Giving Gifts that Give Back

Every year I look for unique and socially-conscious gifts that tell a story. I try to only buy items that contribute somehow to causes I care about. This way every gift is like two gifts and perhaps the recipients will be inspired to find out more about the causes I support. This year I compiled a list, which includes some longtime favorites and a few new discoveries.

David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (DSWT)

The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is by far my favorite organization. Between family and friends, I believe we now foster about a dozen of DSWT's orphans each year and everyone has at least a little bit of elephant swag. It is the most successful orphan-elephant rescue and rehabilitation program in the world and one of the pioneering conservation organizations for wildlife and habitat protection in East Africa. The DSWT was founded in 1977 by Dr. Dame Daphne Sheldrick D.B.E, in honour of the memory of her late husband, famous naturalist and founding Warden of Tsavo East National Park, David Leslie William Sheldrick MBE. Chaired by Daphne Sheldrick, the DSWT is run by Angela Sheldrick, daughter of David and Daphne, who has been managing all of the Trust’s activities for over a decade. In addition to rescuing and rearing orphaned elephants and rhinos (and the occasional random other species), the DSWT runs nine full-time Anti-Poaching and Desnaring units, four mobile veterinary units, the Sky Vets, four aerial surveillance planes, a rapid response helicopter, and a variety of community outreach and conservation initiatives. There are several ways to support DSWT and here are my current favorites.

1. This cute t-shirt through J.Crew

100% of net proceeds go to DSWT.

(most sizes backordered with estimated ship date of December 14, 2015)

2. Bracelet and Pendants by artist Kathy Kamei

"Every cent from the sale" of bracelets (l) and necklaces (r) go to DSWT. Kathy Kamei's jewelry is created by hand in Bali.

3. Watercolor prints on... everything

You can get several Angela Sheldrick watercolors on a variety of products through CafePress.com, including t-shirts, mugs, baby bibs and onesies, and tote bags. This one is my favorite, but the others are equally adorable.

There are also more traditional giving option, such as a direct donation. For those in the U.S., you will want to use this link for tax deductible donations. That said, I prefer the fostering program which is not tax deductible in the U.S. but is substantially more satisfying.

World Wildlife Fund

For $55 you can gift an endangered animal adoption kit that includes a stuffed plush animal, adoption certificate, and species informational card. The stuffed animals are pretty cute and, in my experience, well made. They also have some non-conventional stuffed animal options for more unique gifts. If you are planning to buy a stuffed bear, bunny, or platypus for a kid in your life, why not also provide some knowledge?

The Lalela Project

Lalela provides after-school art and music education for at-risk youth and orphans in South Africa and former child soldiers and refugee children in Northern Uganda. They also have an after-school arts program in the South Bronx, in one of the highest at-risk communities in the United States.

Lalela has transformed some of their student artwork into gorgeous scarves, which can be purchased here.  Above ("Signature") and below (Trees) are just two examples.


For more information about Lalela, check out this video.

Raven + Lily

Raven + Lily clothing, jewelry, purses, scarves, and other accessories are made by at-risk women paid fair trade wages in a variety of countries, including in the United States. Materials used are eco-friendly and follow fair trade standards. Due to the wide range of countries, the styles vary beautifully for many tastes. For example, I love this bracelet, made in Ethiopia with recycled gold and silver.

I also want these arm warmers for myself - made in Kenya with organic cotton.

Uncommon Goods

Every item at Uncommon Goods has a story. Now, these items don't support a specific cause as much as showcase Uncommon Goods' commitment to artists and the environment. You will find things on this site that you will not find anywhere else and many are made from recycled materials.

I love these shot glasses made from Himalayan salt - beautiful and perfect for tequila!

You can also find quirky things, like these belts made out of bike treads.

(They also donate a portion of every order to your choice of one of four non-profit organizations)

Anyway, I am not finished with my shopping, so if I find more cool sites or products, I will update this post accordingly. Happy shopping!

Three Takeaways from the BSR Conference

I plan to write-up a few in-depth posts this week but wanted to share some quick notes about the recurring themes I heard at the BSR Conference:

1. Long-term focus: across industries and professions, people spoke about the challenge of shifting market, media, and investor focus from short-term earnings to long-term financial sustainability. As social and environmental responsibility becomes less about initiatives and more integrated within business operations, meeting quarterly earnings projections becomes less pertinent to the corporate mission. We need stock analysts capable of looking beyond dollar per share, who understand and focus on social and environmental impact as a component of long-term financial stability, as well as a media willing to shift away from sensationalized ticker alarmism toward presenting a larger picture of corporate stability.

2. Collaboration: more than ever, companies are partnering together and with NGOs to answer the most difficult social and environmental challenges around the world. Look for more about collaboration in Myanmar/Burma, where companies are addressing the lack of legal and regulatory infrastructure together, with local and international NGOs, and with guidance from several arms of the UN. The challenges are too big and systemic, in Myanmar/Burma and throughout the world, to be solved by one company or NGO alone. Sustainability leaders spoke about the willingness of their companies to work together on these issues, understanding that competition and collaboration must coexist.

3.Transparency: another major message was transparency, even when the picture isn't pretty. Companies are more willing to openly discuss challenges alongside victories, to give a complete picture of their social and environmental efforts. It's no longer important to project a perfect image of errorless operations but, rather, focus on management's ability to learn from and respond to challenges and mistakes. The discussion was less about "how transparent?" and more about "how does transparency spread through the corporate culture?" through messaging and reward structures, so that employees feel free to share successes and challenges in the spirit of corporate learning.

Some of my favorite moments came when speakers gently reminded their audience the people most impacted by the initiatives discussed at the conference probably did not even know about the conference, let alone attend it. This message was not lost on the people I spoke with, and there was a deep understanding of their responsibility to look beyond the inevitable elitism of a corporate gathering. As expected, the truly inspirational moments from the conference came during the sharing of stories, moments of understanding about shared challenges, and the acknowledgement that everyone there was doing something important, no matter how small or big, to make this world a better place for everyone.

Preview: BSR Conference, Thursday

Today, the last day of the BSR Conference, is chock-full of interesting speakers. Here's a summary of some of the highlights:

Human Rights in the Technology Sector

Speakers:

Brad Smith, Executive Vice President and General Counsel, Legal and Corporate Affairs, Microsoft Corporation
Mark Chandler, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, Chief Compliance Officer, Cisco Systems Inc.
Eileen Donahoe, Director, Global Affairs, Human Rights Watch

It will be interesting to hear lawyers speak on human rights. In my experience, corporate lawyers tend to be more concerned with protecting the company than protecting those affected by company operations, so I'll be curious to see if these two break that mold.

Eileen Donahoe's inclusion on this panel likely means the focus will be on internet freedom, rather than supply chain sustainability and conflict minerals.

Breakout Session: Can Voluntary Frameworks Ensure Companies Respect Human Rights?

Speakers:

Ursula Wynhoven, General Counsel and Chief, Governance and Social Sustainability, United Nations Global Compact
Chris Albin-Lackey, Senior Researcher, Business and Human Rights Program, Human Rights Watch
Melike Ann Yetken, Senior Advisor for Corporate Responsibility, U.S. Department of State

This debate has been going on since long before the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights were developed, so it will be interesting to hear if any of these players have shifted their opinion based on the progress and challenges in implementing a voluntary framework thus far.

Rona Starr

Rona Starr is the Director of Supplier Workplace Accountability at the McDonald's Corporation. Beyond a summary of McDonald's efforts to promote human rights throughout their supply chain, I'll be interested in the tone of her presentation. Specifically, I'll be looking for how much emphasis is placed on making a business case, as compared to a moral argument, to sell sustainability initiatives within the organization. As I'll explain in a future blogpost, I've noticed a trend during this conference and I'm curious if it will hold.

Darren Walker

Darren Walker is the President of the Ford Foundation, which provides grants and fellowships to individuals and organizations, focusing on eight social justice issues:

• democratic and accountable government
• economic fairness
• educational opportunity and scholarship
• freedom of expression
• gender, sexuality, and reproductive justice
• human rights
• metropolitan opportunity
• sustainable development

I wouldn't even dare to guess what Mr. Walker will focus on during his presentation but, if it's fantastic, I'll be sure to blog a bit about it and send a link to the video, when and if it becomes available.

Oh yeah and Bill Nye is closing the conference! If you want to see his presentation, check out the livestream at 6:40pm ET.

Note: I'm still deciding which afternoon breakout sessions to attend so, instead of previewing my options, I'll be sure to summarize the winners in a future blogpost.


The BSR Conference runs Tuesday through Thursday, in New York. The Agenda and link to livestream of selected events can be found here. Follow events at #BSR14 on twitter and stay tuned for more from me!

Preview: BSR Conference, Wednesday

Today, the first full day of the conference, is packed with cool panels and speakers. Here's a highlight of the events I will be attending.

Jeffrey Wright

Actor Jeffrey Wright is co-founder of the Ebola Survival Fund and is on the advisory board of the United Nations Democracy Fund. He tweets at @jfreewright about his efforts to #CrushEbolaNow.

Breakout Session: Responsible Business in Myanmar

Speakers:
Mai Oldgard, Vice President and Head of Sustainability, Telenor Group
Marcus Chung, Vice President, Social Responsibility and Vendor Compliance, The Children's Place
Fiona Sadler, Director, Ethical Sourcing, Marks & Spencer

It appears the discussion will focus on proactively engaging stakeholders to catalyze sustainable development. I will primarily be looking for any efforts by these companies to protect the Rohingya Muslim minority against human rights abuses. I will also be interested in how they address child labor and their approach to developing in conflict areas.

Additional information:

• Telenor
• Telenor Myanmar
• Briefing: Sustainability in Myanmar
• The Children's Place
• Boycott effort targeting The Children's Place
• Selected news reports about the garment industry in Myanmar/Burma
• BBC (12/19/2012)
• Global Post (9/30/2013)

Nils S. Andersen

Nils Andersen is Group CEO of The Maersk Group, a global trade, shipping, and energy company, operating in 130 countries. Maersk's sustainability focuses on three areas:

• Energy efficiency - increasing trade and economic opportunities while improving energy efficiency of their global transport supply chains and reducing carbon emissions from their containerized transport
• Enabling trade - improving conditions for businesses and industries to participate in global trade by reducing external barriers to trade, providing transport and logistics to local farmers, and engage with governments regarding infrastructure improvements
• Investing in education - training and education to build skills in growing markets, encouraging diversity in enrollment, targeting women and communities currently unable to access education opportunities

This is a broad strategy and I don't know where Mr. Andersen will focus, but I hope he spends some time discussing Maersk's anti-corruption efforts, as well as their progress toward integrating the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights throughout their operations.

Breakout Session: Innovative Approaches to Sustainable Supply Chains

Speakers:
Kelly Goodejohn, Director, Ethical Sourcing, Starbucks Coffee Company
Tu Rinsche, Manager, International Labor Standards, The Walt Disney Company
Greg Priest, Head of Sustainability Policy, IKEA Group
Deborah Kops, Managing Principal, Sourcing Change

As always, I'll be interested to hear if, and to what extent, Starbucks, Disney, and IKEA have integrated the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights in to their supply chains. I'll also be interested in if and how Sourcing Change prioritizes human rights through supply chain change management.

The BSR Conference runs Tuesday through Thursday, in New York. The Agenda and link to a livestream of selected events can be found here. Follow events at #BSR14 on twitter and stay tuned for more from me!

Preview: BSR Conference, Tuesday

I'll be at the BSR Conference this week and will be blogging about the presentations and discussions, with a particular focus on sustainable supply chains and business development in Myanmar/Burma. I imagine, after looking at the agenda, there will also be some interesting discussions about how business can contribute to the fight against Ebola.  Here's a preview of the two speakers opening the conference tonight.

Dame Ellen MacArthur

Dame Ellen MacArthur, founder of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, will open the conference on Tuesday evening.

I imagine Dame MacArthur will speak about the work done by her Ellen MacArthur Foundation toward accelerating a transition to a regenerative circular economy.  A circular economy is one that is regenerative by design, less linear, more organic.

A regenerative circular economy uses biological materials, designed to re-enter the biosphere, and technical materials, designed to circulate with minimal loss of quality.

Go here for an interactive version of this diagram

A transition would require a systems level re-design to an economy that is restorative by intention, which aims to rely on renewable energy, and minimizes, tracks, and hopefully eliminates the use of toxic chemicals, while eradicating waste through careful design.

The circular economy shifts the focus from product ownership to "functional service," whereby manufacturers or retailers retain the ownership of their products, selling the use of their products instead of one-way consumption. Products are designed to be more durable and to be easily disassembled and refurbished for repeated use.

I will be interested to hear about progress and feedback from manufacturers, customers, and other stakeholders.

Sir Andrew Witty

Sir Andrew Witty is the CEO of GlaxoSmithKline, a global healthcare company that researches and develops vaccines, medicines, and consumer products. Previously, he has worked in GSK's International New Products groups, in respiratory and HIV and infectious disease fields.

GSK has several socially responsible initiatives in progress, including:

• reinvesting 20% of profits made from sales in least developed countries back in to strengthening healthcare systems in those countries, partnering with NGOs to train frontline healthcare workers to reduce child and material mortality as well as meet wider community healthcare needs
• developing the world's first malaria vaccine which, if approved and recommended for use, will be preferentially (affordably) priced in affected least developed countries, as well as working in partnership with other organizations to develop new tools and increase the use of existing tools (bed nets, spraying) to combat malaria
• contributing to the United Nationals Millennium Development Goals by supplying medicines and vaccines and supporting development organizations which help women overcome poverty, among other commitments

These are all interesting, but I hope Sir Witty will spend some time discussing GSK's efforts to develop an Ebola vaccine.  Their Ebola vaccine has shown promising results in preclinical (non-human) studies and is in currently in phase 1 safety trials (human). Results are expected by the end of 2014. If successful, the vaccine will given to thousands of frontline healthcare workers in Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia in early 2015. If the results of that phase show the vaccine successfully protects healthcare workers against Ebola without causing significant side effects, GSK intends to be prepared to accelerate production of the vaccine. Given the current situation in afflicted countries in West Africa, this is welcome news.

I will be interested to hear a status report and Sir Witty's response, if any, to recent comments by Dr. Margaret Chan, the director general of the World Health Organization.

The BSR Conference runs Tuesday through Thursday, in New York. Follow events at #BSR14 on twitter and stay tuned for more from me!

Here we go again...

So I woke-up this morning to this op-ed written by Jonah Goldberg (@JonahNRO on twitter):

Is the Islamic State actually Islamic? http://t.co/AWanJp4PvT
— New York Post (@nypost) September 14, 2014

Let me focus attention on a few things written here:

from now on,when someone starts a sentence with "Muslims should - " I'm going to shout "ARE YOU SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSING 1.6 BILLION PEOPLE?"
— Hend (@LibyaLiberty) September 14, 2014

Because don't we all demand our "moderate, decent" friends of various religions stand on soap boxes and condemn each and every offensive act perpetrated in the name of their religion?

No. No we don't.

I don't feel the need to call my "moderate, decent" Christian friends every single time Westboro Church protests a funeral, to ensure they demonstrate the appropriate level of disgust. Nor did I call them when Terry Jones threatened to and then did burn a Quran. "Why not?" you may ask. Because I consider them decent people and friends and I assume they are disgusted. Maybe they've expressed their agreement about the stupidity of these actions at some point in the past and, frankly, that is enough for me.

And while we are on the topic, who defines "moderate" here? I don't ask my Christian or Jewish friends if they are moderate Christians and Jews. I don't consider myself a "moderate Irish woman" or a "moderate atheist." Why do we feel Muslims must identify as moderate or not moderate, and who sets those guidelines?

Anyway, there's more:

Seriously? Every single Muslim must publicly and loudly express disgust or what? We label them an ISIS-sympathizer? Guilty until proven innocent? There's something in the Bill of Rights about that.

The Inevitable Failure of Dodd Frank 1502

Section 1502 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank) requires all U.S. publicly traded companies to report sourcing details about conflict minerals in their supply chains to the SEC, if and when they source minerals from eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) or neighboring countries. The underlying purpose was to cut off the flow of funds to violent actors in the region.  The unintended consequence was that many U.S. companies chose to stop sourcing from the region, due to the difficulty in meeting these requirements.  But this consequence was not unanticipated, and we began to see the fallout during the last week.

So what happened? Yesterday I began to see a slew of tweets indicating some major disclosures about Dodd-Frank's conflict mineral section were coming soon.  It started with this tweet:

Wednesday set to be a humdinger of a news day on DRC conflict minerals. Brace yourselves.
— Laura Seay (@texasinafrica) September 9, 2014

So I started digging and found these tweets:

#DRC: #US government acknowledges it 'cannot determine' cleanliness of supply chains despite Dodd Frank Act - http://t.co/ztqAA5c8Fv 1/4
— christoph vogel (@ethuin) September 9, 2014

#DRC: At the same time, industry claims they spent millions on determining 'conflict-free' minerals while local reality remains dire. 2/4
— christoph vogel (@ethuin) September 9, 2014