Mission Measurement’s corporate practice is based on a simple premise: By focusing on the value of social impact outcomes, we can develop new corporate strategies that drive profit while doing good.We call it the Social Value Proposition (SVP). It’s that sweet spot where profit intersects social impact. And it’s gaining traction with companies—from family-run mom and pops to the Fortune 50.Over the last year, we’ve seen our approach to SVP-based strategies build momentum, as we formed partnerships with standard-bearers like PepsiCo, McDonalds, BMO Harris Bank, Cisco and The Walt Disney Company.

One of the great pleasures of being at the forefront of a movement like social entrepreneurship is to witness its evolution and progress from the front row. Opportunities to work with new start-ups are the best chance to see what the next-generation of social innovators is doing with the ideas we pioneered.I recently had the opportunity to serve as a mentor to three up-and-coming social entrepreneurs in Chicago who focus on education and youth development outcomes.

Download Measurement Drives Strategy: A Guide to Outcomes-Based Strategic Planning and Program Design

Boeing, Walgreens, the Speh Foundation, Crowe Horwath LLP, the MacArthur Foundation, Easter Seals, the American Cancer Society—and Mission Measurement were among the corporations and organizations that lined the tables in the Grand Ballroom of the Hilton Hotel.  What could draw such an impressive roster? The Donors Forum Luncheon.  On Wednesday, June 29th the Donors Forum held their 37th annual luncheon which offered nonprofit leaders, grantmakers, corporations, consultants, and civil servants the opportunity to discuss and learn about critical issues currently facing the nation, particularly in the nonprofit sector.  Noted columnist

   

New York City is giving nonprofits a reprieve.  But will the City get any bang for its buck?

  Several weeks ago I wrote a post on corporate responsibility reporting and ended it with this thought – “More targeted metrics that tell the story of how CR initiatives have impacted both communities and the business would be at least a step in the right direction.”  I recently came across some work done by two professors at the Harvard Business School that explores a burgeoning development in reporting which could prove to be one of these progressive steps.  This development would help companies to better communicate their social impact in a more material and holistic way.  

According to Accenture’s “A New Era of Sustainability” report, CEOs around the globe have begun to embrace sustainability and are bringing sustainability concepts out of their strategy groups and pushing them through their operations and supply chains.   The report summarizes the findings of an extensive survey of more than 700 UN Global Compact members on sustainability topics.  The report is optimistic, pointing to signs that business are starting to see the implications of not implementing sustainability efforts, and therefore starting to actively work towards operationalizing these efforts.

Donors want to help charitable organizations make a difference, yet they often struggle to find succinct, consistent information about their investment options. Most of today's nonprofit databases and rating agencies rely too much on financial metrics.  This frustrates donors who care about outcomes.  It also frustrates nonprofits who want to be evaluated based on their results, not just an overhead ratio.

Hannah Jones gets it.