The Sector

Embed impact management at Windesheim Honors College – MALOU FROM NIEUWKOOP

An explanation of this assignment

Windesheim Honors College (WHC) approached Sinzer with three questions: How can we better understand the social value we create? How can we communicate this better? And, how can we ensure the impact expertise of the teachers and management and make it part of the curriculum? In short, we organized a masterclass series of three interactive workshops with an alternation of theory and practical exercises. The WHC program itself served as a case, which ensured an efficient and varied co-creation. Thus, in addition to developing a Theory of Change as a strategy document, a framework has been set up that provides insight into the process of impact management and what can be used in the future as management information.

ProcessSession one was an introduction to social impact and impact management; what is it, what variants are there, what are the trends and where do you start. Session two focused on the impact map, with associated indicators and the important step of validation. Do the effects occur or are the right things asked for? Finally, session three focused on data collection, analysis and reporting. With these three full days, the full circle of impact management has been brought to the attention. The WHC team then practically started working on it by working out the WHC case itself.

Theory of Change WHCWHC is a four-year course that results in a Bachelor of Business Administration. Students take courses in project and change management and in addition to theoretical courses, they work on projects and internships. There is also a semester called Value Creators. Within Value Creators, students work on a practical assignment for an (international or local) organization or conduct scientific research. These projects always have a strong link to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

WHC wants to be a forerunner in the field of SDG education and is therefore working on an international and innovative SDG Campus. Sinzer has helped by structuring these objectives and activities into long-term, short-term outcomes (effects) and outputs with associated indicators. The Theory of Change was designed based on this structure. By approaching impact management from a clear case, many theoretical concepts become more concrete and you can apply impact theory directly in practice. This results in a visually attractive one-pager:

Another part of Sinzer’s assignment is to help assure impact management – not only within WHC as a program – but also in the curriculum for students. Together we are now working on a data collection strategy including an analysis of current measuring instruments and a division of tasks in terms of responsibilities in the entire process of data collection, analysis and improvement. In the context of embedding , Sinzer has developed a workshop template; in the form of a crash course for students, to be used by all teachers. In this crash course, impact management with practical Do’s and Dont’s is explained, after which the students will mainly get to work themselves.

In conclusion, this assignment included many aspects of Sinzer’s services: advising and helping with an impact strategy, co-creating a data collection and reporting structure. The fact that all these means will be used immediately in practice makes it even more interesting for us. We are working towards a complete package that will ensure that impact management within WHC is firmly on the map.

Interested in such an impact management master class, or series?

The Sector

Embedding SDGs in your organization: an impact strategy – EMMA VERHEIJKE

More and more organizations are working on sustainability and social impact, and link this to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): the 17 sustainable development goals that were launched by the UN in 2015 as an action agenda up to 2030. The SDGs provide a good starting point for sustainable strategy, measuring results and reporting: but where do you start? In this blog series, we share some examples of our customers and how we support them to anchor SDGs more firmly in their organizations.

In this blog: an SDG strategy and Theory of Change for Oneplanetcrowd and StartGreen Capital. About Oneplanetcrowd and StartGreen CapitalOneplanetcrowd and StartGreen Capital stimulate the transition to a sustainable and inclusive economy by financing innovative entrepreneurs and facilitating investors. They offer ‘more than money’ (in addition to financing, including business support, network and strategic advice), helping entrepreneurs to contribute to the creation of a sustainable society for people and the environment and, more specifically, to one or more of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Theory of Change as an SDG strategyThe wish of Oneplanetcrowd and StartGreen was to make more explicit how the investments and activities of both organizations contribute to the SDGs. The reasons? On the one hand to clarify the strategy and vision internally and to link objectives to this, but also to communicate clearly to external stakeholders who Oneplanetcrowd and StartGreen Capital are there for and how they create social value.

Sinzer thus helped StartGreen and Oneplanetcrowd to draw up a Theory of Change at the organizational level: a visual description of the activities that the organization undertakes, and how these lead to certain effects (outcomes) and social objectives in the short and longer term.

Strategy and then? The next step is to translate the strategy and Theory of Change into measurable indicators and targets to monitor and report on the realization of the social objectives, more about this in the next blog of this series. Knowing more? Would you like to know more about Oneplanetcrowd’s vision on SDGs, and the reasons and the process surrounding strategy and measuring the SDGs? Then read Oneplanetcrowd’s blog, including an interview with Sinzer, here: https://www.oneplanetcrowd.com/nl/blog/zo- Maken-we-uw-en-onze-impact-meetbaar

#socialinnovation #peace #love #consulting #sdgs #mba #wbs #bradfordturner #thesectorinc #uwo #toronto #thesix #impactinvesting #socialfinance #SROI #fundraising

The Sector

Sinzer launches the Impact Guide: impact-oriented work for charity organizations – NINA KOOPMAN

For charities to better support organizations impact oriented work has Sinzer in partnership with Charity Netherlands and Partos and with input from CBF and other organizations united in the Impact Challenge online Impact Guide developed. The Impact Indicator is a practical guide for charity organizations to help them better understand their impact, increase that impact and make it more visible. In short: to work more impact-oriented.

Impact-oriented work

Impact-oriented working is different from measuring impact, it is a continuous growth process in which you continue to learn and improve based on previous findings. The focus of the Impact Indicator is therefore less on ‘proving impact’ as in traditional monitoring & evaluation, but more on ‘improving impact’ within the entire organization. It is about continuous learning and improvement based on best practices and best failures. This affects your strategy, how and what data you use and your organizational culture and systems. The Impact Indicator distinguishes between four pillars in this cycle: Strategy , Monitoring and Evaluation , Learning and Reporting and Cultureand offers information per pillar at different levels, from basic principles to deepening. At each level, theoretical knowledge is linked to practical information (such as worksheets, tools, templates).

The launch of Impactwijzer by Emma Verheijke, Partner at Sinzer. Photo: Jostijn Ligtvoet ©

The Impact Indicator

The Impact Indicator shows the breadth of what is possible in terms of impact, but also provides insight into what is ‘good enough’, what is ‘impact maturity’, per organization and the phase in which that organization is different, and that growth and development is possible in this. Some organizations start out small and continue to expand; some are already further and want to deepen that even more; the point is that it is appropriate and usable and that it provides insights that increase impact. The Impact Indicator is designed in such a way that it can be used for organizations that start with impact, but also for organizations that want to further expand their impact management.

The idea is that the Impact Indicator will be further supplemented in the future with new knowledge and with case studies and from organizations in the sector. So a double invitation: take a look, and share with us your case studies that are a nice addition to this.

View the Impact Indicator at www.impactwijzer.nl and read more about the initiative of the Impact Challenge at www.impact-challenge.nl .

#socialinnovation #sdgs #thesectorinc #toronto #love #peace #wbs #mba #sustainability #impactinvesting #consulting #charity #fundraising #bradfordturner

The Sector

10 of the Best Business Schools for Sustainability

MBAs with a concentration in sustainability use the trialed and tested framework of a conventional MBA while also having a specific focus on the intersection of sustainability and business success and ethics, all in an effort to advance sustainability principles.

It’s not solely focused on the environment. It also tackles social sustainability and social impact.

As businesses become more conscious of how they affect the world, businesses are on the lookout for employees who are more able to promote sustainable measures.

Here are some of the world’s top business schools preparing graduates to be ethical, sustainable leaders.

1. Warwick Business School

Warwick Business School’s full-time MBA program gives students the opportunity to visit Vancouver – regarded as the world’s greenest city – to learn about sustainable business.

There is also a Business and Sustainability module which introduces the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, as well as modules like the Economics of Well-being, Human Resource Management and Corporate Responsibility.Students can also make the most of learning about different cultures on international modules in India, Mexico, Brazil, or China.

2. University of Exeter Business School

The Exeter MBA can be undertaken full-time in over 12 months, or as an executive part-time option over 24-36 months. The program focuses on sustainability, purposeful leadership, innovation and technology, so graduates will transform not only themselves, but the world around them.

Stuart Robinson, Program Director of The Exeter MBA says, “The creation of sustainable practice is now in the mainstream of industrial, societal, and technological progress globally, so we are delighted to be recognized as an MBA that offers students the skills and knowledge to take this forward in their careers.”

3. MIT Sloan School of Management

Students attending Sloan interested in social and environmental impact could look into MIT’s sustainability certificate (only open to masters-level students as an add-on to existing degree programs).

The program also involves the Sustainable Business Laboratory, where students work in teams on problems faced by real firms attempting to advance sustainability strategies. Coursework includes a sustainability capstone class during your final term, along with a variety of sustainability electives.

4. INSEAD

INSEAD is incorporating sustainability into their INSEAD MBA curriculum, with two courses standing out – Business Sustainability and the SDG Bootcamp.

These courses enable students to analyze, improve and create innovative business models that are more profitable and sustainable.The SDG Bootcamp is an intense workshop focusing on problem framing, ideation and prototyping. It encourages students to address critical real-world problems in line with UN Sustainable Development Goals.

5. The Fuqua School of Business

Fuqua’s Client Consulting Practicum (FCCP) – an experiential learning program – offers teams of students the opportunity to work on sustainability issues for client companies and non-profits.

The business school also boasts an award-winning research and education enter, the Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship (CASE). The center helps organizations and leaders with the necessary business skills to promote and achieve social change.CASE sponsors i3, a professional online training program for direct impact investing. Similarly, the center funds fellowships which enables students to trial social impact careers through internships without financial struggles.

6. Saïd Business School, Oxford University

The MBA program’s curriculum allows students to choose elective options like Social Enterprise Design, or Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation.

Similarly, the school’s Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship provides students looking to create social change through innovation with the relevant resources.

7. I.E. Business School

Located in the Spanish capital Madrid, IE Business School pushes to incorporate innovation throughout the school’s ethos. The school offers a number of appropriate sustainability courses, and also holds an annual Social Responsibility Forum that explores CSR-related issues.

8. Harvard Business School

HBS was in fact one of the business schools to build research in the CSR space through its Social Enterprise Initiative. Many of the MBA program’s core curriculum classes also integrate CSR case studies.

9. Cornell S.C. Johnson College of Business, Cornell University

Johnson’s Center for Sustainable Global Enterprise – which launched in 2003 – publishes relevant sustainability and CSR research. If they so wish, two-year MBA students can choose a concentration in Sustainable Global Enterprise, as well as a company project focusing on CSR topics.

Students enrolled in the SGE immersion work in multidisciplinary teams on consulting-type assignments with real firms that are focused on strategic initiatives exploring new business opportunities related to sustainability.

10. Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University

The core curriculum on RSM’s MBA program offers courses including Business, Society, and Sustainable Development, which places a strong focus on CSR and sustainability.

The school produces a range of research in the sustainability field, but more importantly, RSM incorporated the UN Global Compact’s Principles for Responsible Management Education into their MBA curriculum.

Source Article: Niamh Ollerton; TopMBA.com: https://www.topmba.com/why-mba/10-best-business-schools-sustainability

#thesectorinc #wbs #socialinnovation #bradfordturner #mba #sustainability #sdgs #ESG #impactinvesting #csr #charity #nonprofit

The Sector

Sustainability and Total Impact Just as Crucial as Profit

In recent years the world has seen a dramatic change in society’s view of corporate and social sustainability, with a growing emphasis on creating sustainable economic growth to the benefit of society at large.  Below, Frederik Dahlmann, Assistant Professor of Global Energy at Warwick Business School discusses capitalism’s new direction.

In 1972 Milton Friedman wrote, “The social responsibility of business is to increase its profits.” His article warned against diverting managers’ attention away from making profits for their owners by promoting desirable social ends or “building personal empires.” Instead, managers should focus their efforts on maximising shareholder wealth.

Since then the world has changed significantly and a growing chorus of scientists, campaigners and politicians are demanding companies’ executives do more to address “global mega-challenges”. Climate change, resource shortages, security risks and inequalities are just some examples of an increasingly fast-paced, complex and multi-dimensional business environment causing widespread concerns.

As a result, societal expectations of how firms integrate stakeholder views into business management and create sustainable economic growth have steadily risen. Increasingly, a number of trends suggest that managers may need to move towards pursuing more broad-ranging contributions of their companies to society.

Changing our Understanding of Capitalism

Not least since the global financial crisis people from around the world have been calling on politicians to implement tough actions designed to address some of the weaknesses of a capitalist free-market economy. Many of these frustrations are based on a list of political, social, economic, emotional, ethical and religious arguments.

The recent emergence of social movements such as “We are the 99%” and Occupy, as well as ideas, debates and conferences such as Inclusive Capitalism, Responsible Business, New Growth Models, The Share Economy, The Post-Capitalist Economy and Combining Purpose With Profits demonstrate that these debates are widespread and growing. Academics and policy makers, for their part, are searching for new ways of accounting for and promoting economic activity beyond GDP growth.

Yet many of these efforts go beyond companies’ immediate short-term financial considerations and may even challenge their existing economic logic. Some therefore suggest that companies should publicly redefine their purpose and highlight what contributions they make to our prosperity by transforming ideas into products and services that solve society’s problems.

New Organisational Forms

While it is tempting to see such debates as largely a problem for existing businesses and politicians to deal with, many new enterprises are already displaying a fundamentally different attitude towards these issues. In future, the fiercest competition for companies is likely to come from startups whose entrepreneurs are well aware of these global sustainability challenges and which they seek to address through innovative products and services.

For example, a growing community of so-called Benefit Corporations, or “B Corps”, have been certified as meeting rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. These more than 1,000 B Corps from 33 countries and over 60 industries are working together toward one unifying goal: to redefine success in business. Their mission is to be of benefit to all stakeholders, not just shareholders. Elsewhere, social enterprises are a similar example of organisations focusing mainly on solving environmental and social issues, often particularly in developing countries.

These new types and variations of enterprises represent an interesting and slowly accelerating trend. Many of them are tapping into the wider sustainability agenda by redefining organisational purpose and success.

New Key Performance Measures

Faced with pressures to accept the wider role of stakeholders and responsibilities, companies largely responded by publishing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) or sustainability reports. This required challenging efforts of measuring, reporting and verifying non-financial data. Whether such activities are genuine attempts to communicate companies’ wider performance or merely serve as “greenwashing” has been the subject of intense debates.

But many of these processes appear to be changing too. Reporting firms’ social and environmental performance is increasingly becoming more standardised and rigorous, much like reporting firms’ financial accounts. For instance, the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC) has made it its mission to embed “Integrated Reporting” into mainstream business practice for both public and private organisations. Both the UK and the EU have also introduced legislation requiring large companies to disclose environmental data such as greenhouse gas emissions and other non-financial information.

Elsewhere, the professional services firm PwC published its first ever efforts to account for the company’s “total impact”. In fact, “impact” may become a key concept to watch as there has been an explosion in activities designed to invest in and measure impact beyond financial returns. New forms of Sustainable and Responsible Investment including Impact investment, Green Bonds and Social Impact Bonds have seen strong growth in recent years.

Towards Maximising “Total Impact”

Taken together these examples are all signals of a trend towards a more “mixed economy” where the dividing line between private and public activity, financial and non-financial gains is increasingly becoming blurred.

Managers in existing businesses need to decide whether they believe that managing sustainability should be left to these new organisations or whether they want to adapt to this changing environment.

The debate over companies’ purpose continues and many will favour retaining the simpler metrics surrounding shareholder wealth. Yet changes in investment trends also reflect the underlying social shifts where younger generations of investors (“The next generation of wealth”) appear to be increasingly interested in and concerned with investment outcomes beyond financial results. Measuring impact beyond financial returns is notoriously difficult. PwC’s efforts, as well as metrics provided by others, serve as useful starting points for understanding the vital role that business organisations can play as part of serving our wider society. Whether this will be enough to transform companies’ attention to maximising total impact in future depends on managers and investors working together.

Originally seen on European Financial Review.

Article Sourced from Warwick Business School (WBS): https://www.wbs.ac.uk/news/sustainability-and-total-impact-just-as-crucial-as-profit/

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