Center for Social Innovation

Investing at the Bottom of the Ladder

Stanford Social Innovation Review: Winter 2011

Companies that invest in their lowest-level employees are more productive and more profitable.

Resource: Stanford Social Innovation Review Article

Topic :

Hsieh of Zappos Takes Happiness Seriously

Since taking over as CEO of Zappos, Tony Hsieh has vowed to do whatever it takes to keep his employees, customers, and vendors happy. He told a business school audience his strategy leads to profits in the end.

Resource: News Article

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What Do Your Jeans and Your Car Have in Common?

What Do Your Jeans and Your Car Have in Common?
Did you know that making a pair of Levi 501 jeans, from cotton seed to finished garment, uses 54 showers' worth of water and produces the same amount of greenhouse gas as driving your car 78 miles? Neither did Levi Strauss & Co. - until they conducted an environmental impact assessment on their goods speakers told the fourth annual Socially and Environmentally Responsible Supply Chains Conference.

Resource: News Article

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Case Study: LEED the Way

Stanford Social Innovation Review: Spring 2010

The LEED system is the platinum standard for green building certification, and its parent organization, the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), is one of the fastest growing nonprofits in America. Here’s how the USGBC maintains its strict standards while responding to diverse members in an evolving field

Corporate Social Responsibility, Environment, Social Entrepreneurship

Resource: Stanford Social Innovation Review Article

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Innovative Partnership Models: Harnessing the Power of Your Network

A panel discusses the need to use innovative and collaborative thinking processes when modifying supply chains to address prominent social and environmental problems. In addition to encouraging collaboration with members of one's network, they also recommend seeking feedback from unlikely stakeholders to include new perspectives.

Resource: News Article

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Corporate Social Responsibility, Environment, Healthcare

Criticism May Produce Innovation, Wal-Mart CEO Scott Says

Wal-Mart’s innovative approach to environmental sustainability and its addition of health care services to stores were partly triggered by critics of the company in other areas. CEO Lee Scott spoke with Sloan Fellows.

Resource: News Article

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Pondering the Ethics of Global Business

Dilemmas such as selling other nations scanners that can tell the sex of an unborn child, or kerosene heaters without safety features were debated during a discussion with Professor David Brady.

Resource: News Article

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Corporate Social Responsibility, Environment, Nonprofit Management

Social Responsibility Is Now a Business Imperative

Social responsibility is now a business imperative, says Carter Roberts, CEO of the World Wildlife Fund. "Companies still thinking about the environment as a social responsibility rather than a business imperative are living in the dark ages,” he told an audience at the Business School’s annual von Gugelberg Memorial Environmental Lecture.

Resource: News Article

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Being Socially Responsible Offers Opportunities, Says Nike’s Hannah Jones

Businesses can provide a source for massive social change, Nike VP Hannah Jones told a day-long conference. Finding solutions to social or environmental problems should be viewed as a business opportunity.

Resource: News Article

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Research: Shareholders Nudge Companies

Stanford Social Innovation Review: Winter 2010

Corporate social responsibility and transparency encourage companies to do good.

Corporate Social Responsibility, Environment, Social Entrepreneurship

Resource: Stanford Social Innovation Review Article

Topic :

A Fine Green Niche

Stanford Social Innovation Review: Fall 2009

Maria Yee established her eco-friendly, high-end furniture company long before going green was the done thing. Two decades later, her company’s environmentally sound practices not only reflect a planet-friendly ethos, but also drive a market-friendly creative edge. Here’s how and why Yee stays green in a brown industry.

Corporate Social Responsibility, Social Entrepreneurship

Resource: Stanford Social Innovation Review Article

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Q & A: Judith Rodin

Stanford Social Innovation Review: Summer 2009

The Rockefeller Foundation is staying at the forefront of new and big ideas and funding new innovation processes like crowdsourcing and collaborative competitions.

Resource: Stanford Social Innovation Review Article

Topic :

Corporate Social Responsibility, Economic Development

Just Say “No”

Stanford Social Innovation Review: Summer 2009

DEAD AID: Why Aid Is Not Working and How There Is a Better Way for Africa by Dambisa Moyo Review by Jane Wales

Resource: Stanford Social Innovation Review Article

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Greening the Corporation

Stanford Social Innovation Review: Summer 2009

STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABILITY: A Business Manifesto by Adam Werbach Review by Amory Lovins

Resource: Stanford Social Innovation Review Article

Topic :

When More Mission Equals More Money

The more a business focuses on it’s social mission, the more revenue it will generate.

Resource: Blog Post

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Corporate Social Responsibility, Nonprofit Management

Speaking of Nonprofit Retirees…

Nonprofits need to think seriously about helping their employees’ with post-work survival.

Resource: Blog Post

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Corporate Social Responsibility, Philanthropy, Responsible Investing

Selling Vs. Selling Out

The author warns that selling a company or organization should not mean selling out as social missions will prove to contribute to long term success.

Resource: Blog Post

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Why I Like Fair Trade… And What it Needs

Good Capital invests in socially responsible Adina.

Resource: Blog Post

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Corporate Social Responsibility, Government

Despite Joining Bailout, BB&T Says it Prefers Free Market

BB&T decides to help with the bailout of the financial market.

Resource: Blog Post

Video/Audio : All | Audio | Video

Topic:

Preparing Small Businesses for Disasters

Headquartered in south Florida, Office Depot has had direct experience with several natural disasters and understands the value of emergency preparedness. With 80% of their client base made up of small businesses, Office Depot encourages companies to make the investment and protect their people and data. Host Karl Matzke interviews chairman and CEO of Office Depot Steve Odland who shares advice on disaster preparedness so that small businesses can recover seamlessly.

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Resource: Audio

Topic:

National Preparedness Month

September is National Preparedness month - are you ready? Natural disasters and acts of terrorism can occur at any given moment. FEMA administrator Craig Fugate encourages Americans to plan ahead in this audio interview hosted by Karl Matzke. Fugate speaks on the shared responsibility of individuals, business, and government to help maintain resiliency after a disaster strikes. Fugate points to valuable resources from Ready.gov that help individuals and businesses prepare and protect themselves for emergency situations.

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Resource: Audio

Topic:

The Role of Business in Disaster Response

Following the 2004 Asian tsunami, the business community saw a need to better coordinate how the private sector works with nonprofit and government relief and aid agencies to respond to disasters. In this audio interview, host Karl Matzke speaks with the Partnership for Disaster Response Chair and Brinks Co. CEO Michael Dan about how the Partnership leverages member companies' expertise and capabilities to accelerate on-the-ground support to address the most critical needs in time of crisis.

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Resource: Audio

Topic:

Environmental Sustainabililty and Water Supply

Is there a world water crisis? Yes, says water expert Peter Gleick in this audio lecture at the annual Conradin von Gugelberg memorial lecture on the environment at Stanford Graduate School of Business. To the list of environmental sustainability matters plaguing our planet, we can add the fact that we don't have enough fresh, clean water to do what we need to do, he asserts, which results in disease and death in many areas of the world. Gleick outlines the nature of the crisis and offers some answers.

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Resource: Audio

Topic:

Corporate Social Responsibility, Nonprofit Management

Disaster Relief - How Can Business Help?

In their nonprofit management strategy, the American Red Cross recognizes businesses as key players in emergency preparedness and disaster relief efforts. In this audio interview, host Karl Matzke speaks with Joe Becker, the senior vice president of disaster services at the American Red Cross, who discusses how the national organization leverages the support of the business community to provide assistance beyond in-kind and financial resources, which is an approach applied by many in nonprofit management.

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Resource: Audio

Topic:

Resource Scarcity Will Force Change

A new era of global environmental threats is changing the work of the world’s largest conservation organization. World Wildlife Fund President and CEO Carter Roberts describes how the organization is changing.

Resource: Video

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Corporate Social Responsibility, Nonprofit Management

Ask ACT: 20 Years of Nonprofit Management Experience

April Gilbert, former executive director of the Stanford Alumni Consulting Team, presents ACT's approach to knowledge management.

Resource: Video

Topic:

Corporate Social Responsibility, Economic Development, Human Rights

International Coffee Markets - Panel Discussion

Over 125 million people rely on coffee for their livelihood. What are Starbucks and the Fair Trade certification doing to help them out of the coffee crisis? This panel describes the mechanics of the global coffee crisis and explores strategies to address sustainability issues.

Resource: Video

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Corporate Social Responsibility, Human Rights

In the past few years, several international reporting standards have emerged. But are they actually changing corporate behavior? This panel explores the effectiveness of current efforts to improve and monitor labor conditions abroad.

Resource: Video

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Clean Products

Why should professionals care about the environment? Executives from environmentally conscious companies talk about their personal motivation and marketing strategies.

Resource: Video

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Corporate Social Responsibility in Supply Chains

For Nike, corporate social responsibility has become a business driver rather than an obligation. In this university podcast, Nike's director of global logistics, Dawn Vance, talks about how the company is integrating performance, innovation, and sustainability throughout the entire supply chain. She also shares new efforts to provide a "closed loop" business model in which products can be reclaimed and reused at the end of their functional life.

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Resource: Audio

Topic:

Preparing Small Businesses for Disasters

Headquartered in south Florida, Office Depot has had direct experience with several natural disasters and understands the value of emergency preparedness. With 80% of their client base made up of small businesses, Office Depot encourages companies to make the investment and protect their people and data. Host Karl Matzke interviews chairman and CEO of Office Depot Steve Odland who shares advice on disaster preparedness so that small businesses can recover seamlessly.

You are missing some Flash content that should appear here! Perhaps your browser cannot display it, or maybe it did not initialize correctly.

Resource: Audio

Topic:

National Preparedness Month

September is National Preparedness month - are you ready? Natural disasters and acts of terrorism can occur at any given moment. FEMA administrator Craig Fugate encourages Americans to plan ahead in this audio interview hosted by Karl Matzke. Fugate speaks on the shared responsibility of individuals, business, and government to help maintain resiliency after a disaster strikes. Fugate points to valuable resources from Ready.gov that help individuals and businesses prepare and protect themselves for emergency situations.

You are missing some Flash content that should appear here! Perhaps your browser cannot display it, or maybe it did not initialize correctly.

Resource: Audio

Topic:

The Role of Business in Disaster Response

Following the 2004 Asian tsunami, the business community saw a need to better coordinate how the private sector works with nonprofit and government relief and aid agencies to respond to disasters. In this audio interview, host Karl Matzke speaks with the Partnership for Disaster Response Chair and Brinks Co. CEO Michael Dan about how the Partnership leverages member companies' expertise and capabilities to accelerate on-the-ground support to address the most critical needs in time of crisis.

You are missing some Flash content that should appear here! Perhaps your browser cannot display it, or maybe it did not initialize correctly.

Resource: Audio

Topic:

Environmental Sustainabililty and Water Supply

Is there a world water crisis? Yes, says water expert Peter Gleick in this audio lecture at the annual Conradin von Gugelberg memorial lecture on the environment at Stanford Graduate School of Business. To the list of environmental sustainability matters plaguing our planet, we can add the fact that we don't have enough fresh, clean water to do what we need to do, he asserts, which results in disease and death in many areas of the world. Gleick outlines the nature of the crisis and offers some answers.

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Resource: Audio

Case Studies : All | Academic Cases

No Results Found

Topics:

Anatomy of a Corporate Campaign: Rainforest Action Network and Citigroup (A)

In 2000, the Rainforest Action Network launched a campaign to get Citigroup to stop financing destructive activities in endangered ecosystems. Three cases trace the development of that campaign starting with the initial launch and tentative negotiations.

Resource: Academic Case

Topics:

Corporate Social Responsibility, Philanthropy, Responsible Investing

Corporate Philanthropy

What are the motivations for corporate philanthropy, and what forms may such philanthropy take? Is philanthropy good business, and can corporate efforts result in effective philanthropy?

Resource: Academic Case

Topics:

Corporate Social Responsibility, Economic Development, Nonprofit Management

TransFair USA

TransFair USA, the fair trade labeling arm of the Fair Trade Labeling Organization, faced strategic challenges in 2003. The founder needed to convince uninformed mainstream consumers and skeptical large-scale coffee roasters to buy Fair Trade Certified coffee.

Resource: Academic Case

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Adiana, Inc., and the Development of a Female Sterilization Device

Adiana’s new female sterilization catheter had proven to be successful in preliminary trials in Mexico. The company president had to make decisions about subject consent and Adiana’s responsibility to participants in further trials.

Resource: Academic Case

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Merck's US. Managed Distribution Program for the HIV Drug Crixivan

Merck was grappling with how to distribute an HIV drug in limited supply. The decision team had chosen to manage distribution from one source, and was meeting to review the progress and success of its plan.

Resource: Academic Case

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GlaxoSmithKline and AIDS Drugs Policy

In Africa, GlaxoSmithKline had to determine how to address the AIDS crisis while maintaining business viability. The case details the interventions of Stanford business alumnus Jean-Pierre Garnier to set the public tone for the company and its worldwide operations.

Resource: Academic Case

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Newmont in Peru

This case describes events with Peruvian intelligence chief Vladimiro Montesinos, his network, and his interventions in affairs of the Newmont Mining Corporation. It provides an inside view of how business gets done where the rule of law is subordinated to political influence.

Resource: Academic Case

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Notes on AIDS and the Pharmaceutical Industry

These notes discuss the AIDS epidemic including history, treatment, drug pricing, and economics.

Resource: Academic Case

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Cisco Corporate Philanthropy

As the Cisco Foundation, an outgrowth of Cisco Systems, moves beyond its start-up phase, the director of corporate philanthropy wants to assess the philanthropic program’s results. She hopes to evaluate whether the Foundation effectively drew on the company’s core strengths, and whether costs to shareholders had yielded benefits to Cisco and its grantees.

Resource: Academic Case

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AES in Nigeria

The U.S. energy company AES is in the process of entering the Nigerian market through the acquisition of a controlling equity interest in a power generator project. How does AES juggle its core values and company culture in entering this new environment?

Resource: Academic Case

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Serrot Corporation

Serrot, the plastics linings company, was moving into new markets. The founder faced management challenges associated with this transition, including labor and union issues.

Resource: Academic Case

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Wal-Mart: Nonmarket Pressure and Reputation Risk (B): A New Nonmarket Strategy

In 2002, Wal-Mart came under attack for its inadequate pay and benefits, and its negative impact on local economies. This case examines the steps the company took to improve its image.

Resource: Academic Case

Topic :

Corporate Social Responsibility, Environment, Social Entrepreneurship

Green River Environmental

David Dodson started the septic company Green River Environmental after mixed results in his previous entrepreneurial ventures. This case tracks three difficult mangerial situations Dodson faced during his tenure as CEO and chairman of the company.

Resource: Academic Case

Topic :

Wal-Mart: Nonmarket Pressure and Reputation Risk (A)

In 2002, Wal-Mart came under attack for its inadequate pay and benefits, and its negative impact on local economies. This case examines the issues involved.

Resource: Academic Case

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FedEx and Environmental Defense: Building a Hybrid Delivery Fleet

From specification to production: FedEx and Environmental Defense started a collaboration in 2000 to develop energy efficient delivery trucks. Eaton Corporation and Freightliner soon joined them to prototype the new vehicles.

Resource: Academic Case

Research Papers : All

Topics:

Corporate Social Responsibility, Government, Human Rights

Reputation When Threats and Transfers Are Available

The authors present a model where a long-run player uses money transfers and threats to influence the decisions of a sequence of short-run players. The model is useful for the debate around judicial corruption.

Resource: Research Paper

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Building the Civilized Workplace

Nasty people don't just make others feel miserable--they create economic problems for their companies.

Resource: Research Paper

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Challenging Work and Corporate Responsibility

A survey of 759 graduating MBAs at 11 top business schools reveals that the future business leaders rank corporate social responsibility high on their list of values, and they are willing to sacrifice a significant part of their salaries to find an employer whose thinking is in synch with their own.

Resource: Research Paper

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Managerial Contracting and Corporate Social Responsibility

This paper presents a positive theory of corporate social responsibility set in a managerial capitalism context in which managers, instead of markets, allocate resources, including social expenditures. The theory focuses jointly on the operational management of the firm and on its social expenditures as influenced by a compensation contract chosen by shareholders in a capital market that prices social expenditures.

Resource: Research Paper

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Corporate Social Responsibility and Social Entrepreneurship

The paper presents a theory of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and shows that CSR is costly when it is an imperfect substitute for personal giving. The paper demonstrates, however, that entrepreneurs, not shareholders, bear that cost.

Resource: Research Paper

Courses : All

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The Business World: Moral and Spiritual Inquiry through Literature: POLECON 349

This course uses novels and plays as a basis for examining the moral and spiritual aspects of business leadership and of the business environment. The literature covered illuminates the character of business people and the cultural contexts of values and beliefs in which commercial activities take place in a global economy.

Resource: MBA Course

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The Paths to Power: OB 377

Understanding the processes of power and influence in organizations is critical for leaders. This course aims to teach students how to to diagnose and analyze power and politics in organizational situations, show students how to exercise power effectively, and help students come to terms with the inherent dilemmas and choices involved in developing and exercising influence.

Resource: MBA Course

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Leadership Perspectives: OB 363

This course examines the concept of principled leadership and the various ways leaders try to institutionalize values within their organizations. Through assigned readings, interactive lectures with visiting executives, and weekly small group discussions, students learn how leaders implement their principles, and reflect on their own values and career aspirations.

Resource: MBA Course

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Ethical Issues in Biotech Industry: GSBGEN 522

This course focuses on the bioscience industry (biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical device, genomics, and vaccine). The emphasis is on the ethical and social challenges of running companies in these areas.

Resource: MBA Course

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Work and Family: GSBGEN 376

This course examines the strategies that highly educated women and men use to combine work and family. It also explores how managers can help others achieve balance in these two areas.

Resource: MBA Course

Innovators : All

Topic :

Government Programs, Nonprofits, Social Policy, Corporate Social Responsibility, Environment, Government

An interview with Jeremy Sokulsky (MBA '04)

Jeremy Sokulsky is working with government land managers, environmental regulators and private conservation investors to restore Lake Tahoe clarity.

Resource: Alumni

Topic :

Arts, Culture, and Religion, Corporate Social Responsibility, Economic Development, Education, Human Rights, Social Entrepreneurship

An interview with Dave DeForest-Stalls (EPNL '07)

Dave DeForest-Stalls wants to help kids stay out of gangs. He's providing mentorship and hip ways to keep youth on the straight and narrow.

Resource: CSI Affiliates

Topic :

Corporate Social Responsibility, Economic Development, Environment, Government, Nonprofit Management, Social Entrepreneurship

An interview with Court Gould (EPNL '06)

Court Gould is pushing for Pittsburgh to grow sustainably. He's working hard to inform decision makers about to accomplish that most effectively.

Resource: CSI Affiliates

Topic :

Arts, Culture, and Religion, Philanthropy & Responsible Investing, Corporate Social Responsibility, Economic Development, Education, Environment, Government, Healthcare, Nonprofit Management, Social Entrepreneurship

An interview with Ruth Bolan (EPNL '06)

Ruth Bolan is giving voice to indigenous peoples of the Pacific Island. She funds documentaries that bring their culture and challenges to millions of viewers.

Resource: CSI Affiliates

Topic :

Corporate Social Responsibility, Economic Development, Education, Human Rights, Nonprofit Management, Philanthropy, Responsible Investing, Social Entrepreneurship

An interview with Daniel Grossman

Daniel Grossman's Wild Planet creates toys that parents love as much as kids. His aim is to inspire learning and inventiveness.

Resource: Alumni

Topic :

Corporate Social Responsibility, Nonprofit Management

Q&A: Richard Jefferson

Stanford Social Innovation Review: Spring 2011

Richard Jefferson believes that biotechnology can be used to benefit the poor and disenfranchised, but only if the R&D process is democratized so that everyone has access to critical scientific tools and technologies.

Corporate Social Responsibility, Human Rights

Resource: Stanford Social Innovation Review Article

Topic :

More than Beans

Stanford Social Innovation Review: Spring 2011

Sustainable Harvest grows a new supply chain.

Corporate Social Responsibility, Human Rights

Resource: Stanford Social Innovation Review Article

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Positive Distraction Workforce

Stanford Social Innovation Review: Spring 2011

Habitat International has grown its bottom line using a largely disabled workforce.

Corporate Social Responsibility, Environment, Government, Leadership

Resource: Stanford Social Innovation Review Article

Topic :

McNutt Describes How Cowboys, Engineers, and Scientists Plugged the BP Oil Leak

When oil began gushing into the Gulf of Mexico last year, scientists, engineers, and operations workers all had different ideas about what to do. The biggest lesson may have been getting these different groups to work together, Marcia McNutt of the USGS told a Stanford Graduate School of Business audience.

Resource: News Article

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