The Conference Board Middle East and North Africa Briefs

For years, “more” and “better” have been the shorthand goals of the volunteerism movement. Inspiring more people to volunteer and finding opportunities for that support to be of the most value to communities and causes has been the mission. During National Volunteer Week (April 15-21), we celebrate the impact of volunteer service here in the U.S., and the power of changemakers to come together to tackle tough challenges and build stronger, more vibrant communities.

Slow trade growth will be the dominant feature of the world economy in the coming decade, not because of the latest tariff dispute between the US and China, but because of three longer-term trends, argue Ilaria Maselli and Ataman Ozyildirim.

When I explain to people what I do for work, they are often surprised and caught off guard. You would assume that my work isn’t great “party conversation,” but I find that people like to talk about human rights and protecting childhood. As the director of private sector engagement for ECPAT-USA, I work with companies to understand how human traffickers (with a focus on child sex traffickers) may use their infrastructure to exploit people.

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.”

Over the first two months of 2018, The Governance Center has released three pieces of research that cover the corporate secretaries’ perspective on the corporate director job, the “New Paradigm” corporate governance framework for directors and investors, and the impact of excessive director compensation.