Topic: Corporate Citizenship

The Business Roundtable announced an official collaboration between its Partnership for Disaster Response and the American Red Cross in September, 2007. Neal Denton, Senior VP of Government Relations and Strategic Partnerships at the American Red Cross discusses the value of this relationship to the Red Cross, the role of the private sector in disaster response, and plans for strengthening this relationship.

Companies can indeed make money while operating in socially responsible and environmentally friendly ways. It just takes what supply chain expert Hau Lee calls the Triple-A approach--having agility, adaptability, and alignment. Closing the Stanford 2008 Responsible Supply Chains Conference, Lee describes how small to mid-sized companies in China, India, and Israel boosted profits while shrinking waste and pollution and providing a fair workplace for employees.

Not a week goes by without a product safety incident splashed across the headlines. As companies face increasing layers of suppliers, the task of monitoring the many links in the chain becomes a formidable challenge. The situation is particularly troubling for social entrepreneurs, who are especially vulnerable. In this panel from the 2008 Responsible Supply Chains Conference, executives who have experienced product safety challenges share what they have done to address these challenges head on.

The Gap monitors 2,000 garment factories in 50 countries and conducts about 4,000 inspections annually to make sure its suppliers are operating under ethical guidelines. Dan Henkle, the executive who oversees this inspection process, as well as the company's community investment and environmental affairs efforts, outlines The Gap's corporate responsibility programs in his talk at the 2008 Responsible Supply Chains Conference.

How does an organization not only promote green and sustainable products but also conduct business in a socially responsible way? At the Stanford 2008 Responsible Supply Chains Conference, leaders of three pioneering enterprises talk about how they integrate fair trade, sustainable design, green purchasing, and public/private partnerships into every aspect of their business. They offer advice for other organizations and share how they are working to promote social responsibility in their respective industries.

When huge disasters like Hurricane Katrina strike, who better to help out than the companies that provide many of the goods and services that relief agencies depend on? In this conversation, Eric Nee, co-host of Social Innovation Conversations, interviews Tom Lehner, manager of the Partnership for Disaster Response, on how business has been providing an organized response to some of the most disruptive natural catastrophes occurring around the world over the past four years.

We have been living in an age of consumer surplus, where people are encouraged to shop as "retail therapy". How does this fit into the world's growing awareness of the need for sustainable business practices and our own individual needs for self-actualization and meaning? In this panel discussion from the Commonwealth Club of California, leaders in business, design and innovation discuss why a deeper understanding of human nature will be central to a successful 21st century business strategy.

Companies that think about the environment as a social responsibility rather than a business imperative are living in the dark ages, says Carter Roberts, president and CEO of the World Wildlife Fund. In this Stanford Center for Social Innovation talk, Roberts underscores solid business reasons why sustainability is no longer just a nice thing to do, how conservation protects business, and how his organization is addressing the economics, science, and politics of conservation around the world.

Scientists predict that we have less than 10 years to sufficiently reduce carbon emissions to avert a total environmental disaster. Gary Hirshberg, Stonyfield Farm "CE-Yo", tells of his company's efforts over the past 25 years to reduce its environmental footprint while increasing profits. Hirshberg shares lessons from his book Stirring It Up: How to Make Money and Save the World, in this Stanford Center for Social Innovation talk.

Do you think we can change the world by involving enterprise one hour a week? Al Jisr, and it's founder Mohammed Abbad Andaloussi, are convinced that we can. In this episode of Design for Change, host Sheela Sethuraman interviews Abbad Analoussi about his efforts to improve education in Moroccan schools by involving businesses. So far, over 100 corporations have adopted over 200 schools. They provide volunteers, support, and a real world perspective to students.