Comments for The Changebase http://www.thechangebase.com Creating, Promoting and Leveraging Communities of Change Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:50:24 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 Comment on Meeting Our Future Women Leaders by Keitha http://www.thechangebase.com/2010/03/29/meeting-our-future-women-leaders/comment-page-1/#comment-44348 Keitha Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:50:24 +0000 http://www.thechangebase.com/?p=1322#comment-44348 <strong>News info...</strong> [...]I was reading the news and I saw this really interesting information[...]... News info…

[...]I was reading the news and I saw this really interesting information[...]…

]]> Comment on Eat Food. Not Too Much. Mostly Plants. by franchise opportunities in michigan http://www.thechangebase.com/2010/01/05/eat-food-not-too-much-mostly-plants/comment-page-1/#comment-43401 franchise opportunities in michigan Mon, 23 Jan 2012 07:22:47 +0000 http://www.thechangebase.com/?p=983#comment-43401 Nice article thank you very much! Invite my www too Nice article thank you very much! Invite my www too

]]> Comment on Day in the Life of a Community Manager by Patricia http://www.thechangebase.com/2011/03/02/day-in-the-life-of-a-community-manager/comment-page-1/#comment-39292 Patricia Fri, 16 Dec 2011 14:01:04 +0000 http://www.thechangebase.com/?p=1862#comment-39292 I love the graphic Ashley! :-)) I'm think I am all of the above. I am a community manager on Linkedin and xing.com. The two groups offer different challenges. The LI group is social chat (a fun-loving 'zoo' of 4,100 members) and the xing group targets business professionals in emerging economies (Turkey, Iran, China, Malaysia...). I wrote a posting on my blog with some lessons-learned from my own experience. http://wp.me/pEV76-kX Best regards, Patricia I love the graphic Ashley! :-) ) I’m think I am all of the above. I am a community manager on Linkedin and xing.com. The two groups offer different challenges. The LI group is social chat (a fun-loving ‘zoo’ of 4,100 members) and the xing group targets business professionals in emerging economies (Turkey, Iran, China, Malaysia…). I wrote a posting on my blog with some lessons-learned from my own experience.

http://wp.me/pEV76-kX

Best regards,
Patricia

]]> Comment on I Am a Social Intrapreneur by Zach Friedman http://www.thechangebase.com/2011/05/25/i-am-a-social-intrapreneur/comment-page-1/#comment-39011 Zach Friedman Tue, 13 Dec 2011 23:10:40 +0000 http://www.thechangebase.com/?p=1888#comment-39011 I love the idea of social intrapreneurship, as I greatly believe that the tools of commerce are the best catalysts for social change, and the greatest way to scale that change quickly is disrupting consumer's behaviors (I think large companies are best positioned to do this). I am an undergrad, majoring in marketing with a focus in consumer behavior and some studies in innovation/creativity. All the jobs I want, and that I think I'd be great at, I do not necessarily qualify for (most want 3-5 years minimum experience). Do you think it is best to go work for a large company and gain functional experience or try to disrupt things through social entrepreneurship? I love the idea of social intrapreneurship, as I greatly believe that the tools of commerce are the best catalysts for social change, and the greatest way to scale that change quickly is disrupting consumer’s behaviors (I think large companies are best positioned to do this). I am an undergrad, majoring in marketing with a focus in consumer behavior and some studies in innovation/creativity. All the jobs I want, and that I think I’d be great at, I do not necessarily qualify for (most want 3-5 years minimum experience). Do you think it is best to go work for a large company and gain functional experience or try to disrupt things through social entrepreneurship?

]]> Comment on Diary of an Intern: My Summer in Corporate Giving by Jenny http://www.thechangebase.com/2009/08/14/diary-of-an-intern-my-summer-in-corporate-giving/comment-page-1/#comment-37798 Jenny Fri, 02 Dec 2011 23:37:45 +0000 http://www.thechangebase.com/?p=439#comment-37798 Hey Ashley! I was just searching for an internship that involves corporate social responsibility as it is something that I am definitely interested in! I love the idea that companies can align with a social cause to enhance not only their brand and values, but also make a social impact! I am currently a junior at USC. I am studying Public Relations and Psychology, and I am looking into internships for the summer! If you had any advice or information about the internship at ABC/studies because I am very interested in eventually working in the sector and getting an MBA. Thanks for your great insight! Hey Ashley!

I was just searching for an internship that involves corporate social responsibility as it is something that I am definitely interested in! I love the idea that companies can align with a social cause to enhance not only their brand and values, but also make a social impact! I am currently a junior at USC. I am studying Public Relations and Psychology, and I am looking into internships for the summer! If you had any advice or information about the internship at ABC/studies because I am very interested in eventually working in the sector and getting an MBA.

Thanks for your great insight!

]]> Comment on Engaging Your Employees in CSR by Engaging Your Employees in CSR | Triple Bottom Line Magazine http://www.thechangebase.com/2010/03/22/engaging-your-employees-in-csr/comment-page-1/#comment-34932 Engaging Your Employees in CSR | Triple Bottom Line Magazine Mon, 31 Oct 2011 07:47:33 +0000 http://www.thechangebase.com/?p=1305#comment-34932 [...] http://www.thechangebase.com/2010/03/22/engaging-your-employees-in-csr/ In the grand scheme of things, Corporate Social Responsibility is still an emerging field, which means that everything ? from general strategy to best practices ? is still being solidified. One of the questions that is still debated quite often in the CSR community concerns the ?business case? for this kind of work. In a world where business decisions need to be justified through sound reasoning and quantitative measurements, it can be tough to explain why ?doing good? is important. I?ve tried to tackle this question in past posts, and the fact that I?m bringing it up again I think is proof that the jury?s still out on this one. Nonetheless, I did just hear one perspective on the topic that I thought was worth sharing with you. Bob Willard is a sustainability author whose ?claim to fame? (as he put it) is the quantification of the bottom-line benefits that companies can enjoy through CSR. He recently presented his ideas on the value of CSR as part of a Net Impact Issues-in-Depth call that I was lucky enough to listen to. Bob started by laying out his general framework for the case for CSR, otherwise known as The 3 R?s: 1. Risks 2. Responsibilities 3. Rewards The first category, Risks, is pretty obvious and serves as the most direct justification for engaging in CSR. From managing regulatory changes to preparing for the potential depletion of certain natural resources, corporations must consider what risks they face and how CSR might help mitigate exposure to those risks. The next category, Responsibilities, really speaks to the new wave of expectations surrounding corporate involvement in the community and the environment. Whether from consumers, the media, NGO?s or even employees, there is clearly pressure being put on companies to be active and engaged in society ? with reputation, loyalty and credibility at stake. Yet it was the third ?R? ? Rewards ? on which Bob focused. As Bob put it, ?There are surprisingly big rewards for taking up responsibility expectations and mitigating risk?. In fact, according to Bob?s calculations (which he called conservative), these rewards can be sizeable for both large corporations and small-to-medium businesses, who can expect to earn at least 38% and 66% more profit, respectively, through CSR programs. Not surprisingly, the biggest area of CSR reward comes from the eco-efficiencies created in sustainability programs (ie: saving water, reducing waste, etc). What comes next? Interestingly enough, the second biggest reward opportunity comes through employee engagement in CSR programs. Whether through reduced recruiting and attrition costs or increased employee productivity, the HR benefit of CSR is not to be overlooked. Now, we all know anecdotally that CSR improves morale, reduces turnover, and generally leads to more satisfied employees. What?s cool about what Bob has done is that he?s actually put numbers behind these assertions and provided the calculations that prove these rewards. Admittedly, I?ve never been great at statistics ? but when Bob presented a regression analysis showing a correlation (R? = .57) between employee engagement and CSR activities, I just about swooned! While I?m not going to repeat everything Bob presented, you can check out his website to see presentations and spreadsheets that show the numbers behind his ideas. In general, Bob?s overall point was that employee engagement drives business results (after all, happy employees beget productive employees) ? and that CSR is one big way to dramatically improve the recruitment, retention and satisfaction of employees. Thus, in essence, CSR leads to engaged employees which leads to increased returns for business. And voila – the business case for CSR in a nutshell! As a job-seeker and future engaged employee, this assertion rings true for me. Nonetheless, if you?re still doubtful, I?ll leave you with some of Bob?s statistics as food for thought: Recruiting [...] [...] http://www.thechangebase.com/2010/03/22/engaging-your-employees-in-csr/ In the grand scheme of things, Corporate Social Responsibility is still an emerging field, which means that everything ? from general strategy to best practices ? is still being solidified. One of the questions that is still debated quite often in the CSR community concerns the ?business case? for this kind of work. In a world where business decisions need to be justified through sound reasoning and quantitative measurements, it can be tough to explain why ?doing good? is important. I?ve tried to tackle this question in past posts, and the fact that I?m bringing it up again I think is proof that the jury?s still out on this one. Nonetheless, I did just hear one perspective on the topic that I thought was worth sharing with you. Bob Willard is a sustainability author whose ?claim to fame? (as he put it) is the quantification of the bottom-line benefits that companies can enjoy through CSR. He recently presented his ideas on the value of CSR as part of a Net Impact Issues-in-Depth call that I was lucky enough to listen to. Bob started by laying out his general framework for the case for CSR, otherwise known as The 3 R?s: 1. Risks 2. Responsibilities 3. Rewards The first category, Risks, is pretty obvious and serves as the most direct justification for engaging in CSR. From managing regulatory changes to preparing for the potential depletion of certain natural resources, corporations must consider what risks they face and how CSR might help mitigate exposure to those risks. The next category, Responsibilities, really speaks to the new wave of expectations surrounding corporate involvement in the community and the environment. Whether from consumers, the media, NGO?s or even employees, there is clearly pressure being put on companies to be active and engaged in society ? with reputation, loyalty and credibility at stake. Yet it was the third ?R? ? Rewards ? on which Bob focused. As Bob put it, ?There are surprisingly big rewards for taking up responsibility expectations and mitigating risk?. In fact, according to Bob?s calculations (which he called conservative), these rewards can be sizeable for both large corporations and small-to-medium businesses, who can expect to earn at least 38% and 66% more profit, respectively, through CSR programs. Not surprisingly, the biggest area of CSR reward comes from the eco-efficiencies created in sustainability programs (ie: saving water, reducing waste, etc). What comes next? Interestingly enough, the second biggest reward opportunity comes through employee engagement in CSR programs. Whether through reduced recruiting and attrition costs or increased employee productivity, the HR benefit of CSR is not to be overlooked. Now, we all know anecdotally that CSR improves morale, reduces turnover, and generally leads to more satisfied employees. What?s cool about what Bob has done is that he?s actually put numbers behind these assertions and provided the calculations that prove these rewards. Admittedly, I?ve never been great at statistics ? but when Bob presented a regression analysis showing a correlation (R? = .57) between employee engagement and CSR activities, I just about swooned! While I?m not going to repeat everything Bob presented, you can check out his website to see presentations and spreadsheets that show the numbers behind his ideas. In general, Bob?s overall point was that employee engagement drives business results (after all, happy employees beget productive employees) ? and that CSR is one big way to dramatically improve the recruitment, retention and satisfaction of employees. Thus, in essence, CSR leads to engaged employees which leads to increased returns for business. And voila – the business case for CSR in a nutshell! As a job-seeker and future engaged employee, this assertion rings true for me. Nonetheless, if you?re still doubtful, I?ll leave you with some of Bob?s statistics as food for thought: Recruiting [...]

]]> Comment on The Business Case for Doing Good by Engaging Your Employees in CSR | Triple Bottom Line Magazine http://www.thechangebase.com/2009/07/17/the-business-case-for-doing-good/comment-page-1/#comment-34924 Engaging Your Employees in CSR | Triple Bottom Line Magazine Mon, 31 Oct 2011 06:34:17 +0000 http://www.thechangebase.com/?p=384#comment-34924 [...] it can be tough to explain why ?doing good? is important. I?ve tried to tackle this question in past posts, and the fact that I?m bringing it up again I think is proof that the jury?s still out on this one. [...] [...] it can be tough to explain why ?doing good? is important. I?ve tried to tackle this question in past posts, and the fact that I?m bringing it up again I think is proof that the jury?s still out on this one. [...]

]]> Comment on Learning through Empathy by Ashley http://www.thechangebase.com/2011/10/09/learning-through-empathy/comment-page-1/#comment-33994 Ashley Thu, 20 Oct 2011 20:41:13 +0000 http://www.thechangebase.com/?p=1946#comment-33994 Hi Linda, thanks so much for your honesty and sharing your experience with me and this blog. You're right - it's not easy to be honest in situations like this. But I think it sounds like you have the right attitude. This is simply where you find yourself at this point in your life. It doesn't mean you are any less yourself; instead it's just being truthful about your current circumstances. Good luck and thanks so much for adding your thoughts. Ashley Hi Linda, thanks so much for your honesty and sharing your experience with me and this blog. You’re right – it’s not easy to be honest in situations like this. But I think it sounds like you have the right attitude. This is simply where you find yourself at this point in your life. It doesn’t mean you are any less yourself; instead it’s just being truthful about your current circumstances.
Good luck and thanks so much for adding your thoughts.
Ashley

]]> Comment on Learning through Empathy by Linda Jane McLean http://www.thechangebase.com/2011/10/09/learning-through-empathy/comment-page-1/#comment-33991 Linda Jane McLean Thu, 20 Oct 2011 19:59:33 +0000 http://www.thechangebase.com/?p=1946#comment-33991 An excellent story. It was one of the things that my father taught me: "You can ask people for many things, but you cannot ask them for money." It was that simple. And now, after years of earning and living a high quality life where I could buy the things I wanted, when I wanted,fate has intervened. I now stumble from month to month, hoping that things will improve, making soup, jam, chutney, looking for windfalls. Anything to save expense. And I have learnt that it is a phrase very few people understand: "I have no money." My mother's response was "Don't be silly - you must have! You'll have it stashed away somewhere." The frustration of trying to explain that all the stashes were gone, to be still considered with disbelief, was humiliating. I couldn't say it at first - but eventually to explain why I couldn't participate, I had to be honest. Now I say it frequently, but with no apology. I am doing my level best - and I honestly appreciate what to "have no money" means. And I know that nobody will help you - because they can't be sure, you see.....they can't be sure that you really have nothing. It is extremely interesting. An excellent story.
It was one of the things that my father taught me: “You can ask people for many things, but you cannot ask them for money.”
It was that simple.
And now, after years of earning and living a high quality life where I could buy the things I wanted, when I wanted,fate has intervened. I now stumble from month to month, hoping that things will improve, making soup, jam, chutney, looking for windfalls. Anything to save expense.
And I have learnt that it is a phrase very few people understand: “I have no money.” My mother’s response was “Don’t be silly – you must have! You’ll have it stashed away somewhere.”
The frustration of trying to explain that all the stashes were gone, to be still considered with disbelief, was humiliating.
I couldn’t say it at first – but eventually to explain why I couldn’t participate, I had to be honest. Now I say it frequently, but with no apology.
I am doing my level best – and I honestly appreciate what to “have no money” means.
And I know that nobody will help you – because they can’t be sure, you see…..they can’t be sure that you really have nothing.
It is extremely interesting.

]]> Comment on I Am a Social Intrapreneur by Ashley http://www.thechangebase.com/2011/05/25/i-am-a-social-intrapreneur/comment-page-1/#comment-29230 Ashley Wed, 17 Aug 2011 04:07:57 +0000 http://www.thechangebase.com/?p=1888#comment-29230 Great points Christopher, thanks for weighing in! Great points Christopher, thanks for weighing in!

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