More than a Sport?

I was in San Francisco recently and was lucky enough to catch the first day of racing for the America’s Cup.
In recent years, the America’s Cup has been transformed into the Formula 1 of the ocean. Teams now compete on multi-hull, high-tech vessels that literally fly across the water – it’s amazing to watch.

As you can imagine, these flying machines don’t come cheap and you’d be forgiven for questioning whether the money could be spent on something more meaningful.

The first point to make is that the design and creation of these boats is driving engineering and technological innovation, which has the potential to benefit social and environmental causes in the future. Just think of the advances made by Formula 1, which was recently praised for ‘reaching beyond the racing circuit and providing sustainable solutions to "real" life challenges’ in an article by Mike Scott for the Guardian.

Secondly, there is evidence of efforts by the America’s Cup to use the reach and popularity of its brand to raise awareness about key social and environmental issues. In their words, it's 'more than a sport'.

Beer-swilling Kiwi

Walking into the America’s Cup Village - once I’d made it through the swarms of beer-swilling Team NZ fans - I came to an area dedicated to the America’s Cup Healthy Oceans Project. This is a campaign in to raise awareness about the problems threatening the world’s oceans, namely marine protected areas, sustainable seafood, and marine debris/plastics. In the Village, there were people on hand to talk about the campaign, petitions to sign and videos and photographs showing both the wonders of and challenges facing our oceans. In addition, throughout and outside of the weeks of the competition, there have been a number of Healthy Oceans Project events taking place in San Francisco and around the world.

Walking a bit further into the village, I was asked if I wanted to sign the Clean Boater Pledge. This is an initiative run by California’s Boating Clean and Green program, which aims to protect San Francisco’s waterways by encouraging responsible boat ownership.  

Go to the America's Cup website and there's an easy-to-find sustainability section. There is also a Sustainability Plan, however, it’s a pretty dense read!

I do question whether the emphasis on delivering a ‘model sustainable event’ would have been quite so strong had the competition not taken place in a ‘world-leading sustainable city’. Motivations aside, it is refreshing to see a sporting event the size and scale of the America’s Cup, taking sustainability seriously, and using its brand influence to raise awareness about important global issues. It’s not the overriding message – nor should it be – but, it’s a start and maybe it will grow into something bigger over time.

The Power of a Shower

I was lucky enough to take a vacation in California last week. My last stop was San Francisco, which is a place I love. The steep streets, the trams, the ocean, the Golden Gate Bridge; it's a beautiful city! However, there's another side to it, which people don't often think about; the 6,500 homeless people living on the streets. As I explored Downtown San Francisco, I have to admit that I was shocked by the number of homeless people I saw and the stark reality of the conditions that many of these people are forced to endure.

Upon returning to Boston, you can imagine my interest when my colleague emailed me today with this video made by a new organization in San Francisco called Lava Mae.

Lava Mae (the name comes from the Spanish for 'wash me', 'lavame'') is a nonprofit organization, which aims to provide showers for the homeless community in San Francisco. Most of us take our daily showers for granted, but the basic act of washing and keeping clean is a real issue for the homeless. For example, in San Francisco, there are only 8 facilities with 1 or 2 stalls each, where people living on the streets can go to take a shower. That's a total of only 16 showers! And you thought you had a long wait for the bathroom in the morning...

I'll never take you for granted again!

Lava Mae is working to tackle the problem by providing mobile shower units, which can travel round the city and reach the homeless where they are. They are working in collaboration with a number of other organizations already supporting and providing services for the homeless population in the city, leveraging existing knowledge and expertise to make the initiative a success.

You'd be forgiven for questioning whether homeless people really need showers? Of course, ultimately, they need shelter, regular meals, employment, access to education, medical help, counselling, the list is long. However, the reality is there is no quick fix and the act of providing regular showers does so much more than simply enabling them to keep clean. It restores a sense of dignity, confidence and self worth, all of which are a vital for anyone trying to survive and escape life on the streets.

Changing Philanthropy As We Know It

Since writing my last blog Challenging the Status Quo, an op-ed in the New York Times by Peter Buffett,

better known as ‘the son of Warren Buffett’, was bought to my attention. The article, published at the end of July, is a provocative piece which calls for a ‘new operating system’ for philanthropy and criticizes the current system or, as he describes it, the ‘perpetual poverty machine’.

Strangely appropriate (just imagine the extra 't')

According to Peter Buffett, who heads us the billion dollar NoVo Foundation, which he set up with support from his father, despite the fact that inequality is still on the rise, philanthropy has burgeoned into a ‘massive business’ and has become the ‘it vehicle to level the playing field’. He laments the prevalence of ‘"conscience laundering" — feeling better about accumulating more than any one person could possibly need to live on by sprinkling a little around as an act of charity’.

Whilst, as Ruth McCambridge puts it in her recent article for Non Profit Quarterly, ‘his strokes are so broad that they are nothing short of flat-footed’, he does raise some really important questions about whether philanthropy is as effective as it can be in tackling key social issues; whether it is really solving problems or simply propping itself up to maintain the status quo.

The end of philanthropic giving as we know it?

It has been interesting to see the response to the op-ed remarks, which, as you can imagine, came in thick and fast. The majority have picked up on his inaccurate assertions about the growth of philanthropy in the U.S. According to Tom Watson, Journalist and Contributor to the Forbes Site, ‘philanthropy today represents roughly two percent of GDP – and has been stagnant at that level since roughly 1970’. Phil Bucanan, President for the Center of Effective Philanthropy, also questions his ‘sweeping generalizations’ about the motivations of philanthropists; in other words, that they ‘give back’ in order to be able to ‘sleep better at night’.

However, most of the responses have seen some value in Buffett's challenge. There is recognition that the current system could be improved - simultaneously making sure that those who depend on nonprofit social services are not abandoned - and a clear aspiration to explore new, more creative ways to achieve ‘greater prosperity for all’.

Whether provocative or refreshing, the op-ed from Peter Buffett is important insofar as it has re-stoked the debate. What is most important is that individuals and organizations continue to innovate, challenge and disrupt so perhaps the more provocative the better!

Challenging the Status Quo

A couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to attend the Conference Board’s Corporate Social Impact Conference. This annual conference brings together a varied audience comprising philanthropists, non-profits, foundations, companies, local government and consultants from around the U.S. It was a great chance for me to meet people and step outside my usual sphere of corporate work to understand and listen to the trends and challenges faced by different organizations across the social impact/sustainability community.

There were many interesting presentations and panel discussions but I’m going to single out a couple of speakers, who inspired me with what they said about the importance of focusing on solving problems – despite the discomfort and potential disruption - over maintaining the status quo.

The Heat and Warmth Fund (THAW Fund) helps Michigan residents who are struggling to pay their energy bills. Those who receive support include the elderly, the unemployed and the disabled and, according the organization’s website, "70% of the households assisted have a child or senior in the home". THAW Fund receives support from a multiple utility companies in the Michigan area – it’s a partnership that works insofar as both parties are able to achieve their existing aims; however, when you think about it, in many ways both organizations are merely circling the problem. THAW Fund CEO, Susan Sherer, wants to change this. Her team is now working with the regional utility companies to find ways to stop people getting behind in their energy payments in the first place. It’s early days and we’re talking about a complex problem that won’t be solved overnight, but at least both organizations are taking the first step towards tackling the root problem, rather than doggedly maintaining the status quo.

The other speaker I want to mention is Yasmina Zaidman, Director of Communications & Strategic Partnerships at Acumen Fund. Acumen invests in social enterprises, emerging leaders and breakthrough ideas to tackle poverty. Its model empowers local people to find ways to solve challenges facing themselves, their families and their communities, giving them the dignity to make decisions and take responsibility for their futures. Yasmina spoke about the opportunity for large corporations to learn from the innovative solutions developed by social entrepreneurs and their approach to finding solutions. Corporations will never have the agility of small enterprises; however, they can play an important role in supporting, mentoring and investing in social entrepreneurs and their ideas. Through doing this, they will have access to cutting edge innovation and, potentially, solutions to challenges that may threaten the long-term viability and sustainability of their business and the world in which it operates. Recently, the Acumen Fund convened a meeting between large corporations and social entrepreneurs in Nairobi to explore potential ways to bring social entrepreneurs and corporations closer together. There were a number of challenges raised by both sides – both real and perceived – but, the very act of being there shows a willingness to explore new paths and move away from simply maintaining the status quo.

What I admire is the courage of these different organizations – from THAW Fund to the corporations involved in the summit convened by Acumen – to look at things through a fresh lens. After all, as George Bernard Shaw put it, “progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything”.

It's been emotional!

Don't worry about the tennis; it's the tears that count!

When Andy Murray broke down in tears during his runner up speech at Wimbledon in 2012, it was a turning point in his career. Not only in his tennis career – he then went on to win an Olympic Gold Medal and the U.S. Open – but in his ‘public’ career. It was the moment that he was accepted and started to be cherished by the British media and the British Public. Andy Murray has always been a fantastic tennis player, but it wasn't until he showed his human and slightly more fallible side that people started to believe in him. Emotion is very powerful.

Recently I've been thinking quite a bit about emotion and the role it plays in inspiring change. My instinct when it comes to selling in sustainable business practices has always been to move away from emotion and stick to rational arguments; after all, the struggle has always been to get leaders to see sustainability as core to the business so how would bringing emotion into it help? Of course communications to engage employees and consumers could depict human stories in a conversational and approachable way, but not the communications to Senior Leaders or Management. My view on this is starting to change.

In his book, Start With Why, Simon Sinek makes the compelling argument that “people don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it” – you might remember this from my blog on 21st April. Simon argues that inspiring people with why you do what you do, appeals to the Limbic part of the brain, which is separate to the area of the brain which processes rational, analytical thought and language. The Limbic brain is “responsible for all our feelings, such as trust and loyalty…It is also responsible for all human behavior and all our decision making” (Ch.4). Based on this, the easiest way to persuade or convince your audience to make a decision or take action, is to appeal first to the heart and then to the mind. As Simon points out in his book “I can’t help but wonder if the order of the expression ‘hearts and minds’ is a coincidence…Why does no one set out to win ‘minds and hearts’?” (Ch.4)

So, we need to bring more emotion to the table. The increasing focus on a company’s purpose – the why – enables us to do this whilst remaining within the comfort zone of most business leaders. Over the past few months, I have been working with a U.S.company to help it articulate its core purpose. Last week, the purpose was unveiled to the wider leadership of the organization and, considering that the audience was predominantly made up of middle class men, it was a surprisingly emotional event; there were tears! On reflection, it isn't that surprising – a purpose makes the connection to the broader ‘why’ of the business; it demonstrates the human/social impact of the business beyond generating profits and, inevitably, provokes people to question their own values and motivations. However, it was incredible to see the energy, enthusiasm and inspiration as every member of the company’s leadership team understood the positive, human impact of what they do every day.

Ultimately, in order to influence change within the corporate world, we need to tailor the message to suit whatever type of organization or people we are dealing with. However, emotion and business, particularly as we move towards business as a force for social, environmental and economic good, are not as far apart as they first seem.

Because there’s no... urm plan B

So Branson is back! Last week Richard Branson launched his B Team, a group of global business leaders
who have joined forces “to create a future where the purpose of business is to be a driving force for social, environmental and economic benefit”. In typical Branson style, the project was launched with a big media splash and, rather infuriatingly for people who work in this sector, he talks as though he invented sustainability. However, I digress…

Superhero?

For those of you in the UK, the irony of the name, considering M&S’s Plan A (“…because there is no plan B”), won’t be lost on you. The name has caused a stir in the US for different reasons given the recent moves by the Government, and associated media attention, to prevent teens from obtaining the morning after pill, Plan B, without a prescription.

What the B Team is actually going to do is still somewhat vague. The group is committed to tackling three initial challenges “to help focus business away from short-term gain and to balance the long-term benefits for people and planet”:

• The future bottom line: to include people and planet in business’ bottom line.
• The future of incentives: to catalyze incentives that benefit people and planet alongside profit.
• The future of leadership: to ignite a movement of leaders committed equally to people, planet and profit.

The details of how these challenges are tackled is still to be fully disclosed – and perhaps worked out – but,  crucially, the B Team will play a convening role, bringing together influential figures and decision makers from Governments, non-profits and the corporate sector.

Although Branson’s style is a little difficult to swallow, it’s early days for the B Team so we should give it the benefit of the doubt. However, for me, there are two key questions:

• Are we just preaching to the converted? As Toby Webb pointed out in his recent blog, our sector is becoming more like a ‘cocktail party’; people circulating and telling each other what they want to hear. Richard Branson has bought together ‘believers’; it’s a great line-up of sustainability greats, such as former Chairman and CEO of PUMA, Jochen Zeitz and Unilever’s CEO, Paul Polman. The question is, are these people going to be able to influence the non-believers? Or will they just be the same voices, preaching the same messages? They've been ignored in the past so what are they going to do differently to engage the skeptics going forward?
• What is Team B’s special sauce; what is it that will enable them to succeed where others have struggled? It’s not so long since everyone was talking about the revolution of Shared Value, and now it’s gone rather quiet. That’s not to say that Porter and Co. are not making progress but it’s not changing the world over night. Is the same thing going to be true of the B Team?

Just in case, is there a Plan C?

We need a Captain Planet to get rid of our Eco-Villans once and for all!

I went to my first Green Drinks Happy Hour the other week… no, not an event for people that like green cocktails, although that could be fun! It’s a monthly event that brings together sustainability professionals in the Boston area. It was fun evening and great to meet some fellow sustainability enthusiasts; however I had two conversations that really stood out and, if I'm honest, despair of humanity.

Number 1: it didn't take me long to track down the fellow Brit in the room, who was an academic from the UK, currently doing research at Harvard University. He is looking at the public policy implications and barriers linked to the climate change mitigation strategy of blocking the sun. My initial reaction was a mixture of incredulity and horror; for starters, ‘blocking the sun’ sounds like a plan from Captain Planet and, secondly, why would anyone want to make the world colder and darker? But immediate reactions aside, it is actually a very interesting idea. Some advocate the use of a giant mirror positioned hundred of km above the Earth’s surface to deflect some of the sun’s rays away from the Earth. However, the same effect could be achieved by shooting sun-reflecting sulfates into the lower stratosphere to create a barrier, which is, apparently, not very costly or difficult to do. Temperatures would be reduced by 1-2 degrees so we wouldn't be walking around in the cold and dark (or so I am led to believe) and, in only a couple of years, it could significantly slow down the rate of climate change.

The real barrier is not the science or individuals, like me, who like the sunshine; it is getting global consensus. In order to go ahead, the plan would need to be agreed by leaders all around the world, which is the final nail in the coffin as that is unlikely to happen. This is nothing new – Climate Change would have been addressed long ago if we weren't all so busy protecting our own interests. Maybe blocking the sun is not the answer but it still makes me sad that, in an ever more global world, we are still so far from being able to make rational, considered decisions for the greater good.

Number 2: I got talking to a lawyer, who had come to the event to find out more about ‘this sustainability stuff’ and, particularly, the business case as it relates to shareholders. I began my usual spiel about how, if done strategically, corporate responsibility is good for business and benefits all stakeholders. However, he stopped me and pointed out that many shareholders still think in the short term. If, as a result of running the business in a more sustainable way, there was any affect on the dividends they would receive for that year, even if the longer-term profit forecasts were bright, they would never agree and may even sue the company. Again, this is not news. I am aware of huge mindset shift that needs to happen worldwide to get more companies to adopt a more sustainable approach to business. Nevertheless, it still astounds me at the ability of people in the world to blindly act according to their own interests rather the interests of their communities, countries, or even the planet.

Maybe we need Captain Planet after all!