Environmental, Social & Governance Briefs

Of the nearly 24 million U.S. children under the age of six, 15 million kids have parents who are participating in the labor force. This begs the question: Do working parents have access to affordable, high-quality child care?

How should companies prepare themselves to take a position on social issues? It comes down to four Ps: Purpose, Plan, Process, and Product. The important thing is to be strategic and to approach taking a public stand in the same way that a company would approach any other business decision.

Does your grantmaking consider input from the communities it's intended to serve? Known as participatory grantmaking, this process helps shift traditional power imbalances that exist in philanthropy. For foundations, this could mean including grantees in priority setting, strategy development, and research, or having them sit on advisory councils or boards.

Is the amount donated to nonprofit organizations focused on women and girls in the U.S. enough, given the focus on gender equality in our culture? At $6.3 billion, approximately 1.6 percent of all charitable giving, the answer appears to be no. By simply integrating gender equality into other giving areas, such as religion, which received $123.8 billion in 2016, we might see an uptick in gender equality movements.

What makes corporate-nonprofit partnerships work? Interviews with representatives from both sides suggest it's about clarity at the outset, consistency in terms of having shared goals, and being comprehensive in terms of making an impact.

The Western Union Foundation has established a new goal to invest $15 million within three years, with a focus on empowering displaced and marginalized youth to succeed in today’s technology driven global economy. I recently spoke with Elizabeth Roscoe, Global Head, Corporate Brand and Purpose, and Executive Director, Western Union Foundation, about the investment. This is an excerpt of our conversation.

Would having nonprofits publicly disclose their donors help to maintain the integrity of the nonprofit community as it navigates recent scandals? With rare exceptions, nonprofit organizations are not required to disclose the names of their donors to the public. But these organizations are formed for the public benefit and are exempt from paying taxes on their income, so it might be time to expect increased transparency.

Can companies boost job satisfaction by better incorporating purpose into their strategies and processes? The Conference Board’s latest job satisfaction report found that 53.7 percent of workers are satisfied with their jobs, but by adding strategies grounded in purpose, some of the job components with which workers are least satisfied could be improved.

Tim Leech makes the case why there are more than three lines, and more than just “defense,” in effective risk management – and why the Institute of Internal Auditors should adjust course.