Corporate Citizenship Briefs

Without a sustainable revenue model to support a compelling mission, nonprofits’ funding will dry out. Sadly, many nonprofits today face this dilemma. Gina Gibney, artistic director and CEO of Gibney Dance, based in Lower Manhattan, has a story that has a number of valuable lessons for foundations and the nonprofits in which they invest.

This weekend, Americans will join students in the March For Our Lives to demand that safety and the lives of our young people become a priority. Marchers will call for an end to gun violence and mass shootings in our schools today. Ever since the horrific murder of students at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas (MSD) School in Parkland, Florida, not only are individuals responding to the MSD students’ call for action, but companies as well.

The China Overseas NGO Management Law went into effect January 1, 2017. The law requires that foreign NGOs coordinate their efforts with the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) and provides the framework within which they can continue their activities in the country through two ways: opening a representative office in China or applying for a temporary activity license.

Socially responsible investors have become a bigger part of a company’s ownership. Large funds, such as Vanguard, BlackRock, pension funds and others are exerting their influence for better ESG (Environment, Social, Governance) performance. Various nonprofits are also flexing their muscles. Will the increased scrutiny lead to more proposals on charitable contributions?

A presidential commission looking at the state of American schools concluded that funding for arts education is “on a downward trend” thanks to widespread budget constraints and an increasing emphasis on high-stakes testing. The result, the report said, is that “just when they need it most, the classroom tasks and tools that could best reach and inspire students—art, music, movement and performing—are less available to them.”

Positive social impact, the result of a company’s efforts to do good directed towards solutions to important problems, is more impactful when a company integrates those efforts with their core competencies and through their products and services. Many corporations’ efforts have been adjacent to the company’s business, or “bolted on.” A “built-in” ethos, where the company works to create value for both the bottom line and the outside world has strong long-term success implications for both.

There’s an astounding number of nonprofits in the world today. We’re talking millions. In many ways, that’s a good thing: It signals not only that there is an ever-increasing number of ways to get involved in social good, but also that people are standing up and trying to make a difference. And it’s no secret that the world needs this kind of social action now more than ever.

In 2015, Pearson launched the “Every Child Learning” partnership with Save the Children to deliver high-quality education to Syrian refugees and vulnerable children in Jordan, and to innovate new solutions that improve the delivery of education in emergency and conflict-affected settings. We are doing this through a combination of program funding, collaborative R&D, and joint advocacy.

It’s impossible to avoid the furor surrounding cryptocurrencies these days. Looking beyond the price fluctuations of crypto markets, examining the blockchain infrastructure that supports the currencies is a fascinating exercise. The use of blockchain in companies has some interesting implications for citizenship and philanthropy. Blockchain could add a level of transparency and authenticity to corporate practices and resulting communications that could help to rebuild trust in business.

In its 2018 Trends to Watch report, MSCI says “investors will increasingly seek to invest in talent quality,” even to the point of evaluating companies by “sifting out winners and losers in the race for human capital.” The focus on human capital is driven by the growth in artificial intelligence—with many routinized tasks becoming automated, people will be required to use “higher level cognitive, creative and social skills in their evolving role.”