Environmental, Social & Governance Briefs

Are women better philanthropists than men? new report from the Women’s Philanthropy Institute (WPI) finds that women’s foundations and funds donors—the vast majority of whom are women—are doing more with less, getting more impact with their philanthropy, and are less likely to be doing it for religious or tax shelter reasons.

Is organized philanthropy really in a position to influence democracy, or does it need to get its own house in order first? A new book by Grantmakers for Effective Organizations (GEO) posits that for foundations to make lasting progress towards the goals they share with their nonprofit partners and communities, they need to be learning all the time, discovering what is happening in their communities and how change is affecting the ability of nonprofits to do their work and reach their own goals.

In the coming months, global executives could find themselves trying to navigate an international currency market wherein both the USD and the RMB are competing in a ‘how low can you go’ devaluation game. This new battleground, if it fully manifests, could be more detrimental and problematic for global businesses than anything we’ve seen from the tariffs to date.

Are millennials misunderstood? Over a decade of research from the Case Foundation has found that the characteristics with which millennials were previously branded—a quiet, inactive, insular group that did not engage with social causes and were often considered self-centered, lazy, and too concerned with their devices to think about anyone else—are false. Instead, millennials are thinking, acting, and living their lives like no other generation before them.

Do Employee Resource Groups help employees promote activism and help guide the culture of a company? If not, better collaboration could help. There are three key building blocks companies should consider to promote organization-wide collaboration: Trust, Communication, and Shared Vision and Purpose.

What are innovative ways that companies are generating social impact? New research from PYXERA Global suggests that for the first time, Global Pro Bono initiatives—corporate-sponsored human capital initiatives aligned to a company’s broader strategy—are being used by companies to generate social impact, ahead of leadership skills development and increased employee engagement.

What can be achieved when businesses, nonprofits, and governments come together to create solutions for local communities? Two examples in Atlanta, City of Refuge and East Lake, are demonstrating how long-term collaboration can deliver benefits across the board.

Has the world of organized philanthropy done everything it can to shore up democratic values and aspirations? A new report details the findings of a symposium of foundations and nonprofit leaders that discussed the role of philanthropy in addressing the deepening cleavages in American society.

How exactly should companies participate in policy development and debate? The corporate sector has influenced policy through government relations for decades, but recently companies have been taking more public positions on policy and social issues. A new book from Tom Sheridan suggests that success comes from working across the aisle.