|
|
|
Message from Peter Shergold
 Three years ago, almost to the day, I was given the opportunity to set-up CSI. All I had was a wide-ranging but rather incoherent set of ideas on the growing importance and scale of the social economy and, offsetting that, a wonderful group of committed and generous supporters to provide financial backing, enthusiasm and advice.
With the help of university, not-for-profit, business and philanthropic leaders a Centre was born. It has thrived. As CSI has grown, so, far more, its influence has widened. It is now widely recognised as a source of knowledge on the exciting new ideas that frame the creation of social impact – social business, entrepreneurship, procurement, investment and capital.
The next stage of CSI’s evolution is now at hand. Later this year an Executive Director will be appointed. Once that person is in position I will stay on in a part-time capacity as the Macquarie Group Foundation Professor of Social Impact. I have also been asked to chair the Board. For me it’s a great opportunity to stay involved with CSI and to continue to contribute to its mission. I look forward to our next three years.
> Read statement by Fred Hilmer, Chairman of the Board, CSI
Peter Shergold,
Macquarie Group Foundation Professor
|
In This Issue
 Pass It On
Know anyone who might be interested in our newsletter? Click here to forward this email to them. |
|
|
|
Recent Highlights
Social Intrapreneurship
 Professor David Grayson, Director of the Doughty Centre for Corporate Responsibility at the Cranfield School of Management UK, has just released a paper inspired by his presentation at the inaugural CSI International Research Conference last year.
The paper is based on interviews with 25 social intrapreneurs (those people within a large corporation who take direct initiative for innovations addressing social or environmental challenges). It looks at how individuals, businesses and civil society organisations interact to create sustainable value for business and society at large, focusing on the contribution of social intrapreneurs.
> Read paper
> Watch interview with David Grayson
Social Entrepreneurship
 CSI partner university, Swinburne University of Technology, recently hosted the International Entrepreneurship Research Exchange of the Australian Graduate School of Entrepreneurship. It’s one of the leading entrepreneurship conferences in the world.
The conference featured three sessions on social entrepreneurship. CSI hosted a lunchtime forum as well as sponsoring a prize for the best social entrepreneurship paper. Director of Research, Les Hems, presented the $500 prize to Jillian Gordon from the Hunter Centre for Entrepreneurship, at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, for her paper, ‘The Value Added Approach of Entrepreneurial Philanthropy’.
> Read more
> Jillian's paper will be available shortly on the CSI website
Moving beyond CSR
 In this month’s ‘Social Business’ program, Peter Kelly, Director, Corporate and External Relations at Nestlé Australia, spoke about the concept of ‘creating shared value’. This new approach, recently the subject of an article in Harvard Business Review, seeks to deliver both economic and societal value and has been embraced by Nestlé globally. Kelly says the philosophy of creating shared value must be applied across the entire organisation and be considered an integral part of the business plan, citing the example of Nestlé’s work with cocoa farmers on the Ivory Coast.
We also heard from Ian Gill, CEO of Ecotrust Australia, who talked about Ecotrust’s emphasis on making ‘breakthrough contributions’ in the areas of conservation, social finance and community development in Northern Australia. Rear Admiral Tony Hunt discussed the role Sydney Heritage Fleet plays in preserving our cultural heritage through its museum and fleet of historical vessels.
> Watch interviews
> Watch video of latest news on Social Business
> Read HBR article on creating shared value
Global volunteerism
 CSI NAB Research Fellow Dr Debbie Haski-Leventhal recently attended an important UN meeting to discuss the ‘State of the World’s Volunteerism Report' in Bangkok. She presented the Australian perspective as well as global trends in volunteering.
Due to be launched at the end of this year, the Report aims to promote a better understanding of volunteerism, recognise the contributions of volunteers to society and dispel stereotypes. Debbie will be contributing to two chapters of the report.
Debbie has also edited the latest Knowledge Connect which focuses on volunteering.
Participatory research in India
 The challenges of participatory development in India are the focus of a report from Emma Weaver. Emma was the CSI scholarship winner for 2010, which allowed her to visit the Society for Participatory Research in Asia (PRIA). Emma, who visited two field projects as part of her two month study in India, reflects on PRIA’s programs.
> Read full report
Coming Up
Social Impact bonds - are we ready?
As many of you will be aware, CSI has been undertaking a major project for the NSW government on Social Impact Bonds. We have been examining two key questions. First, whether bonds, developed in the UK are a conceptually sound financial instrument for harnessing capital for social enterprises seeking to create beneficial social impact in Australia. Second, whether the NSW market (not-for-profit organisations, philanthropists, financial institutions and public servants) is sufficiently developed to facilitate such a scheme.
Stand by for our imminent announcement on these two key questions.
What price pay equity in the community sector?
 Next month Peter Shergold and Cheryl Kernot will be chairing a series of panel discussions in Sydney (15th March), Perth (17th March) and Melbourne (21st March). The sessions promise to be informative, provocative and engaging.
The topic will be: ‘Are community organisations at a crossroad?’ The forums will discuss the quest for pay equity in the community sector and its implications for not-for-profit organisations. There will be three expert panellists followed by an audience Q & A session.
These discussions will mark the formal launch of the new CSI blog, which, like the panel discussions is intended to facilitate robust discussion and debate.
Sydney - March 15
Panellists: David Crosbie - CEO Community Council of Australia, Cassandra Goldie - CEO ACOSS, Toby Hall - CEO Mission Australia, Session chair - Peter Shergold
Perth – March 17
Panellists: Debbie Karasinski - CEO Senses Foundation, Paul Flatau - Director Centre for Social Impact, UWA Business School, Chris Hall - CEO MercyCare and President of WACOSS, Rebecca Brown - Executive Director Premier and Cabinet, Session chair - Cheryl Kernot
Melbourne – March 21
Panellists: Julie Edwards - CEO Jesuit Social Services, David Thompson - CEO Jobs Australia, Paul Smyth - General Manager Research and Policy Centre, Brotherhood of St Laurence, Session chair - Peter Shergold
> For more details and to register email csi@unsw.edu.au
|
|
