Stanford Social Innovation Review

Nonprofits and businesses are converging - in the value they create, the stakeholders they manage, the organizations they form, and the financial instruments they use.  The era of convergence is upon us.  Do you know how to take advantage of it?

THE NEW CAPITALISTS describes how grassroots “citizen investment” in companies is becoming a valuable engine for promoting socially conscious economic growth.

Why eco-friendly products may be bad for the environment.

How can companies hire and promote more women and minorities?

An HIV organization in Botswana provides lessons in cooperation.

How the Union Bank of California attracts lower-income people to traditional banking.

Socially responsible brands that merge with multinationals may be abandoning their principles

The Rainforest Action Network launched an intensive consumer boycott of several Mitsubishi companies, leading to significant changes in the way the Japanese giant and many of its partners do business. That engagement provides critical lessons for both activist NGOs and corporations.

Consumers often say they want to be socially responsible when it comes to buying food, clothing, office supplies, and the like. But consumers’ noble sentiments are not often reflected in their actions at the checkout. In fact, a number of corporations have seen their efforts to sell socially responsible products fall flat because consumers failed to buy them in any significant numbers. There are, however, a variety of strategies that corporations can take to increase their odds of success.

Climate change is a hot issue. To combat global warming and other environmental problems, Greenpeace’s strategy is both to protest against environmental offenders and to help them craft solutions to their ecological gaffes – often at the same time. Using this inside-out approach, Greenpeace catapulted Greenfreeze, an obscure ozone- and climate-safe refrigerant, into widespread use and launched the first Green Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia, in 2000.

Business steps in to help overtaxed airports in the wake of natural disasters.

A United Way affiliate has boosted fundraising by breaking the rules.

Leading corporations switch from defense to offense in solving global problems.