Topic: Responsible Investing
In just over 3 years RISE has become a leading provider of children's English language learning services in China, and has built a significant share of the children's English-language learning market. In this Stanford university podcast, Justin Cahill shares how his organization challenged conventions and disrupted the Chinese market to create this unique enterprise. He spoke at the Global Education Conference at Stanford.
Melissa Bradley, CEO of Tides, explores how partnerships between for-profit and nonprofit organizations--and everything in between--can increase scale and impact. In this audio lecture, recorded at the Stanford Social Innovation Review's 2011 Nonprofit Management Institute, Bradley discusses the current landscape of the social sector, and what scale and impact really mean. She also shares case studies of successful partnerships and the "top ten" lessons we can draw from collaborations.
This audio interview from the Environmental Defense Fund's Future of Green Calls covers complex interactions of the philanthropy sector, socially conscientious nonprofit organizations, and for-profit businesses with FSG Co-Founder Mark Kramer. Kramer outlines how corporate social responsibility (CSR) acts as a lever to minimize environmental harms done by daily business activities. Also covered are how natural resources are consumed by industries and a discussion about sustainability practices.
Can business be a power for good? Jean Oelwang, CEO of Virgin Unite, would argue yes. Virgin Unite is the nonprofit foundation of Richard Branson's Virgin Group, a conglomerate of more than 400 world-wide companies. In this audio lecture, Oelwang discusses the need to address root causes of social and environmental issues, the unsustainable nature of the growing disparity between rich and poor, and the potential to make a difference by adapting existing product and service innovations.
Despite negative media portrayals in the United States, Africa is ranked as a place where it is easier to do business than either China or India. So says Thomas Barry, founder of the Zephyr Management investment firm, in this university podcast. Speaking at the Stanford Africa Forum, Barry outlines what makes Africa an attractive place for investors, pointing to its natural resources and growing workforce.
Fair trade is not enough in sourcing high-quality organic cocoa beans. Social entrepreneurship must be driven by a greater interest in working with farmers directly, helping them produce more tasty crops and, in the process, improve their standard of living. So says chocolate factory executive John Kehoe in this audio lecture sponsored by the Stanford Center for Social Innovation. Kehoe discusses how his company works to cultivate not only crops, but also relationships in developing countries.
Responsible investing begins in local, underserved communities. In this education podcast, CEO Martin Eakes talks about how his organization, Self-Help, has provided almost $6 billion in financing to more than 60,000 homebuyers, small businesses, and nonprofits, and how it is serving thousands of low-income families through retail credit union branches. Eakes' presentation is an inspiring rallying cry for redirecting resources to those who can benefit the most. His talk is part of a discussion sponsored by the Center for Social Innovation.
In the social enterprise sector, community development financial institutions have become important vehicles for advancing the well-being of communities through market-based mechanisms. In this audio interview with Stanford Center for Social Innovation correspondent Sheela Sethuraman, CEO Mark Pinsky talks about what his organization, the Opportunity Finance Network, does to support such institutions in improving people's lives in urban, rural, and reservation-based markets.
Online giving marketplaces allow for the transfer of funds from interested donors and lenders to those who need them. In this new philanthropy space, it is as yet, unclear whether the donor is the "supply" or the "demand," and organizations are just beginning to experiment with the utility of such online functioning. In this panel discussion, sponsored by the Stanford Center for Social Innovation, philanthropy experts working at online marketplaces discuss how their organizations function and what differentiates them from others.
When it comes to online giving market places, the adage is: If you build it, few will come. So how do you drive enough people to such online spaces to make them work? In this audio lecture, sponsored by the Stanford Center for Social Innovation, William Meehan, McKinsey senior director, talks about the opportunities and challenges in making online giving marketplaces successful, and what lies ahead in this new philanthropy field for organizations dedicated to making a genuine sustained impact in communities.