Deed's monthly newsletter on responsible business. AI, soft skills, Hispanic & Latino Heritage Month, and more.
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VANTAGE

Monthly views on the future of responsible business

SEPTEMBER 2023 

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“Roles in corporate social responsibility are typically roles of influence, not ownership. If you want to truly embed sustainability into an organization, you need to work across the organization to raise awareness, secure buy-in and ultimately drive accountability for shared goals.”

  

Jessica Marati Radparvar

Founder, Reconsidered 

(GreenBiz)

Hi there,

So you’ve already rallied your employees to volunteer. Now you have to track their attendance and work with your nonprofit partners to ensure everybody has a positive experience. Then it’s time to start reviewing the data and communicating the impact of your organization’s efforts. Before you know it, the process will begin all over again—plus, giving season is approaching fast. 


Social impact leaders are jacks and janes of all trades. But aside from the hard skills we listed on our CVs, GreenBiz points out that there are some soft skills—empathy, open-mindedness, salesmanship, and a willingness to have fun—that are crucial to managing our complex workloads and make tangible process on our ambitious environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) goals. 


Do you think soft skills are as important as hard skills in the social impact space? Reply to this email to share your thoughts or follow us on LinkedIn to join the ongoing conversation. 

 

By the way, you can now browse the full Vantage archive on our website. 

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Much to think about

Soft skills for social impact

New California ESG rule pushes U.S. in the right direction

Companies who do business in California and earn at least $1 billion will soon be required to report on a wide range of their carbon emissions. The new rule covers emissions directly produced by business activities, as well as those a company is indirectly responsible for via its supply chain and customer behavior. Read why many companies warmly welcome the bill and how it will impact responsible business in Reuters.  

 

Reaching 78 percent (!?) employee engagement in social impact

Over the past year, enterprise blockchain leader Ripple has seen an enthusiastic culture of service anchored in charitable giving, volunteerism, and genuine human connection blossom throughout their organization. To learn how they do it, check out our partner spotlight. 

 

The making of a strong corporate purpose statement  

Finding the correct aim, tone, and style of a large, complex organization’s core purpose can be challenging. A new report from researchers at King’s College London says it’s important to avoid writing something vague, grandiose, and uninspiring. Instead, strive for statements that authentically reflect your company’s commitment to specific social and environmental causes, and your beneficiaries’ needs. Find out how in the Harvard Business Review.

 

Social impact and cybersecurity go hand in hand

The newly-formed Kyndryl Foundation is dedicated to making a positive impact through grants targeting vital societal challenges. Their focus on enhancing cybersecurity education, nurturing an inclusive workforce, and preparing nonprofits for potential cybersecurity attacks is a total game-changer. We are so excited to see how our friends at Kyndryl will work with their foundation to make an ever-greater impact. For more on how the Kyndryl Foundation is building an inclusive, sustainable future, head to www.kyndryl.org.

 

One great book for your nightstand

Patagonia’s maverick founder Yvon Chouinard and the company’s director of philosophy, Vincent Stanley, have published a new edition of their celebrated book, The Responsible Company. Stanley said the update expresses “a stronger vision of what needs to be done to restore the planet to health…it’s time to bring that into conversation with our community of customers and allies in other businesses.” Before you get a copy, read this interview. 

 

An exciting new initiative promoting digital citizenship 

Digital literacy and inclusivity are among the top challenges our communities face in today’s tech-driven world. Our friends at enterprise AI software leader o9 Solutions, Inc. saw a unique opportunity to simultaneously expand access to emerging technologies and empower underserved communities. The o9 Digital Tomorrow Grant will provide $250,000 to help solve these complex problems, promote responsible digital citizenship, foster innovation, and nurture strong, engaged communities. Applications are open to eligible organizations now through Oct. 31. Details here. 

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Product spotlight

 

Shifts

 

How long should I plan to be at this volunteer event? What skills (if any) are required to participate? 
 
With Shifts, your employees’ most frequently asked questions are answered from the get-go. Plus, you and your partner nonprofits can keep better track of volunteers. Shifts are currently accessible on the Deed website, and will soon be available on our iOS/Android app. 

Shifts

This giving season, Deed’s workplace donation and volunteering platform is being constantly updated with new products and features that can help your organization make a great impact than ever before. Let's empower your employees to follow their passions on GivingTuesday and beyond. 

Join the community

Saved you a seat

accp

WHAT

Association of Corporate Citizenship Professionals (ACCP) Annual Conference 

 

WHEN

October 16-18 2023

 

WHERE

Denver, Colorado 

 

TELL ME MORE

Are you or your colleagues heading to ACCP 2023? This year, one of the social impact industry’s biggest events will take place in Denver, Colorado, from October 16-18, and we would love to see you there. 


Reply to this email saying “I’m going to ACCP!” and a member of our team will be in touch to set up a coffee or lunch in the Mile-High City. We can’t wait to hear from you!

MSM Webinar part 3

ICYMI, the third installment of "Maximizing Social Impact"—our joint webinar series with True Impact exploring how to use data to enhance corporate social responsibility—drew an incredibly engaged and thoughtful crowd this week. Watch the webinar now to think through some of these helpful points as we head into the 2024 giving season.

Get involved

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How to empower Hispanic and Latino employees

The theme of this year's Hispanic and Latino Heritage Month is “Driving Prosperity, Power, and Progress in America.” So as we celebrate our diverse communities this month, let's also remember to look for opportunities to recognize and address the biases and barriers many of us continue to face.  

 

Our "Cause of the Month: Hispanic and Latino Heritage Month" toolkit includes: 

  • Volunteering and giving opportunities in the U.S. and around the world.
  • In-depth look at specific cause areas, including: civil rights, advocacy, economic opportunity, women and girls, LGBTQIA+, and more.
  • A calendar of awareness days from September 15–October 15.
  • Employee and employee resource group (ERG) engagement ideas, as well as a walkthrough of how to craft a social impact campaign to uplift Hispanic and Latino communities.
  • Recommendations of worthwhile books, podcasts, and films on issues of importance to Hispanic and Latino communities 
Claim your toolkit

Thank you for reading Vantage. We want this monthly newsletter to be of real value to everyone working to make a real social impact. If there’s a topic you’d like to learn more about, or if there’s someone pushing the conversation forward whose work deserves more attention, we’d love to hear about it. Drop us a note: vantage [@] joindeed [dot] com. 

 

Forwarded this newsletter by a friend or colleague? Subscribe to Vantage so you never miss our monthly roundup and commentary on industry news, product updates, and giving & volunteer opportunities. See you in October. 

 

 ICYMI, you can now browse the full Vantage archive on our website.

Looking forward,

 

Team Deed

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