ZOË Alliance just became a new member of Meeting Professionals International (MPI) and I am excited to have recently [...]]]> “Every meetings organization, irrespective of size, scale or scope, is linked to the global marketplace – and that marketplace is increasingly engaged with CSR.”MPI Green Power: Fuel for Change, Supplement to January 2012 CSR Report.

ZOË Alliance just became a new member of Meeting Professionals International (MPI) and I am excited to have recently joined the Events for Communities of Sustainability (ECOS) Committee.

I am really looking forward to being an active member of this community because I believe that the meetings industry has an incredibly important role to play for business and society.  Meetings are about people getting together to work on “something”.  Growing a business, solving a technical, environment, social challenge….whatever the shared task at hand.

Gathering talented individuals to accomplish something is not a “nice to do”, effective meetings whether in person or virtual are the foundation of accomplishing anything at all.

It’s the same sort of thing with CSR or sustainability. This is not a sideline activity, and while it is about the environment, it is equally about people.  The Meetings Industry is uniquely positioned to have significant impact on the sustainability of our society and, not surprisingly, has taken some really exciting steps toward providing leadership in this area with the 3-year research study that MPI has commissioned Leeds Metropolitan University to perform.

Sustainability initiatives within the private sector can address the critical shared global issues of poverty, insecurity, social injustice and systemic barriers to inclusion.

That was a mouthful, so lets sit with that statement for a minute and let it soak in.  The economic power of the private sector cannot be understated.  The Meetings Industry alone in Canada generates $33.8 billion in GDP.  The little niche that ZOË focuses on represents $40 billion in spending annually in North America.

How we decide on where we will spend our money when we acquire the goods and services we need to perform our businesses or live our lives wields tremendous power.  It directs the focus, business practices and yes…even the values of the supplier communities that vie for that business.  In fact, how we decide on where we will spend our money reflects our values.

I love the framework that the MPI study has developed for categorizing the continuum of CSR activity.  Must, Should and Can levels of action that range from merely meeting regulations, to honouring societal expectations, to proactively addressing societal issues that can be addressed through the business choices of a specific entity.

The best illustration of this concept that I can give is from our little sphere of action.  The other day I was sitting with one of our advisors who has over three decades of experience in international sourcing of products.  He was showing me picture of a typical working environment in an offshore factory that technically met all the guidelines of the UN Global Compact or most Company Supplier Codes.

It was clean, there was no coercion, no child labour, benefits, all the right boxes were checked off.  It met the local societal and cultural norms in terms of working conditions and pay levels.  It was a Should Do level operation.

So what is the problem?  In developing countries rural poor survive by one of the family members migrating to urban centers to work and send money back.  Families are separated for most of the year and the family member who is working in the urban center, works almost all of the time willingly because there is nothing else to do and they want to maximize the amount they can send back to their family.  The factory above provided the benefit of small “bedroom” stalls that the workers lived in.  This is a benefit because it meant they did not need to live in local urban slums.

What do you think?  I think we “Can Do” better, which is why I like the common framework of the MPI continuum as a way to capture the essence of the opportunity we have to address global issues that will increasingly affect us all.

This worker’s family still lives on less than $1.25/day along with 1/3 of the planet.  For our little niche, we have some ideas on models to address poverty, (see 2 minute video), for your business you will have different ways.

Each organizations implementation of the “Can Do” level of impact will vary, however it is clear that as companies within the Canadian Meetings Industry that wield $33.8 billion in economic decision-making power, the solution is in our hands.  All we need to do is dust off our RFP’s and add a couple of criteria to the evaluation matrix for our suppliers.  I think we “Can Do” that, don’t you?

A BRIEF BACKGROUND FOR CONTEXT

India, while a prospering and growing nation, continues to be home to 40% of the world’s poor [...]]]> For this month’s blog, we bring you a video blog update with Mercy Abraham Imondi, the Managing Trustee and leader of Mahalir Aran Trust and our partners in India.  Enjoy!

A BRIEF BACKGROUND FOR CONTEXT

India, while a prospering and growing nation, continues to be home to 40% of the world’s poor and 1/3 of the world’s malnourished children.  Mercy Abraham is a strong national leader standing in the midst of that reality and her registered charity has helped train and develop over 200 women who are now earning incomes and providing for their families.

They also provide a home for 75 orphaned girls, and 25 destitute women.  Her approach to development is extremely well thought out, providing food and shelter, emotional support, education, training and even work opportunity.  We are very proud to be partnering with Mercy and her team.

While Mercy was here late last year, we took advantage of the opportunity to tape this video update so that you could meet her too!  In it she provides background on how business is benefiting the rural community she serves and how she hopes to expand the impact to include HIV/AIDS affected and disabled women.

Fortifying the Foundation

This past year has seen each of our four partners grow in [...]]]> This year has been one of fortifying the foundation of our work, deepening the impact, and growing participation in the movement.  Read on for a year end glimpse into some of 2011’s highlights and where our sights are set for 2012!

Fortifying the Foundation

This past year has seen each of our four partners grow in their experience as they have been supplying over 15 products.  Each business is making more than one item and growing in their ability to build their businesses in supplying to ZOË and to others.

It is very exciting, and a great example of enhanced capacity to do business is with our friends in Guatemala.  Recently they made their first shipment this year directly to ZOË’s client in Paraguay for their tradeshow without the need for quality control support.  This is indeed a big step forward and shows that this team will be able to continue to expand their business.

Deepening the Impact

We are so excited that we have been able to give multiple orders to each partner, helping to make the workflow more consistent for the teams.  This is a key part of our focus to ensure that people are working consistently in each business.

We were also able to have a small part in the realization of the dream of the medical clinic in Dharmapuri through income generated and a donation.  The ribbon was cut at a ceremony in October this year and this was a key milestone in the life of this community in Dharmapuri.  You can read more about it in the archive.

Growing Participation

We saw amazing growth in the movement here in North America as over 32 new companies decided to take the challenge.

There aren’t words to describe the impact of their decisions on the lives of the people working in the communities.  It seems like such a small trivial thing to us, an order for 100 portfolios here or 5,000 pens there.  We are hard pressed to understand it here, and even at ZOË we often fall into the thinking that we are not doing enough yet.

Fortunately, each time we get an update about a family’s progress hearing how they have invested their income to multiply and extend it’s impact, or a child’s progression to the next grade in school it all comes back into clear focus.

If its real lasting change then the number of people we impact can’t be too small and it can never be too big.

Much More to Do

So the little movement that could has a long way to go.  As with all things that are worth doing, we are slowly and surely increasing our impact in a way that will last.  Future generations in the villages will look back and know that their mother worked in a village production unit and that this funded their education.  They will know that had it not been for this, they might still be working the fields for very little pay and with little opportunity for growth or change.  And they will know that people in companies half way around the world played a key role in shaping their future.

In the next year, our sights are set very high because the need and the urgency of the need is very high.  We have developed a model together with our partners and we know how to help local leaders establish small businesses.  And so now it’s time to grow, to establish rural regional cooperative units that are able to supply very large volumes on contract to companies who would choose to source items like employee uniforms, pens for hotel rooms, or one or two items within their product line from these centres.

There is great potential to create enhanced value for companies in purchasing a staple item like employee store aprons.  They could buy them at a competitive price while at the same time help to create a rural regional economy providing dignified employment and a future for thousands of people.  This is just one example, the possibilities are only limited by our imaginations and somebody has to supply those aprons.

So stay tuned for some fun new gift and promotional product options, and please do get in touch with us if you would like to share some input, or explore a way in which your organization could get involved.

The theme that will be the common thread throughout the 11 sessions is Creating [...]]]> On November 15th, 45 speakers representing business, charities, and non governmental organizations will be gathering for a day long conference at Algonquin College in Ottawa to explore Corporate and Community Social Responsibility.  ZOË Alliance will have the opportunity to be among them.

The theme that will be the common thread throughout the 11 sessions is Creating Shared Value.  This idea has been a topic of much dialogue for several years now, with the term “Shared Value” coined by co-authors Michael E. Porter and Mark R. Kramer in their January/February 2011 article entitled Creating Shared Value.

In it they define shared value as: “…policies and operating practices that enhance the competitiveness of a company while simultaneously advancing the economic  and social conditions in the communities in which it operates.  Shared value creation focuses on identifying and expanding the connections between societal and economic progress.”

Simply put, businesses can pursue economic gain in a way that intentionally creates a positive social impact AND that this is not only a nice to do, as in traditional CSR, but actually a way to achieve even greater business outcomes.  It posits that social considerations are core to business decision making and costs, thus challenging conventional business theory that pure profit seeking at the cost of the environment, community, and the social conditions of the people employed produces the best economic outcomes.

Why is this Important?

This is a really important conversation for many reasons, and one in particular.  Globally leaders are moving forward, almost as if with one voice, toward a business based approach to addressing gargantuan societal issues such as poverty and environmental preservation.   This thinking about the role of charities, NGO’s, government, and business is shaping government policy around the globe, and has far reaching implications for how effectively these organizations can collaborate and their funding models.

As with any conversation that is seeking to address very complicated problems, the answers are never simple.  Is it business or charities to the rescue? The answer is yes.  Business, NGO’s, Charities, Development Agencies, and Governments all have roles.

Porter and Kramer state at the end of their article that “Not all societal problems can be solved through shared value solutions.”  In their article, they stress the value of intentional collaboration between the various entities, each lending their strengths to each particular endeavour.

From our perspective, as a social enterprise that started pursuing a Regenerative Business Model in 2008, we are whole heartedly on board with the reality that business can be profitable, can pursue it’s economic best interest, and can do so in a way that benefits society.  Our raison d’être is to make it easy for companies to do this by in essence, creating rural local clusters that can be effective parts of a large companies supply chain, to use the nomenclature of Shared Value.

But as we continue is this dialogue, there is one caution.  Beware any strategy that holds up one actor as being the best equipped to solve the world’s ills.  It is easier to do this, and it does make for better headlines.  Admittedly, it is decidedly more difficult to collaborate across for profit, non profit and governmental organizations.  However the reality is, we need each others expertise.  And in the extremely difficult situations that many people face around the world, we must find creative solutions, even in the face of extraordinary social costs that cannot be reasonably bourne by business.

It’s a bit like the Aid is Dead argument of  a few years ago.  Starving people with health issues can’t work, so of course there is room for aid and development to work hand in hand.  Similarly, economic drivers are an extremely powerful tool to drive lasting social change.  But it’s a rare company that can justify investing resources and training people in the middle of a village that has no access to roads and power without a shared investment by the local government and NGO’s in infrastructure, education and health.

So the answer is in balance and collaboration.  In mutual respect and continuing to push the boundaries, leveraging each others strengths.  And yes, this next era of CSV, (Creating Shared Value), as an evolution of CSR, (Corporate Social Responsibility), is one of great promise and we are looking forward to what we can accomplish together.

Micah Elson is the Program Manager at Ottawa Grow, one of their largest employment solutions programs.  One [...]]]> Christian Horizons is the largest government funded provider of support services to adults with disabilities in Ontario.  The organization serves over 1,500 families and continually evolves their services to meet the changing needs of the people whom they serve.

Micah Elson is the Program Manager at Ottawa Grow, one of their largest employment solutions programs.  One of his responsibilities is to oversee the team that produces the Equitas product line of ZOË Alliance.  This month’s blog brings us a glimpse into the goals and larger vision for the work of Grow through an update from Micah.

(To get more background you can find a primer on this project in the December 2010 newsletter)

The Goals of GROW

Employment solutions initiatives began with the dual objectives of helping people develop job skills and supporting them in securing meaningful work in the community.  As such our programs were comprised of subsidized businesses and day service programs with a specific focus on skills development.

A key realization has contributed to the evolution of our programming.  We still have a strong commitment to helping people develop job skills and securing employment in the community, however our experience in the past few years have brought us face to face with an interesting reality.

The reality is that some people, who had previously been unable to engage in work activities, can be very successful in a workplace setting with some modifications that enable them to participate. We have realized that accommodations for behavioural, physical, and medical needs can create an environment in which almost everyone can contribute in a meaningful way to the success of a business.

We are uniquely positioned to evolve our employment solutions initiatives into self-sustaining businesses that provide working environments that enable people who possess any combination of abilities to participate successfully as part of the work force.

So our goal in the coming years is to create environments that are more than opportunities for training.  We will be creating viable ongoing businesses that become long-term employment opportunities for people, and create a model that could be adopted by others. As a result, we will only be pursuing businesses that can be competitive.

We feel that it is very important that we push ourselves to find solutions.  It is not enough to settle for a day service program for a portion of the people we serve.  It is our responsibility to create meaningful opportunities for as many people as we can to participate.

And these opportunities must be equitable, providing the opportunity to make a good wage in an environment that understands each person’s abilities.  Equitable also implies that these are work places and not programs.  So there are real work expectations adjusted for ability level, real work for real pay. We want to neutralize factors that would otherwise keep a person who wants to work from being a part of the work force.

The Role of Collaboration

As you can imagine, developing businesses with modified work roles is a challenge.  There are many unique considerations in operating such a business that take additional focus and effort.  Because of this we see collaboration with partners as an important success factor.

A big piece of our collaboration has been with ZOË Alliance and some stores in the community who sell our items.  Every business has to have a sales channel and these collaborations are the only things that enable us to run.  Our businesses manufacture products and provide services, so having partners that help create demand for those products and services is a critical part of our business plan.

Vision for the Future

This year we will be evaluating each of our existing businesses to determine if they can be successful.  We will be deciding which businesses to exit, and which ones to continue to invest in for growth.  For each business we will be identifying the two or three things that we are really good at, for which there is clear market demand, and maximizing that.

In our Ottawa Grow location, our expectation is that we are developing a company that it is sustainable and that will employ about 75 people.  We don’t wish to establish too large a centre.  Once we have established successful experiences in developing modified working conditions that are realistic and can be a part of a profitable business model, we will then look to work with community partners to expand opportunities.

Our role can then evolve toward enabling other businesses in the community to create realistic work environments by providing supports to the workers and the businesses.

I have to say [...]]]> This past Saturday, I attended the Toronto International Microfinance Summit (TIMS).  It is a gathering of different types of organizations engaged in fighting poverty through microfinance and related efforts. I had been invited by Julie McDowell, Founder of ClearlySo Canada,  to participate in her panel discussion about transforming lives through linking markets.

I have to say that I enjoyed myself immensely because I felt at home among others who are equally passionate about finding ways to empower people in extremely difficult circumstances around the globe.  I realized that it has been way too long since I have taken the time to meet with my colleagues in international development.  The energy and the benefits of discussing ideas and learning from what others are doing were incredible.

The last time I attended a conference with similar professionals was in Washington in 2008.  It was the SEEP conference and the ink on my business cards was still wet.  I had just incorporated the business, was fresh and full of ideas, and had yet to actually do anything.  This conference was foundational to the development model employed by us and led to what really forms the heart of our work at ZOË Alliance.

On the surface we sell gifts and promotional items made by people in villages in developing nations.  Kind of a “Ten Thousand Villages” for corporations.  But the heart of our work is to fulfill a key role in partnership with other organizations in international development, the role of access to markets. We provide village business people access to North American markets for gifts and promotional items.

To place this in context, there are 5 key spheres of action in international development:

1.  Aid – sending money, food, etc…

2. Infrastructure – digging wells, building schools, etc…

3. Microfinance – providing access to capital to enable people to develop sustainable income streams for themselves and their families.

4. Access to Markets – linking markets to these small businesses to help grow the economy and impact

5. Governmental Collaboration – working with governments to establish fair practices and policies in developing nations

I learned that access to markets is one of the most challenging areas for development and in fact, probably the most important area of opportunity for corporations to contribute.  That is our niche at ZOË Alliance and the conference highlighted many other innovative approaches by companies who are focusing all or a portion of their Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives on poverty alleviation.  Our approach is to work in partnership with non-governmental organizations, (NGOs) and national or indigenous business leaders.  We access markets for our business colleagues in various villages enabling them to grow their businesses.

By far, the best part of TIMS was hearing companies like Citi, Cuppa Change, Oliberte and others share their approaches to alleviating poverty.   Also striking was hearing a very dedicated group of microfinance professionals celebrate successes AND grapple earnestly with the issues they face in increasing the social impact of their efforts.  Microfinance is a complex tool for change and is not without it’s controversies.  Even so, I walked away impressed by the courage of the conversations and the commitment to principled and genuine outcomes.

Finally, the benefit of collaboration for maximum impact was crystal clear.  The recognition that microfinance is one tool amongst others and an avid interest in developing solutions that draw together the strengths of different parties toward even stronger sustainable development strategies was evident.

I have to say that working Saturday’s is not my favourite thing to do, especially since this one happened to be my birthday.  But I was honoured to have been invited to participate and am very grateful to be a part of such an incredible community of people.

UPDATE [...]]]> The ZOË Alliance team has the privilege of working with some truly incredible leaders in each country.  This month’s blog brings us an update directly from the field in Guatemala.  It provides a pretty comprehensive look into their principles, the way in which they engage the communities they serve and some great examples of impact.

UPDATE FROM OUR GUATEMALAN PARTNERS – ASOCIACIÓN HOGARES INTERNACIONALES PARA NINOS – GUATEMALA CITY, GUATEMALA

“We build business opportunities because we see scarcity of education as a fundamental problem. Without

Rudy & Sully Rojas

training, people are denied jobs because they don’t have the necessary skills. Through the leather projects, we create opportunities to provide people with training that opens the doors to other opportunities for employment income.”
– Rudy and Sully Rojas, Directors, Asociación Hogares Internacionales Para Ninos, a CH Global program in Guatemala.

Rudy and Sully Rojas have been leading the CH Global initiative in Guatemala for 20 years. Headquartered in Guatemala City, they work with both urban and rural communities – some as close as 28 km away in Amatitlàn, and others as far away as Puerto Barrios, 300 km away in the northeastern part of the country.

The primary communities supported include: Puerto Barrios, El Zapatillo, Lake Amatitlàn, El Campanero, Xelaju, San Pedro, three groups in Antigua and four groups right in Guatemala City.

Their programs centre around four key areas of focus: Education; Community Development (including vocational training and micro-enterprise); Family Support; and Social Development.

These focus areas address the key needs of the urban and rural Mayan people in Guatemala. With poverty levels second only to Haiti in the Western hemisphere, the people in these communities struggle to overcome many barriers to success.

The successful working relationships that have been established are a result of the pro-active approach that Hogares Internacionales takes with local leadership. They equip local leaders to develop solutions for the challenges they face.

The Mayan community in El Zapatillo are a prime example of successful community development. In this remote mountain community that, until recently, had no road access, a typical home consists of a one-room structure shared by all family members. Furthermore, there is no running water, sanitation or electricity.

The men work long hours in agricultural settings for big farms for very low pay. Due to the lack of education and opportunities, this is often the only employment option available to them.

A typical family diet consists of black beans, rice, corn for tortillas, coffee and hot peppers. While some families rear chickens or cows, most meat is acquired through hunting and fishing. Subsequently, there is little meat or protein in the family’s diet.

Consequently, their state of health is very poor and it is not unusual to see four- or five-year-old children who weigh a mere 20 to 22 pounds. Most children do not have school supplies or shoes.

In El Zapatillo, the Rojas learned that the village did not have a school. This is not unusual in these areas, as there is often only one school for the 10 neighbouring villages. Where schools exist, it is offered in a one-room structure with one teacher for all levels. No furniture or supplies are provided either.

Empowering Local Leaders

Armed with this knowledge, the Rojas approached community leaders and assisted them in writing letters to key people in the appropriate district requesting for a teacher. Through ongoing dialogue between the leaders of El Zapatillo and the school district, an agreement was reached in which the government sent a teacher and some materials for a school, while the community provided the rest of the materials and the labour needed to build the school building.

This was a great success in that the local leaders developed their own solution working in partnership with the government and the local community. Now their school has an additional room and a second teacher. A washroom has also been added for the children in the school.

Shortly after this success, the community applied the same skills in negotiating the development of a road into their village.

Change That Really Transforms

The Rojas invest heavily in education and vocational training because they understand their importance in transforming the reality of a whole community and ultimately, the country.

“We don’t give money or food as it would just be a temporary relief,” says Sully Fuentes-Ayala de Rojas. “Rather, we empower the community to find healthcare, water for sanitation, roads for access, and schooling among other programs so that the results will stay forever.

“We build business opportunities because we see scarcity of education as a fundamental problem. Without training, people are denied jobs because they don’t have the necessary skills.

“Through the leather projects and national craft, we build opportunities for people to provide them with training that opens the doors to other opportunities for employment income. Some of the communities impacted by our work with ZOË Alliance include Amatitlàn, El Campanero, Guatemala City, Antigua, and Xelaju.”

The people in these communities do not have much opportunity to learn new skills or receive training. They work on big farms and do housecleaning, but for very little pay, and the hours are long. With these projects, they can acquire new skills, upgrade themselves and boost their market value. That means they can eventually work for someone else or make crafts and sell them locally.

One lady now runs her own little business. She makes the Mayan bags that the leather coaster sets are packaged in as well as some products for other clients.

Equipping the Disabled

Recently, we shared about the impact of this project for Wilma and her family in Amatitlàn.

However, this project has also made a different sort of impact for individuals like Irma, a 25-year-old, woman with cognitive disabilities caused by epilepsy. Irma lives in an assisted living environment and she is not able to work outside due to the frequency of her seizures, even with medication.

Irma has learned many skills through the production of the leather products. She has been an active member of the team in finishing functions such as hand-sewing, gluing and backing.

She uses the income to pay for her medication, phone bills, and on occasion, life’s little luxuries such as going out for a burger or buying a new blouse. As a result of her active role in the team, Irma feels more included and has a sense of accomplishment and dignity. The Rojas are glad to report that it is obvious that Irma is happier and more satisfied with the quality of her life.

This year, the team is hoping to double the volume of business and increase the number of people whom they are able to engage in meaningful work and offer valuable vocational training opportunities.

On our part, we are hoping to help them!

Eli Fathi, Co-Founder & CEO of Chide.it Inc and the driving force behind the Corporate and Community Social Responsibility Conference in Ottawa this fall, shares some key insights regarding emerging trends in CSR and consumer attitudes in this month’s blog.  We hope you enjoy [...]]]>

Eli Fathi - Founder & CEO, Chide.it Inc.

Eli Fathi, Co-Founder & CEO of Chide.it Inc and the driving force behind the Corporate and Community Social Responsibility Conference in Ottawa this fall, shares some key insights regarding emerging trends in CSR and consumer attitudes in this month’s blog.  We hope you enjoy as much as we did and decide to join us at the conference in Ottawa at Algonquin College on November 15th, 2011.

MOVING FROM CSR TO CCSR STRATEGY

In today’s environment, businesses must not only act in a sustainable fashion when addressing social and environmental issues, but also must be perceived to act in an acceptable fashion. The way in which the business is perceived by the local community is paramount to the overall longevity and success of the business and is a function of its ability to add value to the socio-economic fabric of the community it operates within.  A business must continue to evolve and identify innovative ways to transform itself and deliver on its commitment to meet the needs of its internal stakeholders as well its external stakeholders which includes the community.

It is all about empowering a way of life for its stakeholders to carry out their daily activities at work and in the community in a sustainable fashion. The question is whether there is an optimal way to create a behavioral change within organizations and people to achieve the desired results?

We are all familiar with the carrot approach (generate solar energy and receive a higher price for it) and stick approach (financial penalties for exceeding specific emission limits). The carrot method stimulates changes but its impact diminishes as the incentive is removed whereas the stick method promotes a minimalist approach to changes. Thus both methods are constraints in their ability to create a long term behavioural change.

Education on the other hand, can truly influence behavioural changes. One of the key goals of the Corporate and Community Social Responsibility Conferences (CCSR) www.ccsrconference.com which has been held annually at Algonquin College since 2008 is to celebrate & showcase excellence in the area of Social, Economic & Environmental sustainability by increasing the awareness to the key issues related to the successful implementations of CCSR within various organizations.

Best practices from around the world are highlighted and their applicability to the Canadian way of life are examined. The goal is to develop “a made in Canada solution” derived based on input from a Canadian perspective inspired by findings of a series of national studies conducted by Abacus Data in conjunction with the CCSR conference.

So what have we learned over the past 3 years? The majority of the findings are inline with other data points from around the world. However there are a couple of interesting facts worth noting:

1. Ethics matters: There is significant market for ethical investments in Canada as a large portion of Canadians say they pay attention to the ethical nature of their portfolios
2. Local trumps national or international: Canadians are more concerned with the social and environmental impact of issues in their own backyard over national or even international concerns
3. Environmental sustainability is now a given: It appears that all the media coverage over the past decade has made corporations and individual Canadians more cognisant of the environment and one can almost say that it is embedded in their DNA to act in a sustainable fashion
4. Social now outranks environmental in terms of CSR focus: Canadians appear to have changed their top priority of concern from the environment to social issues. As a matter of fact, when polled, Canadian have ranked social causes ahead of environmental issues including, in an order of priority: affordable housing; education and skills development; and hunger reduction. Furthermore, there is hardly any differentiation in rankings across all demographic groups across Canada on these issues

How should corporations and organizations seeking to develop CSR strategies respond to these findings?

1. Focus a major portion of the CSR programs to impact on local communities

1. Complement environmental issues with social issues to create CCSR strategy

About the Author:

Eli has been a technology entrepreneur for the past 25 years. He is a co-founder and co-CEO of Chide.it inc., an Internet software company offering Software as a service (SaaS) online applications based on collaborative feedback. The company was established in 2008. In 1986, Eli founded Applied Silicon Inc. Canada to provide engineering consulting services to the private and public sectors. Following an investment from Newbridge Networks in 1996, the company (Telexis) shifted its focus to video over IP solutions, growing to 180 employees. Telexis was acquired in May 2000, and became March Networks. Eli also founded in 2002 OrbitIQ Inc., a business accelerator company with globally-deployed channels to market. Eli is involved with the community by serving on a number of for profit and not for profit boards. Eli has organized and chaired the yearly Corporate and Community Social Responsibility Conferences at Algonquin College in Ottawa www.ccsrconference.com.