Champions for Social Good

In this episode of the Champions for Social Good podcast, we talk with Aria Finger, CEO of DoSomething.org. DoSomething.org started off as a small grassroots organization and has grown to a “tech-company” style nonprofit that now reaches 5.5 million teens and young adults ages 13-25 in every part of the United States and 130+ countries around the world. With over 300 campaigns for young people to join, DoSomething.org focuses on word-of-mouth, partnerships, and individual campaigns to activate young people to impact a broad range of causes, creating online “communities” of people working toward common goals. Aria explains how DoSomething.org chooses their campaigns, discusses how authenticity plays a key role in predicting what campaigns will do well, and describes a few examples such as their “Give a Spit” campaign with Johnson & Johnson to add people of color to the bone marrow registry to help reduce the racial health disparities for bone marrow transplants. Based on her expertise activating youth around a broad range of causes, Aria advises that companies looking to engage youth flip the question “How can I reach young people?” to “How can I solve a young person’s problem?” Finally, Aria talks about the trends in youth involvement in political issues, and the importance of young people going beyond volunteerism and also getting involved with their local governments to solve problems in their communities.

In this episode of the Champions for Social Good Podcast, we talk with Alice Korngold, President and CEO of Korngold Consulting, about trends in collaboration across the social good sector. Alice, the author of two highly acclaimed books on board governance, service, and global problem solving, focuses her work helping companies leverage their human capital to make a difference through matching executives with nonprofit boards. Alice discusses the do’s and don’ts of nonprofit board membership, and details what nonprofit organizations and board candidates must understand about each other for a perfect match. She also explains the trajectory of collaboration between corporations and nonprofits in the last 30 years: as investors continue to drive CSR, corporations that understand how to innovate solutions to the growing global challenges are the ones that win shareholder value. To do this, companies have found that they must collaborate with nonprofit partners to bring expertise and credibility to their projects. Alice highlights that the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have not only outlined specific issues that corporations can focus on, but have also allowed corporations and nonprofits an easier opportunity to find each other and partner. She gives multiple case study examples of corporate and nonprofit partnerships, detailing that these “pathfinders” have paved the way to a new norm for other companies to follow.

In this episode of the Champions for Social Good Podcast, we sit with Francoise Girard, President of the International Women’s Health Coalition (IWHC). Francoise, who describes herself as a “feminist activist,” has been working on women’s rights at the global levels for over 20 years, and talks about why she is so passionate about policy and advocacy. IWHC, which focuses on advancing women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights, realizes that by raising the status of women, countries can advance economically and socially, Francoise explains. She also discusses how IWHC, in coordination with other members of the UN Women’s Major Group, worked to ensure that women’s rights played a major role in the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals, resulting in gender equality being assigned its own SDG in addition to being incorporated within all 17 goals. Francoise explains the important role that national governments have to play in achieving gender equality, both within their own countries and influencing others abroad, and how sometimes local change actually starts at the global level. Finally, Francoise shares that IWHC believes that by empowering local organizations to define their own agendas, priorities and entry points, they can then provide these organizations with the funding, materials and training they need to speak in the global and local arena.

In this episode of the Champions for Social Good Podcast, Leor Rotchild, Executive Director of Canadian Business for Social Responsibility, speaks with us about the influence of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on investors and stock price. Leor shares that, according to research, 75% of professional investors analyze a company’s environment, social and governance (ESG) performance before deciding to invest. This upward trend has stressed the importance of robust CSR programs. Leor explains that there are two sides to the CSR equation: doing what’s right and doing things that will benefit your company, and that in order to be successful, companies must focus on both bottom-line ROI and social & environmental impact. Leor also talks about how the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are giving businesses even greater opportunity to measure and report on their CSR impact to the investment community, and how, in fact, companies not aligning with the SDGs are in danger of being irrelevant. Lastly, Leor talks about redefining CSR as an integral function of corporate leadership, and how taking a bold leadership position is necessary for the success of any organization.

In this episode of the Champions for Social Good Podcast, Jamie Serino speaks with Grady Lee, Co-founder and Chair of IMPACT 2030 and CEO of Give2Get. Impact 2030 sets out to use collaboration across public and private sectors in order to leverage employee volunteerism and ultimately advance the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Grady starts off by describing the United Nation’s monumental effort to focus on 17 issues and how the difference in these goals from past goals is the focus on collaboration. There is a great understanding that these goals cannot be achieved by one body, but instead by multiple companies and organizations putting their resources together. Grady believes one key component to future success is the measurement of human capital. By providing people with the opportunity to give back, gather resources, and connect solutions, IMPACT 2030 is tackling SDGs through collaboration and partnership.

In this episode of the Champions for Social Good Podcast, Jamie Serino speaks with Alison Holder, Director of Equal Measures 2030, a civil society and private sector-led initiative working to harness the power of data and evidence to create change for gender equality. In many cases, women are disadvantaged and even “invisible” because of how information is collected and data is analyzed. Alison discusses how the initiative brought together multiple organizations with overlapping missions including Plan International, ONE Campaign, KPMG, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Women Deliver, Data2X, ARROW in Asia, FEMNET in Africa, and more. The organizations have pulled together their resources to bring data to grassroots organizations to help them advocate to their governments for policies empowering women and girls. Alison explains that the biggest challenge the initiative faces is the lack of data that exists and the unfortunate gaps in gender data. As an example, Alison cites an Australian census survey in which employment is framed as “working outside the home” or being a “housewife,” not taking into account the economic contributions of women who stay at home taking care of the household and/or children. Whether it has been through poor data or biased data, Equal Measures 2030 plans to change that, thus providing a framework for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

In this episode of the Champions for Social Good Podcast, Jamie Serino speaks with Steve MacLaughlin, Vice President of Data and Analytics at Blackbaud. Steve reviews the dramatic increase in the use of data in recent years, examining how it has changed his work as technology continues to evolve. Steve explains how data has transformed the environment for social good by removing guesswork and promoting prescriptive analytics. Instead of focusing on opinion, organizations are using data to analyze opportunities for improvement. Steve talks about the fears users have when working with big data, such as data cleanup and exporting, and offers ways to overcome these fears to successfully approach problem-solving. Steve then discusses how leveraging internal data, while searching for external data, can provide optimal feedback that allows organizations to strategize over time. Steve and Jaime also talk about the power of storytelling and how data can add credibility to a story.

In this episode of the Champions for Social Good Podcast, Jamie Serino speaks with Gligor Tashkovich, retired minister of foreign investment for the Republic of Macedona and currently with Alpha Source Advisors, one of the only female-owned broker dealers in the United States. Minister Tashkovich relays the fascinating history of his family, starting with his grandfather being the leader of the Democratic Party in southern Yugoslavia, and his escape from Yugoslavia as the Iron Curtain was lowering. He goes on to discuss how he first became involved in volunteering to help build the newly formed Republic of Macedonia, bringing in foreign investment and infrastructure, such as Western Union and British Airways, and ultimately was formally appointed as the Minister of Foreign Investment. Jamie and Minister Tashovich also discuss the difficult task of successfully building a new democratic country, particularly in post-Soviet eastern Europe.

In this episode of the Champions for Social Good Podcast, Jamie Serino speaks with Rachel Hutchisson, Vice President of Corporate Citizenship and Philanthropy at Blackbaud and Paul Klein, the CEO of Impakt and founder of HireUp. Rachel and Paul provide their perspectives on the evolution of CSR and social change over the years, and how corporations can create models for social change that can be replicated and scaled to solve problems. Rachel discusses how her mantra "good is for everyone" relates to all companies, from small businesses to multinational corporations, and talks about the challenges faced by small and mid-sized companies when building CSR programs. Rachel and Paul also point out how corporations are incorporating innovation into their business models in ways that create social change. Lastly, Rachel and Paul provide examples of how even small organizations can measure impact, and what other organizations can learn from them.

In this episode of the Champions for Social Good Podcast, Jamie Serino speaks with Michelle DiSabato, Impact Advisor for the Corporate and Foundation Solutions division of Blackbaud. Michelle explains how her passion for impact and measurement led her to a career centered on helping foundations and corporations more clearly understand the impact that their programs are having on the people and communities that they're serving. Michelle discusses the evolution of impact measurement in the social good sector and explains that the vast majority of corporations and foundations, almost 75% of them, still struggle to get a handle on outcomes, measurement, and impact. Michelle provides suggestions for grantmaking organizations on how to get started on the journey toward measuring outcomes and impact and clarifies the important difference between measuring outputs versus outcomes. Michelle and Jamie then discuss the benefits of being outcomes driven, such as increased collaboration, cross-sector partnerships, and collective impact. Lastly, Michelle discusses the role of outcomes measurement in the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and how an increasing number of companies are aligning corporate volunteer initiatives to address specific SDGs.

In this episode of the Champions for Social Good Podcast, Jamie Serino speaks with Brandolon Barnett, Director, Partner Solutions at Growfund with Global Impact. Brandolon tells the story of how Global Impact’s goal to democratize philanthropy led to the launch of Growfund. Growfund is, at its core, a community-based, game-changing charitable giving tool that enables ordinary people to experience the engaging experience that philanthropy creates, regardless of how much they can donate. Brandolon then draws a parallel between the democratization of philanthropy to the increased access to a variety of tools as a result of advancements in technology, such as data sharing and impact measurement. Brandolon and Jamie also discuss the debate around donor advised funds (DAFs) and explore the question of if making DAFs more accessible to everyday people, not just wealthy investors, would increase their efficacy and ease the polarity around DAFs. Lastly, the effect of the millennial philanthropic mindset empowering people to give back across multiple dimensions along with the shift in CSR programs to place a greater priority on employee engagement is explored.

Private Track (version two with higher volume)

In this episode of the Champions for Social Good Podcast, Jamie Serino speaks with Matt Klein, Executive Director of the New York City Center for Economic Opportunity, an organization that fights the cycle of poverty in New York City through innovative programs that build human capital and improve financial security. Matt explains how they use evidence and innovation to help the city address poverty and its related challenges through five essential streams of work: service design, evaluation, digital product, data integration and poverty research. Matt explains the common pitfalls and challenges that are inhibiting cities from making progress that are centered around access to resources, commitment to capturing data and finding the political will. Jamie and Matt then dive deeper into the aspect of data and discuss how to bring data and evaluation to bear on large city-wide programming. Matt also talks about the role of human-centered design, which is the use of empathy to understand how constituents experience their interaction with a program or a service and Matt explains how this is a key method in their program development. Lastly, Matt discusses how they have been able to use the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) to support financial inclusion and empowerment services, citing how this has been an important driver of success for the Office of Financial Empowerment.

In this episode of the Champions for Social Good Podcast, Jamie Serino speaks with Chris Jarvis and Angela Parker (@angelajeane), Co-Founders of Realized Worth (@RealizedWorth), a consulting firm focused on the design and implementation of employee volunteering programs. Chris and Angela discuss the current state of employee volunteering and the common roadblocks that companies are facing to maintain momentum. To offset these roadblocks, such as lack of participation, Chris and Angela explain how they empower their clients to create transformative instead of transactional employee volunteering experiences. Chris and Angela delve into the transformative benefits of volunteering, including empathy, compassion and collaboration and they even suggest how this can change the way our minds work, equipping us to think more critically about social issues after volunteering. Chris and Angela then suggest strategies on how CSR professionals can help move the needle on employee volunteering, citing the importance of having a volunteer ambassador to guide employees through their volunteer event to ensure they contextualize who they are helping. Lastly, Chris and Angela discuss their latest project – a massive open online course (MOOC) on transformative volunteering, titled Empathy in Motion: The Power of Employee Volunteering.

In this episode of the Champions for Social Good Podcast, Jamie Serino speaks with Dr. John Feather, Chief Executive Officer of Grantmakers in Aging (@GIAging). Dr. John Feather has worked in the field of aging for over 35 years and describes GIA as one of the only national member associations in the world to focus exclusively on aging by providing educational programming, networking opportunities and convenings to foster collective action on improving the experience of aging. Dr. Feather discusses how Grantmakers in Aging works to offset the lack of funding for aging programs by positioning aging as a lens to help funders view their own programs and understand that aging is a component of all other social issues, such as the arts, rural development and healthcare. Dr. Feather also emphasizes the importance of building age-friendly communities by integrating strong infrastructure with social services, and points to their new Age-Friendly Initiative that is working toward this goal in 350 communities in 40 different countries. Dr. Feather and Jamie also discuss how the use of technology is improving the lives of elderly people, such as the emergence of new transportation models from companies like Uber and Lyft. Lastly, Dr. Feather explains the need for effective measurement tools for aging support programs to drive public awareness, education, and engagement of the state of the aging population.

In this episode of the Champions for Social Good Podcast, Jamie Serino speaks with Dr. John Feather, Chief Executive Officer of Grantmakers in Aging (@GIAging). Dr. John Feather has worked in the field of aging for over 35 years and describes GIA as one of the only national member associations in the world to focus exclusively on aging by providing educational programming, networking opportunities and convenings to foster collective action on improving the experience of aging. Dr. Feather discusses how Grantmakers in Aging works to offset the lack of funding for aging programs by positioning aging as a lens to help funders view their own programs and understand that aging is a component of all other social issues, such as the arts, rural development and healthcare. Dr. Feather also emphasizes the importance of building age-friendly communities by integrating strong infrastructure with social services, and points to their new Age Friendly Initiative that is working toward this goal in 350 communities in 40 different countries. Dr. Feather and Jamie also discuss how the use of technology is improving the lives of elderly people, such as the emergence of new transportation models from companies like Uber and Lyft. Lastly, Dr. Feather explains the need for effective measurement tools for aging support programs to drive public awareness, education, and engagement of the state of the aging population.

In this episode of the Champions for Social Good Podcast, Jamie Serino speaks with Vikki Spruill (@VikkiSpruill) President & CEO of the Council on Foundations (@COF_). Vikki discusses COF’s platform, “Leading Together," that is focused on how foundations can come together, collaborate and leverage resources to magnify impact and advance social good. Vikki also talks about the work that COF is doing under three primary pillars: amplifying the work of foundations addressing pressing issues, advocating for legislation and regulations that encourage charitable giving, and strengthening the sector through a variety of programs that bring organizations together to advance best practices. Jamie and Vikki also discuss the changing role of philanthropy in driving change in collaboration with government, nonprofits and the private sector and how this can accelerate the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

In this episode of the Champions for Social Good Podcast, Jamie Serino speaks with Sharon D’Agostino, Founder of Say It Forward. Sharon shares how her path in the private sector leading the strategic philanthropy of a Fortune 50 company, coupled with her commitment to the health, safety, education and empowerment of girls, women and children, led her to create SayItForward.org, a web platform for women and girls to share their experiences with overcoming the fears, personal beliefs, or unrealistic expectations of others that have held them back in any way. With representation from over seventeen countries, Say It Forward has a profound impact on the girls and women who have shared their stories as well as on the readers, providing a shared understanding, appreciation and the common benefit of knowing that they are not alone. Jamie and Sharon also discuss the broader complexity of female empowerment and the importance of expanding data to include more inclusive statistics on women. Sharon explains how data bolsters the power of storytelling, which ensures that the human aspect of the data comes to the forefront. Lastly, Sharon provides insight into corporate responsibility, emphasizing how businesses have a responsibility to communities and the importance of approaching and engaging local leaders in grassroots programs.

In this episode of the Champions for Social Good Podcast, Jamie Serino speaks with Roger Hancock, Manager of Community Affairs for CSAA Insurance Group. CSAA Insurance Group is a Civic 50 company that is nationally recognized as one of America's most community-minded companies. With more than 30 years of experience managing corporate giving and volunteering programs, Roger delves into his strategy behind building a corporate volunteer program from the ground up with a workforce that has a variety of job requirements and responsibilities and is spread out across 23 states. Roger details how, in cooperation with local employee volunteer leads, CSAA Insurance Group designed localized volunteer strategies that align with the corporation's values nationwide, and which resulted in increasing participation rates from 35% to 98% in just three years. In addition, Roger provides ten steps to building a robust, manageable corporate volunteer program that can be adopted by all sizes and types of companies looking to increase their community impact.

In this episode of the Champions for Social Good Podcast, Jamie Serino speaks with Emily Pryor, Executive Director of Data2x, a collaborative technical and advocacy platform that works to improve the quality, availability and use of gender data in order to make a practical difference in the lives of women and girls. Emily explains the complexity of gender data and how up until now, many data collection methods have excluded many of the social and economic constraints faced by women and girls, resulting in situations where data may be biased and key data is missing from global reports and statistics. Emily discusses how this can create misunderstandings around pressing issues and can also result in faulty decision-making. Emily also delves into the research that Data2X conducted which identified 28 global gender data gaps across sectors, one of the biggest gaps being economic participation. Emily offers insights on how to fill this gap by taking into consideration the different ways women participate in the formal and informal economy. Lastly, Emily explains how her team is not only educating the public on the gender data gaps but are also forging technical partnerships with key stakeholders in data collection and production to accelerate the inclusion of not just women, but of all people who have traditionally been excluded from mainstream data collection.