Highlights from Day One of the Business-Community Impact Symposium
By Jeff Hoffman, Program Director, The Conference Board Business-Community Impact Symposium and Global Social Investing Council
When I was asked to lead The Conference Board’s Business-Community Impact Symposium, I was honored, but also aware that I wanted to do something different from the many other corporate social responsibility (CSR) and philanthropy conferences on offer. I wanted to create an intimate, collaborative space that fostered dialog between peers. So, over a day and a half in the surrounds of Celsius Bryant Park, an unusual all-glass structure in Bryant Park, New York City, we convened 36 impactful speakers for an agenda that took on different forms—TED-style talks, fast-paced panels and “Impact Moments,” during which we heard from leading examples of social impact creation. I’m happy to share some of the highlights from day one of the event here. Keep an eye out for more in future posts.
Virgin Unite
When you think of some of the world’s great brands, Virgin is often towards the top of the list. Richard Branson is passionate about making the world a better place. And as a result, he created Virgin Unite, and moved the head of his Australian mobile business, Jean Oelwang, to lead it. As the CEO of Virgin Unite, Jean partners with nonprofits and social enterprises to create new approaches to social and environmental issues, such as the Branson Centres of Entrepreneurship and a global platform to support budding entrepreneurs.
Jean talked about how business can and must be a force for good in the world. She suggested new approaches to leadership, supporting entrepreneurs to launch and grow businesses, and helping existing businesses to prioritize people and planet along with profit. Uniting great people and entrepreneurial ideas, and reinventing how we live and work is not only good for society, but for the bottom line.
From The Conference Board philanthropy councils
Members from each of The Conference Board’s philanthropy councils—Contributions Council I, Contributions Council II, and the Global Social Investing Council—presented about topics discussed at one of their recent meetings. Contributions Council I addressed “improving student achievement through the use of technology”; Contributions Council II looked at “creativity as a tool to solving social issues”; and the Global Social Investing Council discussed its meeting last year in Beijing, covering the opportunities and challenges of corporate giving in China. Click here to read my blog about that meeting.
Improving employee volunteering
A dynamic trio from Gap, Inc., CECP and Cities of Service presented Volunteers: A Strategic Resource. A lively discussion ensued regarding how often corporate volunteers paint gyms, plant gardens, or clean up beaches, when they could be designing websites, drafting HR handbooks, or creating billing systems. For volunteers to tackle these types of projects, corporations and nonprofits need to think differently about how they collaborate, the role that volunteers can play, and driving impact. Reimagining Service’s final report was referenced as an important tool to achieve these goals.
Communicating impact
We all face the challenge of getting the word out about the amazing programs we have and the impact we’re creating. Seth Marbin of Google and Lauren Mihajlov of United Health Foundation discussed how to get your message through the clutter. Social media provides an incredible opportunity to reach people, as does traditional media. But it’s not just about competing with external forces, positioning your message internally is also a critical piece of the communication puzzle.
Predictions for 2015
To close the first day, Tim McClimon, President of the American Express Foundation, shared his thoughts on the global trends that will impact CSR in 2015. As the world becomes more complex, so do the jobs of CSR professionals. Navigating emerging issues is both critical and challenging, and you need to have these trends on your radar to be successful. They include:
- An improving global economy
- An increasing commitment to sustainability
- An increasing focus on income inequality
- A fresh look at conscious capitalism
- A serious look at disruptive companies
You can read more about these on Tim’s blog, CSR Now!
Stay tuned for more insights from day two of the symposium, as well as a closer look at our “impact moments.”
About the author:
Jeff Hoffman
Program Director
The Conference Board Global Social Investing Council
Jeff Hoffman is an accomplished corporate executive who has served on the global stage in the areas of corporate social responsibility, philanthropy, human resources, operations, special projects and events. Through board and commission leadership roles, he has a distinguished history working with non-profit, civic and government agencies on strategic direction and innovative programs. Jeff is president of Jeff Hoffman & Associates, a global corporate citizenship, philanthropy and civic engagement firm that enables businesses, organizations and individuals re-imagine a world full of hope, promise and opportunity. He also serves as Program Director for The Conference Board Global Social Investing Council.
