Happy Oscar season, SP readers! We thought we could have a little film-related CR fun this week leading up to the red carpet. While the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences is busy choosing the best films of the year, some of our SP bloggers will be naming their pick for best CR film. This year’s Oscar nominees sadly presented slim CR pickings, so to make the competition more interesting, we’ve opened the field up to past years’ films as well.
Reason: An animated film about a company run by monsters? Yes. But take a closer look and Monsters, Inc. is a movie about creating shared value.
For those who haven’t seen the flick in awhile, Monsters, Inc. is an energy company run by some lovable (and some not-so-lovable) monsters. The source of Monsters, Inc. energy is children’s screams. The children’s screams are not only resource-intensive to get, but of course create terrible effects in supplier communities, i.e. children who are afraid of the dark and the creatures that go bump in the night.
The movie progresses and through a little Monster R&D, two employees discover a new, much more powerful, much more efficient energy source – children’s laughter. With this new innovation, Monsters, Inc. remakes its business model to source children’s laughter instead of screams, requiring fewer resources to create more energy and bringing joy to the children of supplier communities. I think it’s safe to say Monsters, Inc.’s bottom line benefitted at the end of the movie.
Thank you, Pixar, for this excellent case study on how business and societal objectives can be achieved in tandem.
Tara is a senior director with experience on both sides of the equation, having worked in corporate CR and nonprofit communications & marketing. She focuses on trends and innovations in community engagement, strategic philanthropy, volunteerism, cause marketing, and CR/nonprofit communications.
Robin Deliso
Robin is an associate director who works in APCO’s corporate responsibility practice and is interested in the blurring lines between consumer and influencer expectations of companies. She looks at how companies use CR to engage audiences in innovative ways, especially re: social media, and started her career in nonprofit communications strategy.
Andrea Shatzman
An associate director in APCO’s Washington, D.C. office, Andrea works on a broad range of CR issues. She’s particularly interested in the evolution of CR over time and how businesses can capitalize on their strengths to make unique contributions to society.
Rachel Thompson
Rachel is the global corporate responsibility practice manager for APCO. She has worked on global trade and CR in government and business. Her interests include the role (and limits) of CR in making globalization more sustainable; evidence and measurement issues; and the relationship between CR and preventing trade protectionism.
Leela Stake
Leela is a director who helps businesses innovate, collaborate and communicate to be more successful. She’s based in San Francisco, has worked in six Asian countries and is interested in the relationship between long-term business success and community prosperity.
James Robinson
James is a director who brings ten years of experience working on CR strategy and communications in New York, Beijing, and Jakarta. He looks at how CR is employed as part of broader business strategy and has a particular interest in the evolving role of technology and innovation in managing social and environmental issues.
Julie Jack
A director in APCO's New York office, Julie works on corporate responsibility with a focus on business strategy and emerging issues and trends. Her currents interests and work focus on sustainable agriculture and supply chain management, the integration of CR and financial communications, and CR in the consumer goods space.
Kitty Potter
Kitty is a senior director and leads APCO's CR practice in the Asia-Pacific region. Her current work and interests include the development of multi-stakeholder initiatives addressing corruption in supply chains, sustainability performance ratings, and engagement with private sector in climate change adaption.
Ellen Mignoni
Ellen is a senior director and helped build APCO’s global corporate responsibility practice. She works primarily with APCO’s corporate clients on business alignment and corporate responsibility, stakeholder engagement and partnership development, and communication and outreach.
Tara GrecoTara is a senior director with experience on both sides of the equation, having worked in corporate CR and nonprofit communications & marketing. She focuses on trends and innovations in community engagement, strategic philanthropy, volunteerism, cause marketing, and CR/nonprofit communications.
Robin DelisoRobin is an associate director who works in APCO’s corporate responsibility practice and is interested in the blurring lines between consumer and influencer expectations of companies. She looks at how companies use CR to engage audiences in innovative ways, especially re: social media, and started her career in nonprofit communications strategy.
Andrea ShatzmanAn associate director in APCO’s Washington, D.C. office, Andrea works on a broad range of CR issues. She’s particularly interested in the evolution of CR over time and how businesses can capitalize on their strengths to make unique contributions to society.
Rachel ThompsonRachel is the global corporate responsibility practice manager for APCO. She has worked on global trade and CR in government and business. Her interests include the role (and limits) of CR in making globalization more sustainable; evidence and measurement issues; and the relationship between CR and preventing trade protectionism.
Leela StakeLeela is a director who helps businesses innovate, collaborate and communicate to be more successful. She’s based in San Francisco, has worked in six Asian countries and is interested in the relationship between long-term business success and community prosperity.
James RobinsonJames is a director who brings ten years of experience working on CR strategy and communications in New York, Beijing, and Jakarta. He looks at how CR is employed as part of broader business strategy and has a particular interest in the evolving role of technology and innovation in managing social and environmental issues.
Julie JackA director in APCO's New York office, Julie works on corporate responsibility with a focus on business strategy and emerging issues and trends. Her currents interests and work focus on sustainable agriculture and supply chain management, the integration of CR and financial communications, and CR in the consumer goods space.
Kitty PotterKitty is a senior director and leads APCO's CR practice in the Asia-Pacific region. Her current work and interests include the development of multi-stakeholder initiatives addressing corruption in supply chains, sustainability performance ratings, and engagement with private sector in climate change adaption.
Ellen MignoniEllen is a senior director and helped build APCO’s global corporate responsibility practice. She works primarily with APCO’s corporate clients on business alignment and corporate responsibility, stakeholder engagement and partnership development, and communication and outreach.
SharedPurpose Academy Awards 2012
Happy Oscar season, SP readers! We thought we could have a little film-related CR fun this week leading up to the red carpet. While the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences is busy choosing the best films of the year, some of our SP bloggers will be naming their pick for best CR film. This year’s Oscar nominees sadly presented slim CR pickings, so to make the competition more interesting, we’ve opened the field up to past years’ films as well.
My Pick: Monsters, Inc.
Reason: An animated film about a company run by monsters? Yes. But take a closer look and Monsters, Inc. is a movie about creating shared value.
For those who haven’t seen the flick in awhile, Monsters, Inc. is an energy company run by some lovable (and some not-so-lovable) monsters. The source of Monsters, Inc. energy is children’s screams. The children’s screams are not only resource-intensive to get, but of course create terrible effects in supplier communities, i.e. children who are afraid of the dark and the creatures that go bump in the night.
The movie progresses and through a little Monster R&D, two employees discover a new, much more powerful, much more efficient energy source – children’s laughter. With this new innovation, Monsters, Inc. remakes its business model to source children’s laughter instead of screams, requiring fewer resources to create more energy and bringing joy to the children of supplier communities. I think it’s safe to say Monsters, Inc.’s bottom line benefitted at the end of the movie.
Thank you, Pixar, for this excellent case study on how business and societal objectives can be achieved in tandem.
*The Walt Disney Company is an APCO client
Catogories Business Alignment/Integration, Communicating CR and tagged AMPAS, cr, film, Monsters Inc, Oscars
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