posted by Revital Bitan on November 30, 2008
About a week ago, I took part in the annual Maala Conference. In addition to the valuable seminars I attended, I had the opportunity to present our blog in the panel which discussed the role of Web 2.0 in enabling companies to conduct an active dialog with employees and external stakeholders. Recent trends indicate that more and more large corporations are putting greater emphasis on empowering their employees and stakeholders. Web 2.0 provides individuals with a platform to share thoughts and ideas that impact opinion within the organization.
The panel kicked off its discussions with a lecture entitled “Corporate Conversation-the Next Step ” delivered by Sagi Hametz the CEO of Blink. He said that the revolution of dialogue started with the “Talk Back”, pointing out that at any given minute 24 hours a day, someone is writing text on the web. According to Sagi, it doesn’t matter whether 20 people or one million people read it; it’s out there and the surfing public has to respond. However, he says, the bone is figuring out how to go from there to creating a process of dialog. And Web 2.0, or in other words, the adoption of a model of “read, write, web”, requires a sociological and anthropological change and not just a technological one. I couldn’t agree more.
This past summer, I found a great article by Aron Carmer entitled “Web 2.0: With the Whole World Watching, Are You Up to Speed?”at www.bsr.org. On page 2 article, Mr. Carmer shares some really great insight on the changes that those of us dealing with CSR will face as a result of the new communication norms that WEB 2.0 has introduced. With the broad adoption of a CSR strategy, corporations are becoming more aware of the importance of transparency and dialog as a good business model in motivating employees and stakeholders to embrace the company’s values. Simply put, it makes them feel more committed to the company and its goals. No one explains it better than Max Gladwell in his blog “Ten Ways that Social Media and Sustainability Align”
There is so much potential for companies that value open and transparent dialog with their employees and other stakeholders. All they have to do is tap into the exciting tools offered by the web. The use of Web 2.0 is positioned to turn intranet sites, especially those of large corporate giants, into a platform to give employees their say within an informal framework. At the same time, Web 2.0 is a valuable tool which can be used by corporations to inform their stakeholders about on-going and upcoming CSR activities, thereby involving them in the bigger picture - making them real partners in the contribution to the community.
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tagged: CSR, Stakeholder engagement, Stakeholders dialog, web2 and CSR
posted by Stephen Harper on November 25, 2008
Going back at least as far as the California ‘energy crisis’ of the early 2000s, analysts have raised concerns about the growing energy consumption and climate footprint of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry. Although we now know the role played by Enron and market manipulation, at the time there were claims that data centers, which provide the computational backbone of the Internet and are the unseen workhorses of the global economy, were the culprit. One report even claimed that the Internet would consume half of all US electricity by 2020. A few lonely voices, including Intel, were pointing to the role that ICT and the Internet could play in improving the economic productivity and energy efficiency of the US economy, but the focus of most discussion was on ICT as part of the problem.
As consumers of energy while in use, ICT devices are part of society’s overall climate footprint, but how large is the contribution? Earlier this year my colleague Lorie Wigle posted a blog titled “Reducing Global Emissions through ICT” pointing to a recent analysis by Gartner which put the entire ICT industry’s share of global carbon emissions at 2 percent. Analysts forecast that this share will grow as the technology penetration increases in the future, particularly in emerging markets. So is the best answer for the environment to have fewer ICT devices? No. We want to have better (more efficient) devices (Another interesting blog on Intel’s products and energy-savings here), but not fewer. Here is why…
The focus of attention is shifting to the role of ICT as part of the solution to our energy and climate challenges; how it can play in helping to reduce the other 98 percent of the footprint. Recent studies are now showing that ICT can have a net positive benefit: up to 15% reduction of the ‘business as usual’ levels of global carbon emissions by 2020.
These achievements won’t happen on their own - realizing the significant solutions potential of ICT will depend on the implementation of good public policies, including:
Creating a National Strategy to prioritize the ways ICT can contribute to energy and climate solutions
“Decoupling” policies that allow utilities to earn as much or more money from helping their customers conserve energy as they do from selling more energy
Stronger building codes that drive investment in better energy management technology
Government leading by example in their own operations as the largest owner/leaser of building space, largest purchaser of ICT equipment, and largest employer
Grants and other incentives for “green infrastructure” investments in the Smart Grid as well as recharging locations for plug-in hybrid vehicles
So the challenge becomes educating governments and policy makers. Intel has joined with other technology companies including Dell, HP, EMC and Verizon to form the Digital Energy Solutions Campaign (DESC). DESC will take on the challenge of educating policy makers to promote the role of ICT as part of the solution to our energy and climate challenges. The Technology CEO Council played a key role in the formation of DESC and several non-governmental organizations, including the World Wildlife Fund, the Climate Group, and the Alliance to Save Energy have affiliated with DESC.
DESC will pursue these and other policies through direct advocacy with government leaders, as well as through public education, workshops, and targeted research. While the initial focus of DESC is in the US, efforts already are underway to establish a presence for DESC in Beijing, China and Delhi, India, where good public policies could enable even more significant ICT-driven energy and climate solutions.
posted by JoZell Johnson on November 20, 2008
Day 2 - Today we have embarked upon the finals of the Intel Berkeley Technology Entrepreneurship Challenge.
Nine teams have been named as finalists. They include teams from Poland, India, Canada, Mexico, China, USA and Singapore.
Judging the teams were individuals from the venture capital industry - people who judge business plans for their “day job”. They were viewing these presentations and business plans with both the critical eye of a judge but also a eye to would this product be viable in the “real world”. The judges commented that the quality of the teams and the technology draw them to the program. It provides a venue for the best technology, students who “think outside of the box” bringing a global view to silicon valley and just the traditional biz plan contest venue providing new ideas and concepts. Finally, it allows these VC’s also to connect directly with companies and some have followed up directly with the teams for further discussion.
The teams entered the judging room one team at a time - for a 15 minute presentation on their idea. The pitches were well prepared and very different. The first presentation looked to transition the toxic leather production in China to an ecofriendly process. Following this lead were teams looking to create “new skin” saving burn victims, neuro implants addressing epilitic seizures, new materials to provide clothing that “breath” and virtual routers allowing remote application execution on existing hardware networks.
We have enterered the deliberation stage and the teams are waiting the judges decisions. While the time stretches the teams share their impressions, expertises and learning.
Next Blog - the decisions
posted by JoZell Johnson on November 19, 2008
Exploring new materials for clothing that help maintain working conditions in extreme environments, developing guitars that are eco friendly and sustainable both musically and in manufacturing, exploring neural devices that help rehabilitate brain injuries and support increased motion. These are all part of the business plans being presented at the 4th Annual Intel + UC Berkeley Technology Entrepreneurship Challenge. Fifteen Countries are represented by 22 teams coming from Asia, Europe, North and South America and the Middle East and Africa. The teams hum with excitement in preparation for the judging. A student finds a deserted corner and practices his pitch while another team walks through their presentation one more time. What they all have in common is a new and often novel use of technology at the core of a new company that is positioned for success.
Snapshots of the business plans are absolutely fascinating - One that captured my imagination is from Japan, where the team combines an ancient local technique of “braiding” with new age materials that result in light but incredibility strong objects. It is the combination of pulling both from cultural references and phd level research that inspires these participants to new ways to address challenges. When the judges ask if the braiding technique can be patented, the participant chuckles and responds you can’t patent history but I can patent my materials that allow these results.
Other teams speak to breakthroughs that would allow epileptic patients not to suffer from reoccurring seizures or hepatitis C victims to receive long term medication with better results and less pain. These projects speak to using nanotechnology previously spoke of in regards to science fiction to solve truly human problems that have caused chronic suffering. Taking that “far out” concept and actually creating something that truly changes life - really brings engineering to life and out of the classroom.
Beyond the actual presentation to “real judges” who are volunteer Venture Capitalist who do this for their real job - the students are still students. As they wait to hear the first day results - they talk to their fellow participants as they would their local colleagues - but their scale is global - as they argue the challenges of startups in China versus India. Their dreams illustrate what truly could be possible tomorrow - with the ideas they are nurturing today.
Learn more about the program and the winners of last year’s challenge
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tagged: Education, Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Inspire
posted by Christine Dotts on November 18, 2008
Did you know that in Namibia, Africa - 25 million acres of land are choked by invasive thorn bushes, which then make agriculture impossible and alter the water cycle thereby threatening life for humans and animals, like the cheetah? And did you know that in Peru, 6.5 million people live in remote villages without access to electricity where extending the power grid is nearly impossible? And did you know that agriculture is the world’s second largest industrial source of greenhouse gas emissions largely due to the nitrous oxide from fertilizers?
![CheetahCon_1619[1].JPG](http://blogs.intel.com/csr/CheetahCon_1619%5B1%5D.JPG)
Meet Dr. Laurie Barker, the founder of the Cheetah Conservation Fund. Dr Marker set out to handle the agricultural challenge in Namibia and built a business so save the grassland savannas. As a result, Intel Chairman Craig Barrett awarded Dr. Marker with a $50,000 prize in recognition of her efforts. The Cheetah Conservation Fund harvests invasive plant species and converts them into clean-burning, environmentally friendly fuel logs called “Bushblok”.
Last week I had the opportunity to hear about these global issues, and many more, at the annual Tech Awards hosted in San Jose, California. This event draws Silicon Valley business leaders and news media alike. The Tech Awards - a program of the San Jose Tech Museum - recognizes global innovators who use technology to benefit humanity and address many challenges such as the ones I described above. There are five award categories: Environment, Economic Development, Education, Equality and Health. Intel is the proud sponsor of the Environment Award and I was so delighted to meet the creative and passionate individuals such as Dr. Marker, as well as Eric Rey from Arcadia Biosciences, Javier Coello from Practical Action, Andy Schroeter from Sunalbob Renewable Energy and Dr. Georg Gruber from Vereinigte Werkstatten fur Pflanzenol-technologie.
To read more about the other Laureates of The Tech Awards - visit their website and also check out some of the amazing video footage. The Tech Awards also recognizes an annual Global Humanitarian and its nice to see Intel’s roots and heritage in this award. In 2007, Intel founder Gordon Moore was the recipient. This year the award went to Professor Muhammad Yunus who imagined a world without poverty and then helped more than seven million of the world’s poorest people through the Grameen Bank. During his keynote speech, Yunus challenged Silicon Valley to inspire action which would make poverty only something to be found as a historical relic in a musuem. Professor Yunus also mentioned Craig Barrett and the IT social business that they both announced earlier this year.
A really wonderful night - and a reminder of why I am proud to be an employee of Intel. Congratulations to all of the Laureates.
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tagged: Arcadia Biosciences, Cheetah Conservation Fund, corporate social responsibility, Craig Barrett, environment, Gordon Moore, Grameen, Muhammad Yunus, Practical Action, San Jose Tech Museum, Sunlabob, sustainability, technology, The Tech Awards, The Tech Museum
posted by Gary Niekerk on November 10, 2008
I attend the annual BSR Conference in NYC last week. It was a very inspiring week and I met a lot of people and had some great conversations. During the night of the election, I walked over to the Rockefeller Center with some colleagues from Apple to view the election results. It was a very electrifying atmosphere and it was exciting to be part of the crowd for this historic election. My Apple friends were showing off their iphones and offered to take a photo of me - my older model blackberry doesn’t have a camera, which they did not let me forget.
The conference had some really good sessions. I especially enjoyed the presentation by Jeffrey Immelt, GE - CEO. He gave some nice simple strategies for CSR management. I also enjoyed the presentation by John Anderson, CEO Levi Strauss & Co. He was very down-to-earth and pragmatic in his approach; however, it could have been he was wearing blue jeans and not a suit (?)
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tagged: BSR Conference, Consumption, CSR, election, GE, sustainability
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