Hello CCSD Community

Here is our bi-weekly Conscious Capitalism content share. We hope you find it informative and inspirational.

In the news

Have businesses contributed to some of our modern health and well-being issues? To simply put it, yes. Could businesses also be the solution and betterment of our health and well-being? According to this HBR article, the answer is yes AND could also be a competitive advantage for organizations.

Impact

San Diego is 1 of 5 cities out of 143 to win a $3 million grant from the AdvancingCities Challenge supported by JPMorgan Chase. This is a 5-year initiative focused on inclusive growth and greater economic opportunity. San Diego will use this grant to fund a new collaborative program called Advancing San Diego.

“The Advancing San Diego program is going to be a game-changer and will provide resources to underserved communities that need it most,” said Mayor Kevin L. Faulconer. “It’s going to lift up our small businesses, prepare San Diegans for skilled jobs and make a real difference in people’s lives. It’s also going to level the playing field so that no matter where you grow up in San Diego, you have access to opportunity.”

If you are a business or educator interested in participating in the Advancing San Diego initiative, fill out the quick form HERE.

Informative Listen

Check out episode nine of the World Changing Women Podcast and hear Eileen Fisher share how she turned her hand made garments to a $300 million dollar brand. And continues to challenge her industry by working toward becoming one of the most sustainable clothing brands in the world, becoming an ESOP, and practicing a collaborative leadership structure.

In Practice

This week we are excited to highlight local San Diego Conscious Capitalism start-up, reVessel. 

Hello CCSD Community

Here is our bi-weekly Conscious Capitalism content share. We hope you find it informative and inspirational.

In the news

It is no secret that the apparel industry has a huge environmental and social footprint.  There are several newer, more environmental and ethically friendly apparel organizations popping up. However, four older brands, like Fruit of the Loom and Hanes, have also committed to revamp their strategies to reduce their negative impact on the world and support their consumer demands.

Impact

As the head of Heineken USA and Heineken Mexico, Dolf van der Brink has learned to use the power of people and purpose to apply smart, impactful, and profitable practices. “By letting go of fear and stereotypes, something van den Brink has had to do multiple times in his career, he says, he has learned an important lesson “A big part of humanity is suppressed in organizations and bureaucracies. But when you can find a way to tap in that, and appeal to people’s passions and unleash their energies, amazing things can be done.” Read more about specific examples here in this FastCo article. 

Informative Read

Get Your Head Out of Your Bottom Line: And Build Your Brand on Purpose, by Bethany Andell. This book explores what could happen if executives shift their focus from solely improving the bottom line to the company’s long-term health and non-monetary impact on the world. And how to do it!

In Practice

Branch Out Market is a curated social impact market. They partner with nonprofits who are teaching a skill, working with women, young artisans, or refugees to help create economic opportunities and income streams for their projects. By partnering with these organizations they hope to help them focus on their missions and help in creating a stable and reliable access to market. Please read their stories online and browse through the market as if you were walking the streets of Guatemala, Tanzania, South Africa, India, and more combined!

From the founder:
“I am a strong believer in capitalism as a resourceful and efficient way to solve the worlds challenges. Don’t get me wrong, we need charity, but we also need jobs. After working with farmers in South Africa for a few years I saw how their sense of purpose was critical to their success and happiness. My job was to bridge the gap to market, with each opportunity our farmers worked harder and were able to improve their skills and resourcefulness. I joined Conscious Capitalism because I knew that in order for Branch Out Market to be successful I needed to meet and collaborate with like-minded individuals. This is how we will make the world a better place!” – Rachel McKinney

Hello CCSD Community

Here is our bi-weekly Conscious Capitalism content share. We hope you find it informative and inspirational.

In the news

Conscious Capitalism is all about elevating humanity through business. Our fellow Arizona Chapter President, Brian Mohr, got to experience this first hand with his visit to Televerde’s Perryville call-center. What makes this unique? Besides their intensive training, development and investment in their people, this call center is located in the Arizona Department of Corrections in Perryville. 70% of Telverde’s workforce are inmates. After his visit Brian believes Televerde to be “THE BEST EXAMPLE OF CAPITALISM THAT I’VE SEEN. IT’S WHAT CAPITALISM CAN ASPIRE TO DO AND BE. THE COMPANY IS THE ULTIMATE EXAMPLE OF BUSINESS AS A FORCE FOR GOOD.” Learn more about his experience here. 

Impact

GoCheck Kids is the first iPhone app registered with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to screen young children for correctable vision impairment with a simple photo. This replaces the need for a $20,000 screening device and can be also be used on kids under 6 years old. They have raised  $20 million in funding so far and have screened over 900,000 kids with the goal of 20 million by 2020.

Informative Read

Simon Sinek, author of Leaders Eat Last and Start With Why, is releasing his next book, The Infinite Game, on June 4th. You can pre-order your copy today. Learn to embrace an infinite mindset and why that is key to building stronger, more innovative, more inspiring organizations.

Hello CCSD Community

Here is our bi-weekly Conscious Capitalism content share. We hope you find it informative and inspirational.

In the news

The annual World Economic Forum is currently taking place in Davos, Switzerland. U2 singer, Bono, was one of the many speakers, thinkers, and leaders present. He shares, “Capitalism is not immoral – it’s amoral. It requires our instruction…Capitalism has taken more people out of poverty than any other ‘ism’. But it is a wild beast that, if not tamed, can chew up a lot of people along the way.” Conscious Capitalism and it’s tenets, we believe, is a way that can “tame the beast” and continue to serve all our stakeholders.

Impact

Forbes released The Just 100 companies in the US list.  The criteria they considered about 890 of America’s largest publicly-traded companies include: pay workers fairly; treat customers well and protect their privacy; produce quality products; minimize their environmental impact; give back to the communities they operate in; commit to ethical and diverse leadership; and create abundant job opportunities.

San Diego’s ResMed came in #18 on this list.

Informative Read

Founder & CEO of PayActiv, Safwan Shah, is the first author to publish a book through Conscious Capitalism Press. His book, About TIME: How Businesses Can Save the World (One Worker at a Time), shares how we came to pay workers in this country and how practices positioned to ‘help’ the poor amid crises have resulted in massive financial stress, loss of happiness, and productivity. It also takes a look at the role “time” plays in our society today and how the speed of life is changing, challenging company leaders to step into their heroic nature.

Get on the pre-sale list here. Learn more about PayActiv and how they are transforming the underserved and underbanked workforce.