Pro Bono Perspectives

2021 was a year of transformation, defined by society’s continued reckoning with racism, the pandemic, climate change, and the Great Resignation. These issues underscored how pervasive inequity is and why centering the voices of those impacted by social challenges unlocks the most effective, sustainable solutions. In the Season 3 finale of Pro Bono Perspectives, host Danielle Holly highlights three ways you can be a force for good in the new year. ----- Episode mentions: “The Existential Crisis we Need” with Vu Le, NonprofitAF “Holding Companies Accountable on Racial Equity” with Yusuf George, JUST Capital “Practicing Equitable Philanthropy” with Dr. Rahsaan Harris, Citizens Committee for New York City (CitizensNYC) “Leadership in Times of Crisis & Recovery” with Stephanie Royal, Robin Hood Foundation “The True Purpose of Business” with Judy Samuelson, The Aspen Institute “Slowing Down and Finding Fulfillment” with Grace Bonney, Design*Sponge “Decolonizing Wealth: Equity in Philanthropy and Beyond” with Edgar Villanueva ----- Pro Bono Perspectives is brought to you by Common Impact, a nonprofit that leverages skills-based volunteering and innovative, cross-sector partnerships to create more equitable communities. Visit commonimpact.org/companies for information on how we help companies deliver on their social impact, talent development, and employee engagement goals and commonimpact.org/nonprofits for insights into our capacity-building programs address social sector challenges. Keep up with the latest news, events, and stories of impact at commonimpact.org/blog.

Get an inside look at the tactics top companies are using to build more inclusive, equitable culture and support the fight against racism in their communities. Find out how your organization can move from transactional to transformative change and strengthen employee and customer loyalty in the process. Plus, as we approach the end of year giving season, learn what equity-minded philanthropy and service look like and how they drive stronger results for nonprofits and their causes. Guests Teresa Pelletier, Vice President of Community Relations at Fidelity Investments, and Wendy Matheny, Vice President & Principal with Ichor Strategies, a national social impact and community engagement consultancy, cover these topics, their racial equity listening tour, community-first partnerships, and more. ----- Fidelity Investments helps over 40 million people feel more confident in their most important financial goals, manages employee benefit programs for over 22,000 businesses, and supports more than 13,500 financial institutions with innovative investment and technology solutions to grow their businesses. Fidelity’s diverse businesses and independence gives it insight into the entire market and the stability needed to think and act for the long term as it delivers value to its customers. The company is also deeply committed to communities. ----- Ichor Strategies is a Black-owned advisory and research firm that specializes in connecting businesses to the communities they operate within, so that they can understand different perspectives, build authentic relationships, and foster mutual success. Ichor Strategies partners with engagement specialists across the country known as community relationship advisors (CRAs) who have powerful local roots and long-standing ties to their communities, helping businesses further connect with key audiences. ----- Pro Bono Perspectives is brought to you by Common Impact, a nonprofit that leverages skills-based volunteering and innovative, cross-sector partnerships to create more equitable communities. Visit commonimpact.org/companies for information on how we help companies deliver on their social impact, talent development, and employee engagement goals and commonimpact.org/nonprofits for insights into our capacity-building programs address social sector challenges. Keep up with the latest news, events, and stories of impact at commonimpact.org/blog.

Learn how relationships with people from different cultures and ways of life can have a profound impact on your values, happiness, and success as bestselling author Grace Bonney takes you through her new book, Collective Wisdom: Lessons, Inspiration, and Advice from Women Over 50, where she interviewed over 100 trailblazing women on their purpose, careers, activism, and community work. Hear Grace and host Danielle Holly discuss some of the biggest takeaways from the book, including the power of slowing down and the unique fulfillment of intergenerational relationships. ----- Grace Bonney is the author of the bestselling books In the Company of Women and Design*Sponge at Home, and her brand-new title, Collective Wisdom: Lessons, Inspiration, and Advice from Women Over 50. She is the founder of Design*Sponge, a blog dedicated to the creative community, which reached nearly 2 million readers per day for 15 years; Good Company, a print magazine and podcast about creative entrepreneurs; and the After the Jump podcast. Grace is passionate about equity, inclusivity, and supporting all members of the creative community. ----- Pro Bono Perspectives is brought to you by Common Impact, a nonprofit that leverages skills-based volunteering and innovative, cross-sector partnerships to create more equitable communities. Visit commonimpact.org/companies for information on how we help companies deliver on their social impact, talent development, and employee engagement goals and commonimpact.org/nonprofits for insights into our capacity-building programs address social sector challenges. Keep up with the latest news, events, and stories of impact at commonimpact.org/blog.

Last week, Tech Goes Home Co-CEO Dan Noyes joined host Danielle Holly at Common Impact’s Skills for Cities for a Community Conversation on the role cross-sector partnerships can play in addressing the digital divide and advancing racial equity. Shortly after, they sat down for this conversation to take a deeper dive into the root causes of the digital divide, the fundamental changes we must make to create a digital world that is accessible to all, and why this is both a social and economic imperative. --- Tech Goes Home is a nonprofit dedicated to addressing the digital inequities that pose a significant barrier to opportunity and success for students, workers, and families across Greater Boston. Visit techgoeshome.org to learn more and techgoeshome.org/get-involved for meaningful ways you can contribute toward digital inclusion and equity. --- Pro Bono Perspectives is brought to you by Common Impact, a nonprofit that leverages skills-based volunteering and innovative, cross-sector partnerships to create more equitable communities. Visit commonimpact.org/companies for information on how we help companies deliver on their social impact, talent development, and employee engagement goals and commonimpact.org/nonprofits for insights into our capacity-building programs address social sector challenges. Keep up with the latest news, events, and stories of impact at commonimpact.org/blog.

Nearly two-thirds of workers are considering leaving their jobs. As the Great Resignation continues with no signs of slowing down, we explore the challenges and opportunities it brings for the nonprofit sector, which was already under significant capacity constraints exacerbated by the pandemic, especially in HR and talent development. Host Danielle Holly speaks with Melissa Madzel, Managing Director, Equity Initiatives, at Koya Partners about nonprofit turnover and retention, disruptions to the way we work, and how the growing focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is changing hiring practices and the way individuals from historically underrepresented backgrounds search for new roles. --- Koya Partners is a mission-driven executive search and strategic advising firm that connects exceptionally talented people with high-impact organizations. Visit koyapartners.com to learn about their services and read Melissa’s article “Nonprofit Job Hunting as a Person of Color” at koyapartners.com/blog/nonprofit-job-hunting-as-a-person-of-color. --- Pro Bono Perspectives is brought to you by Common Impact, a nonprofit that leverages skills-based volunteering and innovative, cross-sector partnerships to create more equitable communities. Visit commonimpact.org/companies for information on how we help companies deliver on their social impact, talent development, and employee engagement goals and commonimpact.org/nonprofits for insights into our capacity-building programs address social sector challenges. Keep up with the latest news, events, and stories of impact at commonimpact.org/blog.

Unless companies take immediate action on climate change, we will quickly surpass the 1.5 degree Celsius global temperature increase that will have catastrophic implications not only on the environment and severity of natural disasters, but on human health, livelihoods, and security. But there is cause for optimism: more than ever, the private sector – which accounts for the vast majority of carbon emissions – is listening and stepping up sustainability commitments. In this episode, Ceres Senior Director of Climate and Energy Steven Clarke shares how his organization is helping companies strategically navigate changing business realities and thrive in the accelerated transition to a more equitable, just, and sustainable economy. Learn more at ceres.org.

Corporate mandates have changed. Customers, employees, and even investors are increasingly pushing companies to move from shareholder to stakeholder capitalism. What does this look like across companies and sectors? Are companies moving fast enough when it comes to making good on their commitments to social change? Carolyn Berkowitz, President & CEO of the Association of Corporate Citizenship Professionals (ACCP), shares her insights, plus the importance of diversity and inclusion within CSR departments. Visit accp.org to learn more.

This week, as we reflect on the 20th anniversary of 9/11, host Danielle Holly and New York Cares Executive Director Gary Bagley have a conversation on how era defining moments from the 9/11 attacks to the current pandemic and racial reckoning bring on new waves of service and activism. They also talk about New York Cares’ increased focus on food insecurity, taking meaningful action on DEI, and why companies actually benefit more from designing service programs around nonprofit and community needs rather than their own business results. Visit newyorkcares.org to learn more about how you can serve NYC or support the organization.

CSR and social impact expert Susan McPherson talks about her new book, “The Lost Art of Connecting,” and signature “gather, ask, do,” method for meaningful networking and lasting business relationships. She and host Danielle Holly discuss the Great Resignation and how employees having more power will democratize companies’ approaches to CSR. Plus, Susan explains why even though companies are not moving as quickly as they need to on social and environmental issues, we should be encouraging – not disparaging – those that are making efforts to deliver on their goals. For more on Susan’s work, visit mcpstrategies.com.

One of the biggest takeaways from the past year and a half has been that the “old normal” wasn’t working – like the digital divide. In this episode, host Danielle Holly welcomes Lina Klebanov, Head of CSR at Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), a global leader in IT services, consulting & business solutions, to share some of the solutions for digital equity and inclusion from TCS’s brand new report in partnership with the US Chamber of Commerce Foundation: “Digital Empowers: Technology as a Catalyst for Empowering Communities.” Learn how the current digital revolution is transforming education, employment, and access to basic needs, plus hear about TCS’s proven programs and partnerships to increase access to technology for all. Find the Digital Empowers report at https://on.tcs.com/Catalyst(available August 11, 2021) and visit https://www.tcs.com/corporate-sustainability to learn more about TCS’s CSR and ESG initiatives to bring STEM education to under-resourced and underrepresented groups.