Entrepreneurship

Beyond Aid: Innovation in International Development

Perhaps you have wondered what happens after the urgency in Haiti subsides. How will we not just ensure a full recovery but also help create a society less vulnerable to such disasters? This discussion will focus on how entrepreneurs are creating innovative, market-based solutions as sustainable alternatives to aid. Our panel includes one of Business Week's Most Promising Social Entrepreneurs of 2009, a Fulbright Scholar, and several transfers from top finance and management consulting firms. They are working to address today's most pressing problems in the developing world, from health care to job creation to the training and funding of local entrepreneurs..

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Blueprints for Change: Designing and Engineering Social Impact

Technology and design are leading areas for innovation and entrepreneurship. But what happens when we harness the talent of some of the best design thinkers, architects and engineers and begin applying it to the social and environmental crises we face today? Panelists will discuss what it means to be an entrepreneur creating environmental and social value through innovative technologies as well as the key challenges and opportunities that exist in the field. These companies are making a difference in health, housing, transportation and beyond.

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Not Your Mama's CPG: New Business Models for Consumer Products

Consumer products are a huge part of our economy, but as the consumer evolves into a more educated, conscientious decision maker, a new breed of CPG has emerged. Hear from entrepreneurial firms implementing new models for meeting consumer needs while creating social change. Panelists represent both start-ups and well-established firms operating in a variety of industries, including beauty care, food and luxury retail. They are making an impact on everything from the environment to personal health to economic development in Mauritania and Namibia.

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Marketing

Green: The New Color of Marketing

In recent years, the symbolism of the color green has shifted and now represents environmental sustainability rather than envy in our everyday vernacular. Amidst accusations of greenwashing, you may find yourself asking, "What makes a company truly green?" Come hear the business case for going green from two of the world's greenest companies, and find out what companies are doing to promote their efforts along the greening of their supply chain, from ethical sourcing to sustainable packaging to product design. The panel will also showcase ket insights into the consumer mindset as it seeks - and struggles - to understand the definition and benefit of "green."

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Combining Head and Heart: Marketing for Social Enterprises

These days, one bottom line is simply not enough. Newman's Own realized this long ago, and as a truly pioneering social enterprise, has redefined what it means to pursue a triple bottom line. As mission statements transform, companies are faced with decisions about how best to achieve these goals. Rapidly growing KIND Snacks and Better World Books are no strangers to this dilemma, and must balance their marketing efforts accordingly. Listen to how these social enterprises choose public partners, market their social impact efforts, and how this all fits into their overall corporate strategy and mission statement.

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Marketing 2.0: Social Media for Social Impact

As technology changes, so too must a company's marketing efforts. Find out how companies are using the latest in social media and the web to monitor and create social impact. Mars, Inc. provides the company insider perspective, while Ogilvy PR provides an expert agency's point of view. You will also hear from the founder of Triple Pundit, a go-to website that keeps the interested public abreast of the latest on companies pursuing the triple bottom line, and the founder of Social Yell, an online community which provides user-generated feedback on how well companies are achieving these goals.

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Finance

Sustainable Investing: Today's dollar, tomorrow's world

The world has great wealth, which has the power to shape the future. What shape will it be? What type of progress -- social, environmental, financial -- gets funded? This panel will discuss strategies and actions taken by organizations focused on the full impact of their investments. From reducing poverty to improving the environment, how are social investment funds using capital to create sustainable change. Join us to hear from the pros.

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Cleantech: Make it, fund it

What is the current state of clean technology? How has the pivotal role of finance helped to create this reality? How can non-profits drive clean technology by harnessing market forces? Join this exciting panel to learn how industry leading organizations are addressing cirtical issues ranging from financing to implementation of clean technology, and what the future might hold.

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Financial Inclusion: Getting the bucks to the base

Financial inclusion is critical to creating small businesses and sustaining a thriving economy, but much of the world does not have access to basic, fair, financial services. What can be done internationally and domestically? Learn how micro-credit has changed the way the finance industry works to provide loans to developing regions internationally. On the domestic front, the session will explore how credit unions provide financial services driven by the community they serve and for the benefit of the community.

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Strategy

Information Overload! Simplifying sustainability and influencing the consumer decision making strategy

You've heard a lot about "sustainability"; it's becoming quite a buzzword. Companies tout "green" and "sustainable" in their advertisements , products and labels. But what really is sustainability and what does it involve? Is the information we are getting really accurate? Join us at this panel and we will sort through the information with our experts get a core understanding of the essence of green. No question is a dumb one! Based on our definition and understanding, we will then discuss strategies that will help consumers and individuals determine what sustainability involves and how to identify it. We hope you will leave with a clear idea of what defines sustainability and valuable strategies you can use to help your peers and future consumers make the best decisions possible in their purchases and investments of sustainable products and services.

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Starting at the Core: Sustainable Sourcing & Greening the Supply Chain

Help start sustainability at the root! Join us to discuss how to source your products and services in a sustainable way. As a supply chain is composed of a complex network of people, organizations and technologies, we will discuss how to manage the flows both within and among organizations, with a focus on the social and environmental impacts. We will discuss change drivers in detail, how to measure value chain impacts and entrepreneurial efforts in the field and the impact on developing social communities.

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Strategies for Climate Change: From Mitigation to Adaptation

With the increasing world-wide focus on climate change, come to this panel to discuss strategies to reduce our footprint. We will provide an overview of climate change data as well as where current government policies on emissions and reductions stand. We will outline the policy making process , discuss the innovative research being done in the field and provide tips for consulting in this area. This is sure to be an interesting panel for those who are interested in getting a big picture overview of how policy makers, businesses and NGOS are partnering together to make an impact!

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Bonus Panel

Measuring the Impact of Social Enterprise

As both nonprofit and for-profit businesses become progressively more complex, it becomes increasingly important to redefine measures of success. Moreover, the ability to measure and assess the impact of our actions in a quantifiable manner becomes crucial. Concrete results allow companies and nonprofit organizations to demonstrate the difference they are making in the countries where they operate. This session will discuss innovative frameworks for monitoring and evaluation. We will aim to understand how to capture the complexity of different types of projects and businesses and how to isolate the impacts caused. Topics include: Monitoring progress towards results, addressing challenges to creating evaluation frameworks, the appropriate indicators to measure impact, the role of certifications and standards, how we get beyond measures of inputs to really understand deeper effects and broader development contribution, and how we ensure an assessment is objective.

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