A number of macro trends are influencing social good initiatives today, including the call for greater transparency, rapid urbanization and advancements in technology. As a result, we’re seeing less “goodwashing,” more creative strategies for urban renewal and innovative new donation channels from for-profits and nonprofits alike.
“Social Good” covers these developments and more, including how corporations are starting to integrate social issues into their core strategies and how nonprofits are increasingly adopting for-profit tactics.
The trend report is the result of research conducted in partnership with EthosJWT, our unit specializing in brand strategy, ideas and activation for social change and social benefit. In addition to desk research, we interviewed experts and influencers from the nonprofit and corporate social responsibility sectors and conducted quantitative surveys in the U.S., the U.K. and Canada. The surveys used SONAR™, JWT’s proprietary online tool, to poll 908 adults aged 18-plus from June 28-July 6, 2011.
2. WHAT WE‘LL COVER
Background and Methodology
The End of Goodwashing
The Rise of Shared Value
Creative Urban Renewal
Ripping a Page from the For-Profit Playbook
The Global Do-Good Generation
Things to Watch:
• Buy One, Give One Away
• Gaming for Social Good
• Beyond Slacktivism: Incentivizing Online Engagement
• Donation Channel Innovation
Case Studies
SOCIAL GOOD
3. METHODOLOGY
JWT‘s ―Social Good‖ report is the result of quantitative, qualitative and desk
research conducted by JWTIntelligence in partnership with EthosJWT, a unit
specializing in brand strategy, ideas and activation for social change and societal
benefit.
JWTIntelligence and EthosJWT interviewed experts and influencers from the
nonprofit and corporate social responsibility sectors and conducted quantitative
surveys in the U.S., the U.K. and Canada. The surveys used SONAR™, JWT‘s
proprietary online tool, to poll 908 adults aged 18-plus from June 28-July 6, 2011.
SOCIAL GOOD
6. TREND
Cynical and savvy, today‘s consumers expect greater accountability from nonprofits
as well as brands involved in cause marketing—e.g., exactly where the money is
going and what impact it‘s having. More transparency will mean more focus on
effecting real change and less ―goodwashing.‖
THE END OF GOODWASHING
7. DRIVERS
• Consumer cynicism
• Expectation of radical
transparency
• Reading the fine print
• Social media
―Brands are becoming far
• Competitive and more discerning about who to
government pressures cooperate with in terms of
institutions. Madonna had a problem
• More monitoring with her charity, and so did Oprah. So
organizations and before brands step in to sponsor a
watchdogs charity, it has to have impeccable
credentials, have substance.‖
• Digitally enabled advocacy
—MILTON PEDRAZA, CEO, Luxury Institute
groups
THE END OF GOODWASHING
8. DRIVERS (cont‘d.)
• Consumer cynicism
• Expectation of radical
transparency
• Reading the fine print
• Social media
• Competitive and
government pressures
• More monitoring
organizations and
watchdogs
• Digitally enabled advocacy
groups
THE END OF GOODWASHING
9. DRIVERS (cont‘d.)
• Consumer cynicism
• Expectation of radical
transparency
• Reading the fine print
• Social media
―My sense is that, with the younger
• Competitive and generation, if they cannot read
things about your company on the
government pressures
Web, you have very little credibility
• More monitoring in their eyes. … It is almost like they
organizations and do not believe you unless they can
read it for themselves and get
watchdogs comfort that someone out there has
• Digitally enabled advocacy blogged or given the issue the
‗Like‘/thumbs up.‖
groups
—TIM FAVERI, director, sustainability and
responsibility, Tim Hortons, Inc.
THE END OF GOODWASHING
10. DRIVERS (cont‘d.)
Facebook, Twitter and other social platforms
• Consumer cynicism
have made it easy for anyone to become an
agent of social change. With a quick click,
• Expectation of radical
activists, watchdogs, thought leaders and
transparency average Joes can disseminate their perspective
to the masses, bringing varied points of view
• Reading the fine print to light and limiting an organization‘s ability to
gloss over less flattering facts.
• Social media
• Competitive and ―We are being pushed by socially
government pressures responsible investors and other
stakeholders to measure the ‗impact‘ or
• More monitoring ‗outcomes‘ of our social/community
organizations and programs. I think this will be a big area
watchdogs of interest and focus in the next few
years.‖
• Digitally enabled advocacy —TIM FAVERI, director, sustainability and
groups responsibility, Tim Hortons, Inc.
THE END OF GOODWASHING
11. DRIVERS (cont‘d.)
• Consumer cynicism Third-party organizations are making it easier
for people to find out more about individual
• Expectation of radical charities and how they stack up.
transparency
• Reading the fine print Digital media is helping advocacy groups reach
a broader audience with messages about
• Social media avoiding brands that use offending ingredients,
unsavory labor practices and so on. With so
• Competitive and much information out there, these groups help
government pressures simplify issues for consumers while pushing
corporations to keep it clean.
• More monitoring
organizations and
watchdogs
• Digitally enabled advocacy
groups
THE END OF GOODWASHING
12. MANIFESTATIONS: MORE (AND EASIER-TO-DIGEST) LABELING AND REPORTING
Image credits: apple.com/environment; Patagonia.com/footprint; starbucks.com/responsibility THE END OF GOODWASHING
13. BENEFIT CORPORATIONS TAKING A
MANIFESTATIONS:
HOLISTIC APPROACH TO SOCIAL GOOD
―The answer is not to play ‗gotcha‘ at the back end. The answer is getting in front
of the problem and preventing situations in the first instance.‖
—TIM DELANEY, president, National Council of Nonprofits, ―Can You Know Where Your Charity
Dollars Go? Not Easily,‖ npr.org, May 6, 2011
Image credits: Bcorporation.net THE END OF GOODWASHING
14. SIGNIFICANCE/RELEVANCE
It‘s no longer enough to simply claim virtuous actions after some token efforts. As
consumers learn all they ever wanted to know about the impact of their donations,
volunteer efforts and cause-related purchases, brands and philanthropic organizations
will need to ensure their credentials are up to the scrutiny. This goes for internal
operations as well as partnerships. Better to acknowledge flaws in CSR programs and
business operations—along with plans on how these issues will be addressed—than to
be found out by watchdogs or engaged individuals and have reputations smeared
across the media.
THE END OF GOODWASHING
15. POTENTIAL
With consumers on high alert, claims must be solid: Consumers will see through
―goodwashing‖ and similar practices. And transparency is essential too. It‘s likely
that simply being open will matter more to consumers than the specific information
revealed.
As more corporations spell out their CSR credentials and nonprofits more clearly
illustrate their mission, it will become increasingly important to practice Visual
Fluency—that is, convey complex information in an easily digestible way. People in
today‘s attention-scarce economy prefer a graphic synthesis of information to an
avalanche of data and reading material.
Watch for more businesses to follow the lead of companies like Best Buy, which is
opening up a two-way dialogue about its CSR reporting; Patagonia, which divulges
the shortcomings of its products in addition to their green credentials; and
Starbucks, which lets consumers easily check the company‘s progress toward self-
imposed CSR goals. Such efforts will help companies differentiate themselves from
the cacophony of CSR messaging.
THE END OF GOODWASHING
16. POTENTIAL (cont‘d.)
Meanwhile, brands with the cleanest credentials can ramp up efforts to educate
consumers about why they should care and apply competitive pressure on
organizations that have been slow to adopt the ―Do no evil‖ creed or are still
practicing old-school philanthropy.
Brands that don‘t become more responsible for their social impact and act more
sustainably will lose ground.
THE END OF GOODWASHING
18. TREND
Rather than simply doling out checks to good causes, some corporations are
starting to shift their business models, integrating social issues into their core
strategies. The aim is to create shared value, a concept that reflects the growing
belief that generating a profit and achieving social progress are not mutually
exclusive goals. By reconsidering products and target demographics, forging
partnerships with local groups and improving productivity in the value chain,
companies can become a force for positive change while enhancing their long-term
competitiveness.
THE RISE OF SHARED VALUE
19. TREND (cont‘d.)
―The concept of shared value can be defined as policies and operating
practices that enhance the competitiveness of a company while simultaneously
advancing the economic and social conditions in the communities in which it operates.
Shared value creation focuses on identifying and expanding the connections between
societal and economic progress.‖
—MICHAEL E. PORTER and MARK R. KRAMER, ―Creating Shared Value: How to reinvent capitalism—and
unleash a wave of innovation and growth,‖ Harvard Business Review, January–February 2011
―We have observed that companies that choose to take on a more
proactive approach in the form of ‗social innovation‘ are capturing much
greater competitive advantage. This competitive advantage is rooted in
an ability to create new products and services that deliver social and
environmental impact alongside financial impact, gain access to new
markets, engage and retain their internal talent, as well as build brand
differentiation in the market.‖
— CHARMIAN LOVE, chief executive of social innovation consultancy Volans
THE RISE OF SHARED VALUE
20. DRIVERS
As businesses seek new sources of revenue in
• New opportunities in emerging markets, they are coming to see
emerging markets that they can generate opportunities for
growth if they help to address some of the
endemic problems they find (for example, by
• Pressure to cut costs and creating relevant products and services and
carbon emissions investing in sustainable manufacturing
processes). In Africa, for example, where an
• Blurring lines between estimated 560 million people live without
business, nonprofits and electricity, new solar-powered technologies
offer a cheap way to provide families with
government
lighting.
• Looming resource shortages Companies are developing more sustainable,
low-cost manufacturing and transport
• Consumer expectations practices as they seek ways to both reduce
costs and fall in line with pressures to cut
• The Millennial outlook carbon emissions. These practices, and others
focused on stewarding natural resources, can
be both economical and effective, cutting
pollution and improving local living
conditions.
THE RISE OF SHARED VALUE
21. DRIVERS (cont‘d.)
―We‘ll see … a growing recognition
(at least among the most progressive
• New opportunities in
companies) of the opportunities
emerging markets associated with sustainability and a
greater commitment to creating
• Pressure to cut costs and
‗shared value‘ for business and
carbon emissions society. In terms of implementation,
• Blurring lines between partnerships are often essential
because of the complex nature of the
business, nonprofits and
challenges being addressed.‖
government
—VANESSA EDWARDS, head of corporate
• Looming resource shortages responsibility, WPP
• Consumer expectations In today‘s globalized environment, demand
for resources is growing exponentially, and
• The Millennial outlook experts are sounding warnings about looming
shortages. Corporations are trying to ensure
the long-term viability of key resources by
improving living conditions and providing
communities with new, more sustainable
technologies.
THE RISE OF SHARED VALUE
22. DRIVERS (cont‘d.)
• New opportunities in
emerging markets
• Pressure to cut costs and
carbon emissions
• Blurring lines between
business, nonprofits and
government
• Looming resource shortages
• Consumer expectations
• The Millennial outlook
THE RISE OF SHARED VALUE
23. MANIFESTATIONS: RECONCEIVING PRODUCTS TO ADDRESS SOCIAL ISSUES
Campbell’s Nourish: Distributed in Canadian
groceries, Nourish is a single-serving can of soup
designed to provide a complete daily serving of
three key food groups at a low cost. Campbell‘s
considers the product both a commercial
opportunity and a way to address hunger and food
security issues. Campbell‘s has developed
partnerships with nonprofits such as the World
Food Programme and local governments, and is
considering rolling out Nourish in other markets.
GE’s Vscan: GE started selling this
smartphone-sized imaging tool, which
brings ultrasound technology to Philips’ “Sustainable Energy Solutions for
physicians‘ pockets, in 2010. The Africa”: As part of this solar-focused effort,
device has an hour‘s worth of battery Philips is partnering with the Dutch government in
life, allowing medics to diagnose a bid to provide affordable, sustainable energy
patients in the field—most notably in solutions to some 10 million people across 10 sub-
crisis zones where access to power is Saharan African nations by 2015. A cheap,
limited—and along bedsides. lightweight solar reading light is designed to help
children complete their homework at night or
allow people to read in the evening.
Image credits: lighting.philips.com; Vscan Primary Care Online Brochure; youtube.com/CampellSoupCanada THE RISE OF SHARED VALUE
24. MANIFESTATIONS: RECONCEIVING SUPPLY CHAINS
Marks & Spencer, “Plan A”: The British retailer Marks &
Spencer has committed to the lofty goal of becoming the
world‘s most sustainable major retailer by 2015. The company
reported that in 2010/2011, this ongoing initiative contributed
to a net benefit of £70 million for M&S. Among other strategies,
the retailer switched its delivery fleet to 50% bio-diesel fuel
and implemented a ―‗green‘ business travel policy to reduce
CO2 emissions caused‖ by travel. It is currently upgrading its
refrigeration systems in stores, leading to a reduction in
greenhouse gas emissions.
Walmart’s fuel-efficient trucks: Walmart is working to double
its truck efficiency by 2015 (based on a 2005 baseline),
switching to fuel-efficient tires, recalibrating engines and
adding aerodynamic elements to truck carriages. It has also
replaced two-thirds of its nearly 7,000-truck fleet with fuel-
efficient tractors and used detailed analysis to shorten its route
network, by 49 million miles. In 2010, these initiatives helped
the company cut its fuel costs and save almost 40,000 metric
tons of CO2 emissions.
Image credits: plana.marksandspencer.com; Walmart Stores THE RISE OF SHARED VALUE
25. SIGNIFICANCE/RELEVANCE
By putting shared value at the center of their strategy, brands can benefit their
business, their customers and society in general. Companies should identify needs and
develop products, services and/or processes to meet them; invest in the charitable,
nonprofit and/or NGO space; and seek ways to reduce fuel consumption, which
reduces costs and emissions.
In the long term, these strategies can expand companies‘ market presence, insulate
them from shocks in the supply chain and improve the way they are perceived by
consumers.
THE RISE OF SHARED VALUE
26. POTENTIAL
There are more than 3 billion low-income consumers worldwide, according to
estimates by Nestlé, and as global population growth explodes, this number is set to
spike. By creating products and services to meet the needs of this segment, brands
have a huge opportunity to expand outside developed markets. And by investing in
emerging markets, brands can create a virtuous circle, where employed locals become
aspiring middle-class consumers.
Brands can innovate by scaling down existing offerings into lower-priced versions. GE‘s
two-year-old Healthymagination project, for instance, which aims to lower the cost of
health care, has already birthed several economical devices. One example: The Brivo
DR-F, a digital X-ray machine with a space-saving design, costs 30% less than premium
systems and is also more energy efficient than typical film-imaging systems.
THE RISE OF SHARED VALUE
27. POTENTIAL (cont‘d.)
Brands should consider how to best educate shareholders about the potential of these
kinds of ventures. This can be done by emphasizing the importance of a long-term
business strategy, highlighting learnings about new areas for product development and
making incremental changes to corporate practices. At the same time, expect a new
group of shared value auditors, which will develop new metrics that assess companies‘
performances in terms of social impact and shared value generated.
―Shared value is not social responsibility, philanthropy, or even
sustainability, but a new way to achieve economic success. It is not on the margin of
what companies do but at the center. We believe that it can give rise to the next
major transformation of business thinking.‖
—MICHAEL E. PORTER and MARK R. KRAMER, ―Creating Shared Value: How to reinvent capitalism—
and unleash a wave of innovation and growth,‖ Harvard Business Review, January–February 2011
THE RISE OF SHARED VALUE
29. TREND
Human environments will become increasingly important as the global population
becomes more urbanized over the next few decades and cities boom. Brands will
become key partners in enabling creative strategies for urban renewal—improving
local environments, adding beauty or helping to bring communities together.
CREATIVE URBAN RENEWAL
30. DRIVERS
With cities booming, there‘s never been a more
• Fastest urban boom in pressing need to rethink them.
history In the developing world, people are drawn to
new opportunities in urban centers, which are
• Government stagnation and adding an average of 5 million people per
lack of funding month, according to UN-HABITAT. In Asia,
Foreign Policy estimates, about half the
• Empty retail space population (1 billion people) will migrate from
the countryside to urban centers by 2030.
• Environmental concerns Meanwhile, the U.S. is seeing ―bright flight,‖
with younger, educated Americans reversing the
• DIY ethic trend among their parents and grandparents to
leave cities for the suburbs; among first-time
• ―We vs. me‖ mind-set home buyers, 77% say they want to live in urban
areas.
• Brand involvement in
community is expected
CREATIVE URBAN RENEWAL
31. DRIVERS (cont‘d.)
• Fastest urban boom in
history
• Government stagnation and
lack of funding
• Empty retail space
• Environmental concerns
• DIY ethic
• ―We vs. me‖ mind-set
• Brand involvement in
community is expected
CREATIVE URBAN RENEWAL
32. DRIVERS (cont‘d.)
―The whole idea of dead retail space is
• Fastest urban boom in pretty prevalent in the downturn.
Artists used to go in and take over
history
warehouse spaces. Now warehouse
• Government stagnation and spaces—at least in cities—are often
expensive. So maybe the next move is
lack of funding
to take over some of these huge areas
• Empty retail space of strip malls that are so inexpensive
or dead malls and create art studios. …
• Environmental concerns A lot of what happens in art these days
is about appropriation, so if there was
• DIY ethic a way to rethink junk space and let the
community use that, without too much
• ―We vs. me‖ mind-set money or intervention, [brands] could
create an interesting place for [people]
• Brand involvement in to go that‘s sort of the anti-mall.‖ —
community is expected David Belt, executive director and founder of
Macro Sea, a development firm that uses
everyday objects to create unexpected
interactive urban projects
CREATIVE URBAN RENEWAL
33. DRIVERS (cont‘d.)
Public awareness surrounding environmental
• Fastest urban boom in degradation is leading many to rethink urban
history spaces.
• Government stagnation and
lack of funding
• Empty retail space
• Environmental concerns
• DIY ethic
• ―We vs. me‖ mind-set
• Brand involvement in
community is expected
CREATIVE URBAN RENEWAL
34. DRIVERS (cont‘d.)
There‘s a growing belief in collectively driven
• Fastest urban boom in positive change, both among professionals
(designers and architects, developers, urban
history planners, etc.) and everyday folk driven to
better their environs.
• Government stagnation and
lack of funding
• Empty retail space
• Environmental concerns
• DIY ethic
• ―We vs. me‖ mind-set
• Brand involvement in
community is expected
CREATIVE URBAN RENEWAL
36. MANIFESTATIONS: TECHIE URBANITES LEVERAGING DATA
―I believe this massive amount of data
that‘s being generated can be used to
better design cities, to build better
disease surveillance models, to do things
that ultimately are going to improve the
lives of billions of people.‖
—NATHAN EAGLE, founder and CEO, txteagle,
which creates opportunities for mobile
subscribers in the developing world to generate
income via their phones
Image Credits: roadify.com; youtube.com/localprojects; seeclickfix.com CREATIVE URBAN RENEWAL
40. MANIFESTATIONS: GIVING NEW LIFE TO DEAD SPACE
―Just to put [your brand‘s] name on
a banner isn‘t so interesting, but to
take a leadership role where they‘re
raising money for a community
garden or where
they‘re providing a creative space
for people to interact with—that‘s
pretty empowering, because it gives
people the tools.
―I feel [brands] don‘t have to
accommodate that many people in
order to have a tremendous impact
and influence and get a pretty big
bang for their buck, because if they
have the right people in there, the
word really gets out and the ripple
effect is felt.‖
—DAVID BELT, executive director and
founder of Macro Sea, a development firm
that uses everyday objects to create
unexpected interactive urban projects
Image Credit: wastedspaces.org; iwishthiswas.cc CREATIVE URBAN RENEWAL
42. SIGNIFICANCE/RELEVANCE
Brands will be key partners in enabling creative strategies for renewal, taking local
CSR initiatives to the next level. Brands can show their creativity, innovative spirit
and community-mindedness by tapping into the ―urban hack‖ mind-set.
CREATIVE URBAN RENEWAL
43. POTENTIAL
At a time when CSR and more traditional marketing efforts are meshing, creative
urban renewal projects present ways for brands to both help
communities/neighborhoods and craft an image as innovative, original and cool.
These projects tend to be sustainable, fun, educational and interactive—key
areas/attributes for brands.
CREATIVE URBAN RENEWAL
44. POTENTIAL (cont‘d.)
With today‘s ―we vs. me‖ mind-set and DIY ethos, there is ample opportunity for
brands to partner with professionals, residents and nonprofits to spearhead
innovative ideas and solutions. By creating opportunities for active participation in
the revitalization of a space, brands can further generate goodwill by giving
citizens a sense of ownership over the project and pride in their achievements.
Large corporations can also leverage their economic weight on behalf of
communities and side with citizens to spur local government action.
The efforts must be substantial: This movement has roots in anti-consumerist
notions, and skeptical consumers will quickly smell empty gestures.
CREATIVE URBAN RENEWAL
45. POTENTIAL (cont‘d.)
―Unfortunately, we‘re still in the phase of insincerity. The next
evolution of this is when some of those companies actually say, ‗Look,
we need to do this because it makes great business sense for us,
because it creates a meaningful environment in which to be
employed.‘ The more we push on creating change and improving
quality of life for people through what we do best, which is
technologies and business models and investments, the more comes to
us. And the more that comes to us, the more we can reinvest. And it
creates an acceleration of not only our business ethic and our business
model and our business, but also it starts to have real tangible,
measurable impacts on people.‖
—STEVE LEWIS, CEO and co-founder,
Living PlanIT, which builds large integrated technology platforms for managing
city operations
CREATIVE URBAN RENEWAL
47. TREND
Nonprofit organizations are increasingly adopting for-profit tactics, fusing social
consciousness with business acumen and focusing on achieving visible change. The
shift from blanket or black-hole benevolence to targeted giving and venture
philanthropy places more emphasis on cause and effect, measurable results and
return on investment.
In the next few years, CSR and social change initiatives will evolve ―from
traditional development models of aid provided with an undetermined end-
game for sustainability to a business-plan approach with a quantifiable
baseline, benchmarks, outcomes and timeline for sustainability.‖
—WALKER MORRIS, Malawi country executive, Clinton Foundation
RIPPING A PAGE FROM THE FOR-PROFIT PLAYBOOK
48. DRIVERS
With more organizations vying for less money,
nonprofits need impressive numbers to get
the attention of donors and show why they‘re
the better investment.
Since private donations, grants and
government funding often carry stipulations
as to how they can be used, nonprofits are
• A race for funding increasingly looking for ways to develop their
autonomy. By creating steady self-generated
• Desire for self-sufficiency revenue streams, they gain the flexibility and
security needed to allocate funds as they see
• Donor insistence on results fit.
Today‘s well-informed consumers expect total
transparency from the nonprofits they
support: They want to know not only how
funds are spent but also exactly what kind of
impact those funds are making.
RIPPING A PAGE FROM THE FOR-PROFIT PLAYBOOK
49. MANIFESTATIONS: SURGE IN PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS
Walmart and Treasure Coast Food Bank: In 2009, Florida-
based Treasure Coast Food Bank leveraged Walmart‘s famed
logistical expertise to determine how to deliver more meals
each week with their existing resources. Members of the
Walmart distribution team helped the food bank build its
warehousing capabilities, improve storage and more rapidly
sort food; they also developed new truck routes to facilitate
more frequent food deliveries. The food bank was able to
increase its culinary partners from 140 to 200 and doubled the
number of meals it serves weekly.
IBM and Turkish nonprofit Toplum Gönüllüleri Vakfı: In
Turkey, IBM volunteers partnered with the educational
nonprofit Toplum Gönüllüleri Vakfı (Community Volunteers
Foundation), using the company‘s ―Share project management
skills‖ solution to help develop and teach a children‘s literacy
program. This and similar efforts are coordinated via IBM‘s On Micro-volunteering: A new crop of organizations connects
Demand Community portal, which allows IBM volunteers to skilled volunteers with nonprofits in need of relevant services,
combine their skills and IBM‘s technology. Since its 2003 such as logo design, accounting help or membership
launch, 170,000 IBM employees have logged more than 12 development strategies. Examples include Catchafire and
million hours of volunteer service via the site. Sparked, both for-profits, and the nonprofit Taproot
Foundation.
Image credits: facebook.com/walmart; stophunger.org; sparked.com; tog.org.tr RIPPING A PAGE FROM THE FOR-PROFIT PLAYBOOK
50. MANIFESTATIONS: SURGE IN PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS
HP and mothers2mothers: As part of a new partnership with mothers2mothers—a South African group that works to
prevent HIV-positive mothers from transmitting the virus to their children—HP is using its database, cloud and mobile
technologies to digitize the organization‘s patient records. This will allow mothers2mothers to share patient information
across regions, helping counselors provide better education and support services, and eventually enable staff to collect
and share basic data via mobile phones.
Image credits: m2m.org RIPPING A PAGE FROM THE FOR-PROFIT PLAYBOOK
51. MANIFESTATIONS: SURGE IN SOCIAL ENTERPRISES
Me to We: Harnessing for-profit strategies to achieve socially Breadpig: This organization sells products such as magnets,
responsible objectives, this retailer was launched by the clothing and posters at a profit then donates the proceeds to
founders of Free the Children with the sole purpose of creating its nonprofit ―allies,‖ which include Room to Read and the San
a steady revenue stream for the charity. It sells Francisco SPCA. One of its objectives is to forge long-term
environmentally friendly and socially conscious apparel, self- relationships that include collaborative projects. Since it was
empowerment books and music, and also coordinates founded in 2008, Breadpig has raised and donated more than
adventure travel trips, donating half the profits to Free the $186,000.
Children and investing the other half back into the business. In
2010, Me to We donated $1 million in cash and in-kind
contributions.
Image credits: metowe.com; youtube.com/MeToWe; breadpig.com RIPPING A PAGE FROM THE FOR-PROFIT PLAYBOOK
52. MANIFESTATIONS: VENTURE PHILANTHROPY FUNDS
Acumen Fund: Acumen provides loans or equity—but not grants—that typically range from $300,000 to $2.5 million, describing this
funding as ―patient capital.‖ To be eligible for support, organizations must provide low-income consumers with access to water,
health care, housing, agricultural inputs or alternative energy. In 2007, for example, Acumen invested in Jamii Bora, a Kenyan
microfinance organization that supported the construction of 750 low-income homes outside Nairobi; the organization repaid in full
by 2010.
Image credit: acumenfund.org RIPPING A PAGE FROM THE FOR-PROFIT PLAYBOOK
53. SIGNIFICANCE/RELEVANCE
Nonprofits and other socially focused efforts will need more than good intentions to
stay viable as supporters seek measurable change. Indeed, with the rise of social
enterprises such as Me to We and Breadpig, we‘ll see a more open-minded attitude
toward the means that organizations use to achieve their ends, as long as that means
real-world impact.
RIPPING A PAGE FROM THE FOR-PROFIT PLAYBOOK
54. POTENTIAL
We‘ll see more partnerships and collaborations between for- and nonprofits,
allowing charities to leverage considerable resources. Organizations can even
outsource the implementation of a project while handling the rest of the
responsibilities. ColaLife, for example, turned to Coca-Cola to help in its mission to
deliver hydration packs to impoverished communities in developing countries, since
the company has one of the world‘s most advanced distribution networks. ColaLife
manufactures the packs and prepares them for shipping, while Coca-Cola aids the
cause by providing access to its distribution network; the scheme is being tested in
Zambia.
Such relationships offer benefits to both parties: brands can earn CSR points (at a
relatively low cost, in some cases), while nonprofits become more efficient and
effective.
RIPPING A PAGE FROM THE FOR-PROFIT PLAYBOOK
56. WHO ARE THE MILLENNIALS?
Millennials strive to be active and engaged in their world. A globally minded cohort,
they‘re already taking on today‘s biggest issues, tackling them with an
entrepreneurial mind-set, a ―we vs. me‖ mentality, a belief in large-scale
collaboration and an optimistic, can-do spirit.
This generation—born between 1978 and 2000—is uniquely motivated to make a
difference: They want to improve society but without compromising personal
aspirations; do good, the thinking goes, and the personal benefits will follow. And
as so-called digital natives, they‘re uniquely equipped to make a difference: They
have the tech savvy to create innovative solutions and to organize on a scale never
before possible. And then there‘s the sheer size of this generation: some 78 million
individuals in the U.S. alone.
―For the generation coming up now, there is a much stronger optimism
and a much bigger desire to do well while also doing good.‖
—ALEXIS OHANIAN, co-founder of Reddit and founder of Breadpig, a U.S.-based
social enterprise that sells geeky products and donates the profits to nonprofit
organizations
THE GLOBAL DO-GOOD GENERATION
57. THE FIRST ―GLOBAL GENERATION‖
Another key factor is that they‘re the first ―global generation,‖ with
more overlapping values and shared experiences than any before them,
thanks to globalization and the communication technology revolution.
They are more likely than their elders to identify with and embrace
people and cultures beyond their own borders.
Image credits: tigweb.org THE GLOBAL DO-GOOD GENERATION
58. TECHNOLOGY-ENABLED ACTIVISTS
Technology enables young people to swap ideas, connect with like-minded individuals
across borders and organize events. And social media helps to push social causes into
the mainstream of Millennial consciousness: ―Liking‖ a cause on Facebook or tweeting
about injustice helps define who you are and what you believe in. (Although the verdict
is still out as to whether this ―activism-light‖ translates into any meaningful real-world
change.) There are even social networks based around the idea of social good, like
TakingITGlobal, which has more than 340,000 members working in nonprofits
worldwide, and KooDooZ.com, a kids network. Nearly nine in 10 Millennials we
surveyed acknowledged that they have the communication tools to make a huge
difference in the world.
Image credit: causes.com THE GLOBAL DO-GOOD GENERATION
59. MARKETING SOCIAL GOOD TO MILLENNIALS
Marketers can tap into this spirit by creating movements around their CSR efforts
and calling on Millennials for ideas. Brands and philanthropic organizations should
enable these hands-on consumers to show passion for and engagement with the
relevant cause or campaign. This means giving up a certain measure of control,
letting local groups organize and create excitement, or outsourcing tasks. Empower
Millennials with tools for involvement in a cause, helping them to spread their
engagement by incentivizing social media posts.
―[Doing good] has become part of the Millennial DNA, and this
generation is the driving force behind social change initiatives. Smart
brands have recognized this and have started to tap into the power of
this generation and the power of social change mapped to their brand
identity as an important part of their business model and profits.‖
—KRISTINE SHINE, vice president, PopSugar Media
THE GLOBAL DO-GOOD GENERATION
62. THINGS TO WATCH: BUY ONE, GIVE ONE AWAY
Image credits: sirrichards.com; betterworldbooks.com; warbyparker.com THINGS TO WATCH IN SOCIAL GOOD
63. THINGS TO WATCH: GAMING FOR SOCIAL GOOD
Philanthropic organizations are
increasingly using gaming mechanics as
a way to engage people in a cause and
build communities of like-minded
supporters. This is a manifestation of
one of our 10 Trends for 2011, All the
Tearfund: This platform, which provides financial and
World‘s a Game.
developmental support to impoverished communities in the
developing world, is developing a game-based smartphone app
in an attempt to engage more young people. The platform will Game-based schemes offer an
reward supporters for their involvement and allow them to inventive way to drive donations and
share this with other users via social networking tools. The aim
is to make engaging with the U.K.-based charity more improve long-term commitment to a
interesting and enjoyable, and help build long-lasting
relationships with supporters.
cause, making participation more
interactive and rewarding.
More than 4 in 10 of our survey
respondents said a rewards-based
mechanism is a good way to get
people involved in a cause.
Image credit: tearfund.org THINGS TO WATCH IN SOCIAL GOOD
64. THINGS TO WATCH: GAMING FOR SOCIAL GOOD (cont‘d.)
Gamification also enables people to
view their standing in real time and
compare this with peers‘. In
broadcasting their behaviors online,
people are consciously or
unconsciously engaging in social one-
upmanship—―I‘m more witty, worldly,
in-the-know, on-the-go, etc., than
you.‖
This is particularly the case with the
hyper-social Millennials.
THINGS TO WATCH IN SOCIAL GOOD
65. THINGS TO WATCH: GAMING FOR SOCIAL GOOD (cont‘d.)
AOK: Founded in early 2011, AOK is a platform that aims to Playtogive: This enterprise provides nonprofits with a platform
increase acts and observations of kindness through competitive to create online games. Players can highlight in-game
elements such as scoring systems, leader boards and real-world accomplishments and solicit sponsorship from friends. The
rewards. Every time participants perform a good deed website displays individuals‘ scores and allows them to share
(anything from lending a car to a friend to donating old these with their social graph. Players who garner the most
clothes), they create a log of it using their smartphone and donations or sponsors are nominated as ―All Stars‖ and ranked
upload it to AOK with pictures and descriptions. To challenge on the site‘s ―Champions‖ page.
users to check on each other, players also get points for
observing and reporting acts of kindness. AOK converts points
into real-world donations to charities, and players have
chances to win brand-sponsored prizes along the way. Users
have a tally that updates in real time, and they‘re encouraged
to compare it with others.
―People really like that their efforts are getting rewarded instantly, so
what we are hoping to do is provide people with an incentive in the
form of gaming that literally translates into an impact immediately.‖
—IRA LISS, CEO, AOK
Image credits: aok.tv; playtogive.com THINGS TO WATCH IN SOCIAL GOOD
66. THINGS TO WATCH: GAMING FOR SOCIAL GOOD (cont‘d.)
DailyFeats: Another points-based system for social good, Web- Conspiracy for Good: Nokia sponsored this real-life game that
based DailyFeats partners with brands to offer coupons and incorporated the company‘s augmented reality software in
other incentives to participants (currently, more than 129,000 partnership with the organization Room to Read, which tackles
local discounts and rewards are available in North America). As illiteracy in Africa and Asia. As part of the game, conducted in
with AOK, participants can tag or categorize their ―feats,‖ then spring 2010, participants played activists and supporters of a
upload them to the DailyFeats social graph. Marketers can secret organization called Conspiracy for Good, completing
create promotions tailored to specific actions. For example, in tasks using Nokia smartphones and other devices. Nokia
August, as part of an anti-bullying campaign, MTV encouraged reported more than 900,000 worldwide downloads of the
people to be more inclusive and supportive by offering points game‘s app and a community of more than 4,000 dedicated
for anti-bullying actions (such as standing up to bullies); the users. At the culmination of the game, five libraries were
more points players accumulated, the closer they came to established in Zambia and 50 girls were provided with one year
wining prizes, such as an invitation to MTV‘s Video Music of schooling.
Awards.
Image credits: dailyfeats.com/partner/mtv; conversations.nokia.com/ THINGS TO WATCH IN SOCIAL GOOD
67. THINGS TO WATCH: BEYOND SLACKTIVISM:
INCENTIVIZING ONLINE ENGAGEMENT
Image credits: Dosomething.org; jcp.cf.cdn.virtue.com/afterschool; trojanvideos.com/help_donate THINGS TO WATCH IN SOCIAL GOOD
68. THINGS TO WATCH: DONATION CHANNEL INNOVATION: MOBILE
QR code donations: Smart
nonprofits and brands are taking
advantage of QR codes to encourage
donations—for example, Macy‘s
partnership with DoSomething.org .
In pedestrian-heavy New York, the
local nonprofit City Harvest places
QR codes on phone booth and bus
shelter billboards. The code brings
interested passersby to a simple
page featuring videos explaining
SMS donations: Back in 2004, following the Asian tsunami, U.S. ―how City Harvest helps feed hungry
mobile users generated $200,000 through text-based donations. New Yorkers‖ and other aspects of
In the seven years since, this channel has become mainstream, their work, with links to donate
with the Red Cross pulling in $4.5 million from text donations online or over the phone.
in response to the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Last May,
Vodafone U.K. and online donation platform JustGiving
launched a program that allows smaller nonprofits to set up Donation apps: In-app donations remove
text-based donation campaigns for free. In less than two the extra layer of going to a website. In
months, more than 8,000 charities had signed up for the the wake of the earthquake and tsunami
service. in Japan, SoftBank created an app to help
collect funds for disaster relief. And late
last year, Oxfam International partnered
with Nokia on ―Oxfam Donate,‖ an app
that spotlights the charity‘s work on five
projects around the world, with progress
reports and fundraising levels, and an
easy way to donate directly to any of
them. In some markets however, such as
the U.S. and U.K., Apple bans donation
apps for iPhones.
Image credits: justgiving.com; blog.ovi.com; penn-olson.com THINGS TO WATCH IN SOCIAL GOOD
69. DONATION CHANNEL INNOVATION:
THINGS TO WATCH:
CONTACTLESS PAYMENTS, TV DONATIONS, ATM DONATIONS
Contactless Payments: As the notion of cashless societies
grows closer to reality, we‘ll see innovative ideas that allow TV Donations: Nonprofits are turning Internet-enabled
people to make quick electronic donations on the street. Last televisions into a channel for giving. In May, Dish Network—a
year Barclays promoted its contactless technology in London satellite service in the U.S.—launched on-demand channels
with a street performer who accepted only card-based such as ―Donate Storm Relief‖ and ―Donate to Japan Here,‖
donations for Help a London Child on a specially designed allowing viewers with Web-connected TVs to contribute by
guitar. clicking a remote-control button. After following on-screen
instructions, customers can add a $5 donation to their monthly
bill. A similar technology has existed in the U.K. for over a
decade. While customers currently need an Internet connection
ATM Donations: This convenient to make donations, expect this kind of mechanism to become
method of giving, already a familiar more popular as 4G and other untethered technologies help to
practice in places including Mexico drive set-top-based giving.
and Colombia, is expanding to more
markets such as the U.S. and U.K.
Image credits: newsroom.barclays.com; DaGoaty; Aranami THINGS TO WATCH IN SOCIAL GOOD
70. DONATION CHANNEL INNOVATION:
THINGS TO WATCH:
NEW WAYS TO COLLECT COINS
Cruz Roja Mexicana, “Your Help Can Keep Us Going”: UNICEF, “Change for Haiti”: In 2010, Unicef was focused on
The 2010 national fundraising drive for Cruz Roja Mexicana (the raising awareness and funds to help rebuild Haiti after its
Mexican Red Cross) demonstrated that each coin can make a devastating earthquake; one big issue facing Haitians was the
difference while providing the donor with a fun experience. Coin- scarcity of clean water. Unicef believed the reason people
operated kiddie rides, shaped like ambulances, helicopters and often fail to donate is that they just don‘t get around to it—
boats, each featuring the Red Cross logo, served as collection donating is too involved and time-consuming. So in Spain, JWT
boxes. The campaign, from JWT Mexico City, helped increase Madrid created an almost effortless way to give, labeling one
donations to Cruz Roja Mexicana by 23% in 2010, despite the deep button on vending machines ―Agua para Haiti‖ (Water for
recession that year, and won silver and bronze Lions at the Haiti). People could press it to donate their change in a quick
Cannes Lions festival. In 2011, a new iteration, ―Your Coin Saves and direct way, helping to provide Haitians with water as they
Lives,‖ involved coin-operated claw machines that allowed people were purchasing their own beverage. Within the campaign‘s
to ―rescue‖ a doll inside from various catastrophes. Donations first week, one in three vending customers was donating their
increased 7.5% over 2010, and people learned that even their change and the campaign has since inspired imitations all over
small donations could make an impact. the world.
Image credits: jwt.com THINGS TO WATCH IN SOCIAL GOOD