Stanford Social Innovation Review Podcast

Socialstructing is a new model that empowers individuals, rather than institutions, to create impact by utilizing modern technology to build large networks. In this audio lecture from the 2013 Nonprofit Management Institute, Marina Gorbis describes how micro-contributions from people in these networks enable flexibility and unlock potential in ways that institutions cannot. She shares three stories about successful socialstructing: the transformation of an abandoned building, fostering science education, and collecting crime-related data worldwide. Gorbis explains that, through socialstructing, technology allows individuals to accomplish difficult tasks without money, staff, or management, and generates new types of value that can replace institutional approaches in the future. Marina Gorbis is a futurist and social scientist. She serves as executive director at the Institute for the Future (IFTF), a Silicon Valley nonprofit research and consulting organization. In her fourteen years with IFTF, Gorbis has bro

At the Stanford Social Innovation Review’s 2013 Nonprofit Management Institute, Dr. James Doty criticizes Silicon Valley’s reluctance to attribute success to support and goodwill in favor of personal genius. He argues for the necessity of altruism and funding for both societal and individual benefit. Drawing on his expertise as a neurosurgeon, Doty highlights the mental and physical health benefits that result from compassion. Referencing a “compassion deficit” among the wealthy, he addresses their general fear of “wasting” funds, despite access to vast resources. Finally, using his personal story as an example of the importance of social entrepreneurship and funding support, Doty urges listeners to consider whether the amount of emphasis our society places on compassion is enough. Dr. Doty is a practicing neurosurgeon and professor of neurosurgery at Stanford University. He is also director of the Stanford Center for Compassion and Altruism, serves as a chairman of the Dalai Lama foundation (among other nonp

What is RYOT‘s game plan to change traditional media? They allow people to “Become the News.” Bryn Moser and David Darg are humanitarians. They have been on the front lines of some of the world’s major catastrophes and have seen positive transformation in communities through human impact. Frustrated with the traditional media’s inflexibility in providing actionable context around news, they decided to #ChangeThat by providing a social online hub that does: RYOT. RYOT connects action with each news story so people can get involved in the world’s most pressing issues. This month’s Social Disruptors podcast is a chat with Bryn and David on their plans to disrupt traditional media. Edward D. (Ned) Breslin is the CEO of Water For People, widely considered a force for positive change by challenging status quo approaches and offering concrete alternatives to water, sanitation, and transparency in philanthropy and aid, by offering concrete alternatives. Breslin received the Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship in

In his 2013 Nonprofit Management Institute talk, Kenyon addresses how organizations need to take advantage of the growing intersection between mobile technology and nonprofits. In a digital age that is increasingly personalized, nonprofits should understand how best to utilize mobile devices without invading supporter privacy. Kenyon argues that nonprofits must base social media effectiveness on listening: What content is popular on social media? What is the community interested in hearing about? How can nonprofits use non-voice mobile technology to their advantage? Kenyon presents strategies for answering these questions and using technology to improve nonprofit outreach. John Kenyon (@jakenyon) is the Principal at Kenyon Consulting, and is a technology educator and strategist who’s advised nonprofits for more than 20 years. He educates nonprofits about using technology strategically through his consulting, as well as through teaching seminars and writing articles, knowing that they can help organizations op

Aspirational communication focuses on mobilizing ordinary people to support a cause. In this audio lecture, recorded during the 2013 Nonprofit Management Institute, Doug Hattaway of Hattaway Communications outlines the components of an effective communication campaign: crafting an exciting goal, motivational and non-technical language, and a compelling call to action. Drawing on psychological and anthropological studies, Hattaway describes the types of messages that appeal to a nonprofit’s audience. Such messages are emotion-based, intuitive, and communicated in simple language that can be easily spread via word-of-mouth. Hattaway argues that an organization must speak to the heart before it speaks to the mind; it must connect with audiences by using aspirational communication to place human stories in the context of a larger narrative. Doug Hattaway is president of Hattaway Communications. In his 25 years of experience in the field of communication, Hattaway has served as a spokesperson and consultant to hig

Operating a successful social enterprise requires providing meaningful economics to people, in both income and personal worth. In this audio lecture, Daniel Spitzer, founder of Mountain Hazelnuts, describes his experience in applying specific approaches to supply chains and value-creating tools to develop a successful hazelnut farming social enterprise in Bhutan. In this podcast episode of Stanford University’s Social Innovation Conversations, Spitzer details how he enhances supply chains through corporate citizenship and leverages data of all kinds captured from Android phones with specialized apps. From his hands-on experience dealing with supply chains, Spitzer describes why there is nothing is more important than people in operating a profitable business that delivers value to all stakeholders through corporate social responsibility. Daniel Spitzer is Chairman & CEO of Mountain Hazelnuts Group. Daniel has spent most of the past twenty years as Chairman and/or CEO of companies in Asia. Daniel founded s

Walk down most city streets and you will see a skateboarder doing tricks. Skateboarders see opportunity, not constraints, along any handrail and over any curb of urban architecture. Head to a ski slope and you will undoubtedly see snowboarders doing tricks, making jumps, and adopting skateboarding culture through their clothing, attitude and general embrace of experimental freedom. Skateboarding is a constantly evolving sport where anyone can bring something new and inventive to the table. The world of skateboarding has the power to illustrate artistry, innovation, trial and error and growth. The ethos of skateboarders can inspire social entrepreneurs in myriad ways. Join Ned Breslin as he speaks with Rodney Mullen, a great friend and a motivation to many. Rodney, at the vanguard of innovation, openness, and sharing, will talk about how skateboarding can serve as an important guide to social entrepreneurs everywhere. Edward D. (Ned) Breslin is the CEO of Water For People, widely considered a force for positiv

Supply chains are increasingly using innovation and collaborating with civil society and government to bring novel solutions to social problems. In this panel discussion, experts describe innovations that are benefiting society and delivering economic value, including responsible e-waste recycling efforts that generate revenue, innovative methods to end child labor in the carpet industry, and environmental supply chain innovations. They discuss keys to success for notable innovations, and how corporate supply chains can leverage social innovation to build shared value and make change on a large scale. The panel was part of the 2012 Responsible Supply Chains conference at Stanford. Lakshmi Karan is director of global strategy with Riders for Health, a social enterprise delivering transportation solutions to millions. In the social sector, most recently she was the Skoll Foundation’s director of impact assessment. She has also served as a strategic advisor to global non-profits. In the private sector, Karan was

Publishing over 97,000 pollution violations in an online open source database has been effective in advancing environmental sustainability in China. In this audio lecture, Ma Jun, Director of the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs, describes the positive results achieved through the China Water Pollution Map, which provides each supplier’s detailed pollution data on a publicly searchable website. At the Stanford Global Supply Chain Management Forum, Jun describes how a group of NGOs made tangible gains toward environmental sustainability by motivating corporate brands to influence their supply chain partners to correct their pollution violations. In this episode of Stanford University’s Social Innovation Conversations, Jun relates how the Green Choice Alliance is successful in achieving environmental sustainability through corporate social responsibility. Ma Jun, Founding Director of the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs (IPE), was ranked first in Fast Company’s 100 Most Creative People

In this audio lecture, Jill Boughton describes a proven way to environmental sustainability, as demonstrated through the “Waste to Worth” program at Procter & Gamble (P&G). At the Stanford Global Supply Chain Management Forum, Boughton, as Associate Research and Development Director at P&G, shares details of P&G’s long term vision of getting to zero waste in landfills in emerging markets. Boughton discusses the disruptive innovation portfolio that she developed at P&G, a broad vision of innovation in creating zero waste. She outlines the mechanisms that stimulate and catalyze infrastructure. In this Social Innovation Conversations, Stanford University podcast, Boughton relates practical steps in eliminating waste going to landfills and explains how she improved environmental sustainability through corporate social responsibility. Jill Boughton began her career at Procter & Gamble (P&G) in 1988 after obtaining a BS in chemical engineering from Ohio State University. She has managed

Retail prices of energy and lighting products in emerging markets are simply too high for end users, argues Lesley Marincola. As a result, large populations throughout the world live off the grid and have to rely on kerosene fuel and other less efficient light sources. To help combat this widespread energy poverty problem, Angaza has developed a pay-as-you-go financing platform for its solar products, as opposed to a large up-front retail price. In this podcast, Marincola also offers insights on her design and implementation of Angaza products, specifically focusing on user needs in these developing markets. Lesley Marincola, CEO and founder of Angaza Design, is a product designer (B.S.) and mechanical engineer (M.S.) from Stanford University. Prior to founding Angaza, Lesley worked with the Amazon Design team at Lab126 on the first three iterations of the Kindle, and at D2M Inc., a Bay Area design consultancy. She was recognized by Businessweek as one of “America’s Best Young Entrepreneurs,” is a World Econo

Towera Jalakasi is an entrepreneur in every sense of the word. She has made the jump from being a consultant advising entrepreneurs to transforming sectors with enterprises of her own. She has helped small producer communities in her native Malawi access fair prices for their products and materials by creating links between them and outside markets. Even with all her success she still faces an uphill battle as a female entrepreneur in Africa, where the glass ceiling has yet to give way. In a business environment where women are constantly questioned on their ability to lead and have difficulty accessing traditional funding sources, Towera is a beacon of hope and a confident leader articulating a vision of success. Join Ned as he speaks with Towera Jalakasi, a successful and innovative entrepreneur as we talk about the struggles and rewards of entrepreneurship in a developing economy. Edward D. (Ned) Breslin is the CEO of Water For People, widely considered a force for positive change by challenging status quo

According to World Health Organization (WHO), more than 200 million resource-poor people are threatened with arsenic poisoning by drinking contaminated groundwater in South and Southeast Asia, and other regions of the world. In this university podcast, host Sheila Sethuraman speaks with Arup SenGupta, professor of civil, environmental, and chemical engineering at Lehigh University, about his project to eliminate arsenic from groundwater without using electricity or chemicals. SenGupta describes the successes and challenges of this project, which has created economic opportunity in the developing world and has helped more than 200,000 people benefit from cleaner water. Arup SenGupta is the P.C. Rossin Professor of civil and environmental engineering and also of chemical engineering at Lehigh University. His award-winning research has expanded the field of ion exchange science and technology in solving critical environmental problems, and has led to the development of new classes of hybrid ion exchangers that h

Through very innovative work in the area of agriculture, scientists have worked through social enterprise in improving and securing crop yield, especially rice, which has enabled farmers in India and Bangladesh to feed their families and earn a profit from their surplus. In this audio interview with Stanford Center for Social Innovation correspondent Sheela Sethuraman, Pamela Ronald, of the University of California, Davis, talks about how her laboratory, in collaboration with other scientists, developed a variety of rice with sufficient submergence tolerance to survive severe flooding. Ronald also offers insights on the relationship between genetic engineering and organic farming, enhancing an ecologically based system of farming, and on international development, in this Social Innovation Conversations, Stanford University podcast. Pamela Ronald is Professor, Department of Plant Pathology and the Genome Center at the University of California, Davis. She also serves as Director of Grass Genetics at the Joint

What insights does a former Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter, now poet, activist and thought leader, have to teach social entrepreneurs? As it turns out, a lot more than you might imagine. MMA fighters understand what failure is–not the “I failed… now let me put my badge on” rhetoric that has become an essential, but increasingly superficial, part of any budding entrepreneur’s story. MMA fighters understand failure, and the pain that accompanies it. They get knocked down. They get knocked out. And they have to truly examine the lessons of defeat in order to perfect their strategy for success. This warrior mindset forces growth, adaptation and new creative expression. MMA fighters also know the wisdom of when to “tap out” and the necessity of dramatic pivots in some cases to achieve new areas of personal and professional development. Cameron Conaway’s journey offers fascinating lessons that show how unusual story arcs provide insightful truths for social entrepreneurs everywhere. Edward D. (Ned) Breslin is CEO

TCHO, a chocolate factory in San Francisco, has encouraged social entrepreneurship in developing countries through its innovative supply chain practices. In this short audio lecture, John Kehoe, VP of Sourcing and Development at TCHO, discusses the company’s complex supply chain. His story starts with growers in Ghana, Ecuador, Peru, and Madagascar, and moves to to their factory and store in San Francisco. The company has developed TCHOSource, a unique partnership program that connects the TCHO to its sourcing cooperatives around the world through technology. The use of technology throughout the supply chain helps increase the quality, productivity, and sustainability of the chocolate production. Technology use, starting from the co-op level, allows TCHO to help improve the livelihood and craft of its growers. TCHO is promoting social entrepreneurship from the ground up. John Kehoe began his career in international trade in Caracas, Venezuela, in 1987 with a local trading operation. After establishing a $10MM

The increasing demand for energy in emerging markets is a leading driver for international development. This demand results in increased need for environmental sustainability. In this short audio lecture, Katie Hill discusses the tension between economic development and environmental sustainability. Learn how companies can push through this tradeoff while lowering energy costs and reducing business risks. Hill explains how supply chains bases in Asia and Africa attract investments in affordable clean energy and factory efficiency. In this Social Innovation Conversations, Stanford University podcast, Hill describes the economic challenges manufacturers face with energy in emerging markets, such as Kenya, compared to in the U.S.. This contrast poses a compelling argument for the use of renewable energy in factories around the world to lower energy costs and further responsible economic development. Katie Hill received a joint MBA/MS in Environmental Science at Stanford University in 2012. Katie’s career is focu

For TCHO, San Francisco’s only chocolate factory, social entrepreneurship is the focus. In this audio lecture, company executive John Kehoe talks about how the firm not only produces high-end chocolate products, but also helps farmers in developing countries. He discusses challenges associated with sourcing and cultivating quality organic cocoa beans, and what it takes to invest in and work with growers. Kehoe spoke at the Stanford Graduate School of Business at the invitation of the International Development Club. John Kehoe is Vice President of Sourcing and Development at TCHO, San Franciso’s only chocolate factory. He began his career in international trade in Caracas, Venezuela in 1987. Since the cocoa market in Venezuela was liberalized in 1991, his work has been dedicated to the procurement and marketing of specialty cocoa, working closely with farmers, exporters, importers and chocolate manufactures. In 1999, ED&F Man Cocoa hired Kehoe to restructure a cocoa exporting operation in the Dominican Rep

Developing a successful social media strategy enables effective nonprofit management, organizational growth, and strong relationships with target audiences. In this audio lecture from the Social Media on Purpose conference, presented by Stanford Social Innovation Review and Tides, journalist and new media strategist Marcia Stepanek provides a robust framework for building a social media strategy that fits with the organization’s mission. Stepanek recommends specific steps that include identifying and analyzing goals, defining the audience, assessing tool options, and deciding which channels are right for your organization to help it achieve greater impact. Marcia Stepanek is a journalist, new media strategist, and author of the forthcoming book, Swarms: The Rise of the Digital Anti-Establishment; her work has appeared in The New York Times, the Huffington Post, Contribute, and Stanford Social Innovation Review. A former Knight Fellow at Stanford, Stepanek teaches social media strategy at New York University a

Nearly all consumers eat, wear, or use items that are tainted by slave labor, which presents social responsibility challenges. In this short audio lecture, Katrina Benjamin describes the conditions enslaved people are in, and outlines four specific examples where slavery is an integral part of the consumer supply chain, as well as the degrading circumstances of enslaved adults and children. Benjamin addresses the complexity of slavery today, indicating the factors underlying slavery that must be addressed if slavery is to be eradicated. In this Social Innovation Conversations, Stanford University podcast, Benjamin describes the environmental sustainability problems associated with slavery, and suggests ways that large and small companies, NGOs, and non-profit organizations can work to eliminate slavery through cooperative social responsibility. https://ssir.org/podcasts/entry/social_responsibility_versus_slave_labor_tainted_products