Inside Social Innovation

Latest Episodes:

Shared Value - Future of Green Dec 16, 2011

Show notes

The assertion that philanthropists historically decided to support nonprofit efforts with little critique of results may be met with some agitation but Mark Kramer also criticizes corporate industrialism, saying the environmental consequences of profit-focused businesses have been largely ignored by the business sector, causing social justice and nonprofit organizations to push back against those excesses. Impact investing, a business model where profit can still be earned while accomplishing worthwhile social goals, is one solution.

Mark Kramer also contends that companies inclined to rethink their corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts should invest in the social sector and "shared value." This could strengthen the overall competitive environment for business. As an example, he points to a medical device manufacturer which the FSG foundation convinced to assist with health care in India. The foundation notes that health care in India needed more government involvement and more training for health care providers, especially in rural areas, and that companies could design products that meet the needs of the low-income population.

During this audio interview Kramer discusses the challenges of coordinating corporate social responsibility projects with corporations, and how the success of the cell phone industry in emerging (third world) markets has enabled low-income users to participate and provide feedback, thereby allowing CSR to thrive.

https://ssir.org/podcasts/entry/shared_value_future_of_green

Cross-Sector Social Innovation Nov 18, 2011

Show notes

Buzz Thompson is a leading expert in environmental law and policy. He and his colleagues have worked to advance environmental decisions to governmental agencies. In this panel, he identifies models for interdisciplinary collaboration across areas of areas of expertise that can help us solve complex societal issues. Thompson has contributed a large body of scholarship that has connected government, nonprofit, and business sectors while advancing environmental and social agendas.

Barton (Buzz) Thompson Jr. is the director of the Woods Institute for the Environment and a Stanford professor.

https://ssir.org/podcasts/entry/cross_sector_social_innovation

How to Cultivate the Best Teachers Oct 26, 2011

Show notes

Teachers play a key role in influencing the future not only of students, but of the country and world as a whole. What contributes to teacher effectiveness? In this panel discussion, teachers and teacher educator experts discuss what they are doing to support and nurture the professionals who instruct our children. They consider what students need from teachers, the role of assessment in teaching, and the most effective investments to promote professional development. The panel was part of the Global Education Conference, held in partnership with Goldman Sachs and the Stanford School of Education.

https://ssir.org/podcasts/entry/global_education_conference_how_to_cultivate_the_best_teachers

Capital for Early Stage Innovation Oct 14, 2011

Show notes

Medical innovation continues to flourish, however entrepreneurs are faced with many challenges, including tougher regulatory demands which make it more difficult to get products to market. This panel discussion includes representatives from various investment firms who give a clearer picture of the funding landscape, advising early stage innovators with creative ways to navigate these complexities. From the 2011 Global Health Series organized by the Stanford Global Health Center in partnership with the Stanford Graduate School of Business, Stefanos Zenios, the Charles A. Holloway Professor and director of the Stanford GSB's Program in Healthcare Innovation leads this panel which convenes Anne DeGheest of MedStars Venture Partners, Thomas McKinley of Cardinal Partners, Guido Neels of Essex Woodlands, Bryan Roberts of Venrock, and Beth Seidenberg of Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers.

https://ssir.org/podcasts/entry/capital_for_early_stage_innovation_panel_discussion

Changing Behavior and Changing Policies Panel (Part 3) Oct 11, 2011

Show notes

Two megatrends are locking in: Massive incentive change and information liberation, says Todd Park, CTO of the US Department of Health and Human Services. The federal programs must lead the way in changing from fee-for-service to incentives for value in healthcare.

Medicare, Medicaid, and the Veteran's Administration represent the largest repository of public health data in the world. More information about the public health, stripped of personal identification, is being made available so that innovators can use it to learn more about public health, and create health-maximizing options. Private insurers adopt the same pay structure as the federal programs, therefore, HHS must be the one to initiate more efficient means of delivering, and charging for, health value.

Park identifies three parts to data liberation in the health care industry: 1) Patient data liquidity—including making records available to the patients themselves; 2) market transparency—listing benefits and pricing of every public and private insurance plan available in the U.S. through healthcare.gov; and 3) a health data initiative to let people know what data is available on the population at large, and releasing it for anyone's use. Some private innovations from this data release include Asthmapolis, which helps people control their asthma, and iTriage.

Coordination of service, identification of gaps, methods of efficiency developed in industries outside of health care need to be brought in to rework the healthcare industry, according to Park.

https://ssir.org/podcasts/entry/todd_park_changing_behavior_and_changing_policies_panel_part_3

EDF Future of Green Calls Oct 03, 2011

Show notes

It was a bit of a shake-up in February 2010 when the Quadrennial Defense Review of the DoD listed resource scarcity and climate change as primary threats to global security. Now the defense sector is rolling out means of planning, strategizing, and reducing the use of resources. In many cases, what's good for the environment also cuts costs and streamlines activities.

Daniel Kreeger, Executive Director of the Association of Climate Change Officers (ACCO) outlines the relatively new position of "Climate Change Officer." In a recent carbon disclosure project, professionals concerned with climate management came from as many as eleven different organization silos, from supply-chain management to public relations.

Where many functions have been traditionally the provenance of one officer, and a commander's term averages two years, coordination locally and across forces is smoothing the way and building awareness of sustainability issues. The Army and Navy are establishing environmental policies and establishing scoring and benchmarks.

Kreeger points out the DoD has traditionally been a test bed and market maker for many technologies, including flat screens, GPS, fiber optic communications, and even the internet. Innovations in green technology will undoubtedly follow.

https://ssir.org/podcasts/entry/daniel_kreeger_edf_future_of_green_calls

Sustainable Excellence: The Future of Business in a Fast-Changing World Sep 30, 2011

Show notes

From solar shingles to locally implemented environmental waste collection, companies are creating products and corporate infrastructures that are about more than just profit. Aron Cramer, an advisor on corporate responsibility, points out several benefits in the revolution in this open-call conversation. He explains the need to bridge the gap between businesses for profit and nonprofit organizations, and how any working combination of the two would bring about social change, environmental improvements, and technological innovations.

This open phone call challenges the stereotypes of business and philanthropy, as well the degree of separation between the two sectors. Cramer explains that a synthesis between the two, with an emphasis on the results-based movement of corporations and the socially-based goals of nonprofit organizations, would create investment in small businesses and corporate-social responsibility.

Impact investing, social entrepreneurs, and locally-based businesses are part of a newly growing trend that supports local and international social goals, environmental awareness, and minimization of poverty. This trend, Aron Cramer proves through several examples and in answers to callers' question, is making the world better, and will continue to improve environmental and social standards as businesses and non-profits continue to merge and cooperate.

https://ssir.org/podcasts/entry/aron_cramer_sustainable_excellence_the_future_of_business_in_a_fast_changin

The Future of the Healthcare Sector Sep 26, 2011

Show notes

As an executive with UnitedHealth Group, Richard Migliori is responsible for ensuring clinical excellence and linking that excellence to practical clinical outcomes and robust business results. In this university podcast, he talks about innovation as the lifeblood of his organization, and the criteria by which innovative efforts are adopted. He emphasizes the need for the healthcare system to become more connected, intelligent, and aligned in order to be sustainable in the long-term. Migliori spoke at the 2011 GSB Healthcare Summit, sponsored by the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

Richard Migliori is executive vice president of health services for UnitedHealth Group. He also serves as chief healthcare officer of UnitedHealth Group Alliances, a division of UnitedHealthcare Medicare and Retirement. Migliori joined UnitedHealth Group in 1996. He brings to his current executive position over 20 years of experience in the health care sector, including time as CEO of four diverse companies. He has published more than 35 articles on topics ranging from continuous quality improvement methods in a clinical setting to surgical oncology and solid organ transplant. Migliori holds an MD from Brown University and completed a National Health Research Fellowship in immunology, transplantation, and oncology funded by the National Institutes of Health.

https://ssir.org/podcasts/entry/the_future_of_the_healthcare_sector

Education as Social Enterprise in Africa Sep 21, 2011

Show notes

African Leadership Academy is a social enterprise that was founded in 2004 with the belief that ethical leadership is the key to transforming the African continent. In this university podcast, co-founder Chris Bradford talks about the role of educational institutions in shaping the future of Africa. He also discusses the personal journey that took him from Kalamazoo, Michigan, to Johannesburg, South Africa, and how Stanford was an influential part of that process. Bradford spoke at the 2011 Stanford Africa Forum: Entrepreneurship and Development, hosted by the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

https://ssir.org/podcasts/entry/chris_bradford_education_as_social_enterprise_in_africa

Investing in Africa Sep 19, 2011

Show notes

Africa poses remarkable opportunities for private equity investment, according to Thomas Barry, founder of the Zephyr Management investment firm. Pointing to the reliability of its renewable resources, its growing workforce, its expanding urbanization, and other strengths critical for business success, he reveals that, on this continent, reality is much better than the US public perception. He also talks about his own firm's investment strategy on the continent. Barry spoke at the 2011 Stanford Africa Forum on entrepreneurship and development.

https://ssir.org/podcasts/entry/thomas_barry_investing_in_africa

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