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.
‘Tis the Season for Budget Discussions…
It’s hard to miss the conversations around government spending these days. Lots of debating, discussing and pontificating about how money is collected and spent at both the federal and state levels this time of year.
The federal budget conversation is a constant din in the background here in Washington, D.C. And I usually pay attention to the negotiations for D.C., Maryland and Virginia because they have a real impact on my life. Otherwise, I minimize time spent tuning into the dialogue.
But this recent news out of Massachusetts caught my eye. Gov. Patrick is going to test out the “social impact bond” (or Pay for Success bond) concept. In January, the state issued a call for proposals that provide solutions to reduce chronic homelessness and ones that support youths’ re-entry into society after leaving the juvenile justice system. Foundations and individual philanthropists will likely invest in programs that have a proven track record, thus saving the state money to execute and grow the services. It’s like venture capital or a business incubator for social challenges. If these programs work by reducing the number of homeless people in the state and ensuring juveniles are on a productive path, costs to care for these populations will be reduced, resulting in a savings for the state. The state can then pay back investors.
The concept of social impact bonds have taken hold in the UK, and it remains to be seen if they will gain acceptance here in the United States. It makes a whole lot of sense to me, and I’ll be watching Massachusetts closely to see if this works.
Catogories Business Alignment/Integration, Measurement & Evaluation, What's Next for CR and tagged bond, budget, Deval Patrick, Massachusetts, Pay for Success, states, UK
. Bookmark the permalink. Post a comment or leave a trackback: Trackback URL.