Month: February 2024

WASHINGTON, February 7, 2024 /3BL/ – The U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) and Comcast Corporation announced a new $1.5 million grant awards program – Talent for Tomorrow: Digital Equity Challenge (The Challenge).

This joint initiative will support the launch and expansion of local workforce programs designed to grow college and career readiness, close the digital skills gap, advance economic mobility, and lay the foundation for generational wealth in under-resourced communities.

Internet connectivity and digital skills are central to every part of life and key to advancing economic mobility. The Challenge will award grants to 10 cities to help provide more people, especially those most often left out of the digital economy, with the resources and skills needed to participate in the workforce and access opportunity.

“Now, more than ever, mayors are focused on improving digital access and training in cities to build a stronger, more diverse, more equitable and inclusive workforce in America,” said U.S. Conference of Mayors CEO and Executive Director Tom Cochran. “The Talent for Tomorrow Challenge we are launching in partnership with Comcast reaffirms our joint commitment to economic opportunity and mobility. We must ensure that no one is left behind due to a lack of opportunity or access to the vital technology that drives the economy.”

Collaboration across the public, philanthropic, corporate, and nonprofit sectors is essential to meet the challenges of achieving digital equity.

DALILA WILSON-SCOTT

Executive Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer of Comcast Corporation and President of the Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation

“In our ever-increasing digital economy, targeted development programs are key to closing the skills gap, spurring quality job placement and achieving the large-scale economic growth that builds generational wealth. Through this Challenge, we are proud to deepen our partnership with Mayors to help cities compete and thrive in today’s economy,” said Dalila Wilson-Scott, Executive Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer of Comcast Corporation and President of the Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation.

Talent for Tomorrow: Digital Equity Challenge

This joint initiative of the USCM and Comcast’s Project UP will support and expand digital training programs across the country. The Challenge will award a total of $1.5 million in digital equity grants to 10 cities through a competitive process. An independent panel of judges selected by USCM will review applications and select winners. Winning cities will be announced at USCM’s Annual Meeting in June 2024.

Three (3) large cities will each receive $250,000 grantsThree (3) medium-sized cities will each receive $150,000 grantsFour (4) small cities will each receive $75,000 grants

More information about The Challenge grant program can be found here. This partnership is a part of Project UP, Comcast’s $1 billion commitment to reach tens of millions of people through programs and community partnerships that connect people to the Internet, advance economic mobility, and open doors for the next generation of innovators, entrepreneurs, storytellers, and creators.

TORONTO, February 7, 2024 /3BL/ – Social Value Canada (SVC) and Social Value US (SV US) announce the launch of The SDG Impact Standards, a new training series for enterprises, private equity funds, and bond issuers, seeking to embed consideration of impact on the SDGs into business management and planning processes, and into investment decision making.  

The 12 SDG Impact Enterprise Actions 

The SDG Impact Standards are voluntary internal management standards designed to help businesses and investors embed sustainability and the SDGs into their management systems and decision-making practices. They are management practice standards – similar to ISO standards – focused on strategy development, management, transparency, and governance.  

The SDG Impact Standards are the missing piece of the sustainable business and investing puzzle. Building on and complementing existing leading initiatives such as the Impact Management Project Standards & Norms, the Social Value International Social Value Principles, the Task Force on Climate Related Financial Disclosures, among many others.  

The SDG Impact Standards aim at transforming mindsets in the way business and investments are done so that both financial and non-financial value creation for the organization, people and planet are considered equally important in the business and investment decision-making process.  

“Investors and enterprises are increasingly looking to the The SDG Impact Standards for guidance”, said Stephanie Robertson, CEO, SiMPACT Strategy Group, Board Member, SVC, and Co-chair, Social Value International (SVI). “The Standards offer a set of actions to support organizations in making informed decisions to place sustainability and the SDGs at the heart of their strategies for value creation.” 

SVI collaborates with UNDP to deliver a Train-the-Trainer course for individuals aspiring to become Accredited Trainers for the SDG Impact Standards. Upon completion of the training and a successful assessment, trainers receive a license to provide guidance to organizations on implementing these standards. Currently, there are 3 Accredited SDG Impact Standards Trainers in North America. 

If you would like to register for this event please click here.

About Social Value Canada and Social Value US: 

Social Value Canada (SVC) and Social Value US are North America’s practitioner networka for social value, SROI, and impact management. They are affiliates of Social Value International – an international network with members in 43 countries, and national affiliate networks in 24 countries, and growing. 

About Social Value International: 

Social Value International (SVI) is the leading global network for social impact and social value. SVI strives to work collaboratively with their members to achieve their collective mission of changing the way the world accounts for value. SVI has played a pivotal role in the development of the SDG Impact Standards, collaborating closely with UNDP.  

About the SDG Impact  

SDG Impact is a global UNDP flagship initiative working to accelerate private sector activity and investment towards sustainability and achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.  

The Standards are fully aligned with SVI’s Principles of Social Value, aiming to optimize the wellbeing of people and the planet. In addition to contributing to their development, SVI is actively promoting the roll-out and adoption of the Standards globally. The organization is committed to building capacity to support entities aligning with these standards, emphasizing the importance of creating a positive impact on both social and environmental fronts. As part of this commitment, SVI collaborates with UNDP to deliver a Train-the-Trainer course for individuals aspiring to become Accredited Trainers for the SDG Impact Standards. Upon completion of the training and a successful assessment, trainers receive a license to provide guidance to organizations on implementing these standards. Currently, there are 3 Accredited SDG Impact Standards Trainers in North America. 

For more information about SDG Impact Standards, please visit: https://sdgimpact.undp.org/practice-standards.html  

For media inquiries, please contact: 
Stephanie Robertson 
Board Member, Social Value Canada 
svc@socialvalue-canada.org 

#Sustainability #SustainableDevelopment #SDGs #SDGImpact #ImpactManagement #socialvaluemetters  

Dr. Sally Saba, Medtronic Chief Inclusion and Diversity Officer and Medtronic Foundation President

Healing means different things to different people.

For me, healing means going from a place of judgment, questioning our self-worth, body-mind dis-ease, and lack of inner vitality, to a place of acceptance, self-worth, mind-body wellbeing, and the reignition of that internal life spark — the vital energy that drives our passion, purpose, and sense of fulfillment.

And in a corporate context, the principle of healing can apply if you translate it into intentional initiatives that address and repair the psychological, emotional, and cultural trauma that relate to workplace exclusion, intolerance, toxicity, and discrimination. Employees contribute more of our effort and best thinking when we are in an environment that fosters what healing and true belonging brings to our lives.

As a physician, and avid learner on human healing, this is how I approach my role as Chief Inclusion and Diversity Officer.

Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity (ID&E) practitioners know the value of fostering a more inclusive and equitable workplace, addressing systemic inequities, and promoting a sense of belonging among employees. At the same time, it’s no secret that companies are facing increasing challenges — including DEI backlash, the rollback of civil rights legislation, and extreme polarization.

I believe that during challenging times, it is more important than ever to see each other as humans.

To understand each other as equally worthy.

To recognize that what ails one group in our society ails us all.

To lean into the power of collective healing. 

At Medtronic, we’ve seen how ID&E not only inspires our employees but supports our work in service of our Mission (you can read highlights of our work here). Our pledge to contribute to a more equitable, healthier world is stronger than ever.

Why are we staying committed and how do we evolve?

Our Why: ID&E is about people – and innovation is a people-powered business 
Every person has a unique background, perspective, and lived experience. And everyone needs — and deserves — to be respected, feel valued, and feel they truly belong. Different perspectives make teams smarter, and smarter teams are more creative and better problem-solvers.

How we treat each other matters. 

How we are treated is reflected in our performance.

There is real and tangible business value (e.g., lower attrition, higher engagement, greater collaboration, improved productivity, increased innovation, and better performance) in bringing our authentic selves to work – especially when you consider that’s where the average person will spend one-third of their lives.

And for an individual, the value is more wellbeing. If you don’t believe me, just think about the last time you felt excluded and be honest about how well you functioned in that moment.

Our commitment to ID&E at Medtronic is anchored in this simple but profound principle that inclusion directly supports our business strategy by driving new ideas and innovations, and ultimately helps us serve more patients.

People expect companies to care about the things they care about 
Societal challenges are not going away, and neither is bias (as long as we are humans, we will have bias). People want companies to play an increasingly active role in addressing equity issues.

In fact, business remains the only trusted institution globally (yes, that’s above government, media, and NGOs) and 62% expect CEOs to manage changes occurring in society, according to the recently released 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer. More and more customers, as well as current and prospective employees, are looking for their companies to be good corporate citizens.

Also, those prospective employees want to know they will have equal access to opportunity. When considering a job, 69% say societal impact is a strong expectation and 80% say inclusion is important.

That said, opinions about the value of ID&E vary widely along demographic and political lines. As ID&E practitioners, how can we help bridge this gap?

Cultivating an inclusive culture for ALL

Let’s be clear. Diversity for diversity’s sake should not be the objective. While tracking representation can help an organization measure progress in advancing equity for underrepresented populations, how you foster an inclusive culture is not just as important but even more critical.

Help employees see how equity is for everyone — truly. 
And most importantly, engage with curiosity in a meaningful dialogue along the way.

We all benefit when we work in places where different perspectives are heard. It’s not just what you do, but how you approach ID&E that matters.

Everyday behaviors that contribute to inclusive culture are 
key to making meaningful, sustainable impact the right way — 
and not merely check a performative, short-term box.

At Medtronic, we’re focusing our ID&E efforts on effective, research-backed practices to build diverse global teams and inclusive environments. This includes governance, leadership accountability, inclusive hiring practices that reduce bias at each stage of the decision-making process, and equitable access to career development and sponsorship opportunities. 

The call to action for all of us: Don’t shy away from ID&E concepts because of current pressures. Let’s stay deeply curious and keep this challenging conversation alive, on all sides. Through dialogue, understanding, and listening we can indeed create workplaces that truly benefit both humans and drive economic vitality. And along the way, my hope is that we can all find some healing for ourselves and each other.

Follow Dr. Sally Saba on LinkedIn for additional insights and commentary: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sally-saba