Riot Recourse

But a response has emerged from a team of “Riot Wombles,” pseudo-social entrepreneurs who have adopted the responsibility to clean up the streets. They use the Twitter account @RiotCleanup and the hashtags #riotwombles and #riotcleanup, and also spread word via Facebook and their website, to broadcast cleanup logistics and ask for donations to help ruined shops rebuild. #

Their Twitter account collected more than 50,000 followers in less than ten hours, and a glance at the #riotwombles hashtag reveals other online campaigns to support victims of riot violence, as well as discussion about businesses that have responded by giving out food and coffee to locals amidst the chaos. #

Forbes has written that the cleanup activists are helping Londoners feel empowered instead of helpless in light of the violent events. And the Guardian ran a story about how social enterprise could be the key to preventing future riots over economic inequality. #

Londoners were crying “Make tea not war” and “stay in and drink tea” as they created an online tea party flashmob, uploading pictures of themselves sipping a hot cuppa to the hashtag #OperationCupoftea in a purely British form of nonviolent social protest. These social entrepreneurs are also selling special tea blends on their website and giving 100 percent of the profits to the cleanup efforts. #

Meanwhile, Prime Minister David Cameron has announced that the government will consider banning people from social networking sites if suspected of criminal activity. #

Renewable Energy On The Rise

Trying to pinpoint the cause of the jump,  Triple Pundit pointed out that the events of 2010-- the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and an Arab Spring that led to rising oil prices--might have spurred the global economy to look at other options. According to REN21's report, new technology and improved design have also contributed to renewables' rise. #

Wind also received a bit of buzz, as the New York Times highlighted designers looking for cost-effective ways to make turbines large enough to produce high mega-wattage. Renewable Energy World reported that Iowa now receives 20 percent of its energy from wind. #

But the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), which recently released the U.S. Wind Industry Second Quarter Report, warned that without the extension of the Production Tax Credit, and a more stable economy overall, the industry’s growth will stall. (If you don’t have time to read the whole report, the Renewable Energy World article provides highlights.) #

A report on Bloomberg also noted that despite promising gains, the debt deal's spending cuts could have negative consequences for the renewable energy sector, reducing its burgeoning competitive edge over fossil fuels. #

Is CSR Dead?

One commenter wondered if his article had any point at all, doubting that companies will be willing to make that shift. #

On Twitter, reactions to the piece were mixed. "You know it's late in the game when mainstream media picks it up," remarked one. Another grumbled, "More terminology whinging. Is this productive?" And yet another tweeter took a more positive spin: "Sustainability skills and good business skills are increasingly the same thing." #

In related news, Get Satisfaction developed an interesting, if somewhat cluttered, infographic with the results of an executive survey on the future of social business. Their predictions had a distinctly digital slant, and most cited technology as the industry taking the most advantage of social business opportunities. #

Meanwhile, Levi’s began a partnership with Matt Damon’s poverty-reduction effort, Water.org on Facebook. They're  using a Facebook ad called a "sponsored story," which appears in news feeds and in the upper right corner of a user’s profile. Once 100,000 clicks have occurred on the ad, Levi’s will make a donation to Water.org. In fact, Water.org is getting quite crafty with social media. They’ve got a contest going in which people use the hashtag #twakeover to create buzz about the worldwide water crisis; the winner gets the chance to be Water.org’s main tweeter for a week in September. #

Worthwhile Weekend Reads #

• On the Harvard Business Review, Umair Haque wrote a beautiful essay on fundamental power shifts, and the larger implications of the London riots.
• TED Talks founder Richard Saul Wurman is creating a new, more conversational platform for discussing ideas with the world.
• The NY Times launched beta620, their site for experimental projects, meant to bring together web techies and journalists in a space conducive to innovation. NYU j-prof Jay Rosen, known for his expertise in digital media, gave his opinion of beta620 on Twitter. Neiman Lab sees beta620 as a breakdown in barriers between journalists and the world they write about.
• In a Social Good podcast, blogger Beth Kanter explains how nonprofits can reap the benefits of using the new Google+ social network.
• After a wave of corruption, NY State Governor Cuomo created a task force to crack down on state-supported nonprofits that may be abusing tax dollars.
• Inc.com shares seven steps to a culture of innovation that have been determined keys to success in high-growth companies.
• Ever thought about living off the grid? This writer is doing with his family, and blogging for the New York Times about the experience.

• Triple Pundit put out a helpful guide to working with metrics and reporting them, and announced an upcoming certificate course in Metrics Reporting.
• Additionally an upcoming conference at the Wharton School will address “the future of sustainable business metrics.”
• King's Fund, a UK thinktank and health care charity, released a report emphasizing that the health care social enterprise sector requires support in key areas order to move forward.

EcoMedia identifies “stuck” community environmental projects that have 90% of their funding but need just a little bit more to be pushed through, Polizzotto said. EcoMedia donates a portion of the advertiser's payments to the projects and selects them based on job creation, saved taxpayer costs and emission reduction. The little green leaf on advertisements funding these projects is meant to “show the consumer that their time matters – that the thirty seconds they spend watching this ad is actually doing good,” said Polizzotto. He emphasizes that the EcoAd symbol does not signify anything about the product advertised (“consumers need to do their own homework," he said) but does indicate that the purchasing of this advertisement was useful to an environmental cause. #

Is EcoAd just another instance of “greenwashing” in which a product is associated with environmentalism simply to sell it more? Polizzotto argues that companies would be spending this advertising money anyway, so many have flocked to the chance to also associate themselves with funding environmental work and have thus provided the opportunity for projects to get done that would not otherwise.  “I don’t think there is necessary anything green about media itself,” Polizzotto  says, “but it can be harnessed to produce crucial projects.” #

What do you think? Can advertising be green? #

Click here to view the embedded video.

# #

1. How SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS think about maximizing impact from the get-go:
#

• Craig Kielburger showed how to empower entrepreneurs from a young age
• Young entrepreneurs often kick off their careers by integrating multiple social issues
• Dowser founder David Bornstein’s latest book looks at the motives that make entrepreneurship social

• Local and state-based movements attempt to compensate for a lack of leadership at the national and international levels. Fort Collins Colorado is setting up to be the world's largest net-zero energy community
• New Jersey's citizens are being given the chance to sell solar energy produced in their homes
• Technology is beginning to give individuals responsibility for environmental reporting through smartphone apps

• Bob Lenz discussed how Envision Schools prepare low-income high schoolers with the skills to succeed in college
• Jamie Berger of the Thrive Project on his idea for expanding career development options for rural youth
• Our arts and urban youth series made the case for buttressing arts education to develop life-long problem-solving skills

• The Brooklyn Food Coalition's Nancy Romer talked about building a food movement one neighborhood at a time
• Dickson Despommier is breaking out of the rural-farming box with vertical farms
• A mobile farm stand is bringing the farm to food deserts

Happy New Year! #]]> http://dowser.org/social-innovation-trends-of-2010/feed/ 0 http://dowser.org/interview-bsrs-aron-cramer-on-how-to-build-a-global-network-of-responsible-corporations/ http://dowser.org/interview-bsrs-aron-cramer-on-how-to-build-a-global-network-of-responsible-corporations/#comments Mon, 25 Oct 2010 14:18:23 +0000 Dowser http://dowser.org/?p=5916 Financial and social profits don’t always go hand-in-hand; many view the two as antithetical. Aron Cramer has made a career out of upending this notion. Driven by a belief that business leaders care as much as anyone else about social concerns, Cramer has spent 15 years with Business for Social Responsibility (BSR), where as President and CEO, he oversees an organization that works with 250 companies in 32 countries, advancing standards for ethical and environmental behavior. Here, Cramer, shared his vision with Dowser. #

Dowser: What critical or urgent problems are you trying to address as the head of BSR?
Cramer: We are trying to leverage the power of the business community to create a more just and sustainable world. We do this by catalyzing business to improve the social and environmental impacts of their activities. There can be hostility between government and business, and we help people see how they can collaborate to achieve social solutions. While we believe market solutions are critical for progress, business as usual won’t get us there. #

How did BSR get started and how has it evolved over time?
BSR really started twice. The first time, in 1992, there was a strong desire on the part of a group of entrepreneurs and businesspeople to create an alternative voice on public policy from the socially responsible business community. The headquarters were set up in Washington, D.C. with the intent to influence public policy. Two years later, in 1994, the board concluded that the mission wasn’t being successfully pursued and the organization was re-launched with a new mission. The second version of BSR provided responsible business leaders with the support of an organization that aimed to help them integrate social responsibility into their business practices and have a greater impact inside their organizations. #

You took over as BSR’s CEO in 2004. Did you face a steep learning curve?
When I assumed the position of CEO, BSR was going through a transitional time. There was a sense by some that the organization had plateaued, in terms of size and developing original intellectual content. I had been with the organization for nine years; the challenge was how to change and maintain continuity at the same time. At first, I underestimated the change involved in becoming CEO of an organization I knew well: Lots of things were different. You have to take responsibility for everything that happens; you’re never done; you have to manage time well. I couldn’t do it alone. I needed help and created a management team, brought in outside partners and experts, and talked with members. #

Who were the first critical supporters?
BSR grew out of the Social Venture Network (SVN), a group of entrepreneurs and wealthy individuals who believe in social ventures. Members of the SVN created BSR to do things the Social Venture Network couldn’t because of its focus on individuals rather than companies. #

BSR’s got some pretty heavy-hitting supporters on board. How did you develop this support network?
We built our network one by one. One of the key elements in helping us get started was grants from foundations such as Ford and the Haas family foundations, as well as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. These provided seed capital that enabled us to develop our programs and website, which was the first comprehensive database on corporate social responsibility. #

What about the more than 250 companies you work with?
We devoted substantial time to recruiting companies into our network. Once we got a degree of momentum, word of mouth also played a major part, and helped us build our network. The additional dimension, somewhat unique to BSR, was that we built credibility with business by establishing good relationships with NGOs. That way, companies saw that BSR was adept at building collaboration, which is valuable for companies. #

There are obviously many important decisions you had to make with BSR. But was some of your success just chance?
We benefited from really good timing. If the organization had started five years earlier, it would have been too early. If we had started five years later, it would have been too late. First-mover advantage is really important. We were able to become the reference point in the U.S. for corporate social responsibility issues, and then build a record internationally, which has enabled us to create a global network today. #

What is BSR’s strategy for growth?
We will grow to achieve our mission, not just for growth’s sake. The whole world is starting to embrace sustainability on some level and we want to help catalyze, shape, and reflect on this thinking. #

Our strategy is to be comprehensive and help businesses understand how all of the issues are interrelated. We help companies stay ahead of the curve and will continue to develop top-flight leadership. We encourage businesses to address a range of social and environmental issues and figure out which are most relevant, prioritize them, and figure out how the business can address the problem. #

How would you describe the organizational culture? How is that culture created?
The culture is evident in the passion and commitment that the staff has. Everyone believes in the mission. #

I believe that the staff needs to have a truly global outlook on things since solutions have to embrace the global nature of business, and many of the problems we address do not have borders. We are undergoing a great shift to be more decentralized and think more on global terms. It has taken work to change from being a North American-focused organization to a truly global one. #

We also seek people who embrace collaboration. This is important both within BSR, so we can act as a team, and externally, where our most valuable projects tend to include a heavy element of collaboration. #

There’s a lot of animosity toward globalization, particularly as implemented by businesses. But BSR’s strategy is deliberately global. How do you respond to globalization critiques?
Many people blast globalization, but it has enabled us to build linkages we have never been able to build before. We can address global challenges, such as poverty, more today than ever before. Business people can be better ambassadors than some actual ambassadors are. #

Partly because of technology and with our understanding of global linkages, we have immense opportunity in front of us. #

What major challenges does BSR face today, and what challenges do you anticipate in the years ahead?
There are three key variables: people, resources, and making good decisions. If we get those things right, we can achieve our goals. As more organizations get involved in sustainability, BSR has to maintain and strengthen its niche and define how it sets itself apart from the others. We need to maintain our authority on issues, continue to connect companies, and keep our compassion. #

What advice would you give to aspiring social innovators?
One: Follow your passion. Going to law school was a good choice for me, but I saw a lot of incredibly bright people channeled into work they don’t enjoy. I am lucky to have found something I enjoy, care about, and have been reasonably successful at. #

Two: Think about what the future will bring and try to get there. Ask yourself, ’What will the world need 20 years from now when I am in the prime of my career?’ #

Three: The world is changing at a rapid pace. Be able to maintain creativity and the flexibility to ride with the waves. #

Four: Have a global outlook. Understand the global network in which we all live. There is no such thing as a purely local question. #

Social entrepreneurs are notorious for their carpe diem approach to work and life. But is there value in taking your sweet time?
It is important to take the time to look for answers in unexpected places, develop new contacts, and take a chance on things, whether it be a conference, a person, or a book. #

You need to leave some things to chance; it’s easy to be rigid and scheduled, but you should maintain time for thinking, especially thinking in an unorthodox way. #

This interview was edited and condensed. #

Photo: World Economic Forum #]]> http://dowser.org/interview-bsrs-aron-cramer-on-how-to-build-a-global-network-of-responsible-corporations/feed/ 0 http://dowser.org/big-ideas-john-elkington-on-fighting-to-preserve-the-meaning-of-social-entrepreneurship/ http://dowser.org/big-ideas-john-elkington-on-fighting-to-preserve-the-meaning-of-social-entrepreneurship/#comments Tue, 14 Sep 2010 14:54:19 +0000 Dowser http://dowser.org/?p=5322 In our Big Ideas series, we check in regularly with leading thinkers in the field of social innovation. We want to know what they're working on, what questions they're wresting with, and what opportunities and challenges they see up ahead for the sector. #

Today we hear from John Elkington, co-founder and Executive Chairman of the London-based Volans, which works with entrepreneurs, businesses, investors and governments globally to develop and scale innovative solutions to financial, social, and environmental challenges. He's also the co-founder of the think tank and consultancy SustainAbility, and the author of numerous books, including The Power of Unreasonable People: How Social Entrepreneurs Create Markets That Change the World, co-authored with Pamela Hartigan. Read on for highlights from our conversation. #

On the historic difficulty in getting companies to take social entrepreneurship seriously: “I've worked for 35 years with big companies, trying to get them to pay attention to sustainability and social entrepreneurs. In the past, most of them just didn't know what to make of the space. A few said, 'We understood it when you were trying to get us to pay attention to NGOs, because they have the potential to damage our brands [by highlighting irresponsible behavior or calling for boycotts], but we don't understand why you're trying to get us to pay attention to social entrepreneurs.'” #

On how that’s changing: “To our surprise and delight, we started to find companies from around the world coming to us. For example, we work with Allianz, the financial services company, [which] has a fast-track program for rising executives which includes exposure to social entrepreneurs. Allianz fields some of their best people to work with leading social entrepreneurs.” #

On other signs of progress: “Pamela Hartigan and I give 40 to 50 keynotes each year. One of the things we've noticed is that the size of the events and their prominence is growing all the time – and it's starting to cross-cut different sectors.” #

On the limits of corporate social responsibility (CSR): “CSR for many companies has been framed as, 'We've got to be seen to be good [and nice], we've got to protect ourselves as part of risk management.' The increasing criticism of CSR flows from a recognition that even the best corporate social responsibility work is still peripheral and largely defensive. People are also beginning to realize that sustainable development is about creating new business and economic models which have the capacity to sustain a world population of 9 billion by, say, 2050. That's a much bigger and more disruptive agenda than most CSR experts are prepared (or able) to sign their companies on for.” #

On the ongoing challenges in advancing deep changes in business: “Accenture recently published a survey of about 900 CEOs from around the world talking about sustainability – most say that they embrace it. But then you look at their business models, at their footprints, [and] there's a complete mismatch between what they're currently doing and the sustainability agenda. When companies talk about sustainability, too often what they mean – in the context of the global economic downturn – is  a return to business as usual. We've got to benchmark what governments, companies and [cities] are doing against a much more challenging set of longer-term objectives and metrics. #

On the dangers of bandwagons and the need to protect the integrity of social entrepreneurship: “[Social entrepreneurship] is one more area where we may see elements of a bandwagon developing. On the positive side, bandwagons give that sense of positive momentum, and that's great. But bandwagons often run off the road because the people steering them don't know what they're doing. Also, there's a risk that your agenda, your language, can be co-opted and diluted by the new entrants. #

“You want those breakthrough moments, but when they happen, you have to fight very energetically to preserve your original sense of what that agenda means. I think that social innovation will go through precisely the challenges that the sustainability agenda has gone through.” #

Photo: John Elkington #]]> http://dowser.org/big-ideas-john-elkington-on-fighting-to-preserve-the-meaning-of-social-entrepreneurship/feed/ 0 http://dowser.org/twitter-roundup-september-10-legal-updates-via-sms-us-govt-offers-prizes-for-citizens-solutions-and-more/ http://dowser.org/twitter-roundup-september-10-legal-updates-via-sms-us-govt-offers-prizes-for-citizens-solutions-and-more/#comments Fri, 10 Sep 2010 14:40:36 +0000 Dowser http://dowser.org/?p=5844 Search for the hashtag #socent and you’ll find wide-ranging interest in social entrepreneurship on Twitter. Here’s a roundup of a few thought-provoking tweets from the last week: #

Introducing FrontlineSMS:Legal and a tool for #mLegal. Check us out here: http://legal.frontlinesms.com and here: http://ht.ly/2B6YG

September 8, 2010 2:00 pm via web

@SMSLegal

FrontlineSMS:Legal

Challenge.gov is LIVE! Sign up now to find, share and win amazing challenges. http://challenge.gov #gov20 #opengov #g2s #challengegov

September 7, 2010 5:40 pm via CoTweet

@ChallengeGov

Challenge.gov

eBay to Launch Reusable Shipping Container this Fall http://bit.ly/9QW6II

September 8, 2010 4:12 pm via twitterfeed

@inhabitat

inhabitat

THE PLUMEN 001 FINALLY LAUNCHES! HOORAY! - http://www.plumen.com + http://www.plumenshop.com

September 9, 2010 3:02 pm via TweetDeck

@nikroope

nicolas roope

Did you come across any other notable #socent tweets this week? Let us know in the comments or tweet us @dowserDOTorg. #]]> http://dowser.org/twitter-roundup-september-10-legal-updates-via-sms-us-govt-offers-prizes-for-citizens-solutions-and-more/feed/ 0 http://dowser.org/big-ideas-jed-emerson-on-how-investors-can-move-from-intent-to-impact/ http://dowser.org/big-ideas-jed-emerson-on-how-investors-can-move-from-intent-to-impact/#comments Mon, 09 Aug 2010 14:26:59 +0000 Dowser http://dowser.org/?p=4596

Here's the second installment of our Big Ideas feature -- in which we check in regularly with big thinkers in the field of social innovation. We want to know what they're working on, what questions they're wrestling with, and what opportunities and challenges they see up ahead for the social sector. #

For two decades, Jed Emerson has been a leading thinker at the nexus of the social and business sectors, helping colleagues reimagine answers to fundamental questions like: How can we measure value? How do we calculate the "social returns" on investments? How can foundations, governments and businesses bring to bear the full arsenal of their resources to advance change? His concept of "Blended Value Investing" has provided an intellectual underpinning for practitioners of "sustainable investing," "impact investing," "strategic philanthropy" and those interested in building "nonprofit capital markets." #

Recently, Emerson took on the question of whether hedge funds can engage in sustainable investing (PDF). "Reviewers from the nonprofit sustainability space hated it," he recalled. "They said I'd totally drunk the market Kool-Aid. But those from the market said: 'Of course it's a good thing to do hedge fund investing this way.'" Emerson is used to being at the center of conflict between people with different world views. "It's the story of my life," he says. Below are some highlights from our conversation. #

On his current work with Expansion Capital Partners: "I’m working on three projects that are all examples of how investors, asset owners and capital managers are exploring how to move from intent to impact. The first is Expansion Capital Partners, a VC firm that does clean and green tech investing. They’re  pushing the assumption that because they're investing in clean tech, they’re also investing in sustainability. So they want to explore tools out there – IRIS, HIP Investor, and so forth – to advance an integrated approach to their investing." #

On his current work with the World Economic Forum: "[I'm] working with their Global Advisory Council on Philanthropy and Social Investing to see what it would take to create a Global Social Competitiveness Index. We’re looking at indexes in use around the world to find indicators to gain insight about the future social competitiveness of given countries." #

On his current work with the Center for Social Investment at the University of Heidelberg: "We’re looking at the next generation of Social Return on Investment frameworks that could be used by foundations and public sector investors to get a better handle on the social returns being created through their practices." #

On what intrigues him most about impact investing: "It’s not any one thing. It's not microfinance, or clean tech, or sustainable hedge fund investing. It's the principles and practices that inform a variety of investment approaches – and the number of asset owners who are moving beyond, ‘We’re going to take a percentage of our pie and do socially responsible investing,’ to the number who now say, ‘This should be informing all our investing practices.’" #

On how everybody already knows this: "We know that for a foundation to deploy only 5% of its assets is to under-perform the potential of philanthropy. In the same way we know that to manage a company simply for shareholder value misses the opportunity to create sustained value for all stakeholders." #

On how social change takes a long time: "Quite frankly it’s a little frustrating, because these are the issues that we have been talking about for almost 20 years. On one hand I’m excited by the progress. On the other hand, I’m like, ‘Oh my God, I’ve spent 20 years getting to the starting point." #

On being “passionately present": "One of the great things that’s happened over the last 15 years is an awareness of the innovation that’s taking place all over the world. As we appreciate that, it’s important that we stop and reflect on what’s happening in our own backyards. How can we advance that work and make sure it’s connected with innovations around the world? This is what I mean about being passionately present in advancing the work of the whole." #

On an idea that recently inspired him: "I heard Willy Foote say the other day that at Root Capital they’re trying to be “pathologically collaborative.” I really like that idea. It’s hard to do especially when funding is so competitive. But I really like Willy’s concept because ultimately it’s not about building the organization, it’s about creating change. And that’s what we really need to maintain our focus on." #

Photo: Bob Emerson #]]> http://dowser.org/big-ideas-jed-emerson-on-how-investors-can-move-from-intent-to-impact/feed/ 0 http://dowser.org/weekly-links-roundup-july-29-american-transportation-gets-greener-electric-apparel-and-more/ http://dowser.org/weekly-links-roundup-july-29-american-transportation-gets-greener-electric-apparel-and-more/#comments Wed, 28 Jul 2010 20:43:37 +0000 Dowser http://dowser.org/?p=4869

All around us, people are working on innovative solutions to pressing social problems. Often, though, those stories can be difficult to track down. Which is why we’re regularly scouring the Web to highlight who’s solving what and how. #

I'm leaving on a jet plane (preceded by a bicycle) #

• Portland, Oregon, already one of the most bike-friendly cities in the nation, is opening its airport to bike-lovers everywhere. With a bike path to the airport in place since 2005, all it needed was a spot to assemble and disassemble bikes before and after flights – and now it's got one. (Spring Wise, “Portland Airport Installs Bike Assembly Station for Travelers”)  

• Last week we mentioned how NASA has mapped the world's forests. Well, more progress on that front as the rivers of the world have now been digitally catalogued as well. Right now less than one percent of the earth's water is both fresh and accessible for human consumption. As the population of the Earth grows, this new data will be increasingly useful. (The Star, “McGill Prof Creates First Accurate Map of World's Rivers”)

• The highly-anticipated Chevy Volt is finally available for pre-order. Uniquely, the Volt offers the ability to drive the first 40 miles electrically (more than the average American drives per day) after which the car switches to gas, totaling about 240 miles per gallon.  But it may face some stiff competition: Nissan's new Leaf, a fully electric vehicle capable of driving 100 miles on its battery, has already sold out its pre-order of 13,000 cars. (Daily Finance, “GM Prices the Chevy Volt at $41,000. Will Buyers Plug In?”)

• Advances in the flexibility and lightness of solar cells made at the University of Southern California may allow us to reap power from light splashing across our clothes. While not as efficient as larger solar panels, these offer another way to transform our energy landscape, powering ourselves wherever we go. (TreeHugger, “New, Transparent Solar Technology Could Hide Photovoltaics in Your Clothes”)

Photo: Christopher Isherwood #]]> http://dowser.org/weekly-links-roundup-july-29-american-transportation-gets-greener-electric-apparel-and-more/feed/ 0 http://dowser.org/twitter-roundup-july-22-google-buys-wind-energy-mlb-stars-make-psas-paul-allen-takes-the-giving-pledge/ http://dowser.org/twitter-roundup-july-22-google-buys-wind-energy-mlb-stars-make-psas-paul-allen-takes-the-giving-pledge/#comments Fri, 23 Jul 2010 17:11:01 +0000 Dowser http://dowser.org/?p=4732 Search for the hashtag #socent and you'll find wide-ranging interest in social entrepreneurship on Twitter. Here's a roundup of a few thought-provoking tweets from the last week: #

#

Google (@google) announced this week that it's purchasing 20 years’ worth of wind energy to power a number of data centers. Google estimates that it will save money through the deal. But the benefits don't end there; their long-term support of the Iowa wind farm will allow scientists there to try new renewable energy experiments. Google’s quest to become fully carbon neutral is highly ambitious -- and worth watching closely.
#

We’re starting to see results from the first round of Pepsi Refresh Everything grant winners. Bikeloc (@bikeloc) won $5,000 and immediately got to work on their project: two guys biking cross country, holding potlucks, and making mini-documentaries about the local food movement across the U.S. This week, there’s a cool new video from GOOD highlighting their mission. #

#

All those @'s represent key partners in the government's new “Let’s Move!” program, spearheaded by First Lady Michelle Obama, which aims to combat childhood obesity by encouraging kids to be more active. In partnership with Major League Baseball (@MLB) and the Ad Council, the initiative will produce a public service campaign featuring major league players from every team. The MLB website has more information. #

#

Finally, here’s a quick followup to a story we’ve featured before. Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen has joined Bill Gates and Warren Buffett in taking the Giving Pledge. That means he’s planning on giving away the majority of his wealth to philanthropy upon his death. He’s indicated that the majority of his $13 billion estate will go to scientific research and his foundation's work in the Pacific Northwest. #

What’d we miss? Let us know in the comments or find us @DowserDOTorg. #]]> http://dowser.org/twitter-roundup-july-22-google-buys-wind-energy-mlb-stars-make-psas-paul-allen-takes-the-giving-pledge/feed/ 0 http://dowser.org/interview-alice-tepper-marlin-on-how-to-hold-companies-accountable-in-a-globalized-world/ http://dowser.org/interview-alice-tepper-marlin-on-how-to-hold-companies-accountable-in-a-globalized-world/#comments Tue, 20 Jul 2010 13:45:00 +0000 Dowser http://dowser.org/?p=3901 #

Who made the shirt you're wearing? Were the cloth cutters or seamstresses treated fairly? Did the factory comply with reasonable environmental standards? If you have no clue, then check out the work of Alice Tepper Marlin. She believes we all have a right to know about the impact our choices have on the world. And she has created an organization to make it possible. #

President and founder of Social Accountability International and dubbed the “architect of corporate responsibility” for her work dating back to the 1960s, Marlin has spent the past decade spearheading SA8000, the first universal social accountability certification for manufacturers. The voluntary standard has become the benchmark for socially responsible business practices. Today, 1.2 million workers are employed in SA8000-certified factories and farms throughout five continents. #

Dowser talked with Marlin about the challenges and opportunities for creating a more socially responsible global economy. #

Dowser: What led you to found SAI?
Marlin: In the 1960s I set up an organization, the Council on Economic Priorities. It did research to make it possible for Wall Street to do socially responsible investment. By the '90s, CEP’s ratings were becoming increasingly misleading, because they were based on data about the executive offices and stores, but not on the factories—because thanks to globalization the factories weren’t in America anymore. We couldn't find records about the environmental impact, community impact, and working conditions where the goods were actually produced, so we created SAI to address that problem. #

How did you go about it?
Initially, our major challenge was to develop a global social accountability standard—the SA8000.  Then we set up a system for certifying compliance and auditing. The final step was to do training and capacity building for employers seeking certification for their companies—that’s increasingly what we’re focused on.  We want to leverage our impact by getting major companies not only to implement this system themselves, but also to ask their suppliers to do it. #

What are the main challenges in your work?
One is that there's really no international law in this area, so how do we convince employers, brands, and consumers to use fair trade standards? Then there's the huge scale of the problems: large companies may have 20, 50, or 70,000 suppliers in as many as 125 countries. Add the fact that they don’t buy from all of those suppliers directly; they sometimes use agents, licenses, or importers. Usually the big brands don’t even know who all their suppliers are. To ensure decent labor conditions around the world, we have to map millions and millions of facilities. This whole question is what we call traceability. #

Is the SA8000 standard cost-effective for companies?
Those who are certified believe it is. There certainly are significant costs in complying with the standard. For example, with the standard, you can no longer require workers to work 80 hours a week; you might have to lower the number to 60 hours and let workers choose if they want to work overtime. But there's a [business] benefit to this: People who get enough sleep have fewer accidents and produce better quality products. #

This interview was edited and condensed. #

Photo: Julie Furbush for Dowser #