need for volunteers in America is at an all time high and poised for future growth.

According to the Volunteering in America report released by the Corporation for National and Community Service, nearly 61 million Americans volunteered in their communities in 2007 giving 8.1 billion hours of service worth more than $158 billion to America’s communities.

Community service has never been stronger, as businesses are forced to commit to their sustainability programs, colleges adopt service-learning, and our new political leaders embrace citizen service.

Establishing volunteering programs and opportunities is a powerful way to empower and motivate employees/consumers.

GE Capital: CEO, Jeffrey Immelt, reiterated that ‘while responsibility programs need to be strategic and a long term commitment towards being competitive and generating profit, it is critical to run a company with trust, proper compliance, regulation and transparency. In order to achieve this, it is critical to engage people, align with culture and values.’

Some key conclusions:

  • Regain Trust and Confidence: Restore trust in the private sector by a demonstrated commitment to sustainability and help the business community regain the trust of consumers and investors – for the long term
  • Commitment to Causes: Gain consensus on what causes mean the most to key stakeholders and continued focus on addressing key issues such as energy, human rights and disease
  • Embrace Community Spirit: Above and beyond the trend of matching employee’s charitable giving, embrace volunteering to motivate and empower employees
  • Re-evaluate Philanthropic Activities: As the year-end approaches, assess charitable contributions, accountability and impact in the community. Consider causes that can be supported deep in the communities, beyond ‘giving a check’ and aligned with stakeholders

And most importantly……………..

Stay on track

In a spiraling economy, companies and their non-profit/NGO partners need stay on the sustainability track, advance responsible business and social practices to protect and make our world a better place.

By Samantha Taylor.

Resources:
-The BSR/Cone survey fact sheet can be located at

www.bsr.org/files/BSR_Cone_2008_Survey.pdf
-The Volunteering in America report can be located at www.VolunteeringInAmerica.gov

LESSONS TO BE LEARNED FROM THE FINANCIAL CRISIS: IMPACT ON SUSTAINABILITY

With tumultuous financial markets, a terrifying real estate crisis, and the U.S. Presidential election dominating the news, trust and confidence is now at an all time low – especially among consumers and investors.

While the financial crisis is forcing policy-makers to rethink an overhaul of (and in some cases, return to) market regulation and oversight to benefit the U.S. economy and mitigate risk, businesses are cutting costs and laying people off.

It's rough out there. Peoples’ life savings are evaporating as they watch the very executives who engineered this crisis walk way with Golden Parachutes. Government and Corporate America can no longer ignore the grass roots movement of everyday citizens rejecting the hypocrisies of our existing structure. Ignoring health care, the environment, and education can no longer be accepted.

While we don’t know how long this economic fallout will endure, we can be certain that at the end a new social consciousness will prevail. The public at large is realizing that government and corporations have not been effectively self-policing.

Who Will Watch the Watchers Themselves?

Another key lesson to be learned from the recent failure of several prominent financial institutions is the realization that organizations still fail to embrace the power of practicing corporate responsibility (CR).

The Wall Street crisis is fundamentally changing the way society views sustainability and it is an opportunity for businesses to reshape the sustainability agenda to their advantage.

Meanwhile, social, economic and environmental concerns still rest on the frontlines and are not to be overlooked in the context of new crises that will continue to emerge today and tomorrow. In particular, global climate change remains a permanent threat and Africans’ life spans continue to decline owing largely to AIDS, 60% of whose worldwide victims are African. Not to mention the increasing number of people in the US infected and impacted by HIV/AIDS.

Never has there been a greater ‘Call to Action’ and opportunity for businesses to re-examine their sustainability agendas, maintain a long term focus and continue to realize the benefits amidst the current economic and political changes.

They need to reflect the interests of those who have stakes in their business and realize the consequences of overlooking them. For example:

Investors: Where art thou profit?
Employees: Need to be empowered and motivated
Taxpayers: Who will now foot the bill for the bailouts
Community Power: Build, connect and align with key relationships – globally and locally
Customers: Expect transparency and accountability to support and demonstrate their favorite brands/products responsible business and social practices

Specifically:

  • Businesses must continue to address key sustainability issues like energy, climate change, disease and human rights concerns
  • Boost their voluntary and philanthropic efforts top-to-bottom and with participation from their employees
  • Maintain their reputations and boost trust by key stakeholders – especially consumers and investors
  • Embrace new tools and technologies that can assist businesses to establish connected communities, better focus their philanthropic activities for employee opportunity and motivation
  • As the giving season approaches, gain consensus from stakeholders about causes in need, align cause-related marketing and charitable contributions
  • Collaborate and establish partnerships with fiscally healthy non-profits/NGOs that that have the necessary resources and depth of knowledge to develop community-driven campaigns

CEOs need to stop worrying about the next quarterly report, their own compensation packages and spend more time creating a culture of responsible practices and conduct.

In conclusion, navigating this crisis effectively underscores the importance of building a truly sustainable economy for the long term – that not only requires leadership from government, but from businesses, consumers and ‘society at large.’

More later....

Sam Taylor

***

Resources:

Online giving and community building-
www.ammado.com

DRIVING HOME THE REALITIES OF THE HIV/AIDS EPIDEMIC - Perspectives from The International AIDS Conference

On the heels of The International AIDS Conference (IAC) which took place on August 3-8 in Mexico City, a plethora of news announcements and developments provided further context about the state of the HIV/AIDS epidemic which is responsible for 2.5 million people becoming newly infected each year.

Bottom line? The epidemic in the United States has not subsided since the 1990s and is apparently growing as evidenced by:
  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a national study estimating that in 2008 there were 56,000 new HIV infections in the US compared to 40,000 last reported in 2006
  • An analysis of the 2006 National Health Survey, also conducted by the CDC, found that only 40.4% of Americans aged between 18 and 64 reported ever having been tested for HIV, which leaves about 60% who have never been tested
  • A report issued by the Black AIDS Institute, 'Left Behind! Black America: A Neglected Priority in the Global AIDS Epidemic' illustrates the impact of HIV/AIDS on Black Americans, who make up 70% of new HIV diagnoses among teenagers and 65% of HIV-infected newborns
  • President Bush signed into law a five-year authorization of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) that lifts the 15 year-old HIV entry ban. The legislation removes the statutory ban on HIV-positive non-citizens gaining immigration status and travel visas originally proposed by the late Senator Jesse Helms (R-NC) and codified into law in 1993
  • The legislation authorizes $48 billion to be spent on foreign AIDS relief over the next five years

Yet, in our own back yard, there is no comprehensive strategy, dedicated domestic funding, or plan to fight the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

The IAC conference attracted more than 20,000 researchers, doctors, activists, government officials, for and not-for-profit/NGO organizations from around the world for a week of science and strategy sessions on the global pandemic that has killed 25 million people since 1981.

Experts were echoing the need for a National AIDS strategy to bring the same kind of attention to the domestic epidemic that the US provides overseas, as well as an annual commitment of $1.3 billion to HIV prevention needed to mitigate the AIDS epidemic.

Bill Clinton, during his presentation on 'Health System Reform; Achieving Universal Coverage,' described HIV/AIDS - as follows - adeptly illustrating the difficulties navigating the HIV/AIDS complexities in search of solutions to fight the epidemic.

'The mythological dragon was slain by St. George, the original knight in shining armor. But this dragon must be slain instead by millions and millions of foot soldiers. Universal Action Now calls on all of us to make the best use of the weapons at our disposal.'

Mr. Clinton recited some of his foundation's accomplishments, including lowering the cost of certain AIDS treatments for poor children to $60 a year from the $600 they cost three years ago, as well as the 1.4 million people living with AIDS using medicines purchased under the HIV/AIDS agreements.

Yet, while there are weapons at our disposal, we need new leadership and resources to meet the goals of the 2010 deadline for Universal Access.

This requires considerable scaling up of HIV prevention, treatment and care services. While efforts have been successfully made towards HIV treatment, it is imperative to adopt efforts towards HIV prevention overall.

For example, experts cited:

  • Reorient the President's Emergency Program for AIDS Relief to also include a US strategy and allocate funds for domestic HIV prevention and care initiatives
  • Raise awareness and provide education about the importance of HIV screening, utilization of treatment and risk reduction
  • Adopt new strategies to ensure more people are tested as part of routine medical care
  • Focus on AIDS reduction with access to effective HIV prevention and treatment services especially among American minority populations

For and not-for-profit businesses have a timely opportunity to further mobilize action and their substantial resources to complement or extend existing human rights initiatives:

Cause Alignment: Select HIV/AIDS and develop an integrated education initiative for our youth and American minorities in local and global communities that represent business interests
Employee/Workplace Programs: Communicate with and educate employees who are key to productivity. Establish workplace programs as the basis for company engagement, as well as an extension to NGO and public-sector programs. With volunteerism on the rise, companies can impact their communities by engaging their workforce in local projects
Small Businesses: Small and medium-sized businesses are a growing sector employing about 80% of the worlds workforce and need to be engaged in programs that protect employees from global epidemics
Big Businesses: They have the marketing, resources and scale to reach the public at large with critical messages and research about prevention, treatment and risk reduction

Let's fill in the gaps between our administration, businesses and communities to further mitigate the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

**

Some useful resources and links include:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - www.cdc.gov/

Gay Men's Health Crisis - www.gmhc.org

The Lancet - www.thelancet.com

BROADWAY THEATRE PROJECT (BTP) – Musical Theatre Arts Education for Kids

I am presently engaged in my yearly pilgrimage to help out with BTP’s musical theatre arts education program in Florida which runs from July 6-27. More than 200 talented students from 28 states, as well as Canada, England and American Samoa attend an intensive curriculum to properly prepare them for a professional career in performing arts.

As a prior student of The Guildhall School of Music and Drama programs, I am an avid supporter and believer of the critically important role that musical theatre arts can play in helping young men and women learn, gain confidence and succeed in life. Education in performing arts provides a foundation to tap creativity, enthusiasm and vivid imaginations – applicable to whatever career path we follow. It is important to support and fund these training programs.

Special guests include Patrick Wilson, Ashley Brown, Ben Vereen, Terrance Mann and Christopher D’Amboise, among others.

BTP apprentices will participate in work shopping numbers from shows currently in development including:

The Imagine Project - by Terrence Mann and Christopher D'Amboise. A performance piece will be created using historical songs from culture-changing artists who have transformed and transcended generations. This original work, created at BTP, will tell a moving story to the Beatles songs “Imagine” and “Because.” Mr. Mann began work on this concept with the National Dance Institute.

Havana - by Frank Wildhorn. Apprentices will work with Mr. Wildhorn, as well as artistic director Debra McWaters, on staging numbers from the show Havana. Vocalists will be featured as well as dance with a Latin flair.

Final Show … AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT:

The July 2008 session culminates in a show that showcases the talents of all apprentices consisting of original works created by the BTP faculty and apprentices. The show will be held on July 26 at 3 and 8 pm in the Ferguson Hall at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased through the TBPAC box office, 813-229-7827, or through Ticketmaster.

Founded in 1991, the non-profit Broadway Theatre Project is a prestigious musical theatre arts education program for high school and college students. Under the artistic direction of Debra McWaters, students attend an intensive three-week training program focused on acting, dancing and singing, as well as the critical life skills necessary to work in the professional world of entertainment.

For more information, support and make a donation to this terrific training program – http://www.broadwaytheatreproject.com/.

Photo: Sam Taylor with Ben Vereen.

Human Rights: Narrowing the Divide between Business and Social Responsibility

In the face of western companies marketing challenges supporting the Olympics and activists linking the games to Darfur/Tibet, addressing human rights issues are top-of-mind.

Today, key global human rights issues increasingly span: Arms - Business – Children - Terrorism - Economic - Social - Health - HIV/AIDS - Labor - LGBT rights - and the list goes on. Notable issues include:

Kenya: In May, the Kenyan government launched Operation “Rudi Nyumbani” (Return Home), aimed at returning thousands of men, women, and children to their homes, which they fled in the violent aftermath of the December 2007 elections. However, the provincial commissioner for Rift Valley province recently announced that all displaced persons camps in the province would be closed within three weeks. Since the announcement, there have been reports of forced returns and inadequate services once people reach their homes.

Burma, Colombia, Angola, Burundi: In more than twenty countries around the world, children are soldiers of war. Denied a childhood and often subjected to horrific violence, an estimated 200,000 to 300,000 children are serving for both rebel groups and government forces in current armed conflicts.

China: The 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing is presented as a unique opportunity to demonstrate to its people and the world a commitment to the fundamental freedoms guaranteed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in China’s own constitution. Several obstacles have prevented freedom of movement, religion, assembly and access to information. There is a substantial increase in human rights abuses directly related to preparations for the Games such as violations of media freedom and an intensifying persecution of Chinese human rights defenders who speak out publicly about the Games.

The Role of Business: Coca-cola and GE who have allocated millions of dollars to sponsor the Olympics are being criticized for not speaking out about the deteriorating human rights situation in China and responsibility agendas are being challenged.

Globalization has led to widespread growth in commerce and the reach of businesses. It has been debated that business responsibility and policies aimed at improving corporate conduct neglect to fully consider human rights issues - and - there is no shared assessment of the extent of the impact that business practices have on human rights.

As businesses ‘license to operate’ obligations continue to evolve and change so are the implications on human rights as companies are forced to take proactive measures to prevent employee misconduct, engage suppliers, address product quality/safety issues and ensure integrity of their business relationships.

While human rights models are considered to be well developed, business alignment and implementation are being scrutinized.

This was a key topic addressed at the Global Compact US Network’s Human Rights and Business Symposium in April. Jointly convened with the Harvard Business School, the meeting drew approximately 100 corporate executives, civil society representatives, academics and other human rights experts.

Some key issues and comments brought up by the Global Compact panelists include:

  • For human rights to be respected, it is important to partner with individuals and organizations who are experts in their field such as religious, community, legal and development organizations – Ms. Mary Robinson, The Ethical Globalization Initiative
  • Public health is a key component and often overlooked – Sir Mark Moody-Stuart, Chairman, Anglo American plc
  • Business should assess what impact business has on human rights – Christine Bader, Advisor to the UN SRSG
  • Important that human rights are integrated into the business – Reverand David Schilling – Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility
  • Utilize specialized groups such as Dream for Darfur to influence China to pressure Sudan for change – Robert Corcoran, Vice President of Corporate Citizenship, GE

Olympics-The Devil You Do the Devil You Don’t: Top sponsors of the games include Atos Origin, Coca-Cola, General Electric, Manulife, Johnson & Johnson, Kodak, Lenovo, McDonald’s, Panasonic, Samsung and Visa.

Companies expanding their business interests in China are exposing themselves to risks - politics, trade disputes, fears of unsafe products as well as being tarred by negative publicity.

Properly measuring and responding to external issues such as the Olympics, which are often larger than the company wide, is hard to navigate. Also, corporations can’t be expected to intervene in a complex cultural and political situation that will fix China, Darfur and Tibet overnight. This situation underscores a more careful approach about which ‘battle you pick to fight' in relation to long term social responsibility planning and impact.

J&J is sponsoring a medical training center for 2,000 Chinese medical personnel to treat athletes and spectators during the games. GE is providing ultrasound equipment to treat injured athletes, as well as power, lighting, water and security systems at sports venues.

Some conclusions to be made in the interests of uniting a variety of efforts to strengthen human rights in relation to business responsibility, protect individuals and communities from harm:

  • Develop tools to properly assess and manage human rights issues within a company (e.g. freedom of association, right to privacy)
  • CSR and human rights should be integrated within the decision-making process
  • Access to food, water, shelter and education are linked to human rights, so companies already engaged in CSR are in a more favorable position to lead human rights implementation and education
  • Vouch for better inclusion and enforcement in trade agreements
  • Engage multi-stakeholders that represent different sectors, expertise and environments
  • Gauge opinions about human rights and issues that employees/customers would like companies to advocate for on their behalf
  • Communicate the standards and transparent measuring to key stakeholders such as NGOs, investors and employees

As for the Olympics sponsors, it would be fair to show their commitment by at least issuing a public statement of support for human rights which seeks to promote the ‘respect for universal fundamental ethical principles.’

We can only hope to protect the integrity of the games, all the athletes and countries involved.

**

Some useful human rights resources and links include:

Declaration on Human Rights – www.everyhumanhasrights.org - The Human Rights Compliance Assessment – www.humanrightsbusiness.org - Business and Human Rights Resource Centre: www.business-humanrights.org – UN Global Compact – www.unglobalcompact.org

UN Global Compact Hosting Conference – Human Rights

On April 28 at the Harvard Business School in Boston, the UN Global Compact U.S. Network's will be hosting its first conference of 2008. The conference will focus on ‘Business and Human Rights’, in recognition of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

With disturbing world events such as the issues surrounding the Olympics in China, Darfur, childrens poverty, disease, human trafficking and food shortages, this is a critical time to review the role, responsibilities and impact of businesses.

The UN conference convenes speakers that will address a number of critical humanitarian issues including:

  • Understanding business risks associated with human rights
  • Setting policy and addressing stakeholder expectations
  • Monitoring and reporting progress
Speakers and moderators will include senior managers of companies at the forefront of these issues, as well as thought leaders from civil society and other sectors. Two keynote speakers will include:
  • Mrs. Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and current Chair of the Council of Women World Leaders
  • Mr. John Ruggie, Harvard Professor and UN Special Representative on Human Rights and Transnational Corporations.

The meeting will also feature the launch of the Case Study Report by the UN Global Compact Office and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

The event coincides with the Ceres annual conference also taking place in Boston this week.

Reputation Dynamics next blog will address opinions about corporations marketing challenges addressing CSR for a major current event.

Watch this space.

CSR Champions Need To Take It To The Top - Perspectives about The CRO Conference

Intel's Chief Administration Officer Andy Bryant, during his keynote speech at the CRO conference, addressed how a multi-year journey led Intel to be nominated #1 on the CRO Magazines 100 Best Corporate Citizens list.

The conference, held in New York, convened experts and more than 200 corporate responsibility practitioners, professional service providers and non-profit influencers to address financial governance issues, stakeholder communications, and sustainability best practices.

Intel's success can be attributed to making corporate responsibility a competitive imperative.

"Our efforts started at the top and we focused on all key areas including governance, human rights, environment, climate change, finance and assigned accountabilities throughout the organization," said Bryant.

Eaton Corporation has also enjoyed success deploying world-class environmental, health and safety (EHS) practices utilizing the Eaton Business System.

"We aligned our efforts with our brand and business strategy from the outset," said Joey Wolfsberger, Vice President of EHS.

Bryant advocated for public companies to seek leadership from their top officers in raising their level of corporate responsibility.

However, there are still major gaps advocating and properly integrating CSR strategies within corporations - from top to bottom. For example:
  • Reputation Dynamics recently led a CSR survey for The Marketing Executives Networking Group (MENG) among 1,700 VP-level or above marketing executives in their organizations. The survey uncovered that 62.5% of those who participated work for companies that are not engaged in corporate social responsibility programs due to a lack of interest or priority

These results were at odds with the fact that 60% of respondents think that corporate social responsibility programs have or will have a positive impact on profitability and overall performance of the company.

  • The survey respondents identified opportunities such as employee motivation (71%), influencing customer behaviors (54%), growth and innovation (54%), and increased profits (25%)
  • A recent IBM survey conducted among senior executives and directors of strategy at 250 corporations uncovered another major gap - 76% of businesses surveyed admit they don't truly understand their customers' CSR concerns
Internal CSR champions need help educating and convincing their senior management to make CSR a priority and integrated throughout the organization, rather than a 'nice to have' or a side job.

Even in a down economy, they need to be reminded they are missing out on tremendous business opportunities that not only directly impacts the bottom line, but also offers financial incentives when employees are more motivated and loyal, and positively influencing customer behaviors for the long term.

CSR champions shout louder.

***

Information about Intel and Eaton CSR efforts can be located at http://www.intel.com/ and http://www.eaton.com/.

Tending to Our Back Yard: The Realities about HIV/AIDS

Last week, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved the President’s Plan for AIDS Relief at $50 billion over 5 years to combat the global health crisis posed by AIDS and other diseases.

In President Bush’s original executive budget, he had proposed a $28 million increase to abstinence-only education and no increase for HIV/AIDS research at the National Institutes of Health.

Fortunately, both the Senate and House versions of the bill would remove a requirement that one-third of HIV prevention funds that focus on countries that receive PEPFAR be used for abstinence-until-marriage programs.

Notwithstanding the needs of the 40 million sufferers around the world, there are substantial problems providing the critical support services in the United States. For example:

  • In New York State alone, there are 110,000 people living with HIV/AIDS and another estimated 28,000 are undiagnosed
  • Young people in age ranges of 15-24 account for almost half of all new HIV infections reported in the US each year
  • It is overlooked that women are affected and increasing in numbers
  • There are lack of proper services and resources for health care providers to support prevention and treatment

In response to President Bush’s original executive budget, Marjorie J. Hill, PhD, CEO of Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC) commented “he proposes to either cut or flat-fund critical programs for research, HIV prevention and care, while continuing to call for increases in harmful programs like abstinence-only education.”

Where the current administration has failed to advance the fight against the AIDS crisis, programs such as (PRODUCT) RED have done an excellent job capitalizing on co branding and marketing opportunities with leading brands such as Apple, Dell, American Express and Armani, where consumers buy RED items and money is directed to the Global Fund. RED contributions to the Global Fund recently reached a $100 million milestone.

However, while the quest for funding and resources continues to be challenging..

Major gaps continue to prevail in the proper appropriation of funds and providing the necessary services toward the fight against HIV/AIDS.....

For and not-for-profit businesses have a timely opportunity to further mobilize action and their substantial resources to complement existing social and economic responsibility initiatives:

  • Cause Alignment: Select HIV/AIDS and develop an integrated education initiative for our youth both at home and in global destinations that represent business interests
  • Employee/Workplace Programs: Communicate with and educate employees who are key to productivity. Establish workplace programs as the basis for company engagement, as well as an extension to NGO and public-sector programs. With volunteerism on the rise, companies can impact their communities by engaging their workforce in local projects
  • Small Businesses: Small and medium-sized businesses are a growing sector employing about 80% of the worlds workforce and need to be engaged in programs that protect employees from global epidemics
  • Big Businesses: They have the marketing, resources and scale to reach the public at large with critical messages and research about prevention, treatment and protecting human rights

Let's fill in the gaps between our administration, businesses and communities to further mitigate the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Source: GMHC. Joinred.com. New York Department of Health.

Africa – The Force of Change

As I have said, the first thing is to be honest with yourself. You can never have an impact on society if you have not changed yourself…Great peacemakers are all people of integrity, of honesty, but humility.’ Nelson Mandela

The energy and enthusiasm about Africa was running high at the first US-Africa Tourism Seminar on 2/27 developed by The Corporate Council on Africa and Africa Travel Association. While Africa has its fair share of political, economic and humanitarian challenges, the continent is poised to be a major travel destination and location for investment and business exploration.

In conjunction with the ‘Greening’ of the travel industry, Experiential Tourism, a growing sector beyond ‘sun-and-sand tourism,’ is expected to grow to 25% of the world’s travel market within six years - $473.6 billion a year.

As Gregg Truman, vice president of marketing for South African Airways pointed out, Africa commands only 2.4% of global travel market share, with only 64 million people taking trips to Africa.

With a new breed of ‘sustainable tourists’ seeking culturally authentic travel experiences that protect the environment and integrity of the destination, VolunTourism and travel philanthropy opportunities are on the rise. Africa is rich for its natural resources, tourism and wildlife, dancing and music – among others.
Opportunities for ‘Doing Good in Africa’:

Corporations and individuals have abundant opportunities to make a difference by addressing causes in need and making a personal connection with African communities. Some suggestions include:

  • Engage in ongoing education for the public about the realities and opportunities
  • Encourage family and stakeholder visits to see communities with causes in need
  • Align with NGO/non-profits to help mitigate extreme poverty, disease, threats to wildlife and tourism, and infant mortality
  • Provide benefits and incentives for local businesses, workforce, products and services
  • Donate funds and/or volunteer in communities

A special thanks to my fellow panelists’ on Experiential Tourism, their engaging presentations and fascinating work. Sean Barlow - Afropop Worldwide, El Hadji Aziz Gueye – Senegal Tourist Office, Lelei LeLaulu - Counterpart International, Dr. Lawrence Martin - Stony Brook University, Sharr Prohaska - New York University, Kevin J. Wright - World Religious Travel Association.

The Corporate Council on Africa (CCA) and Africa Travel Association (ATA) Host First US-Africa Tourism & Sports Seminar in New York

The seminar theme - Making Africa the World’s Next Premiere Travel Destination - will provide more than 200 leaders from the public and private sectors an inside look into the vast array of business exploration and investment opportunities in the travel and tourism industries in Africa.

Africa is poised to increase its world market share in tourism and this seminar will help lay the groundwork placing Africa top-of-mind among American tourists and investors.

Currently sub-Saharan Africa accounts for 1.3% of the world market share in the travel and tourism industry. In 2007, the sector generated close to $90 billion in economic activity and is expected to exceed $185 billion within the next 7 years for the region, demonstrating positive growth and investment opportunities.

Sam Taylor, founder of Reputation Dynamics and Associate Partner of Corporate Donor Travel for Elevate Destinations, will be participating in a workshop and address the growth of Experiential Tourism in the context of alignment with economic, social and environmental responsibility trends. Experiential Tourism, encompassing eco-, nature, heritage, community and adventure tourism, is expected to grow three times faster than the tourism industry as a whole. In fact, beginning in the 1990s, this sector has grown 20-to-34% per year and could grow to 25% of the world’s travel market within six years, taking the value of the sector to $473.6 billion a year.

Event topics include sports and tourism, infrastructure development, marketing Africa, traveler perception, travel industry-related investment opportunities, airline and hotel development, as well as travel trends in Africa.

CCA, established in 1993, is a nonpartisan 501 (c) (3) membership organization of nearly 200 U.S. companies dedicated to strengthening the commercial relationship between the U.S. and Africa. CCA members represent nearly 85 percent of total U.S. private sector investments in Africa. The organization is dedicated to bringing together potential business partners and to showcase business opportunities on the continent. For more information on CCA, seminar and agenda visit www.africacncl.org.
The seminar will be held February 27-28, 2008 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York, immediately preceding The New York Times Travel Show 2008.
Statistical Reference: World Tourism Organization (WTO).

Reputation Dynamics Joins United Nations Global Compact

Reputation Dynamics today announced that it has signed the United Nations Global Compact, reinforcing the company’s commitment to help companies advance their corporate social responsibility agendas among key stakeholders (employees, customers, board members, investors and suppliers).

Established in 2000, the Global Compact, the world’s largest voluntary corporate citizenship initiative, brings together nearly 3,700 companies from more than 120 countries to advance ten universal principles in the areas of human rights, labor, environmental sustainability and anti-corruption. Through the power of collective action, the Global Compact seeks to promote responsible corporate citizenship and integrate these ten principles in business strategies and operations around the world so that business can be part of the solution to the challenges of globalization and sustainable development.

Joining the Global Compact is an extension to Reputation Dynamics corporate responsibility advisory services and current initiatives such as Conscious Commerce - an innovative business model and methodology to help companies properly align and market stakeholder-driven programs - and it’s strategic alliance with Elevate Destinations providing corporations with opportunities to visit destinations where they have business and/or philanthropic interests (http://www.elevatedestinations.com/).

Additionally, Reputation Dynamics engages in education and advocacy by providing perspectives to help companies align ‘Doing Good in Society’ with competitive business edge via this popular blog.


"We are proud to be supporting the organization’s 10 principles and its efforts to advance corporate citizenship and challenge business to take a responsible leadership position," said Samantha Taylor, Founder of Reputation Dynamics. “This is well-aligned with our core values and corporate vision."


More information about the Compact can be found at
www.unglobalcompact.org.

Fast-Tracking Kenya’s Recovery….

It seems just like yesterday when my mother and I were driving to our home outside of Nairobi barely making the curfew deadline. Our heads were slightly ducked behind the car windscreen as my mother revved the accelerator past the security checkpoint.

In 1982, my family witnessed the devastating effects to a country and its people of a Kenyan coup d’etat attempt, which failed to overthrow President Daniel arap Moi’s government. On August 1, a group of soldiers from the Kenya Air Force took over the local radio station and announced they had overthrown the government. Sending Nairobi into utter chaos, about 145 people were killed and losses from widespread looting and destruction of property amounted to $111 million. My family was forced to hide out at home ‘on rations.’

Some parallels can be made between the ‘Hours of Chaos’ in 1982 and recent events surrounding President Mwai Kibaki’s disputed re-election, violence and deaths.

Of note, the poorest living in the slums of Nairobi and in rural areas, had all too little to lose in the violence and life for Kenyans once again more difficult.

The Kenya Presidential Elections of December 2007, are potentially the most damaging episode to national unity since the assassination of Tom Mboya in July 1969.

While there is celebration among select supporters for President Kibaki, the fear gripping the country is almost unprecedented in its 44 years of independence - as the Government and ODM continue to differ over the way forward for a peaceful settlement to the political crisis.

And, this is such bad timing for Kenya…..

Considered one of the most beautiful and more prosperous regions of Africa, Kenya has an estimated GDP growth of 6.7 percent and its unique landscapes, natural world and wildlife attractions brings in $900 million in tourism a year.

Kenya’s economy has been devastated by the violence and its reputation as a stable haven tarnished in a matter of weeks. As of 1/7, the economy was reported to have lost approximately $1 billion as a result of the post-election violence.

Some Perspective…

Kenya’s transition from dictatorship to democracy continues to be a tumultuous journey owing to its deeply rooted history in the political economies of colonialism, neocolonialism and neoliberalism. The country is further tainted by ongoing corruption and scandals under the rule of former dictators’ such as President Daniel arap Moi.

The first Kibaki government was elected in 2002 on a strong anti-corruption platform at a time when the country wanted a transparent government, justice brought to former corrupt officials and focus on economic development. While new corruption scandals occurred, the Kibaki administration delivered on the economy – jumping from 0.6% in 2002 to 6.1% in 2006. Despite its economy, Kenya still has some serious social issues and extreme poverty.

In 2006, the government unveiled Kenya Vision 2030, a development blueprint to turn Kenya into a newly industrialized ‘middle income country providing high quality of life for all its citizens by the year 2030.’

Kenya needs fast-track solutions to restore social harmony and aid recovery:

  • Mwai Kibaki and Raila Odinga enter negotiations to find quick resolution to end violence and restore peace to its people
  • More British and international intervention to help a humanitarian crisis
  • Contending parties agree to a binding independent and monitored investigation of the election results
  • Establish stronger anti-corruption platforms, transparent and accountable legal/government systems
  • A new parliament should be called into session with the new post of Prime Minister directly answerable to Parliament
  • Restore tourism and confidence
  • Corporations and NGOs/non-profits should align social, economic and environmental responsibility programs with causes in need

The country’s economy will continue to lose hard-won ground if the political situation is not resolved quickly.

Harambe.

The Tide Has Turned: 2008 Conscious Commerce Predictions by Sam Taylor, Founder of Reputation Dynamics

Social Purpose Alignment is a Strategic Imperative for Making a Profit

In 2007, the business case for corporate responsibility (CR) was accepted in the business community,” according to Sam Taylor.

Key Corporate Responsibility Milestones in 2007:

  • Companies ‘License to Operate’ obligations were forced to change due to world events, regulatory issues, compliance and environmental concerns
  • Companies acknowledge that initiatives will have a major impact on business strategies over the next few years
  • Growth of more evidenced-based research tracking the value and impact from multiple functions including brand, stakeholder relations, customer behaviors and reputation
  • Increasing number of newly created executive positions
  • Growth of dedicated resources and services including sustainability development firms, environmental, news services, academics and influencers’
  • A plethora of social entrepreneurs, for and not-for-profit/NGO companies have provided concrete evidence that while striving to make a profit, they can make a difference
  • Growth of multiple investment vehicles such as alternative energy mutual funds
  • Philanthropic contributions polled among 136 large corporations by the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy’s ‘Giving in Numbers’ research found that the median dollar value of contributions increased from $29.5 million in 2005 to $32.6 million in 2006
  • Cause-related marketing is a $1.44 billion business

Predictions for 2008:

Step up to the New Rules of Reputation Management: Social innovation, sustainable development, trust and transparency are the new currency for tomorrow’s companies doing business.

Evaluate and Measure Program Impact: Assess current initiatives, stakeholder relationships and impact in the community. Use this platform to design and implement sustainable programs aligned with business objectives, as well as determine benchmarks for results measurement.

Employee and Customers Want Businesses to Invest in Communities they Touch: While health, safety, price and quality are top-of-mind for conscious consumers, they want companies to meet their personal goals and positively impact society.

Philanthropy is an Integral Part of Doing Business: CEOs and their companies need to continue to invest strongly in their communities, responding to the growing expectations of employees, customers and other stakeholders.

Move the Needle on Social Issues: There are plenty of causes out there that need support both at home and in emerging markets. Some critical causes in need include HIV/Aids, TB and malaria, poverty, infant mortality, wildlife preservation and protecting indigenous peoples.

Unleash the Power of NGOs for Greater Good: Align more aggressively with non-profit social actors – NGOs, (UN Agencies, development agencies). Companies have a timely opportunity to collaborate with some competent NGOs who are already in the trenches addressing key causes.

Stakeholder Liaisons: Harness the power of key stakeholders and communicate with them regularly on and offline. Solicit the knowledge and opinions of customers and employees. It is a powerful tool to track and influence patterns of behavior, and, don’t forget tomorrow’s leaders – the younger generation and their social networking habits.

Give the Future of Green this Holiday Season: Your Investments

As we ponder 2008 resolutions under the shade of our volatile US economy, it might be prudent to consider alternative energy investments as part of re-balancing our portfolios. While the topic of ‘green’ continues to dominate the headlines, it is a good time to put ‘your money where the green is.’

According to a United Nations report in 2006 investors poured in $71 billion into companies in various fields of renewable energy and energy-efficiency technologies. Experts predict that it will rise to $85 billion this year.

While there was a rush to alternative energy investments during the oil crisis in the 1970s and tech bubble in the 1990s, the current sentiment is that these are here to stay – owing to the rising demand for power, concerns about oil resources, and climate change. Renewable sources today only produce only 2% of the world’s energy, but account for 18% of world investment in power generation. The rising popularity of alternative energy technologies and capacity will attract venture capital funding, legislative incentives and business support. Developments of note:

  • The European Union is mandating that 20% of energy use comes from solar, wind and other renewable sources by 2020
  • The U.S. House of Representatives passed an energy bill mandating that 15% of electricity from private utilities be generated from renewables by the same time
  • Governments are providing subsidies, incentives and tax breaks to speed up the development of alternative energy technologies
  • General Motors announced that 50% of its vehicles will use alternatives to gasoline within the next five years

You know that when Wall Street rises to the occasion, it is to be taken seriously. Several new exchanged traded funds have been launched to invest in alternative energy companies, as well as a new crop of mutual funds. These include a combination of ‘pure plays’ and ‘market leaders.’

Since the start of the year, this small but growing pool of funds have posted solid returns, and in many cases outperforming the S&P 500. Of note:

  • New Alternatives Fund (NALFX)
  • Guinness Atkinson Alternative Energy Fund (GAAEX)

Some resources for homework and due diligence - www.energytechstocks.com - www.altenergystocks.com - www.greenchipstocks.com.

There’s still time for a green shopping spree………………….





Sustainable Business Growing in Importance and so is the Link to Reputation – Do You Know Yours?

The 'Call to Action' messages and marketplace research continues to echo in the growing corporate responsibility community – corporate – academia – non-profit - NGOs……..

At a Social Enterprise Conference at Columbia Business School last Friday, a headline message presented at a keynote address by Patrick Cescau - President Group Chief Executive of Unilever - following a special tribute to Anita Roddick of The Body Shop:

“Corporations of the future will not survive unless they adopt and support social innovation and sustainable development objectives”

An advocate of ‘Doing Well by Doing Good’ and Recipient of the 2007 Botwinick Prize in Business Ethics, Unilever has demonstrated commitment to its social and environmental sustainability initiatives via its alliances with The Rain Forest Alliance and World Food Programme – http://www.unilever.com/.

That same week, Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) announced the results of a survey in conjunction with their annual conference in San Francisco where more than 330 participants were polled out of 1350 leaders from 50 countries in attendance - www.bsr.org/conference. Key highlights included:

  • 82 percent – private sector executives, NGOs and policymakers around the world say they will make corporate social responsibility a core business strategy in the next five years
  • 47 percent said a core reason for focusing on sustainable business is consumer behavior and concerns about reputation
  • 31 percent said energy efficiency and renewable energy are at the heart of their corporate climate change effort
  • 69 percent said China is the country that will most influence the evolution of corporate responsibility in the next five years

Corporate responsibility is climbing higher and higher on the business and public agenda…..

So, what is the fundamental next step to properly create the CR road map?

We, at Reputation Dynamics, suggest a brand reputation analysis and stakeholder evaluation to provide the strategic foundation for the development of a sustainable, long-term program.

Unleashing the Power of NGOs for Greater Good

As companies continue to respond to the power of private citizens and their quest to improve society, they are also being forced to re-evaluate their partnerships and accountability of their contributions to the community.

Never has there been a greater time to align more aggressively with non-profit social actors – NGOs (UN Agencies, development agencies and civil society organizations).

The business focus of NGOs includes critical initiatives such as healthcare, disease, energy efficiency, agriculture, environmental quality protection, children’s’ poverty, civil rights and so on. However, some NGOs are considered to be disorganized, bureaucratic and have fragmented communications.

It’s not all about philanthropy...............

Collaborating and aligning with these businesses’ are important avenues for giving, can both benefit and mobilize the public at large in advancing good causes.

Companies have a timely opportunity to review and collaborate with some competent NGOs thanks to The United Nations Global Compact, Dalberg Global Development Advisors and the Financial Times.

The companies aligned to identify and analyze a group of non-profit social actors who have proven competence in partnering with companies. Dalberg received 865 valid partnership ratings from 445 companies in response to a survey distributed to more than 20,000 companies worldwide about their partnership experiences - rated on adaptability, execution, and communication. Key highlights of the findings:

  • 73% concluded that corporate partnerships would be important for their own company over the next 3 years
  • The majority cited successful implementation of effective and relevant CSR programs as the main reason for partnering with NGOs
  • Core business and advocacy partnerships are perceived to have higher impact than those focused on philanthropy

The three most pursued areas of partnership were in Education, Environmental Protection and Communications, while Microfinance received high interest.

Lions Club International, Environmental Defense, WRI and TechnoServe ranked among the top 34 global organizations listed. Additionally, 53 local/regional NGOs emerged as leaders.

Proper collaboration and alignment with the NGO community as a key component of a company's responsibility initiatives, represents considerable advantages and benefits for both parties. These include increasing the profits of their businesses and donor acquisition, and for NGOs to take advantage of corporate resources, expand these markets, make contributors' money go further and.......enable greater community impact.

For more information about this study – www.dalberg.com
‘Business guide to partnering with NGOs and the United Nations’

Please Sir, Can I have Some More?

The fact of the matter is that there are still more than two million New York City residents across the five boroughs at risk of hunger. Despite the city’s emergency food programs (EFP’s) – approximately 900 soup kitchens and food pantries in New York - providing food to half of them, there is still a dire food shortage.

A couple of other statistics:
  • Approximately 500,000 city residents are eligible but not receiving food stamps, many of whom may be turning to EFPs instead. Less than one-half (46 percent) of all EFP participant households are enrolled in the federal Food Stamp Program.
  • Of all EFP participant households, about one-third (34 percent) choose between food and housing, about one-third (34 percent) choose between food and utilities, and more than one-fifth (22 percent) choose between food and medical care.

I bring you attention to The Food Bank’s NYC upcoming hunger awareness Go Orange campaign taking place on October 15-19. The campaign is calling upon all New Yorkers’ to do what they can do to help raise funds for the holiday season and the goal is to raise one million meals.

This year, city landmarks, media partners, corporations, musicians, restaurants, supermarkets, retail stores and more are Going Orange throughout the city to help raise these funds and awareness for hunger relief. New York’s skyline will also Go Orange including its most famous landmarks and towers such as The Empire State Building.

For further information about how to participate and take action: http://www.foodbanknyc.org/

A little Orange anyone?

Source: Hunger Safety Net 2004, Hunger in America

How ‘Doing Good in Society’ Increases Competitive Business Edge - Audio Presentation

Companies ‘license to operate’ obligations have changed dramatically due to world events and the globalization of our economy.

The headlines are dominated with news about everyone trying to be green, product quality and safety, corporate reputations and performance. With recent books such as ‘Giving’ by Bill Clinton, and ‘The Triple Bottom Line', co-authored by Andrew Savitz and Karl Weber corporations key stakeholders’ are more educated than ever about the contributions and impact of corporations on society, economy and the environment.

Companies are now expected to be good corporate citizens not only by their shareholders and government regulators, but by their customers.

However, doubt still lingers in the business and financial community about justifying ‘Doing Good in Society’ and the point of sustainability. The fundamental challenge for them is whether it distracts from core business focus areas, provides long term growth and returns to investors.

The tide is turning for the naysayers.........

A recent national survey conducted by Grant Thornton among 500 business executives uncovered that 77 percent said they expected corporate responsibility initiatives to have a major impact on their business strategies over the next several years. Furthermore, the three greatest benefits of enacting CSR are: improves public opinion and customer relations, as well as attracts/retains talent. For survey results, go to www.grantthornton.com - Corporate responsibility becoming integral to business strategy.

We invite you to listen to our audio presentation that provides a perspective on how and why corporate social responsibility (CSR), is becoming an increasingly critical component of reputation management and competitive business edge.

http://www.podcastnowproductions.com/dx/node/515

The CRO Conference Addressing 'Operationalization' of Sustainability on September 12

The CRO has a stellar line up of speakers and timely topics at a one-day fall conference to be held at the Union League Club in Chicago tomorrow.

Topics will cover stakeholder engagement, supply chain, and alignment of CSR with the bottom line. Also, they will address two major trends facing corporate social responsibility officers, in the growing $32 billion CR industry; the expansion from merely defense in the face of regulatory challenges to offensive functions, or making sustainability efforts operational.

Featuring keynote speaker Murray Martin, CEO of Pitney Bowes, the conference will also include a special multi-level company session with a board member, marketing communications expert and manufacturing executive from a global corporation discussing their global sustainability efforts—from board room to execution.

A panel featuring Susan Graff, Principal of ERS along with the CEOs of Baxter Healthcare and Interface Group will share learning’s about setting and surpassing sustainable practice benchmarks.

The CRO is a membership media platform for corporate practitioners, professional service providers and non-profit influencers' in corporate responsibility. Example members include IBM, Avon, Starbucks, Intel, Pepsi, and Harvard.

For more information - http://www.thecro.com/conferences.