Tag: 3BL

With over 10 million social enterprises operating globally, generating US$2 trillion in revenue annually, and creating 200 million jobs, these businesses are effecting sustainable societal change by putting people and planet first.

With the world in a state of polycrisis – a term describing the simultaneous occurrence of several catastrophic events such as conflict, poverty, unemployment, and climate change – social enterprises are more critical than ever. These organizations, like Faces Up Uganda, Elli Cares, Key Farmers Cameroon, and Alexa Goodman Consulting, are a powerful force for change, and although it may seem like a recent trend, MovingWorlds reports that social enterprises have been around for over 600 years.

However, despite their growing impact, these organizations face a number of hurdles. Limited access to financing, lack of public awareness and recognition, lack of government support, inadequate legal or fiscal frameworks, and restricted access to procurement processes can all hinder their ability to thrive.

At SAP, we actively support social enterprises through our comprehensive corporate social responsibility strategy, which includes knowledge and skills transfer from employees and social procurement. Through this strategy, we facilitate pro bono consulting, mentorships, and coaching opportunities to help support social enterprises to scale their businesses, as well as connect them with new B2B markets like SAP Business Network. This approach can empower social enterprises to overcome business challenges, scale their impact, and achieve their ever-important missions.

Pro Bono Consulting: A Win-Win for Social Enterprises and SAP Employees

Building on more than a decade of experience executing pro bono consulting programs, SAP introduced a new way for more employees to share their expertise and experience with social enterprises through the Acceleration Collective initiative. The initiative is hosted on the TRANSFORM Support Hub, a global platform launched in partnership with MovingWorlds, Unilever, and the TRANSFORM program as a resource for social enterprises to access free, ongoing, bespoke support to scale their business.

Last year alone, 120 SAP employees leveraged their expertise on the platform, completing 51 projects and generating an in-kind contribution of $458,835. This initiative can not only offer growth for the social enterprises but can also foster SAP employees’ development through valuable experiential learning.

Employees Creating Change and Being Changed

SAP employees tap into skills from their day-to-day role and harness this expertise to create a solution to a real business challenge their social enterprise client is experiencing. Through this collaboration, employees contribute to the social enterprise’s mission while given the opportunity to flex and grow valuable leadership skills like cross-cultural collaboration, active listening, and a greater understanding of the challenges that small businesses face. To bring that to life, here are a few inspiring stories from employee participants of Acceleration Collective:

Collaborating with a Youth Art Education Organization on Its Strategic and Funding Plans

David Elliott, a senior user assistance developer at SAP UK, collaborated with Faces Up Uganda, a youth development NGO supporting young people from vulnerable backgrounds. The organization uses arts and crafts education to help young people overcome psychosocial challenges and develop essential personal and professional skills.

Elliott reviewed the organization’s website and strategic plan, enhancing the communication of its vision, mission, and values, and wrote grant applications to help secure funding. His work included regular meetings with the organization’s founder, Ssekitto Kalule Emmanuel, who praised Elliott for making “every word count” and inspiring the team.

“My experience with Faces Up revealed the potential of my skill set,” Elliott added. “Clarifying grammatical rules and style taught me about the impact of language in specific contexts, which has influenced my role at SAP. Seeing my work’s impact and receiving gratitude has motivated me to donate many hours to these projects.”

Partnering for Growing an App Supporting Independence for People Living with Dementia

A team of SAP employees from across the Asia, Pacific, and Japan (APJ) region – Binh Pham, senior value advisor; Sandra Chang, senior commercial business partner; and Summer Zeng, delivery manager, Product Engineering – worked alongside Elli Cares, a startup focused on supporting people with cognitive impairments. The team brainstormed with the founder, offering insights and recommendations on scaling and growing to take the business to the next level.

Pham found the experience fun, insightful, and humbling, as the team learned the challenges that startups like Elli Cares face and provided recommendations and solutions. “I was pleasantly surprised that my skill sets from my day-to-day job were transferrable and applicable to the case of this organization,” Pham said.

Enhancing the Funding Strategy for an Organization Empowering Rural Agricultural Communities

A Germany-based pro bono team – Fabio Westphal, solution advisor; Cansu Günay, enterprise customer success partner; Charlie Vu, specialist solution advisor; and Lilly Selzer, customer success partner – focused on strengthening Key Farmers Cameroon’s investor and donor outreach. This enterprise empowers rural communities through sustainable agriculture and vocational training. The SAP team refined the organization’s pitch deck and social media presence, enhancing its chances of securing funding. Westphal highlighted that he learned the importance of clear, trustful communication and concise storytelling in conveying complex ideas.

Scaling the Online Presence of a Consulting Firm Dedicated to Addressing Environmental Challenges with Creative Scientific Communication

Jaime Atilano, digital solution advisor, and Mallory Rioux, Customer Success, used their expertise in technology, brand building, and customer success to assist Alexa Goodman Consulting. Founded by scientist and environmental activist Alexa Goodman, the firm offers services in environmental education, science communication, professional development, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), and team building.

The SAP team optimized the organization’s website SEO to drive traffic and grow its online presence. “This experience was eye-opening. It’s one thing to learn about moving from empathy to action, but this opportunity allowed empathy to thrive,” Atilano shared. “I learned new skills, collaborated with a great team, and supported an entrepreneur working to save our oceans and advocate for LGBTQIA+ rights. It brought SAP Corporate Social Responsibility to life and confirmed that there is good in this world, and we can be part of it.”

Are You a New Pro Bono Consultant?

Two of our experts share their advice:

“Have confidence in your ability to provide value where you least expect it.”
– David Elliott, technical communication specialist at SAP

“Embrace the uncomfortable. You won’t know everything, but you are there for a reason. Lean on your strengths and bridge gaps, even in small ways. Learning a new skill can seem daunting, but it’s a win-win: upskilling for you while supporting a social good endeavor. Your effort will make a difference for the client and the world.”
– Jaime Atilano, digital solution advisor at SAP

Looking Ahead

The challenges we face in today’s world may be vast, but the potential for change that is created when social enterprises and professionals come together is even greater. As we move toward solutions, social enterprises have emerged as a springboard to a more just and sustainable future. Through collaboration and the power of collective action, we can further enable these changemakers to create innovative solutions to some of the world’s biggest challenges, all while bolstering the skills and expanding the perspectives of our own employees.

Are you inspired to utilize your skills for good and join the pro bono consulting movement? SAP employees and alumni can find more information through the Acceleration Collective launch page, and professionals from other organizations as well as social enterprises can learn more through the TRANSFORM Support Hub.

Hemang Desai is global program director of the Pro Bono Consulting Portfolio for Corporate Social Responsibility at SAP.

Originially published by WardsAuto

By Marie Hattar, Senior vice president, CMO, Keysight Technologies

The driverless future of autonomous vehicles is set to transform society by reinventing the transportation industry and changing consumer behaviors forever. As a result of this seismic shift, autonomous driving technology is expected to generate up to $400 billion in new revenue by 2035, according to recent research by the McKinsey Center for Future Mobility.

When AV technology is fully developed, driverless cars and trucks will provide immense benefits for society. Imagine the roadways when nearly all serious accidents and fender-benders can be eliminated and long-haul trucks can transport goods around the clock without needing to stop for sleep.

Applications for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) will replace the average human reaction time, lowering it from 1.6 seconds to just 0.5 seconds using sensors and algorithms, saving countless lives in the process.

The knock-on effects of autonomous driving should lead to further gains in human productivity and economic growth.

Hairpin-Turn Challenges for Autonomous Driving

Most public officials support the inclusion of capabilities for advanced driver assistance systems in regulatory frameworks and statutes. Regulations already are in place to govern pilot robotaxis and robo-shuttle services in many cities across the U.S., China, Israel and Europe.

Yet the share of consumers who support government regulation of fully self-driving cars has declined 15% over the past year, and trust in the safety of autonomous vehicles is down 5%, according to McKinsey. To address these ongoing safety concerns, extensive public education and outreach programs will be needed. In addition, regulatory controls will be critical for creating a trusted ecosystem that can balance the needs of drivers, pedestrians, businesses and law enforcement.

A vehicle with ADAS features is not autonomous, because drivers can take control of some ADAS driving functions when necessary. ADAS features continue to improve with cameras and sensors that can alert drivers about other vehicles and pedestrians on the road. They can also perform adaptive cruise control and activate the brakes in an emergency.

Unlike autos with ADAS, fully autonomous vehicles are designed to manage every aspect of driving without support from a human driver whatsoever. An AV requires much more complex hardware, software and computing power, as well as testing on the road and in the lab to accommodate millions of miles of driving scenarios.

SAE International has developed different Levels of Driving Automation for the industry, ranging from Level 0 (minimal autonomy) to Level 5 (fully autonomous). Mercedes has introduced its first Level 3 autonomous system, which can drive the vehicle under limited conditions, while Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) system is at Level 2, featuring some autonomous support for drivers.

Following a series of recent AV crashes, a group of six U.S. senators issued a stern letter to NHTSA. The senators urged the agency to use its regulatory powers to address the dangers of automated driving systems. “Public roads are not a sandbox for manufacturers or operators to play in, and regulatory agencies like NHTSA should be highly cautious about providing lax pathways onto the road for dangerous vehicles,” the senators wrote.

Autonomous vehicles should not be regulated by the same rules that govern standard passenger vehicles, because those regulations do not address the unique safety challenges for AVs. To address these concerns, the industry will need to continue building public trust through the improved performance of AV systems, especially in controlled environments.

Next-Gen Technology for Autonomous Driving

Reaching a totally hands-off and eyes-off autonomous driving experience will require a range of next-generation technologies that are still being developed. Automakers will continue to increase the safety of autonomous vehicles by applying new technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning to improve the performance of infrared sensors and sensors that use radio and light waves to help detect road users in all weather conditions. These technologies combine a variety of sensors that can recognize their surroundings, such as thermographic cameras, radar, lidar, sonar, GPS, odometry and inertial measurement units.

New applications for simulation, design, manufacturing, and maintenance, repair and overhaul are also creating a strong need for digital twin technology. Using a digital twin to replicate and test difficult scenarios in the real world is called edge case testing. Manufacturers are adopting emulation software and digital twin technology to accurately test and measure automotive components in the lab before launching them in the real world, helping to develop and deliver autonomous vehicles to market sooner.

The technical brain of an AV system relies on software systems that actively protect passengers. As this market grows, the costs will steadily fall for these new sensors and high-performance computers, just as safety standards will continue to make progress around the country and the world. To help build confidence in AVs, the industry will need to generate a common set of testing standards, similar to crash safety standards, that AV developers can evaluate their systems against.

The winding road to a driverless future still holds many twists and turns ahead as autonomous driving evolves. Over the next decade, our car-crazy society will be realigned through major changes to workforce commuting, car ownership and parking practices, new mobility options for seniors and the disabled, and possibly even large-scale demographic shifts away from large cities to more suburban and rural areas. It should be an exciting and wild ride for years to come as the auto industry reinvents itself with ever-increasing levels of automation.

In April, Hiring Our Heroes announced 5 grant recipients for the Small Business Award for Veterans & Military Spouses, an initiative that provides a one-time $10,000 grant for selected military-connected entrepreneurs, thanks to the generosity of the FedEx Founder’s Fund. Selected grant recipients displayed both business acumen as well as two key characteristics – a dedication to overcoming economic hardships and a commitment to giving back to their communities.

In our 5-part blog series, we’re meeting these grant recipients and learning more about the inspirational businesses that they have built and the passion that fuels them daily.

The fifth grant recipient is Your Personal Gardener & Arborist, a one-stop shop for all your lawn and tree care needs, based in East Troy, Wisconsin.

In January 2011, James and Natalie Chesebro started Your Personal Gardener & Arborist to fill the employment gap between James’ deployments. Initially a part-time landscaping business, it was founded by James, a Green Beret who served from 2002 to 2016, providing a range of lawn, landscaping, tree, and snow care services when he was home. The business quickly grew and has expanded significantly each year. With six children, two of whom now work in the business, Your Personal Gardener & Arborist continues to thrive. What sets the business apart is its comprehensive range of services, including installations, large tree removals, mulching, mowing, and much more, making it a one-stop shop for all lawn care needs.

In the early stages of the company, James and Natalie encountered numerous challenges, including disruptions due to James’s deployments. Additionally, the company struggled with a competitive job market and had difficulty finding qualified candidates for open positions. To address these challenges, James and Natalie strayed from online hiring platforms, instead implementing word-of-mouth referral programs, and actively recruiting from high schools and colleges to attract students interested in outdoor work. Demonstrating financial acumen, they invest in high-quality equipment that reduces labor demands and enhances employee satisfaction. They also provide a range of incentives and benefits, including bonuses, health insurance, dental insurance, life insurance, paid training, and awesome uniforms!

James and Natalie have made significant contributions to their local economy in East Troy, Wisconsin. What started as a small operation with two individuals and a pickup truck has grown into a thriving small business employing a full staff of 22. Their marketing efforts are supported by professional affiliations, and they actively seek to hire qualified veterans. The company supports local restaurants by catering for their employees, fuels their fleet at nearby gas stations, and sources nearly all bulk materials from local vendors. Through these efforts, James and Natalie not only drive their business forward but also strengthen their community, demonstrating the spirit of local entrepreneurship.

Your Personal Gardener & Arborist demonstrates exemplary leadership and community engagement through initiatives like their annual “Tree Day of Service,” offering complimentary tree care to a selected veteran, and volunteering for Project Green Care & Snow Care to support deployed military families. Active in the Mukwonago Chamber of Commerce and recognized as Wisconsin’s Small Business Administration Veteran Owned Company of the Year, they promote veterans, social inclusion, and gender equality. As members of several professional associations and a federally certified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business, they truly exemplify a thriving company making a meaningful community impact.

James is looking into expanding the business even more by offering bulk materials for commercial customers, and the $10,000 grant money will be used to build a bunker for those materials. The couple was honored and flattered to be selected as it not only serves their company, but their family, employees’ families, communities, and the customers they serve.

Click here to learn about FedEx Cares, our global community engagement program.

We recently participated in the Cradles to Crayons Backpack-A-Thon in Wilmington, where we dedicated our time to packing backpacks with essential school supplies for children in Delaware. This event is crucial in ensuring that kids have the necessary tools for learning, especially for families who face barriers to accessing these essentials. By providing items such as notebooks, pencils, and other educational materials, we are helping to create a more equitable start to the school year for many children.

The impact of this event goes beyond just the backpacks. It represents a community coming together to support its youngest members and their educational journeys. Our efforts help alleviate some of the financial burdens on families, allowing them to focus on other important aspects of their lives. A heartfelt thank you goes out to our dedicated volunteers and Cradles to Crayons Philadelphia for their commitment to making a difference in the lives of these children, one backpack at a time. Our contributions are truly appreciated and make a significant impact on our community.

KFC Foundation

The KFC Foundation is awarding $1 million in grants to 100 community-based non-profit organizations this year. Grants are awarded quarterly, with each cycle focusing on addressing different crucial needs. This cycle, $260,000 will fund projects aimed at improving health and well-being. Each year, Kentucky Fried Wishes, one of the KFC Foundation’s community giving programs, invites non-profit organizations to apply for a grant to fund a project on their wish list.

This cycle’s grant recipients span over 19 different states and support a variety of causes and communities, including:

Count Basie Center for the Arts, located in Red Bank, NJ, is committed to generating opportunities for participation in the arts and driving regional economic prosperity. With the support of their Kentucky Fried Wishes grant, Count Basie Center for the Arts will establish a state-of-the-art, barrier-free dance studio, ensuring inclusive access to artistic opportunities.Neighbor Up Brevard, located in Melbourne, FL, implements solutions for revitalizing impoverished communities. Their Kentucky Fried Wishes project is installing a new playground and refurbishing a basketball court, providing fitness, team sports, and informal recreation to over 140 children.Treehouse Therapies, located in Redmond, OR, is dedicated to unlocking the potential of children and communities by providing care regardless of financial limitations. With funding from Kentucky Fried Wishes, they plan to transform a small farm into a pediatric therapy clinic with an outdoor space, fostering therapeutic opportunities for children with disabilities.Turnstone Center, located in Fort Wayne, IN, empowers people with disabilities to reach their highest potential through comprehensive services and programs. With their Kentucky Fried Wishes grant, Turnstone will renovate their adaptive playground and create an outdoor learning classroom.

Kentucky Fried Wishes, Cycle 2, grant recipients:

Aurora Public Library Foundation (Auora, IL)

Autism Tennessee (Nashville, TN)

Breathing Association (Columbus, OH)

Camp Jamison Corporation (Philadelphia, PA)

Caring Connection (Benton Harbor, MI)

ChildSafe Colorado (Fort Collins, CO)

Columbia County Sanctuary Movement (Hudson, NY)

Count Basie Center for the Arts (Red Bank, NJ)

Emporia Area Chamber Foundation (Emporia, KS)

Gamers Outreach (Saline, MI)

Healing Hearts Movement (Las Vegas, NV)

Identify Your Dream (Farmington Hills, MI)

Maryville Community Library (Maryville, IL)

Neighbor Up Brevard (Melbourne, FL)

One Safe Place (Fort Worth, TX)

Paulding County RCO (Powder Springs, GA)

Rocky Mountain Youth Corps (Ranchos de Taos, NM)

Sight Savers America (Pelham, AL)

Sleep in Heavenly Peace (Eugene, OR)

Therapeutic Riding At Centenary University (Hackettstown, NJ)

Treehouse Therapies (Redmond, OR)

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church and Early Learning Center (Tacoma, WA)

Turnstone Center (Fort Wayne, IN)

Two Top Mountain Adaptive Sports Foundation (Mercersburg, PA)

Veterans K9 Solutions (Evans, GA)

Wears Valley Ranch (Sevierville, TN)

Kentucky Fried Wishes is just one way the KFC Foundation supports, empowers, and serves joy to KFC restaurant employees and communities. The KFC Foundation also provides programs focused on education, financial literacy, and hardship assistance for KFC restaurant employees, as well as a food donation program to fight hunger and food waste.

The next Kentucky Fried Wishes grant cycle will run from September 16 – 30 and focus on caring for the environment and animals. Non-profit organizations seeking funding for a project within that scope can learn more and apply for a grant at kfcfoundation.org/wishes.

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As seen on commonimpact.org

Meet Monica Stefan, a dynamic leader at Twilio who enjoys solving challenges and making a difference. As the Director of Strategic Alliances, Monica is passionate about how technology empowers businesses and transforms lives. But her impact goes beyond her professional achievements—Monica truly embodies Twilio‘s social impact mission: leveraging their technology, people, and capital to help nonprofits expand their reach and scale their missions.

Monica lives this mission through her active participation in Twilio’s volunteering opportunities, such as skills-based volunteering (SBV). Twilio has thoughtfully cultivated a culture of volunteerism and service through strong nonprofit partnerships and collaborations with Employee Resource Groups (ERGs).

Recently, Monica had the exciting opportunity to lend her expertise to Welsh Women’s Aid, an organization dedicated to supporting survivors of domestic violence. Faced with an outdated Customer relationship management system (CRM) that fell short in user experience and integration capabilities, Welsh Women’s Aid needed a new solution. The current system’s lack of intuitive functionality and integration with tools like Mailchimp was hampering their effectiveness.

Monica and her team stepped in to help. They developed a comprehensive requirements document to guide Welsh Women’s Aid in selecting a new CRM system that would better meet their needs. Monica’s journey through her professional and volunteer experiences showcases the inspiring power of uniting expertise with a deep commitment to social good.

“When we achieve a certain place in our career, we can carve out time to give gratitude and help others. It doesn’t feel like additional work when engaging in a volunteer project aligned with your passion.” 

Why is volunteering and giving back important to you? 

Volunteering gives me the opportunity to positively impact the lives of others and, in a way, give back the help I have been blessed to receive. Growing up, my parents taught me generosity, from raising church donations and volunteering to helping people in need. After I immigrated from Romania to the U.S., social organizations and kind individuals offered me much-needed support to start a new life. Because of their invaluable mentorship, guidance, and resources, I’m now living the life I could only have dreamed of 15 years ago.

Whenever I have a chance, I look for ways to support others. For example, as a lead coordinator with the Husky Club at the University of Washington Fosters School, I identified top-tier companies with open positions for graduates (such as Microsoft or Amazon), organized networking events, provided interview coaching to prepare students for employment, and connect them with potential employers before they graduated. This experience filled me with joy, knowing that my efforts led students to enter a great career and pursue their passion.

At Twilio, I have enjoyed collaborating with my peers, being involved in the Women @ Twilio ERG, volunteering as a mentor to fellow women around the world, as well as volunteering externally with organizations such as Generation Success, which focuses on helping students from less fortunate backgrounds prepare for their next career.

Your volunteer team developed a vendor selection framework for Welsh Women’s Aid. What was the project challenge, and can you walk us through the solutions your team provided? 

Welsh Women’s Aid is initiating a project to select a new Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system that better suits their evolving organizational needs. The CRM they were using fell short in several critical areas, including user support and responsiveness. Team members frequently faced challenges with resolving issues crucial to their data management practices, impeding operational efficiency.

My volunteer team created a comprehensive guide outlining requirements for selecting a CRM that would help address the needs of the fundraising team and potentially other departments. Our vendor selection framework focuses on robust data management, user-friendly interfaces, and reliable vendor support.

What inspired you to engage in skills-based volunteering? 

I didn’t know what skills-based volunteering was initially. I decided to step outside my comfort zone and try it. Upon reading the Welsh Women’s Aid project description, it became apparent that my team and I could use our work skills to help the nonprofit. I was pleasantly surprised at how positively the nonprofit received our ideas, advice, and deliverables. We often take for granted the work we do every day and don’t realize how valuable it is to nonprofits that don’t have these resources or skills readily available.

What was your favorite part of collaborating with your Twilio colleagues? 

The best part was connecting with my Twilio peers. Their complementary skills and unique perspectives were truly inspiring, giving me the chance to learn and push beyond my comfort zone. Our diverse roles and backgrounds came together wonderfully, enabling us to deliver a comprehensive and impactful solution for Welsh Women’s Aid.

How did this experience broaden your awareness or perspective about nonprofits that support and empower women? 

Empowering women and uplifting their voices is a personal passion, especially growing up in a culture where domestic violence is common. This volunteering experience broadened my awareness of nonprofits supporting women and their critical role in offering safety, resources, and hope. I specifically chose to work with Welsh Women’s Aid because I’m passionate about helping women feel empowered in many areas of their lives, whether physical, health, or career. I realized how essential these organizations are in breaking the cycle of abuse, providing legal and emotional support, and advocating for systemic change. It opened my eyes to the power of community and the importance of accessible support networks for those in need. It was impressive to learn about the activities they do with the members they support, and I am excited to see the project come to fruition, as it will help accelerate their already fantastic work.

Why is volunteerism important for cultivating a positive workplace culture? 

I admire companies that encourage their teams to give back and include elements outside of the employees’ work-related activities in their performance review process. Volunteering fuels people’s personal growth, sharpens skills, and provides new learning opportunities.

A quote that comes to mind is “the value of knowledge multiplies when shared with others” by Simon Sinek. In my teams, I seek to foster a culture of proactive sharing and helping each other, getting involved in mentorships and volunteer projects individually or as a team, as this fosters teamwork.

My guiding principle for success is to strike a work-life and a take-give balance. In other words, when we achieve a certain place in our career, we can carve out time to give gratitude and help others. It doesn’t feel like additional work when engaging in a volunteer project aligned with your passion. Personally, it fills me with energy because my support touches an entire ecosystem of stakeholders: the organization itself, the members it supports, their donors, etc.

For more social impact content like this, follow us on LinkedIn and sign-up for our monthly newsletter. Ready to learn more about skills-based volunteering? Reach out.

 

As seen on commonimpact.org

Meet Monica Stefan, a dynamic leader at Twilio who enjoys solving challenges and making a difference. As the Director of Strategic Alliances, Monica is passionate about how technology empowers businesses and transforms lives. But her impact goes beyond her professional achievements—Monica truly embodies Twilio‘s social impact mission: leveraging their technology, people, and capital to help nonprofits expand their reach and scale their missions.

Monica lives this mission through her active participation in Twilio’s volunteering opportunities, such as skills-based volunteering (SBV). Twilio has thoughtfully cultivated a culture of volunteerism and service through strong nonprofit partnerships and collaborations with Employee Resource Groups (ERGs).

Recently, Monica had the exciting opportunity to lend her expertise to Welsh Women’s Aid, an organization dedicated to supporting survivors of domestic violence. Faced with an outdated Customer relationship management system (CRM) that fell short in user experience and integration capabilities, Welsh Women’s Aid needed a new solution. The current system’s lack of intuitive functionality and integration with tools like Mailchimp was hampering their effectiveness.

Monica and her team stepped in to help. They developed a comprehensive requirements document to guide Welsh Women’s Aid in selecting a new CRM system that would better meet their needs. Monica’s journey through her professional and volunteer experiences showcases the inspiring power of uniting expertise with a deep commitment to social good.

“When we achieve a certain place in our career, we can carve out time to give gratitude and help others. It doesn’t feel like additional work when engaging in a volunteer project aligned with your passion.” 

Why is volunteering and giving back important to you? 

Volunteering gives me the opportunity to positively impact the lives of others and, in a way, give back the help I have been blessed to receive. Growing up, my parents taught me generosity, from raising church donations and volunteering to helping people in need. After I immigrated from Romania to the U.S., social organizations and kind individuals offered me much-needed support to start a new life. Because of their invaluable mentorship, guidance, and resources, I’m now living the life I could only have dreamed of 15 years ago.

Whenever I have a chance, I look for ways to support others. For example, as a lead coordinator with the Husky Club at the University of Washington Fosters School, I identified top-tier companies with open positions for graduates (such as Microsoft or Amazon), organized networking events, provided interview coaching to prepare students for employment, and connect them with potential employers before they graduated. This experience filled me with joy, knowing that my efforts led students to enter a great career and pursue their passion.

At Twilio, I have enjoyed collaborating with my peers, being involved in the Women @ Twilio ERG, volunteering as a mentor to fellow women around the world, as well as volunteering externally with organizations such as Generation Success, which focuses on helping students from less fortunate backgrounds prepare for their next career.

Your volunteer team developed a vendor selection framework for Welsh Women’s Aid. What was the project challenge, and can you walk us through the solutions your team provided? 

Welsh Women’s Aid is initiating a project to select a new Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system that better suits their evolving organizational needs. The CRM they were using fell short in several critical areas, including user support and responsiveness. Team members frequently faced challenges with resolving issues crucial to their data management practices, impeding operational efficiency.

My volunteer team created a comprehensive guide outlining requirements for selecting a CRM that would help address the needs of the fundraising team and potentially other departments. Our vendor selection framework focuses on robust data management, user-friendly interfaces, and reliable vendor support.

What inspired you to engage in skills-based volunteering? 

I didn’t know what skills-based volunteering was initially. I decided to step outside my comfort zone and try it. Upon reading the Welsh Women’s Aid project description, it became apparent that my team and I could use our work skills to help the nonprofit. I was pleasantly surprised at how positively the nonprofit received our ideas, advice, and deliverables. We often take for granted the work we do every day and don’t realize how valuable it is to nonprofits that don’t have these resources or skills readily available.

What was your favorite part of collaborating with your Twilio colleagues? 

The best part was connecting with my Twilio peers. Their complementary skills and unique perspectives were truly inspiring, giving me the chance to learn and push beyond my comfort zone. Our diverse roles and backgrounds came together wonderfully, enabling us to deliver a comprehensive and impactful solution for Welsh Women’s Aid.

How did this experience broaden your awareness or perspective about nonprofits that support and empower women? 

Empowering women and uplifting their voices is a personal passion, especially growing up in a culture where domestic violence is common. This volunteering experience broadened my awareness of nonprofits supporting women and their critical role in offering safety, resources, and hope. I specifically chose to work with Welsh Women’s Aid because I’m passionate about helping women feel empowered in many areas of their lives, whether physical, health, or career. I realized how essential these organizations are in breaking the cycle of abuse, providing legal and emotional support, and advocating for systemic change. It opened my eyes to the power of community and the importance of accessible support networks for those in need. It was impressive to learn about the activities they do with the members they support, and I am excited to see the project come to fruition, as it will help accelerate their already fantastic work.

Why is volunteerism important for cultivating a positive workplace culture? 

I admire companies that encourage their teams to give back and include elements outside of the employees’ work-related activities in their performance review process. Volunteering fuels people’s personal growth, sharpens skills, and provides new learning opportunities.

A quote that comes to mind is “the value of knowledge multiplies when shared with others” by Simon Sinek. In my teams, I seek to foster a culture of proactive sharing and helping each other, getting involved in mentorships and volunteer projects individually or as a team, as this fosters teamwork.

My guiding principle for success is to strike a work-life and a take-give balance. In other words, when we achieve a certain place in our career, we can carve out time to give gratitude and help others. It doesn’t feel like additional work when engaging in a volunteer project aligned with your passion. Personally, it fills me with energy because my support touches an entire ecosystem of stakeholders: the organization itself, the members it supports, their donors, etc.

For more social impact content like this, follow us on LinkedIn and sign-up for our monthly newsletter. Ready to learn more about skills-based volunteering? Reach out.

 

In the heart of China’s Shanxi Province stands a remarkable testament to human ingenuity and resilience: the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda. Nearly a thousand years old, this architectural marvel has withstood the ravages of time, surviving the chaos of wars and the fury of natural disasters. Standing 67 meters high, the structure—also called the Sakyamuni Pagoda of the Fogong Temple—towers above the surrounding landscape, multi-tiered wooden roofs offering a striking contrast to the rolling hills and smaller buildings that dot the region.

Even with its staggering resilience, the pagoda is showing its considerable age. Built in 1056 and recognized by UNESCO as the world’s oldest and tallest entirely wooden structure, the Yingxian pagoda faces the inevitable effects of time: weathering, structural fatigue, and the ever-present threat of wood decay. In fact, it is no longer accessible to tourists who would otherwise leap at the chance to step back in time.

Now, the pagoda’s unparalleled value to shared world heritage has inspired a revolutionary effort to preserve it for future generations. Lenovo, the global technology leader, will safeguard this ancient treasure using groundbreaking artificial intelligence (AI) technology. In collaboration with Tsinghua University’s School of Architecture, Lenovo launched the “Smart Yingxian Pagoda” project to create a digital twin of the pagoda that captures every exquisite detail of its architecture, from intricate wood grains to subtle imperfections in statues.

This AI-powered digital twin is much more than just a high-fidelity virtual model—the interactive, navigable experience democratizes access to the pagoda’s splendor, allowing people from around the world to explore and study its ancient halls. Moreover, it accelerates ongoing restorative efforts and ensures they strictly adhere to the original style, preserving the pagoda’s historical integrity.

“AI for cultural heritage is about using cutting-edge technology to reach back a thousand years to preserve these wonders for the future,” said Shijie Mao, Lenovo vice president and director of research in Shanghai “We relentlessly pursue innovation and transformation, especially in the era of AI, but always with an eye on our communities and human experiences. This initiative embodies our commitment to smarter AI for all.”

Situated in the northwest corner of Shanxi Province, the pagoda was built during the Liao Dynasty, a period . The Yingxian Wooden Pagoda predates the Battle of Hastings in England by a decade and the construction of Machu Picchu by an incredible four centuries. This context underscores the pagoda’s significance as a pinnacle of wooden architectural engineering, a legacy that now finds an unlikely ally in modern AI.

Lenovo’s technological expertise in spatial computing and AI-generated content (AIGC) technologies, including Neural Radiance Fields (NeRF) and Extended Reality (XR), has enabled the creation of a comprehensive virtual model. This “Digital Twin” encapsulates over 15 million facets and nearly 60,000 lines of Unity programming, offering an unparalleled level of detail and interactivity.

The “Smart Yingxian Pagoda” application provides a detailed virtual experience from the first to the fifth floors of the pagoda. Augmented reality (AR) props and large-scale animations enrich user engagement, simulating the experience of climbing the actual pagoda, which is currently restricted to tourists.

Drones flew around the pagoda to capture exterior footage, 360-degree cameras documented the interior, and a mix of cameras and laser scanners gathered detailed structural and textural data. This non-invasive approach ensures the pagoda’s preservation while allowing for a meticulous reconstruction. Remarkably, advanced AI algorithms then assembled the disparate data into one cohesive, immersive whole—a process now possible in less than 10 hours.

Looking ahead, Lenovo is exploring involvement in similar heritage preservation projects globally, welcoming opportunities for collaboration. This initiative showcases Lenovo’s AI capabilities and their applications across diverse fields, highlighting the beauty of using the latest technology to protect and preserve our shared human heritage.

Explore the “Smart Yingxian Pagoda” on Lenovo’s WeChat and learn more about Lenovo’s end-to-end AI solutions empowering individuals and transforming enterprises.

In the heart of China’s Shanxi Province stands a remarkable testament to human ingenuity and resilience: the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda. Nearly a thousand years old, this architectural marvel has withstood the ravages of time, surviving the chaos of wars and the fury of natural disasters. Standing 67 meters high, the structure—also called the Sakyamuni Pagoda of the Fogong Temple—towers above the surrounding landscape, multi-tiered wooden roofs offering a striking contrast to the rolling hills and smaller buildings that dot the region.

Even with its staggering resilience, the pagoda is showing its considerable age. Built in 1056 and recognized by UNESCO as the world’s oldest and tallest entirely wooden structure, the Yingxian pagoda faces the inevitable effects of time: weathering, structural fatigue, and the ever-present threat of wood decay. In fact, it is no longer accessible to tourists who would otherwise leap at the chance to step back in time.

Now, the pagoda’s unparalleled value to shared world heritage has inspired a revolutionary effort to preserve it for future generations. Lenovo, the global technology leader, will safeguard this ancient treasure using groundbreaking artificial intelligence (AI) technology. In collaboration with Tsinghua University’s School of Architecture, Lenovo launched the “Smart Yingxian Pagoda” project to create a digital twin of the pagoda that captures every exquisite detail of its architecture, from intricate wood grains to subtle imperfections in statues.

This AI-powered digital twin is much more than just a high-fidelity virtual model—the interactive, navigable experience democratizes access to the pagoda’s splendor, allowing people from around the world to explore and study its ancient halls. Moreover, it accelerates ongoing restorative efforts and ensures they strictly adhere to the original style, preserving the pagoda’s historical integrity.

“AI for cultural heritage is about using cutting-edge technology to reach back a thousand years to preserve these wonders for the future,” said Shijie Mao, Lenovo vice president and director of research in Shanghai “We relentlessly pursue innovation and transformation, especially in the era of AI, but always with an eye on our communities and human experiences. This initiative embodies our commitment to smarter AI for all.”

Situated in the northwest corner of Shanxi Province, the pagoda was built during the Liao Dynasty, a period . The Yingxian Wooden Pagoda predates the Battle of Hastings in England by a decade and the construction of Machu Picchu by an incredible four centuries. This context underscores the pagoda’s significance as a pinnacle of wooden architectural engineering, a legacy that now finds an unlikely ally in modern AI.

Lenovo’s technological expertise in spatial computing and AI-generated content (AIGC) technologies, including Neural Radiance Fields (NeRF) and Extended Reality (XR), has enabled the creation of a comprehensive virtual model. This “Digital Twin” encapsulates over 15 million facets and nearly 60,000 lines of Unity programming, offering an unparalleled level of detail and interactivity.

The “Smart Yingxian Pagoda” application provides a detailed virtual experience from the first to the fifth floors of the pagoda. Augmented reality (AR) props and large-scale animations enrich user engagement, simulating the experience of climbing the actual pagoda, which is currently restricted to tourists.

Drones flew around the pagoda to capture exterior footage, 360-degree cameras documented the interior, and a mix of cameras and laser scanners gathered detailed structural and textural data. This non-invasive approach ensures the pagoda’s preservation while allowing for a meticulous reconstruction. Remarkably, advanced AI algorithms then assembled the disparate data into one cohesive, immersive whole—a process now possible in less than 10 hours.

Looking ahead, Lenovo is exploring involvement in similar heritage preservation projects globally, welcoming opportunities for collaboration. This initiative showcases Lenovo’s AI capabilities and their applications across diverse fields, highlighting the beauty of using the latest technology to protect and preserve our shared human heritage.

Explore the “Smart Yingxian Pagoda” on Lenovo’s WeChat and learn more about Lenovo’s end-to-end AI solutions empowering individuals and transforming enterprises.

During the Climate Vault nonprofit’s 2023 RFP round for Innovative Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) projects, the Climate Vault Tech Chamber selected not one, but two, outstanding winners for the 2023 Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) Innovation Award. This marks a significant milestone in Climate Vault’s CDR journey as this is the first time the Tech Chamber’s rigorous standards for first-of-their-kind CDR solutions have ever been met.

Picture this: a dedicated team of visionaries, armed with ingenuity and determination, crafting cutting-edge machines designed to extract CO2 straight from the air around us. But award honoree Octavia Carbon isn’t just focused on developing new technology; it’s also catalyzing positive change for the planet and local community.

As the Global South’s first Direct Air Capture (DAC) company based in Nairobi, Kenya, Octavia Carbon designs, builds, and will soon deploy machines that filter CO2 from the atmosphere. By leveraging Kenya’s renewable energy, geology, and talent, they aim to not only drive down the cost of DAC but also promote socio-economic growth within the region.

In the interview below, Martin Freimüller, CEO & Co-Founder, shares about Octavia Carbon’s mission to reverse the effects of climate change and end the fossil fuel age by deploying competitively low-cost, geothermal-integrated DAC in Kenya. You can also register to attend Climate Vault’s upcoming webinar on September 11 to hear from Martin firsthand about Octavia’s first-of-its-kind DAC operations.

Can you tell us about your background and role at Octavia Carbon?

My name is Martin Freimüller, and I am the CEO & Co-Founder of Octavia Carbon. After a working-class upbringing in Austria, I had the opportunity to spend two years of my youth in South Africa and Zambia. Realizing how much economic opportunity goes underleveraged in much of the African continent, I studied Politics and Business at Cambridge and then went into international development consulting with Dalberg.

What was the inspiration behind launching Octavia Carbon and pursuing innovative carbon removal solutions?

At Dalberg, I realized that CDR, as a major emerging industry, can be a key job driver on the African continent and that Kenya specifically is the world’s best place for DAC. Kenya is truly unrivaled in having the best energy, geology, and talent to scale DAC massively. With this in mind, I decided to use my COVID savings to move to Kenya and establish a DAC company and industry in late 2021. In June 2022, my co-founders and I started Octavia Carbon as a seemingly wild idea at a kitchen table. We have since grown to a team of more than 55 and are developing a pilot DAC+Storage plant, Project Hummingbird (see image 1), that will have the capacity to capture and securely store more than 10,000 tons of CO2 over ten years.

What makes Octavia Carbon’s approach to carbon removal so unique and credible?

Our approach stems from our strong conviction that Kenya is the best place for DAC deployment. The country’s endowments are key (and favorable) to developing, deploying, and scaling our technology. For DAC to be efficient, it needs to operate in regions with excessive renewable energy. Kenya is one such country where, in the geothermal sector alone, 1,000 MWh of electricity is curtailed daily due to the lack of industrial demand.

Most importantly, we have designed our DAC technology to harness Kenya’s geothermal potential to overcome the energy requirements of DAC. Typically, in DAC, a chemical filter (or ‘sorbent’) is used to selectively isolate CO2 from the atmosphere. Once saturated, the filter is heated to release the captured CO2 and regenerate for subsequent use. At the core of our DAC approach is a patent-pending sorbent, developed in-house, that regenerates at temperatures of ~85°C. This key factor allows us to integrate our DAC technology with Kenya’s cheap, abundant geothermal waste heat that would otherwise remain vastly untapped. The waste heat will cater to >80% of our energy needs for our pilot plant, and geothermal electricity will account for only <20% of our DAC energy needs.

Furthermore, Kenya’s geological formations along the Rift Valley, particularly the basaltic rocks, provide an ideal permanent storage solution for our captured CO2 through mineralization. Leveraging this geologic formation, our storage partner will inject the captured CO2 underground for safe and secure permanent storage.

Lastly, thanks to Kenya’s relatively low manufacturing base, we have been able to marshal more brains and hands into our technology development process. This has allowed for faster iteration, granting us faster learning curves than our industry peers.

How do you envision your DAC technology contributing to mitigating climate change on a global scale?

Climate science is clear: to mitigate the effects of climate change, we need to remove 5-10 billion tons of CO2 from the atmosphere annually by 2050 to keep global warming below 1.5°C. DAC, we believe, is the gold standard of CDR. This is mainly because DAC is highly measurable and scalable, and the CO2 captured can be durably stored. Project Hummingbird, with an initial capture and storage capacity of 1,000 tons of CO2 in a year, will serve as a benchmark and inform our future scaling plans. By 2030, we aim to have removed more than a million tons of CO2 from the atmosphere and to be at the forefront in driving the transition to a net-zero future.

Are there other potential benefits, environmental or otherwise, of widespread adoption of your project?

With 1,000 MWh of geothermal electricity wasted daily, electricity costs in Kenya remain high for the regular Kenyan, who has to bear the costs of the excess capacity produced. Our DAC operations will create the demand for the excess capacity and incentivize the build-out of the renewables sector. Through this, our operations will potentially subsidize electricity costs for the end consumers and increase energy access, especially for rural communities.

We are committed to making Kenya a DAC hub by fostering collaboration and public understanding of DAC and lobbying for favorable DAC policies with the respective Kenyan ministries to encourage industry growth within the region. We are already working with local research institutions and universities to improve our technology and train the next generation of DAC experts through educational programs and outreach initiatives.

Kenya and the African continent at large have contributed little to climate change, but its effects have had devastating consequences on communities in the country. Our deployment region is mainly home to the local Maasai people, whose traditional pastoralist livelihoods have been stripped by prolonged droughts in Kenya. Beyond job creation (see image 2), our pilot project aims to promote climate justice in the region by allocating a portion of the revenue to local initiatives through a comprehensive community benefit plan. These initiatives will address major challenges these communities face, such as water scarcity and high illiteracy levels.

What have been some key milestones or breakthroughs for Octavia Carbon?

In our two years of existence, we have designed and built seven at-scale machines, which are among the fewer than 50 DAC machines available globally. We have also grown our team to >55 young, talented Kenyan innovators determined to build globally competitive technology in Kenya.

Our first model, Thursday – 1tCO2/yr, was open-sourced through the Open Air Collective and has since been referenced by DAC enthusiasts globally. The Lenana model (see image 3) -10tCO2/yr is currently being iterated before we transition to its mass production. We are building a mini-DAC demonstration plant in our Nairobi facility to stress-test the Lenana models already built and validate our plant designs for Project Hummingbird at a small scale. Project Hummingbird will commence operations in Q4 this year and will be the first DAC+Storage facility in the Southern Hemisphere. We have already pre-sold 15% of the plant’s capacity, equivalent to ~1.1M in revenue, to highly catalytic buyers like Klimate.co, Klarna and Terraset.

Can you share some of the main challenges you’ve encountered during the development and implementation of your pilot plant, Project Hummingbird, and the lessons you have learned along the way?

My experience building the Global South’s first DAC company has taught me the importance of building strong networks. These networks have been crucial in navigating the complex landscape of climate innovation in the Global South. By forming strategic partnerships and collaborations, we have gained access to invaluable resources, expertise, and support. These connections have not only accelerated our growth but have also opened new doors to opportunities and pathways for impact. As we expand our reach and influence, nurturing and fostering these networks remains essential to our success.

Access to funding has also been a constraint to our journey in developing Project Hummingbird. We are lucky to have early-stage investors who have allowed us to develop the technology and de-risk it for follow-on investors. However, the pool of investors who invest both in deep climate tech and in Africa remains limited. We hope that our success in scaling DAC in Kenya will unlock a lot more funding for ourselves and future innovators in the African climate tech space.

What is your hope for the future of carbon removal technologies, and how does Octavia Carbon fit into that vision?

Our hope for the future of carbon removal technologies is that their supply will grow with a negative cost curve so we can achieve net zero and begin reversing climate change for future generations. Beyond the core climate benefit, we also hope that carbon removal technologies will be a new economic driver, particularly in regions like Africa that are still developing. We believe that our DAC operations in Kenya will create a new economic engine that will help drive green industrialization in the region and create prosperity for local communities.

What can individuals, businesses, and policymakers do to support the development and adoption of carbon removal technologies such as yours?

Individuals can play a part in supporting the development and adoption of carbon removal technologies like DAC by raising awareness about their importance. They can also advocate for policy change to incentivize the development and deployment of these technologies. Businesses can support DAC companies by procuring DAC carbon credits to offset their emissions and also mobilizing investments into DAC projects. This can create a more favorable environment for DAC companies to operate and scale their solutions.

Policymakers can help accelerate the adoption of carbon removal technologies like DAC by implementing policies and regulations that create a healthy business environment to attract investments into the sector. This may include tax breaks, subsidies, and streamlined permitting processes.

Here at Climate Vault, we couldn’t be more excited to welcome Octavia Carbon as one of the inaugural CDR solutions to have their technology validated by the Climate Vault Tech Chamber as trustworthy for credibly removing CO2 from the atmosphere. By harnessing Kenya’s unique natural advantages, Octavia Carbon is driving us towards a brighter, cleaner future, one breath of fresh air at a time. We can’t wait to see the impact we have together on combating the worst effects of climate change in the coming years.

Want to learn more about Octavia Carbon and its potential impact on the CDR space? Register to attend Climate Vault’s upcoming webinar and hear from Martin Freimüller firsthand about the Global South’s first-of-its-kind DAC operations.