December 2009

Definitions of Phrases Making a Difference – One in a Series

How do you define corporate social responsibility? At the least prescriptive end of the spectrum, corporate social responsibility can be defined as doing no harm, following both the spirit and the letter of all regulations and, maybe, sponsoring a local Little League team.

Not bad, not too hard, but not really doing much to earn your stripes as a socially responsible corporation.

The world has finally realized that the way creative people think is a process that can be applied to problems throughout an organization, not just in the design department.

Financial Ingenuity

Ingenious financial solutions to the world's social and environmental challenges are becoming a global force for change.

The microfinance movement started in the '70s in Bangladesh. By 2007, the microfinance industry provided $15 billion in microloans to 106 million of the world’s poorest families, according to the Microcredit Summit Campaign. The campaign was to reach 100 million of the world’s poorest families, especially the women of those families, with credit for self-employment and other financial and business services by the year 2005. That goal was very nearly reached and in November of 2006 the Campaign was extended to 2015 with two new goals: reach 175 million of the world's poorest people and ensure that 100 million families rise above earning $1 a day.