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Social Impact
Social Impact
How is this 2021?
What’s happening? The European Handball Association’s Disciplinary Commission fined the women’s national beach handball team 1500 Euros ($1700) for not wearing regulation bikinis.
Why is this important? The Norwegian government & team officials stood behind its players to support their choice of competition clothing. One minister went so far as to say if the men can wear what they like, so can the women.
How will this be important? Moving the needle can take time, Norwegian women have petitioned to wear shorts in international competitions since 2006. Persistence and timing pay off.
NBC News | Norway’s beach handball protest is about a lot more than bikinis
Diversity Lift by McDonalds
What’s happening? McDonalds and 20 of its largest suppliers are pledging to increase diversity in its suppliers to 25%
Why is this important? It’s a 2% increase from the current 23% of the suppliers are diverse
How will this be important? Beginning this year McDonald’s executives bonus are tied to diversity benchmarks beginning this year
NASDAQ | McDonald’s to boost diversity among suppliers to 25%
Digital Inclusion. The new Metric.
What’s happening? National Digital Inclusion Alliance launched State Digital Equity Scorecard that benchmark goals and best practices for digital inclusion
Why is this important? States are assessed on a set of six criteria:
- data on digital skill needs
- comprehensive planning to address digital skill gaps
- online digital skills training
- incumbent worker training funds
- technology apprenticeships
- digital equity within state broadband plans
State programs include:
- MI is offering $15.3M in grants to boost connectivity in communities
- San Jose CA has community built platform to match youths with mental health care services
How will this be important? National Digital Inclusion Alliance partnered with Microsoft and the National Skills Coalition
Government technology | What’s New in Civic Tech: The State Digital Equity Scorecard
Tax Incentive Programs with Diversity Requirements
What’s happening? California expanded its film incentive program to $454 Million and will include a diversity requirement for incentives.
Why is this important? recipients must create diversity goals and submit plans on how to achieve those goals that will be approved by the California Film Commission
How will this be important? California numbers say that for every $1 California spends on entertainment incentives, it receives back 10 cents and 30 cents in state tax revenue through increased economic activity
Meet the Worker Financial Wellness Initiative
What’s happening? The following companies are joining forces to make workers’ financial security and health a C-suite and investor priority:
- Paypal
- Just Capital
- Chipotle
- Chobani
- Even
- Prudential Financial
- Verizon
- other leading companies
Why is this important? It’s a signal and move away from shareholder economy
How will this be important? We already have data says that if you put more into your employees pockets, your company does better. Specifically, “business outcomes such as productivity, innovation, customer satisfaction, and employee turnover and engagement” all improve by improving the financial well being of your employees.
$1 million pitch contest for for-profit companies
What’s happening? Part of the RK Mellon Foundation $50 million in social impact investments planned for the next decade includes a $1 million pitch contest for the FOR PROFIT sector.
Why is this important? Compassionate Entrepreneurs have a seat at the table too
How will this be important? This is what they’re looking for: any company that has a service, a technology, or product that would allow them to make a difference as it relates to one of our four grant-making categories: economic development, conservation, economic mobility or health and well-being. Apply here.
Sustainable Lobsters
What’s happening? Let’s talk lobsters. Not the Friends line from Phoebe about Ross and Rachel being each other’s lobsters, but the edible crustaceans. Australian Research Council is putting $5 Million to sustainable lobster practices.
Why is this important? The goal is “sustainable onshore lobster aquaculture will investigate new industry practices and provide alternate solutions for lobster culture in bio-secure and cost-effective onshore systems.”
How will this be important? Fisheries and sustainability have come a long way since Monterrey Bay Aquarium first put up its otter cameras so we could watch otters on the web. Monterrey Bay tracks sustainable fish for consumption.
The Fish Site | Australia launches $5 million lobster aquaculture initiative
The Big Question for CEOs Thanks to COVID
What’s happening? Harvard Business Review identified a division among CEOs. Those who want to go back to the way things were and those who want to move forward in new ways.
Why is this important? This looks a lot like the schism between companies that embrace the new stakeholder economy and those that are hanging onto to the old ways of shareholder economics.
How will this be important? We’re at at the cusp of re-defining work from being simply present to being productive. You don’t have to be in an office to be productive.
Meet Kyx. Sharing Economy for your Kicks
What’s happening? Kyx is a platform for sharing sneakers that allows users to request new only sneakers, or sanitized previously worn pairs of the hottest sneakers.
Why is this important? Old school sneaker heads are saying they see Kyx as a change in sneaker culture.
How will this be important? As RealReal and other resellers grow, so is the renting market for unique and special items, like must have sneakers.
W | Street Style Pioneer Jeff Staple on the Future of the Sneaker Sharing Economy
Data. Did the 15% Pledge work?
What’s happening? It has been a year since the 15% pledge sought to bring more Black company products to big retailers.
Why is this important? 385 Black owned companies saw their products sold at big retailers within 12 months.
How will this be important? Supporting women and BIOPIC businesses isn’t just for kicks or headlines. It builds businesses, economies and your profits.
Imagine if entertainment made a social impact. Meet the New Kid
What’s happening? Meet MainStream Nation “is developing entertainment for national television that focuses on political and social solutions with direction from users of our companion mobile app.”
Why is this important? They say they will work with civic reform organizations that “give all of us opportunities to see that there is much more that binds us together than pulls us apart”
How will this be important? Their partners are #ListenFirst Coalition
USA Today | What if TV programs united Americans rather than divided us? Here’s how we plan to try.
Post COVID. Labor Shortage? Business Problem?
What’s happening? Joining the debate about whether there is a labor shortage or whether businesses aren’t attractive to employees anymore post-COVID is Mark Cuban. His comments- those businesses that kept their employees on and treated them well during COVID are thriving. Those that didn’t aren’t.
Why is this important? To quote Mark Cuban ” Compassion is good for business.”
How will this be important? This discussion reflects the shift in the economy from the old shareholder economy to the new stakeholder economy.
Study Results: The 4 Day Work Week
What’s happening? Beginning in 2015, Iceland’s working population began to adopt a 4 day work week, and the results are in- more productive employees who are happier.
Why is this important? Dare I say that even in the U.S. how we view work times and places has changed since March 2020.
How will this be important? Take note- pay remained the same. Things that changed included limited times on meetings, and many meetings were entirely replaced by emails.
NPR | Iceland Cut Its Work Week And Found Greater Happiness And No Loss In Productivity
Experts Offer How to Support Pride (More than a rainbow logo)
What’s happening? Harvard Business Review offers a list of what businesses can do to support LGBTQIA+ community beyond a rainbow pride logo. (1) Hire LGBTQIA+ (2) Contribute regularly to LGBTQIA+ organizations (3) Highlight LGBTQIA businesses and stakeholders (4) Adopt forward thinking policies (5) “Utilize your power and influence as a company to advocate for LGBTQ+ people during all 12 months of the year”
Why is this important? People are paying attention in this post-COVID world. Information moves quickly. Cancel culture is still a thing.
How will this be important? The bar keeps rising as Harvard Business Review points out.
City New Initiative: Dim Lights for Birds
What’s happening? The City of Philadelphia is dimming lights city wide to improve the migratory path of birds. This is going to get dark… without dimming lights the birds can fly into buildings.
Why is this important? Perhaps a Bird Safe Philly Program would be good for your community too
How will this be important? All our communities could work together to dim lights and improve board migration
Anatomy of a Kindness Partnership
What’s happening? A retailer, Beekman 1802, is partnering with @kindnessorg and @verizonmedia, by sharing stories of kindness.
Why is this important? Consuming bad news is harmful to our mental health according to McLean, Harvard Medical School Affiliate
How will this be important? COVID has heightened our reactions to the onslaught of unkind news/
McLean | How Much News Is Too Much News for Good Mental Health?
Using Social Media for Social Good
What’s happening? Out of a true crime series, a train passenger in India noticed a group of frightened girls, and while on the train tweeted the train management and local authorities that he believed girls were being trafficked.
Why is this important? We’ve seen social media play a significant role in Black Lives Matters and LGBTQIA+, we’re entering the norm.
How will this be important?This takes see something, say something to a new level.
Social Media Platform for Social Good. Let’s Meet the New Kid
What’s happening? Meet -ImpactWayv, Inc., a platform to connect people, businesses and philanthropy for social good.
Why is this important? Users connect via relevant impact discussions and initiatives, with like-minded individuals, companies and nonprofits that share their commitment to the causes they care about.
How will this be important? The platform says it can measure a users ripple effect across initiatives
ImpactWayv™ Launches Social Media Platform Focused on Social Good
Improving Diversity in Healthcare
What’s happening? HHS is putting up $80M to increase diversity in health care by creating the new Public Health Informatics and Technology Workforce Development Program
Why is this important? data is the name of the game and the data HHS wants is “improving public health data collection, especially with regard to race and ethnicity data “around infection, hospitalization, and mortality rates, as well as underlying health and social vulnerabilities, that is disaggregated by race and ethnicity, age, gender, and other key variables,”
How will this be important? COVID and Black Lives Matters have shined lights on the disparity in treatment and disparity in outcomes.
N extGov | HHS Puts Up $80M to Increase Number and Diversity of Health IT Workforce
Problem Solving + Social Impact
What’s happening? I can’t do this story justice because it is a master course in problem solving. Here’s the set up: The head of a major hedge fund reads an article in The NY Times about PornHubs child trafficking. He wants to do something about it, but PornHub is a privately held company held by another private company. So, he gets creative and contacts a friend at MasterCard because Visa and MasterCard process PornHub payments.
Why is this important? Sometimes you solve a problem by not going at the problem directly but cutting of resources, and this story is a master class of addressing child trafficking by hitting the funds.
How will this be important? I know I’ll use this as a go-to to inspire creative problem solving.
100,000 Jobs for ESG reporting
What’s happening? Price Waterhouse Cooper announced it will create 100,000 jobs focused on helping business with ESG reporting. The future is coming and it is bringing ESG along with it.
Why is this important? They’re putting in $12 Billion to create 100,000 jobs in 5 years
How will this be important? Of the new hires 25,000 to 30,000 will be in the United States and 10,000 of those will be Black or LatinX
Insurance Journal | PwC to Create 100,000 New Jobs to Help Clients Grappling with ESG Reporting
City Adopts COVID Remote Work Incentives
What’s happening? Wichita Falls TX Chamber of Commerce has created a new a Remote Worker Incentive program to “incentivize companies for employing remote workers in the city or relocating those employees to Wichita Falls.”
Why is this important? there’s a community spin in that the program will focus on targeted towards pending graduates of Midwestern State University and anyone associated with Sheppard Air Force Base
How will this be important? This reminds me about when we talked about Tulsa OK incentivizing people to move there to work and live. Crafting local incentive programs that are tailored to your community is as great as a perfectly tailored jacket.
WFMZ | Wichita Falls, Texas, unveils Remote Worker Incentive for industries
Consumer TRENDs. Making an Impact with Groceries.
What’s happening? CEO of The Center for Food Integrity and president of Look East says Millenials and GenZ are leading the way with food integrity buying. The industry has long let the market place dictate.
Why is this important? There are more millennials than there are Boomers. Those who shop based not he impact to the environment, community ….that’s the side with the great numbers.
How will this be important? As commodity prices rise globally, he envisions a market place where social impact gets factored into a base product and increases to a premium version of the product.
Let’s talk Fairy Tale Endings.
What’s happening? We all need good news. By now we’ve all seen the bakery in Lufkin TX with the social media post that because the bakery posted a rainbow cookie, they lost a 5 dozen order. In response, the community showed up, formed lines and the bakery has sold out day after day.
Why is this important? It is important to speak up. Ultimately, we at InfoHive believe in the good in all people.
How will this be important? Speak up when you or your business experiences discrimination.
Brands + LGBTQ Responsibility
What’s happening? Jenna Lyons, former creative Director of JCrew, who was outed by the NY Post applauds non-profit giving, but says the key for brands supporting LGBTQ community is that ““the best possible way to support people is to actually hire them, nurture them, give them a welcoming community and pay them well,” “
Why is this important? The pandemic heightened the notion that businesses have to do more than provide lip service.
How will this be important? Everyone needs a seat at the table. Inclusivity matters.
Can AI reduce bias?
What’s happening? Policy makers are interested in AI to reduce bias. This year 16 states “proposed creating panels to review AI’s impact, promote public and private investment in AI, or address transparency and fairness in AI development.”
Why is this important? Academic research at MIT and Berkeley says AI makes systemic racism worse.
How will this be important? Dallas Texas based, BoodsKapper, is working to improve AI to reduce racist outcomes in its AI decision making. The Dallas Housing Authority says its been successful.
Stateline via Route Fifity | Programmers, Lawmakers Want A.I. to Eliminate Bias, Not Promote It
Help the Employee. Help the Business.
What’s happening? Walmart is giving each of its employees a new Samsung phone for personal and business use. It will allow employees the ability to walkie talkie through the phone and employees who may not otherwise have a smart phone, will have one.
Why is this important? as businesses recognize that treating employees we’ll improves employee morale and productivity and improves profit.
How will this be important? As industries that have historically treated their employees as replaceable move to retain employees, the shift from shareholder economy to stakeholder economy is solidified.
New Record. 41 Women CEOS
What’s happening? Fortune 500 list was published this week. Included is a record 41 women CEOS.
How is this important? Included in the 41 women CEOs are, for the first time ever, 2 black women CEOs. Rosalind Brewer CEO of Walgreesn Boots Alliance at No. 16. and Thasunda Brown Duckett CEO of TIAA at No. 79.
How will this be important? Until diversity and inclusion is attained, we will talk about the number of women or people of color or LGBT people in CEO positions.
Economic Impact of Women in 2020
What’s happening? Women are 70% of global consumption and control approximately $31.8 trillion in global consumer spending.
Why is this important? For companies to grow, executive leadership should reflect consumers. That’s diversity and inclusion.
How will this be important? Only 3% of US VC Funding goes to all Female leadership teams. The industry is paying attention. COVID hit women economically more than men, and we’re just tarting to address that in public government forums and private business forums.
Changing Business Climate: Meet the Good Lobbyist.
What’s happening? The GoodLobbyist.co wants to fuel positive change by promoting lobbying excellence with worldwide effect.
Why is this important? The Good Lobbyist isn’t the only entity connecting the dots from the Pandemic to the social justice momentum to the realization that it will never go back to the way it was before.
How will this be important? Positive change aligns with the CEO Pledge, NASDAQ requirements and more. That is the new normal.
Twitter: @GoodLobbyist Instagram: @GoodLobbyist
Millennials Driving ESG Investments
What’s happening? Millennials contributed $51.1 billion to sustainable funds in 2020. Driven largely by sustainability and climate change. In contrast 2% of Boomers take into account ESG when investing.
Why is this important? Morningstar data shows 72% of the U.S. population “expressed at least a moderate interest in sustainable investing,”
How will this be important? Experts say Millennial interest in ESG is a factor of timing more than generational interest.
NASDAQ | Millennials Are a Driving Factor in the Growth behind ESG Investments
COVID. How San Francisco Beat all the Statistics.
What’s happening? San Francisco’s death rate during the pandemic has been 1/4 of Los Angeles or New York. 77% of the population over 12 has received at least 1 dose of vaccine.
Why is this important? Some say the successful COVID approach is from little push back from residents. Others say it was the temperate climate and the closing of street that allowed for outdoor spaces throughout the pandemic.
How will this be important? Other cities will learn from San Francisco and beat the odds during future disasters.
Governing | How San Francisco Brought Its COVID Death Rate Down to Zero
Prada CSR Report Released
What’s happening? Prada released its work “dedicated to the reduction of the environmental impact of its activities, the enhancement of people and the promotion of culture”
Why is this important? Prada highlighted these big moves: the establishment of the Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Council, to promote diversity and inclusion within the company and in the society at large; the announcement of the Fur Free policy for all the Group’s brands; the launch of the Prada Re-Nylon collection in regenerated nylon; the signing to the Fashion Pact; the subscription of a five-year Sustainability Linked Term Loan with Crédit Agricole Group and the third edition of the “Shaping a Future” conversations dedicated to social responsibility.
How will this be important? Attention to sustainability in fashion has been on the rise and heightened during the pandemic
Small Business Raises Wages to Attract Employees
What’s happening? A Pittsburgh ice cream shop was not getting potential employees to apply for its $7.25 jobs. So the owner raised the wages to $15 was flooded with applicants and …. revenue!
Why is this important? More revenue. The owner says the shop has more customers who want to support a business that will support its employees.
How will this be important? Inc is calling it the emotionally intelligent business decision that drives long term benefits in productivity and loyalty
Shareholder Votes Against Exxon and Chevron on Sustainability
What’s happening? ExxonMobil shareholders repudiated its leadership by voting in at least two new independent directors due to the way Exxon has handled climate change issues. Chevron also lost a shareholder vote and will be required to take into account its customers’ emissions when planning reductions.
Why is this important? This follows Wall Street which also is tying decarbonization to better corporate financials. Here’s who was behind the vote: “…a relatively small hedge fund called Engine No. 1. But it quickly won the backing of the three biggest U.S. pension funds, the two biggest advisory services and at least one of the three biggest fund managers. The three fund managers — BlackRock, Vanguard and State Street — hold more than 20 percent of ExxonMobil’s shares.”
How will this be important? Knock, knock. Who’s there? New Economy.
New Data: Diversity & Pro LGBTQ policies = Greater Profits
What’s happening? Two Nordic universities measured the financial performance of over 600 publicly trading U.S. companies between 2003 and 2016. Diversity and LGBTQ friendly policies equated to greater profitability and higher stock market value.
Why is this important? Add this to the pile of other data that shows businesses that are socially responsible garner greater economic gains.
How will this be important? This is the new economy. The stakeholder economy when it matters how your business treats others and your communities.
Gay Times | Businesses championing LGBT-friendly policies perform better financially
1st Female CEO at CALSTRS
What’s happening? America’s second-largest pension fund for the firs time in history as a female CEO.
Why is this important? Breaking barriers and improving economic outlooks.
How will this be important? More women in positions of power, the more women fill other leadership roles. More women statistically translates to better numbers.
Diverse Supply Chains Lead to Diverse Businesses
What’s happening? MIT looked at how do businesses increase diversity when investors are seeking out more diverse businesses. They define diverse as “small businesses or companies owned by minorities, women, veterans, members of the LGBT community, or people with disabilities.”
Why is this important? Procurement can be your business’ path to improved diversity.
How will this be important? Customers are 3X more likely to buy from a business seen as diverse. Even with companies that report diversity only 10% of suppliers are diverse- its an open and growing avenue.
MIT Sloan Management Review | How Procurement Can Strengthen Diversity and Inclusion
Giving Trends of Millennials
What’s happening? Artemis Strategy Group conducted two studies on behalf of Fidelity Charitable. Here’s what they found:
- 20% have invested in socially responsible businesses or investment funds
- 4 in 10 have accessed an online giving platform
- Forty% prefer to give money to the nonprofit sector rather than a major institution
Why is this important? Some say the apathetically inclined Gen X aligns more with Millennials than Boomers.
How will this be important? As millennials begin to control more than 5% of the wealth, their investing and giving styles will become common place.
Millennials Are Buying, Investing Based on ‘Social Good’: Fidelity
CVID. Workplace Returns + Diversity & Inclusion
What’s happening? “Givsly’s self-funded “Get Upfront with Givsly” covers costs for racial or ethnic minority-owned businesses to initiate outreach. Participants will each receive $500 of the $20,000 fund to be applied towards business credits for securing introductory meetings.”
Why is this important? The pandemic increased the focus on diversity and inclusion in the work place. Here’s another tool for your tool belt.
How will this be important? Fast Company made this product a 2021 Honoree
COVID. Re-hiring Essential Workers at Higher Wages.
What’s happening? Employers including Chipotle, Walmart, Costco, Amazon, and MCDonals are raising wages to get more applicants.
Why is this important? The employees are from line workers for COVID exposure, mostly the lowest paid industries, and the companies that pay more like Costco are shown to be economic powerhouses as the business absorbs the labor cost.
How will this be important? This the old economy fighting the new economy. The old economy says it is a labor problem. The new economy says you pay more you get better results and better profit.
AP | Desperate for workers, US restaurants and stores raise pay
NFL Re-ups support for 9 Social Justice Organizations
What’s happening? the NFL’s Inspire Change social justice initiative is adding $2.5 million to support 9 social justice grant programs that were approved by the Social Justice Working Group that is made up of 10 NFL players and owners.
Why is this important? This is the new economy.
How will this be important? “Players Coalition is committed to working with the NFL Player-Owner Social Justice Working Group, ensuring that Inspire Change grants are distributed to organizations who are committed to improving social and racial justice, with a focus on police and community relations, education, economic advancement, and criminal justice reform,” Kelvin Beachum, Players Coalition Task Force member, Social Justice Working Group member, and Arizona Cardinals offensive lineman.
The 15%
What’s happening? Sometimes you do some online shopping. Sometimes you find things that delight you. For me today, it was discovering Crate & Barrel joining the @15percentpledge to have 15% of their products and collaborations include black businesses.
Why is this important? This is the new economy. Supporting your local community. Supporting other local businesses and talking about it.
How will this be important? The stakeholder economy where we all have a seat at the table and we all reap the economic benefits for our own independent business.
103 Corporations Openly Oppose Anti-LGBTQ Legislation
What’s happening? “103 companies have signed the Business Statement Opposing Anti-LGBTQ State Legislation stating their clear opposition to harmful legislation aimed at restricting the access of LGBTQ people in society”
Why is this important? Businesses are speaking up more about social justice issues. Welcome to the new economy. These businesses stress that they strongly embrace diversity and inclusion. The bills harm their team members and their families and makes it hard for them to recruit employees.
How will this be important? Legislatures are finding ways to punish businesses that speak up.
National Business Statement Opposing Anti-LGBTQ State Legislation
Cali Proposition: Racial Justice Bureau
What’s happening? California Attorney General is proposing a new office- the Racial Justice Bureau- “to combat white supremacy and biased policing as well as to explore the possibility of reparations for slavery.”
Why is this important? Multiple cities, counties and states are working to tackle these issues.
How will this be important? This is only the start of these programs and actions by state and local governments.
Governing | California’s AG Rob Bonta to Create Racial Justice Bureau
State Prohibits Diversity & Inclusion Training
What is happening? Iowa House sent the Governor HF802 (2021 | IA) that prohibits governments in Iowa from providing diversity and inclusion training to use concepts, such as that the United States or Iowa was “fundamentally or systemically racist or sexist,”
Why is this important? It is Iowa’s way around banning critical race theory.
How will this be important? Legislatures across the country are tackling measures related to critical race theory.
Iowa Gazette | Iowa Legislature Approves Bill Banning Diversity Training, Curriculum
HR TREND: Environmental, social responsibility key to Recruiting Talent
What’s happening? IBM Institute for Value says the key to recruit talent is the economy’s environmental and social responsibility work.
Why is this important? 71% of employees and job seekers surveyed said environmentally sustainable companies were more attractive & 2/3 were more likely to apply for and accept jobs with environmentally and socially responsible organizations.
How will this be important? A 2021 February report by Mercer found U.S. business leaders will “take a more expansive view” of corporate responsibilities in the context of individual well-being and community well-being.
HR Dive | IBM: Environmental, social responsibility key to attracting global talent
The Future of the C Suite in Social Change
What’s happening? Ben & Jerry’s has been a social enterprise since its inception. This April their CEO joined a call with 1000 CEOS concerning a response to the voting rights legislation in dozens of states.
Why is this important? All global trends indicate that consumers “will take social and environmental issues more seriously, and will seek out businesses that make the world cleaner, safer and more equitable.”
How will this be important? The trend is not waning. Gen Z is more focused on this than the outwardly motivated millennials and the quietly motivated Gen Xers.
The Wall Street Journal | THE CEO OF BEN & JERRY’S WANTS TO REDEFINE THE C-SUITE
ESG Lobbying-lalapalooza in DC
What’s happening? The number of lobby registration in D.C. related to ESG has doubled in 2021. ESG lobbying began in 2015 and has slowly increased.
Why is this important? The lobbying registration increase comes as companies are increasingly speaking out about social injustice and climate change
How will this be important? The number of corporations speaking up on social injustice and climate change is not decreasing and there are no rules or limitations limiting it. Instead, “PepsiCo and ConocoPhillips mentioned ESG in their lobbying reports when discussing their interest in disclosures.”
Bloomberg Law | Democrats’ ESG Drive Fuels Lobbying Bonanza in Washington
Civic Engagement Day Off From School
What’s happening? Delaware is considering allowing middle and high school kids a day off from school to engage in civic activity like protesting, a walk out or visiting a site of significant historical or cultural importance. HB 175 (2021 | DE)
Why is this important? Call it what the pundits are woke (which I think was a cool word in 2008) or part of the new economy or secret support for the Greta Thunberg.
How will this be important? Local schools in other states may take similar path, and their states may preempt them.
Route Fifty | A Plan to Excuse Students From School for Protests and Demonstrations
How did Online Giving Change in 2020?
What is happening? Blackbaud Institute Index says global giving only grew by 21%. US charitable giving grew 2% year-over-year. record 13% of fundraising came from online donations in 2020
Why is this important? Most of donations were made by mobile devices. That’s a connection to keep and nurture.
How will this be important? People have or are now accustom to giving online and having done it once, may do so again. its no longer new and unusual.
Los Angeles Business Journal | Online Giving Grew 21% Amid Global Pandemic
2020 ESG Investment Numbers
What is happening? The Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investment says there was $17.1 trillion guided by sustainable investing strategies in the U.S. a 42% increase over the previous 2 years. This is 1/3 of all assets under management in the US
Why is this important? sustainability is taken at the center of the business model & strategy
How will this be important? Investments are ever-increasing. Gone is the greed is good of the 1980s.
WWD | Wall Street Bets Bigger on ESG as Sustainability Takes Hold
Pandemic Pivot for a Social Good Business
What is happening? Warby Parker in 2020 shuttered its stores while figuring out its next move in the pandemic. Warby Parker’s innate social good met the 2020 social good issues- diversity, equity, and inclusion. How do they combine?
Why is this important? The immediate pivot was to work with our supply chain partners and some of our nonprofit supply chain partners to help source PPE, personal protective equipment, and offer everything from masks and face shields to gloves and hand-washing stations to communities
How will this be important? The company is posting its diversity numbers online and contributing scholarships for Black Optimistrists
Wharton Knowledge | Pandemic Pivot: How Warby Parker Stayed Focused
COVID Pivot. GirlScout Cookie By Drone
What is happening? Girl Scouts in Virginia are adapting to COVID by delivering Girl Scout cookies by drone.
Why is this important? Drone delivery is coming. Whether it is flying drones or robot drones that peruse sidewalks.
How will this be important? Not only could drone delivery be efficient for Girl Scouts but also it offers learning experience for innovation.
Oil Fund Divests from Fossil Fuels
What is happening? The Rockerfeller Fund, an $860 million philanthropic organization built on wealth from Standard Oil, announced in 2014 that it would divest from fossil fuel companies.
Why is this important? Divestment from fossil fuels is ongoing among University pension systems.
How will this be important? The executive director of the Intentional Endowments Network calls divestment inevitable
Earth Day + Sustainable Fashion
What’s happening? If your feed is like mine, every corporation or entity that you follow talked up its sustainability efforts today for Earth Day. The new economy has been pointing toward sustainability in fashion as people stuck at home learned how much energy it took to make clothing.
Why is this important? So as consumers want more information about sustainability, how can they figure it out? Everlane chief supply chain officer suggests looking for companies with transparent supply chains. Also look out for clothing companies that have partners and standardized certifications that can support sustainability claims, such as LEED certification., The Global Organic Textile Standard, Global Recycled Standard .
How will this be important? Gen X, Millenials and Gen Z consumer majorities want to know this information and they make their purchases based on this sustainability information.
Travel and Sustainability. Who is best of the best?
What’s happening? Soon people will travel again. Rather, soon more people will travel again. Euromonitor International’s Sustainable Travel Index has released its rankings of sustainable tourism. The tops: Sweden. The Top 10:
- Sweden
- Finland
- Austria
- Estonia
- Norway
- Slovakia
- Iceland
- Latvia
- France
- Slovenia
Why is this important? We’re going to traveling in the new economy where there is greater import placed on sustainability, diversity, inclusion.
How will this be important? The US is 35th. The UK 40th. The EU has a push to include sustainability in travel in its COVID recovery.
Schengenvisoinfo | Sweden Ranks First Among 99 World Countries for Global Sustainable Tourism
Bonjour, Texas Competes
What’s happening? Texas Competes, a new business organization, which released a letter this week with 43 Companies in opposition to the Texas Legislature’s anti-LGBTQ legislation.
Why is this important? This list.
Amazon- American Airlines
- Apple
- Austin Chamber of Commerce
- Austin City Limits Music Festival
- Austin LGBT Chamber of Commerce
- Austin Tech Alliance
- Bain and Company
- BASF
- BBVA USA
- bp America
- C3 Presents
- Cedar Park Chamber of Commerce
- Dell Technologies
- Destination El Paso
- Dow
- Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce
- G6 Hospitality LLC
- Gearbox Entertainment
- Greater Houston LGBT Chamber
- GSD&M
- HP
- Hunt Companies
- IBM Corporation
- Levi Strauss & Co
- Lime
- Marriott International
- McKinney Chamber of Commerce
- Microsoft
- North Texas Commission
- North Texas LGBT Chamber of Commerce
- PayPal
- Salesforce
- San Antonio LGBT Chamber of Commerce
- Silicon Labs
- Sun Life
- Sustainable Food Policy Alliance, including member companies Danone North America; Mars, Incorporated; Nestlé USA; and Unilever United States
- TechNet
- Texas LGBTQ Chambers of Commerce
- Unilever
- United Airlines
- United Corpus Christi Chamber of Commerce
How will this be important? Corporations first became vocal on LGBT issues in 2017 when the Texas Legislature was considering its “bathroom bill” that LGBT supporters opposed. This is trend in a red state is a big deal.
Check them out on twitter @TXCompetes
Wineries & “Radical Sustainability”
What is happening? U.S. Wineries are moving beyond the biodynamic and organic and moving toward sustainable.
Why is this important? Sustainable means economic viability + social impact that incorporates planting cover crops and composting and investing in your community through internships, partnerships, access to healthcare for their workers, and support of BIPOC organizations.
How will this be important? Wineries are seeing customer loyalty through their sustainability efforts. To quote one of the wine geniuses : “Taking care of others is a ripple effect. It goes out in the universe and eventually comes back.” – Napa’s Corison Winery
Wine Enthusiast | The U.S. Wineries Pursuing Radical Sustainability
Fintech Talks Going Green
What is happening? Fintech company, ParagonEX, will move its trading servers to carbon-neutral hosting sites.
Why is this important? Listen to the CEO. Simon Duggan, ParagonEX’s CEO said: “We need to be socially responsible in our actions, both on the trading/customer-facing side and on the global responsibility side. One cannot ignore the fact that high electricity consumption has a detrimental effect on the environment, and companies must take responsibility for minimizing their carbon footprint.”
How will this be important? More companies in the new economy will be touting their ESG moves.
Humans Best Algorithms in Social Impact Investing
What’s happening? Goldman Sachs review determined that successful sustainable investment decisions fared best when made by a human.
Why is this important? For those in the investment world, it means active investing wins this round.
How will this be important? More of these humans vs. algorithms are in our future.
@businessweek on instagram
Climate Change and the Three Comma Club
What’s happening? Meet the Creo Syndicate which advises the world’s richest who support climate change efforts. ” Creo’s mission is to speed up the flow of capital into investments that can slow global warming. The group focuses on the richest of the rich, working with about 200 families and investment outfits with a total of more than $800 billion under management.”
Why is this important? The Creo Syndicate is described as small and secretive by Bloomberg and only allow certain people into their world.
How will this be important? Imagine a Creo Syndicate for each portion of ESG- Enviornmental, sustainability, and governance.
@businessweek on instagram
+1 State Makes Juneteenth Official
What’s happening? With the after effects of the Black Lives Matter movement, North Dakota just made Juneteenth an official ceremonial state holiday. This did not make Juneteenth a paid holiday.
Why is this important? The Republican who carried the bill, said it ” is a step of good will toward becoming a nation of respect to each other.”
How will this be important? South Dakota and Hawaii are the only states that do not recognize Juneteenth in some form.
AP | North Dakota Legislature OKs Juneteenth ceremonial holiday
Sustainable Materials. Mushrooms the new leather.
What’s happening? Stella McCartney and Hermes began integrating mushroom leather into their merchandise. Mycelium leather requires low-energy in its manufacturing and can biodegrade.
Why is this important? Designers are looking for substitute to vegan leather the manufacturing of which can be harmful to the environment.
How will this be important? What can be produced from mushrooms is only now coming to light. Mushroom based inks and dyes are also getting greater attention.
W | What the Viral Spread of Mushrooms Means for Fashion’s Sustainable Future
CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion
What’s happening? 2000 CEOs have signed on to CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion™ to advance racial equity through public policy.
Why is this important? CEOs are actively looking to public policy on race, diversity and inclusion. We should not be surprised when companies and CEOs speak up on these issues.
How will this be important? This is the new normal.
Wayfair Commits $30M for Social Impact Investments
What’s happening? Wayfair has dedicated$30 million to social impact investing. This includes $20 million investment in the Black Economic Development Fund
Why is this important? The company has a clear stance on racism. From the CEO”…part of our broader commitment to stand against racism in every form and to continuously work to foster diversity, equity and inclusion both at Wayfair and in our communities,” noted Niraj Shah, CEO, co-founder and co-chairman, Wayfair.
How will this be important? This is the new normal.
Home Accents Today | Wayfair gives $30 million to social impact investing
1st State to Marry Black Lives Matters lessons and COVID lessons.
What’s happening? Vermont because the first state to consider the disproportionate impact of COVD on Black and minority communities. For COVID, Black and minority residents are more than TWICE as likely to end up in the hospital. To make up for it, Vermont is giving vaccine priority to minority Vermontians.
Why is this important? More governmental entities are considering how their actions disproportionately impacting certain, mostly Black and minority communities, and are taking action to correct for this.
How will this be important? More local governments will be doing this once there are examples to follow.
Route Fifty | Vermont Is 1st State to Give Minority Residents Vaccine Priority
Black CEOs and 2021 Voting Legislation.
What’s happening? Black CEOs are speaking out against voting reforms in Georgia. Merck CEO Kenneth Frazier and former American Express CEO Kenneth Chenault, released a joint letter in The New York Times urging corporate America to stand up forcefully on matters of racial justice.
Why is this important? First comes Georgia, then Texas, and then the rest of the red states.
How will this be important? This issue is not going anywhere. Get Z, Millennials and Gen Xers vote with their dollars and support companies that take stands on the big issues.
AP | Under pressure, some Ga. corporate leaders slam voting bill
What did Coca-Cola say about Georgia’s Voting Legislation?
What’s happening? Delta Airlines and Coca-Cola CEO s spoke up and the companies issued statements. IN particular, Coca-Cola said that Georgia’s voting bill is ” a step backward.” “It does not promote principles we have stood for in Georgia around broad access to voting, around voter convenience, about ensuring election integrity. This legislation is wrong and needs to be remedied.”
Why is this important? Coca Cola has paused its PAC activity, and had done so before Georgia passed the voting bill.
How will this be important? This week it came to Texas and its coming to other states as well. Corporations can’t only be your political allied when you agree. That’s not how relationships work. Nor is it how our system of government works.
AP | Under pressure, some Ga. corporate leaders slam voting bill
COVID. Business + Impact + Vaccine
What’s happening? Vaccine education by employers is entering the arena of part of the way a company can improve its social impact. The reason is employees trust information from their employers more than they trust information from their governments.
How is this important? We’re seeing that employers that were the most empathetic during the pandemic are reaping the greatest rewards.
Why will this be important? Businesses are incentivizing employees to get vaccinated. Dollar General, Instacart, and Publix, have offered paid leave time or cash incentive bonuses to encourage their employees to get vaccinated.
Fast Company | 3 ways employers can help fight vaccine skepticism
Let’s Look at How Lancôme Launched its Sustainability Program
What’s happening? Lancome launched “Caring Together for a Happier Tomorrow,” that focuses on 3 elements that reflect its business model.
Why is this important? Lancome is tying its impact directly to the work it does. By focusing on (1)protecting biodiversity (2) helping people to consume sustainably (3) empowering women
How will this be important? Companies are matching their social impact more directly to the work they do which increases the authenticity of the impact.
Is sustainable investment missing a voice?
What’s happening? ESG-compliant funds now top US$40 trillion. And, it is growing. Not all ESG metric include input from indigenous people. Global Reporting Initiative and the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board reference them briefly. The missing link—-“provide advice on how to include Indigenous rights in company operations or decision making.”
How is this important? Indigenous population and rights are being re-affirmed in Canada and by the US Supreme Court. Enter the Indigenous Sustainable Investment Conference that will “highlight how Indigenous-led efforts in each area of ESG could serve as templates for investors to reduce risk and improve investment decisions in major projects.”
Why will this be important? Impact investing, diversity and inclusion aren’t going away.
BIV | Indigenous input missing from Canada’s ESG investment standards
Sustainable Seafood Purchases. By the Numbers.
What’s happening? Survey data from GlobeScan shared by Seafood Expo North America Reconnect identified purchasing trends that Millennials and Sen Z is behind sustainable purchasing. When it comes to seafood:
- 70% of consumers want more info from companies about sustainability
- 63% want to know their fish can be traced back to a known and trusted source
- consumers 18 to 34 were the most likely to notice eco labels
- 70% of Gen Z have been inspired by an online influencer to live in a more sustainable way
Why is this important? From 1999- 2017 20% of purchasers said they would reward sustainable companies. In 2020, that number jumped to 38%. Yes, nearly doubled.
How will this be important? Sustainability, social impact, egg, csr, corporate social responsibility is like a cartoon snowball , and we’re at that stage where the snowball is growing and rolling.
Seafood Source | Millennials, Gen Z driving sustainable seafood purchasing shift
Welcome to the T Rowe Price Social Impact Fund
What’s happening? Let’s look at T Rowe Price’s press release…because their word choices here say A LOT about the growth and import of ESG. They say “significant secular changes afoot” and “link between societal good and performance”
Why is this important? it’s like when you realize your weird uncle whose reputation to put his foot in his mouth all of a sudden became woke.
How will this be important? Change is afoot… This is the new normal.
Institutional Investors + Social Impact
What’s happening? As the financial decision-makers “wake up to the full, negative impact of the pandemic on people and the economy” there’s a move to invest in the S, social, part of ESG investments.
Why is this important? Institutional investors have moved toward property in recent years, and within that sector investments can focus on low income housing or housing for the homeless.
How will this be important? According to Big Society Capital, 42% of the social investment market in the UK focuses on social housing investments. Increasing popularity… driving investment demand up….
New Consumer Data for Socially Conscious Goods & Services
What’s happening? Channel Factory, global brand suitability and ad performance platform for YouTube, released its Brand and Consumer Values Report.
Why is this important?
- 69% prefer to buy from brands committed to socially conscious causes
- 68% prefer to buy from brands that are committed to making online environments more positive
- 60% prefer to buy from those committed to making these environments diverse and inclusive
- 54% have a negative opinion of brands that run ads on content made by creators whose social values consumers disagree with
- 60% feel more positive about a brand knowing they advertised in diverse environments
How will this be important? Not only does it matter if brands take a stand, it matters how and where they take that stand.
Channel Factory | Consumer Sentiment and Conscious Advertising
Adieu Silence on the Sidelines of Political Issues
What’s happening? Georgia Legislature is changing the voting rules, and civil liberties groups are asking big Georgia business to speak up. Hello, that’s you Coke, UPS, Delta Home Depot etc…. HB 531 (2021 | GA) SB 241 (2021 | GA)
Why is this important? It is just like what happened at the US Capitol on January 6th….businesses were asked to be on the correct side of history
How will this be important? The Georgia Chamber of Commerce has issued a statement expressing “concern and opposition”
@WashingtonPost on Instagram
Governments Taking on Energy Justice
What’s happening? The Us Department of Energy has added a position singularly focused on energy justice.
Why is this important? We’re hearing more and more about energy justice. The focus for the Department of Energy will be on social, economic, and health burdens within U.S. energy system.
How will this be important? higher utility bills, heightened susceptibility to pollution, and increased vulnerability to natural disasters disproportionately impacts communities of color.
Equal Pay for Equal Work Act
What’s happening? Colorado has had its Equal pay for Equal Work Act in effect since January 1. First, the world has not ended.
Why is this important? Not only will salaries for open positions be clearer for all potential applicants, the bill also prevents employers from asking how much a potential employee is currently making.
How will this be important? More states are following suit
Sustainable Investments vs. Oil Producing States
What’s happening? Alaska, North Dakota, Texas legislators are introducing legislation that would force states to stop investing in companies that use sustainable strategies & stop doing business with asset managers, banks and insurers that support sustainable investing.
Why is this important? “The bills defy global financial and political trends” and, let’s note the bills defy the data that show msg investments perform better, especially during the pandemic.
How will this be important? Investment Firms adn Financial Services firms, Oregon, California, New York, and others are stacking up on the other side. Plus, fossil fuel players like BP are also on the other side as BP formally announced its sustainability. It’d be fun to see if the fossil fuel industry also print annual sustainability reports that show its industry support of concepts from diversity to sustainability. More than a majority of the S&P issues annual sustainability reports.
Route Fifty | Oil-Friendly States Fight Back Against Sustainable Investment Trend
RigZone | Texas Lawmakers Target Energy Discrimination
PEW Charities | Oil-Friendly States Fight Back Against Sustainable Investment Trend
Principles of Purpose Driven Leadership
What’s happening? The great minds at Stanford Social Innovation Review say boards need to recalculate their focus to (1) purpose (2) play nice with others, be good to your ecosystem (3) focus on equity and not reinforce systemic inequities(4) recognize organizational power
Why is this important? When you’re preoccupied by profit or fundraising above all else, no one wants to be round that.
How will this be important? This is the future. The New Economy is the stakeholder economy- not the economy fo what’s the best way to increase profit at all cost.
Stanford Social Innovation Review | The Four Principles of Purpose-Driven Board Leadership
Texas Cable Association is Highlighting diversity, equity and inclusion
What’s happening? “No longer do we limit such conversations to Black History Month, Hispanic Heritage Month or other specific times of the year” _ Texas Cable Association.
Why is this important? “We know that a diverse, equitable and inclusive company is a more innovative and successful one.” –Ward-Maupin, oversees the digital and customer experience strategy and execution across Comcast Business
How will this be important?”Every facet of the business benefits when DEI is a focus.” – Chatman, vice president of Sparklight’s South Central Division”
Texas Cable Association | CABLE LEADERS: DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION
Atlanta Created the Largest Free Food Forest
What’s happening? Atlanta took on food deserts head on. Atlanta’s Browns Mill neighborhood is a 30 minute bus ride from the closest grocery store.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Why is this important? The food forest is a result of a partnership between the nonprofit organization @theconservationfund, with a grant from the U.S. Forest Service and in partnership with the city of Atlanta and Tree Atlanta. Together they created a 7.1-acre forest filled with 2,500 pesticide-free plants. It’s the largest food forest in the nation.
How will this be important? With insurers adding access to nutritious foods to policies and a greater focus on local food in the new economy.
On Instagram @goodgoodgoodco
Insurance Adds Food Coverage
What’s happening? “We’ve seen time and again, the lack of good and nutritional food causes members to get readmitted” There is an increase in the number of insurance plans that pay for temporary meal deliveries and some are teaching people how to cook and eat healthier foods.
Why is this important? During the pandemic, Oscar Health, delivered fresh groceries to its plan members.
How will this be important? An un-politicized definition of nutritious foods is complicated. Hint: a green box labeled healthy, isn’t nutritious.
AP | Insurers add food to coverage menu as way to improve health
Wellness. Reclaimed Commuting Hours.
What’s happening? NRIX, Inc., a company that specializes in connected vehicle services and transportation analytics says US drivers saved 3.4 Billion hours over 2019.
Why is this important? 3.4 Billion employee hours saved translates to $51 billion in time savings.
How will this be important? Companies are re-defining work life balances, with more companies, especially tech companies, retaining more elements of work from home.
Route 50 | The Hours Americans Reclaimed by Sitting Less in Traffic
Governor Drops Mask Mandate, State Turns to 4th State
What’s happening? After Governor Abbott opened business to 100% capacity and removed any state mask mandate, I saw a tweet that said now Texans will turn to the 4th State of Government in Texas- H.E.B , the state’s largest grocer.
Why is this important? This is quickly becoming common. Did the government go too far? Look for companies to take a stand on big picture issues. Think of Nike quickly supporting Kapernik
How will this be important? As GenZ feels more invested in their trusted brands, the positions those brands take will be more powerful than government.
Vocal Companies: Netflix
What’s happening? Netflix has promised $100 Million to improve diversity in its shows.
Why is this important? Customers and the public want to know that products stand for something. People want to know if they’re spending their money that the money is going into the hands of a company that will be on the right side of history.
How will this be important? Being silent is no longer an option.
social-return-on-investment
What’s happening? When analyzing the return from a hospital owned affordable housing project, analysts used social return on investment in lieu of old school return on investment.
Why is this important? IN 2018 numbers, they found that the return was $1.30 to $1.92 per year for every dollar of annual operating expense
How will this be important? We’ll see more social return on investment as it includes a more holistic economic review.
Welcome McDonald’s New Chief Global Impact Officer
What is happening? In November 2020 McDonalds launched its new Accelerating the Arches growth strategy designed to “refreshed purpose to feed and foster communities.”
Why is this important? In 1990 McDonalds forged a relationship with Conservation International to add sustainable whitefish sources for its Filet-O-Fish sandwiches. IN 2002 McDonalds released its first sustainability report.
How will this be important? Harvard Business Review notes that consumers and stakeholders want companies that see social good as a necessity to address the growing number of global issues. It’s good for business.
Meet the New Gender Law Equity Lab
What’s happening? Katie Moussouris, a leading researcher and entrepreneur in cybersecurity and vulnerability disclosure, made a $1 million gift via her Pay Equity Now (PEN) Foundation to establish the Anuncia Donecia Songsong Manglona Lab for Gender and Economic Equity at Penn State Law in University Park
Why is this important? She is establishing a litigation clinic that will focus primarily on appellate advocacy and litigation involving issues of gender in employment equity to achieve pay equity across the US in her lifetime.
How will this be important? The pandemic reset thinking from traditional workdays, systemic racism, sexism and there is no sign of a slow down. Whether it’s the Business Roundtable or NHL players standing up against racism or homophobia, more voices re actively looking to be on the correct side of history.
Mining Appoints Sustainability Expert
What’s happening? Caledonia Minings has added its first ever sustainability expert to its board. It’s a big step.
Why is this important? Mining is looking at sustainability. Mining. Old school is getting new school.
How will this be important? The new economy is here to stay, folks.
New Data. ESG Continues to Outperform.
What’s happening? The brains at Chicago Booth Review found that COVID revealed that sustainability isn’t a nice thing to have, but rather a necessity for investors
Why is this important? Being kind, supporting sustainability and diversity increases profits in times of disaster like COVID too.
How will this be important? ESG standards are not only entering with corporate sustainability and diversity standards, but also pension options that include ESG or transparency in pension investments to disclose sustainability and diversity standards and investments.
People Over Profit. Not Red nor Blue.
What’s happening? A republican State Senator tweeted during the great Texas Winter Storm of 2021 hailing HEB, a local grocery store, for gifting groceries to people caught in the store when the power went out.
Why is this important? The Stakeholder Economy is all about people over profit. It’s what the Business Roundtable pointed to a few years ago, it is the heart of the new economy from COVID, and its’ what the academics have been saying for years- data shows when you play nice, you make more money.
How will this be important? People over profits isn’t red or blue.
Be Transparent about your Sustainability, Governance, and Diversity Actions.
What’s happening? A new transparency benchmark for pension systems has been created. Meet the new Global Pension Transparency Benchmark. Overall country benchmarks measure four factors: governance/organization, performance, costs, and responsible investing.
Why is this important? This benchmark focuses on the transparency and quality of public disclosures, with quality relating to the completeness, clarity, information value, and comparability of disclosures.
How will this be important? Disclosing information in common terms is important. These experts point to CALPERS executive summary that’s easy to read and Quebecois pension fund Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec puts easy to read updates on its website. Communication is key.
CIO | New Pension Transparency Gauge Finds Serious Improvement Is Needed
Costco Announces Higher Base Pay. Customer Loyalty + Profits.
What’s happening? Costco announced today that it would increase its base pay to $16/hour.
Why is this important? Costco leadership talks about increased base pay like a champion for stakeholder economy: “This isn’t altruism. At Costco, we know that paying employees good wages and providing affordable benefits makes sense for our business and constitutes a significant competitive advantage for us.”
How will this be important? Local governments and states are considering higher minimum wages and point to businesses closing. This example will be lauded to support higher minimum wages.
COVID Tracing App Prevents 600,000 Infections
What’s the deal? The BBC says the UK”s use of a COVID tracing app told 1.7 million to isolate and is estimated to have prevented 600,000 new infections.
Why is this important? The app has 21.7 million downloads and 16.5 million active users. For reference there are 63.8 million people in Great Britain.
How will this be important? COVID will not be the first rodeo in Pandemicland.
BBC | Covid-19: NHS app has told 1.7 million to self-isolate
US Chamber 2021 Reflects New Economy
What’s the deal? The head of the US Chamber will soon be a woman, after an early departure of its longtime leader.
Why is this important? IN 2020, the US Chamber made the unprecedented endorsement of 23 first-term House Democrats.
How will this be important? Writing is on the wall. “Suzanne is a great leader. If the speculation is true, this is not only good for the Chamber, but good for American business and the association world in general,” – Former political affairs and federal relations leader at the US Chamber. And from the President of the US Brands Association, “Suzanne has brought welcome changes to the Chamber in recent years — modernizing functions, injecting new talent, pursuing bipartisanship and promoting diversity.”
The Hill | Chamber eyes CEO change just weeks into Biden presidency
Sports Teams & Anthems. The Social Impact.
What’s the deal? The Mavericks has not played the national anthem before its home games.
Why is this important? The NBA has different from the NFL in that the NBA has supported its players that have spoken about social justice.
How will this be important? One of these will be in the right side of history and the other will not be.
Energy Company & The Social Impact Fund
What’s the deal? First Energy, parent company of Penn Power, donated $1 million to the American Heart Association’s Social Impact Fund.
Why is this important? The Social Impact Fund provides provides financial grants and low-interest loans for evidence-based, community-driven entrepreneurial solutions to local health equity challenges including economic empowerment, healthy food access, housing, recidivism, access to quality healthcare, transportation, and educational opportunities.
How will this be important? A current big issue is how to pay for deferred utility bills due to the pandemic. Is there an impact fund that can benefit the industry?
All the Ways Social Impact & Construction Intersect.
What’s the deal? Not to get into corporate speak of intersectionality. We are gong to talk about how social impact is intersecting with the construction industry,
Why is this important? Investors are paying attention. Investors are taking their calls for ESG to construction investments. States are calling for specifics in projects too. The director of sustainability at Skanska USA, pointed to Washington state’s proposed Buy Clean-Buy Fair Act, which would mandate that any building materials procured with tax dollars are manufactured in a cleaner, less carbon-intensive way, and via fair labor practices.
How can this impact us? If construction companies aren’t up on their ESG, the investors say they’ll pull their funding.
Construction Dive | Socially responsible investing is poised to intersect with construction
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