2023 Conscious Commerce Trends: By Samantha Taylor

CLIMATE CHANGE FOR HUMANITY

ESG = Climate Philanthropy

In the aftermath of COVID-19, global challenges prevailed including the war in Ukraine, economic crisis in Syria, drought in the Horn of Africa, wildfires in multiple continents and increasing gender divide.

2022 saw increasing philanthropic commitments in support of reducing carbon emissions, mitigating the impacts of climate change, and supporting climate justice by focusing on BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color), women, and people in the Global South.

Despite the urgency and increasing commitments, giving from individuals and foundations to climate-related causes remains a small percentage of overall charitable giving. A ClimateWorks Foundation report released in October found that in 2021, total grantmaking to address climate change grew 25 percent from 2020 levels.

The increase in giving was significant - 25% over 2020 - and outpaced the growth of giving overall. However, contributions to climate philanthropy accounted for just 1-1.5% of all giving, according to the report — just $7.5 billion to $12.5 billion out of the $810 billion given to all causes in 2021.

There is also increased focus by donors protecting forests — funding for forests grew by nearly 70% over the previous year, to $260 million. There was a multi-year $5 billion announcement by nine grant makers, including the Bezos Earth Fund and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. The majority of funding targeted programs to help indigenous and local communities preserve forests.

Human-induced climate change continues to cause widespread disruption to the environment and wellbeing of communities. The cascading affects have exposed millions of people to displacement, health risks, food and water insecurity, especially in developing and emerging economies.

A 2022 State Of The Global Climate report, released by the UN World Meteorological Organization showed that the last eight years have been "the warmest on record, fueled by ever-rising greenhouse gas concentrations".

Greater leadership is needed from governments and businesses to address the climate crisis, warning that efforts to keep the rise in global temperatures to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels is “on life support”.

Net Zero: Emissions Reductions Alone is Not Enough

By 2050 there will be 9.7 billion people on the planet, half of them will be in water-stressed regions, requiring 50 percent more energy. 

Sustainability, the new normal for integrated lifestyle and business missions, will continue to drive trends in 2023, challenge us to build trust within our communities and mobilize collective action. 

While climate funding is on the rise, more than 2 percent of philanthropic giving needs to be directed to climate mitigation efforts, moving forward.

Many countries raised their ambitions, new pledges and multistakeholder coalitions were forged to address methane gas pollution, deforestation, coal financing, and shipping, among others. The U.S. and China put aside their differences and agreed to boost cooperation around combating climate change in the years ahead.

Private sector actors and the investor community continued to make bold commitments to reach Net Zero, balancing off new greenhouse gas emissions with an equivalent amount of emissions removed from the atmosphere.

Companies’ Stepping Up

Patagonia: Founder Yvon Chouinard and his family transferred ownership to a trust and a nonprofit organization and expect to pay out an annual dividend of roughly $100 million to help fight climate change and protect the planet.

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation: Pledged $1.4 billion over four years to help smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia build resilience and food security through climate-smart agriculture projects, new applications of digital technologies, innovations for smallholder livestock farming, and support for women smallholder farmers.

Bezos Earth Fund: Awarded grants totaling $50 million in support of marine conservation and research in the Pacific Ocean.

Bloomberg Philanthropies: Pledged $204 million to accelerate data-driven policy solutions and community involvement to protect coral reefs, stop illegal fishing, safeguard marine ecosystems and biodiversity.

Amazon + U.S. Agency for International Development: Launched a $56 million public-private partnership to address gender inequities in the climate finance ecosystem and ensure that female entrepreneurs have the resources they need to accelerate innovations in climate solutions.

Role of ESG’s

In the face of confusion about the goals and benefits of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) benchmarks, organizations need to better communicate how their business practices mitigate the impacts of climate change in their supply chains and communities.

To avoid further escalation and consolidation of crises, we need transparency and accountability on how a low-carbon transition, which supports the integration of business, employees and communities, is being prioritized – through the lens of the entire Ecosystem.

Clarifying the role of ESG’s includes illustrating the stakes for business and society ‘at large’.  Customers and employees want executives and boards to be authentic about social and environmental promises. Also, demonstrate how they align with the long-term health of the business to include workforce development, economic mobility, food security, environmental protection and conservation.

Conclusion

We still have a long way to go increasing and aligning philanthropic collaboration with climate change mitigation strategies. How we address these challenges requires holistic thinking, long-term strategies and clear accountability, connecting and collaborating with cross-industry peers with similar goals.

2023 signifies major milestones to ensure that we make real progress in achieving a more equitable, prosperous, healthier world for future generations.

By: Samantha Taylor - Founder of Reputation Dynamics and Elephant Art Shop

Since 2005, Reputation Dynamics (RD) has committed to addressing social, environmental and human justice issues. RD mobilizes corporations, NGOs/civil society and academia to devise share-valued approaches and develop inclusive partnerships.

Please contact me at:  

sam@reputation-dynamics.com

Elephants and #GivingTuesday

The Little One - Watercolor painting by Samantha Taylor

Reputation Dynamics (RD) is proud to support #GivingTuesday by forming inclusive partnerships, mobilizing collective action between the public and private sectors. 

By 2050 there will be 9.7 billion people on the planet, half of them will be in water-stressed regions, requiring 50 percent more energy. 

Human-induced climate change is causing widespread disruption to the environment and wellbeing of communities. The cascading affects have exposed millions of people to health risks, food and water insecurity, especially in developing economies.

Public-private sector partnerships will continue to be essential for devising solutions for complex global issues associated with climate change threats.

As we celebrate our National Day of Giving, it is important to work together collectively to address our pressing world issues. 

Protect the Endangered Elephant Species -Holiday fundraiser: The Little One – Watercolor painting by Samantha Taylor

Price: $1000

Conflict between elephants and humans has risen due to the pursuit of land and food, illegal hunting for their tusks, trafficking, and sale of ivory.

50 percent of proceeds will be donated to the Elephant Crisis Fund.

We are committed to building resilient communities, advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) citing no poverty, gender equality, life on land and partnerships among top priorities.  

Reputation Dynamics welcomes the opportunity to learn more about your #GivingTuesday initiatives, exchange knowledge and explore opportunities to collaborate.

With gratitude,

Samantha Taylor, Founder and President of Reputation Dynamics

Image Credit: The Little One

Watercolor painting by Samantha Taylor – Watercolor on canvas – 16x20 – framed in black wood floater frame. Price $1000.

Elephant Art Shop

Contact: sam@reputation-dynamics.com - 917 647 4787

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Bridging the Nature Gap for Community Resilience

In our third year of the global pandemic, unprecedented changes continue to prevail in our daily lives, business and role in community.

As we navigate our way through the impacts of COVID, demands for racial justice and equality, economic empowerment, political instability, and a warming climate — we face the realities of our planet with humility and optimism.

Top line realities include:

• Climate Crisis: Increasing emissions of greenhouse gases are causing temperatures to rise and catastrophic events all over the world – the US is experiencing devasting bushfire seasons, The Death Valley National Park recorded the highest temperature ever recorded on Earth, 13% of deaths in the EU being linked to various forms of pollution, populations of wildlife have experienced an average decline of 68% since 1970 and record-breaking wildfires in California have blocked out the sun – and these are just a few examples reported by earth.org.  

• Biodiversity: A recent WWF report found that the population sizes of mammals, fish, birds, reptiles and amphibians have experienced a decline of an average of 68% between 1970 and 2016. The report attributes this biodiversity loss to a variety of factors to include land-use change, particularly the conversion of habitats, like forests, grasslands and mangroves, into agricultural systems. Animals such as elephants, sharks and seahorses are significantly affected by the illegal wildlife trade.

• Deforestation: Every minute, forests the size of 20 football fields are cut down. By the year 2030, the planet might have only 10% of its forests; if deforestation isn’t stopped, they could all be gone in less than 100 years. Health of the planet is the new imperative for improving livelihoods and driver of long-term approaches for sustainability.

On the heels of the net-zero goals set at the 2021 Climate Change Conference in Glasgow (COP26), more than 80 countries – representing nearly 75% of global emissions – announced commitments to achieve net-zero emissions – a necessary step to cut global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050 to keep the world’s temperature from rising above 1.5 degrees C.

 Sustainability, as the new normal for integrated lifestyle and business activities, will drive emerging trends in 2022:

• ESG’s: 2021 was a record year for ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) investments, with an estimated $120 billion poured into sustainable investments, more than double the $51billion of 2020, and expected to reach $1 billion by 2030. Seasoned and new investors are embracing funds with a focus on environmental and social issues, such as nature, biodiversity and skills development. However, careful due diligence is required into ethical and ESG-themed funds as the sector is rife with greenwashing. The 2015 Paris climate accord will be the legal standard for promoting and messaging ESG funds.

• Carbon Offsetting: Carbon offsetting is about the replacement or reduction of carbon emissions. High-emission companies fund projects that either prevent the emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs) or remove them. These projects range from planting trees to deploying technology to capture carbon emissions. With carbon market rules, low-carbon emitters will increasingly tap the carbon offset market.

• African Youth: By 2030, young Africans are expected to make up 42 percent of the world’s youth and account for 75 percent of those under age 35 in Africa. With such a large population of young people, supportive policies and programs on inclusive youth development are critical now more than ever.

• Protecting Museums:  More than 35,000 museums in the U.S. are in a race to save America’s treasures from climate change with increasing flooding and more frequent wildfires. For example, water from rain seeped into Smithsonian spaces after a major storm in 2006 and again last spring, when the American History Museum’s cafeteria flooded with over a foot of water.  With the growth of climate initiative funding, investments are needed for clean energy, energy efficiency and to address climate resilience.

• Role of Partnerships: Throughout this pandemic we have seen the benefits of public-private partnerships. They have been instrumental in the provision of masks, testing, humanitarian relief and vaccine distribution. We need full vaccine access and distribution to address the equity disparities between the Global North and the Global South.

Conclusion: With the growing threats of climate change, disruptive weather patterns, water shortages, nature will dictate our ultimate destiny. This requires a dramatic shift in how we evaluate, anticipate and find solutions for the co-dependent connections between nature, humans, wildlife for resilient communities. 

Successful outcomes for restoring nature and humanity will be dependent on the enduring strength of our global community, growth of inclusive partnerships and collective action between the private and public sectors.

By: Samantha Taylor - Founder of Reputation Dynamics and Elephant Art Shop

Photo by Samantha Taylor: New Forest Preserve, Hampshire, England

Since 2005, Reputation Dynamics (RD) has committed to addressing social, environmental and human justice issues. RD mobilizes corporations, NGOs/civil society and academia to devise share-valued approaches and develop inclusive partnerships.

Please contact me at:  

sam@reputation-dynamics.com

In Honor of Martin Luther King Jr.: Regeneration for Civil Rights and Resilient Communities

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter”…Martin Luther King Jr.

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

I hope you are well during these challenging times and Happy New Year. 

Despite the lockdowns in 2020, we are still on track for a world that is going to be too warm to sustain life as we know it.  

Earth’s climate is going through unprecedented changes in the history of modern civilization as a result of human behaviors. Without adaptation and mitigation strategies, substantial damages to the U.S. economy, environment, human health and well-being will continue to increase over the coming decades.  These include increasing greenhouse gas emissions, higher temperature and precipitation extremes, flooding and wildfires.

This is influencing the migration patterns of humans, marine and wildlife species to find better places to live and survive in and outside of cities.

Nearly 8 million Americans fell into financial hardship last year, marking the single largest year-over-year increase since the government began tracking the poverty rate in 1960.

This is further underscoring the importance of convening action to address our planet’s challenging health, racial inequalities and environmental problems.

Since founding Reputation Dynamics in 2005, we have seen transformative progression in the corporate social responsibility movement, now transitioning to regenerating business practices based on truthfulness and purpose-driven. Companies continue to back their employees by protecting their health and safety while allowing them a greater voice in corporate decision-making and participation in virtual volunteer programs.

We are excited to represent clients, mingle with peers and share authentic narratives. I look forward to connecting with peers in 2021, inspire fresh thinking and new ideas for building a more equitable society.

With hope and optimism for future generations,

Samantha Taylor

Photo: Boar’s Head Resort, Charlottesville, VA

Founder of Reputation Dynamics and Elephant Art Shop

I look forward to connecting with peers who are making the world a better place, advancing the Sustainable Development Goals. Please contact me at:  

sam@reputation-dynamics.com

Reputation Dynamics: On the Move

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

2020 is out the gate on the front lines of sustainability, collaborating and convening action to address our planet’s challenging social and environmental problems. 

Earth’s climate is going through unprecedented changes in the history of modern civilization as a result of human behavior. Without adaptation and mitigation strategies, substantial damages to the U.S. economy, environment, human health and well-being will continue to increase over the coming decades.  These include increasing greenhouse gas emissions, higher temperature extremes, heavy precipitation, flooding and wildfires. This is influencing the movement of humans, marine and wildlife species to find better places to live and survive in and outside of cities.

This weeks announcement by Amazon’s Jeff Bezos and commitment of $10 billion of his own fortune to help fight climate change has further emphasized ‘the need to work alongside others both to amplify and explore new ways of fighting the devastating impact of climate change on this planet we all share."

As we celebrate International Women’s Day in March, 2020 is also an important year for the fulfillment of women’s economic empowerment and gender equality.

Since I founded Reputation Dynamics in 2005, we have seen transformative change, progression in the corporate social responsibility movement, now transitioning to corporate social innovation commanding greater budgets, attention from the C-suite, filtering into corporate brand identities, into supply chains and increasingly critical for long-term customer loyalty.

We are excited to represent clients, mingle with peers and present at the following events in the next couple of months. 

I look forward to connecting with peers in 2020 and working together to make the world a better place.

Harambee, Sam Taylor

Events Schedule:

March 5: International Women’s Day Forum: Marking A Milestone: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s 10th Annual International Women’s Day Forum. Continuing the Momentum will showcase the change makers, doers, leaders, and visionaries who are paving the way for a better future for all.

March 6: United Nations Observance of International Women’s Day 2020: I am Generation Equality. Realizing Women’s Rights. General Assembly Hall from 10.00 am to 1:00 pm. 

March 12: 2020 Women’s Empowerment Principles Forum (WEPs): Hosted by UN Global Compact and UN Office for Partnerships, will align with UN Women's new multigenerational global flagship campaign, Generation Equality, to mark the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPfA), recognized as the most progressive roadmap for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, everywhere.

March 17-18: Responsible Business Summit: New York: I will be representing American Forests, the oldest conservation organization in the U.S., among 950+ leaders from across the globe who will share strategies and insights into how they are helping build regenerative and resilient strategies that deliver market-level change on key climate risks and opportunities – protecting and preserving our forests is fundamental to resilient communities.  

April 15: Luxury Daily: Women in Luxury Conference: Theme: Next Level Leadership: I am excited to join senior executives from luxury Fortune 500 brands for the day and present a keynote on ‘Embracing the Circular Economy’.

By: Samantha Taylor - Founder of Reputation Dynamics 

Since 2005, Reputation Dynamics (RD) has been committed to addressing social, environmental and human justice issues. RD mobilizes corporations, NGOs/civil society and academia to devise share-valued approaches and develop inclusive partnerships.

Contact: sam@reputation-dynamics.com

Sustainable Development Trends 2020: Bridging the Gap: Corporate Social Responsibility and Strategic Innovation

While progress has been made in support of the Sustainability Development goals (SDG’s), gaps ensue mitigating climate change’s disruptions on people’s live, migratory patterns and getting out of poverty. 

Earth’s climate is going through unprecedented changes in the history of modern civilization as a result of human behaviors. Without adaptation and mitigation strategies, substantial damages to the U.S. economy, environment, human health and well-being will continue to increase over the coming decades.  These include increasing greenhouse gas emissions, higher temperature extremes, heavy precipitation, flooding and wildfires. This is influencing the movement of humans, marine and wildlife species to find better places to live and survive in and outside of cities.

By 2050 there will be 9.7 billion people on the planet, half of them will be in water-stressed regions, requiring 50 percent more energy. 

While the CSR movement has raised the bar for companies to have ethical brands, products and services, considerable investments and collaboration across multiple industries, supply chains will be required for transformative change and disruption, transitioning to the corporate social innovation movement. 

 A recap of the realities we face:

Climate Change: Extreme weather events, reduction in worker productivity could cause major global economic losses unless greenhouse gas emissions are significantly reduced in the next few decades, according to a series of reports from the United Nations and global financial institutions and revealing that climate change signifies economic risk. In the U.S. alone, if greenhouse gas emissions are not significantly reduced the country could see a 10 percent cut in real income by 2100. 

STEM Education: Women are still considered a minority in the fields related to science and technology, both in education and professions. According to the UNESCO report Cracking the Code, only 35% of all students in STEM higher education around the world are women. According to Girls Who Code, less than 20 percent of computer science graduates are women. Today, only 24 percent of computer scientists are women, and by 2027, just 22 percent of women will be represented in the field.

Oceans: Nearly half of the ocean’s marine populations have declined over the last 45 years. About 13 million tones of plastic leak into our oceans every year, harming biodiversity, economies and health.  By 2050, there will be more plastic than fish if we keep producing (and failing to properly dispose of) plastics at predicted rates, plastics in the ocean will outweigh fish pound for pound in 2050, according to a report by theEllen MacArthur Foundationand World Economic Forum. 

Wildlife Species: In just 20 years African elephants could be gone.  Despite the ivory ban in 1989, elephants continue to be slaughtered with only half the number of elephants left. Approximately 100 African elephants are killed each day by poachers seeking ivory leaving 430,000 remaining. Elephants are a critical species as they create and maintain the ecosystems in which they live and for other plant and animal species to also survive.

Women and Girls: Gender inequality is a major cause and effect of hunger and poverty: it is estimated that 60 percent of chronically hungry people are women and girls (Source: WFP Gender Policy and Strategy). Women make up more than two-thirds of the world's 796 million illiterate people.

Reputation Dynamics: Predictions for 2020:

Impact Investing: Recent growth in impact investing has come from a surge in interest from millennials — investors born between the mid 1980s and the early 2000s.  The impact investing industry is estimated at USD 502 billion as of 2018. The growing impact investment market provides capital to address the world’s most pressing challenges in sectors such as sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, conservation, microfinance, affordable basic needs including housing, healthcare, and education. Several of the world’s biggest money managers have entered impact investing, including UBS Wealth Management and Goldman Sachs Asset Management. Non-profits such as the Ford Foundation and the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation have also made commitments.

Empower Consumers: Nearly two-thirds (63%) of surveyed global consumers prefer to purchase products and services from companies that stand for a purpose that reflects their own values and beliefs, and will avoid companies that don't, according to new Accenture research shared with Marketing Dive. Among consumers, 62% want companies to take a stand on the social, cultural, environmental and political issues that they care about the most.

Mission-related Investments: U.S. foundations are leading the way in MRI following the announcement just last year by the Ford Foundation that it will commit USD 1 billion of its 12 billion endowments to MRIs over the next ten years; this is the largest commitment of philanthropic endowment to impact investing. The Foundation will be focusing on investments in affordable housing in the U.S. and access to financial services in emerging markets.

Reset the CSI Framework: This entails devising the long-term strategic goals, a greater emphasis on research and development, human development, proper selection and alignment with NGO/civil society partners, measurements and mission-related investments.  

Gender-lens Investing: Gender lens, gender-focused investing is one of the fastest growing segments. Gender lens investing integrates gender-based factors into investment decisions with goals ranging from enhancing risk-adjusted returns to driving gender equality. The International Finance Corporation (IFC) estimates a $320 billion financing gap for female entrepreneurs in small and medium enterprises in developing countries alone. According to the World Economic Forum’smost recent Global Gender Gap Report, this trend could continue for years: at current rates of progress toward gender parity, the gender gap will close in 61 years in Western Europe, 70 years in South Asia, 171 years in East Asia and the Pacific and 165 years in North America

Conclusions: Mere checkbook philanthropy will not suffice

Bridging the gap between CSR and corporate social innovation will require a long-term sustainable approach. This entails enforcement throughout the organization, business units, supply chains, listening to and influencing customer behaviors including unlocking the power of human potential within the employee base. Businesses have the opportunity to leverage the diversity of their communities, philanthropic commitments and people they influence within their ecosystems. 

In turn, authentic brand and marketing campaigns can educate, advocate and empower the public at large to be part of addressing our pressing social and environmental challenges on a more united front, lifting people out of poverty and improving livelihoods. 

By: Samantha Taylor - Founder of Reputation Dynamics 

Since 2005, Reputation Dynamics (RD) has committed to addressing social, environmental and human justice issues. RD mobilizes corporations, NGOs/civil society and academia to devise share-valued approaches and develop inclusive partnerships.

I look forward to connecting with peers who are making the world a better place, advancing the Sustainable Development Goals. Please contact me at:  

sam@reputation-dynamics.com

Conscious Commerce Predictions: Accelerating Transition to a Circular Economy

Our turbulent political climate, world disasters and unprecedented events is fueling businesses, individuals to collaborate on tackling key challenges facing the planet and threats to humanity.  

By 2050 there will be 9.7 billion people on the planet, half of them will be in water-stressed regions, requiring 50 percent more energy. 

While progress has been made in support of the Sustainability Development (SDG’s) goals, gaps ensue mitigating climate change’s disruptions on peoples lives and economies, the circular economy, a $4.5 trillion opportunity, according to Accenture, is the new driver for innovation across industries, product lifecycles and global supply chains.

While attention on plastic waste, including bans on plastic bags and straws, is advocating sustainability, more effective programs are needed to address resource scarcity and climate threats, respond to societal pressure to preserve our planet for future generations. 

This transition requires companies, retailers, and consumers to adopt a systemic approach to developing new models that use less natural resources, tackle climate change, generate more economic growth and influence buying patterns. 

With escalating concerns about pollution, habitat loss and exploitation of natural resources, businesses are under pressure from investors, civil society and consumers to tackle these challenges.

A recap of the top realities we face:

Oceans: Nearly half of the ocean’s marine populations have declined over the last 45 years. About 13 million tones of plastic leak into our oceans every year, harming biodiversity, economies and health.  By 2050, there will be more plastic than fish if we keep producing (and failing to properly dispose of) plastics at predicted rates, plastics in the ocean will outweigh fish pound for pound in 2050, according to a report by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and World Economic Forum. 

Wildlife Species:  In just 20 years African elephants could be gone.  Despite the ivory ban in 1989, elephants continue to be slaughtered with only half the number of elephants left. Approximately 100 African elephants are killed each day by poachers seeking ivory leaving only 430,000 remaining. Elephants are a critical species as they create and maintain the ecosystems in which they live and for other plant and animal species to also survive.

Waste: Businesses are the largest producers of hardware waste and recyclables, with a study finding that £40 billion worth of hardware materials are in the bin. Consumers are discarding usable devices to get the latest new gadget or technology. The amount of annual waste is expected to increase globally to 51 million tons a year due to the digital economy. 

Forests: Warmer temperatures and changing precipitation patterns are driving forests northward, to higher elevation. Changing forest health and range has implications far beyond what types of trees will succeed. Trees are a major backbone of ecosystems that birds and other wildlife rely on for survival. If there is such an abrupt change in the natural landscape, the wildlife, the human systems, and the economies that rely on those systems will be challenged to keep pace with the rate of change.

Global Warming:  Global emissions are reaching record levels and show no sign of peaking. The last four years were the four hottest on record, and winter temperatures in the Arctic have risen by 3°C since 1990. Sea levels are rising, coral reefs are dying, and we are starting to see the life-threatening impact of climate change on health, through air pollution, heat waves and risks to food security. 

Reputation Dynamics Predictions:

What will be key to success for a circular economy for the long-term will be ‘inclusiveness’ towards devising holistic approaches to embrace key social and environmental trends:  

Growth of Consumer Power and Activism:  Recent research by consultancy firm Deloitte revealed over 80 percent of Millennials across Australia, Canada, China, India, the UK and the US find it important for companies to behave ethically and take steps to diminish their environmental impact. Consumers aged 25-35 are projected to spend 150 billion US dollars on sustainable goods by 2021.

Disaster Relief and Recovery: With the increasing number of natural disasters, corporations, emergence of mission-critical foundations and nonprofits are re-thinking approaches to disaster relief and recovery efforts. While many organizations will continue to provide immediate relief to victims of natural disasters through cash grants and product donations, companies are taking a more pro-active approach to restoring and building resilient communities for the long-term, such as affordable housing, trees and parks, mass transport and urban infrastructure; and resilience for the urban poor.

Growth of Sustainability Incentives: As corporations determine metrics, suppliers are incentivized to be more sustainable. For example Project Gigaton is a Walmart initiative to avoid one billion metric tons (a gigaton) of greenhouse gases from the global value chain by 2030. Suppliers can take their sustainability efforts to the next level through goal setting and receive credits. 

Urbanization: Nearly 70 percent of the world’s population (6.7 billion), are projected to live in urban areas. This calls for new innovative designs for cities and living spaces to include water resource protection, renewable energy, food is grown locally, supporting diverse cultures, population migration patterns and carbon-neutral infrastructures. 

Plant a Tree: Urban forests are dynamic ecosystems that provide critical benefits to people and wildlife. Urban forests help to filter air and water, control storm water, conserve energy, and provide shade. By reducing noise and providing places to recreate, urban forests strengthen social cohesion, spur community revitalization, and add economic value to our communities. American Forests, the oldest conservation organization in the US, is dedicated to protecting and restoring healthy forest ecosystems with a goal to plant a further 3 million trees.

Conclusion: A strong business case is a priority for companies looking to adopt effective circular economy practices. With financial incentives for businesses to shift to 100% renewable energy, adopting the circular model represents environmental conservation as an economic opportunity while restoring and building resilient communities for the long-term. 

It will transform our relationships as consumers, our buying habits, selection of clothes, food, utilities and choice of materials. 

However, what is fundamental to success is to treat our materials as precious resources, convene more alliances, work across multiple industry sectors, break down silos, and enforce action on a united front.   

It’s that Simple. Plant a Tree Today: www.americanforests.org

By: Samantha Taylor - Founder of Reputation Dynamics 

Since 2005, Reputation Dynamics (RD) has been committed to addressing social, environmental and human justice issues. RD mobilizes corporations, NGOs/civil society and academia to devise share-valued approaches and develop inclusive partnerships.

I look forward to connecting with peers who are making the world a better place, advancing the Sustainable Development Goals. Please contact me at:  

sam@reputation-dynamics.com

Sustainable Brands 2019 Detroit:

We are excited to be participating at this year’s conference and theme - Transforming Brands Through Sustainable Innovation - in Detroit on June 3-6, 2019.

Within a landscape of economic and political volatility, many of the world’s largest businesses are being cast as irrelevant, insincere. Disruptors and D to C brands are redefining the marketplace while established brands are struggling to maintain growth. 

According to research conducted by both Sustainable Brands and Harris Poll, consumers are shifting away from the pursuit of money, status and personal achievement, focusing instead on balance, simplicity, along with greater connection to family, community and the environment as a foundation of a Good Life. Consumers are looking to brands to bring those elements into their daily lives and 80% of them say they will financially support brands who help them live a Good Life.

We will be among peers from the corporate, NGO and academic sectors on the front lines of transformative change and devising long-term sustainability strategies for our planet, people and precious resources for future generations.

Client Spotlight: American Forests

This year, in addition to hosting the Detroit Sustainability Tour with DTE Energy Foundation, American Forests booth #426 will be in the Sustainable Brands Expo Hall.  We hope you will stop by to learn more about how American Forests is making sure healthy and resilient forests can deliver essential benefits for climate, people, water and wildlife. Drop your business card and we will plant a tree on your behalf in the ecosystem of your choosing to help offset your carbon footprint at the conference!

For more information about American Forests - www.americanforests.org

For more information about Sustainable Brands Detroit - https://events.sustainablebrands.com/sb19det/

By: Samantha Taylor - Founder of Reputation Dynamics

Since 2005, Reputation Dynamics (RD) has been committed to addressing social, environmental and human justice issues. RD mobiizes corporations, NGOs/civil society and academia to devise share-valued approaches and develop inclusive partnerships.

I look forward to connecting with peers who are making the world a better place, advancing the Sustainable Development Goals. Please contact me at:  

sam@reputation-dynamics.com

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Conscious Commerce Trends for 2019: Ecosystem Resilience: ‘Ground Control to Major Tom’

Our turbulent political climate, daunting outcomes of climate change and world disasters continues to mobilize businesses, individuals to collaborate on saving lives and tackle environmental issues.

Yet, billions remain in poverty, increasing numbers of people displaced by unprecedented natural disasters causing them to lose their homes, and complex patterns of people migration seeking a better life for their families.

While progress has been made in support of the Sustainability Development (SDG’s) goals, gaps ensue mitigating climate change, gender equality, and devising concrete solutions for people displaced by wars and natural disasters. 

 ‘All in all it’s just another brick in the wall’ 

Building a border wall between the U.S. and Mexico is not the sole answer to our problems and merely filters what you don’t want to see, emphasizing the spotlight on the realities of life, similarities with other international borders, peoples pain and suffering.

The nearly 2000 miles of U.S./Mexican border traversing desert, river, mountain and sea, is a place of heritage, ethnic diversity, diverse terrain, a legacy of land ownership and agriculture, hope and survival of mankind in pursuit of a better way of life. 

The political views represented among the 7.5 million residents in U.S. border counties span supporters of Trump’s wall, those who see their future - and the future of America - as being inextricably linked to that of their neighbors to the South, North, East and West. 

To be sure, Indigenous populations were there long before us and before their land was divided. 

 It is a global problem that is not unique to the U.S. and no one-size ‘brick’ or ‘wall’ to fit all.

 A recap of the top realities we face:

Women in Poverty: More than one in eight women in the U.S., 16.9 million lived in poverty last year. Poverty rates were particularly high for families headed by single mothers - 1 in 3 (36.5 percent) lived in poverty.  14.5 million poor children, more than half, live in families headed by women.  

Forced People Displacement: Wars, violence and persecution uprooted record numbers of men, women and children worldwide, making a new global deal on refugees more critical than ever.  The UN Refugee Agency’s annual Global Trends study found 68.5 million people had been driven from their homes across the world at the end of 2017.

Climate Change:  A recent IPCC report has underscored we only have 12 years to limit climate change catastrophe and urgent need to cut risk of extreme heat, drought, floods and poverty. The world is currently 1C warmer than preindustrial levels. Following devastating hurricanes in the US, record droughts in Cape Town and forest fires in the Arctic, the IPCC makes clear that climate change is already happening, upgraded its risk warning from previous reports, and warned that every fraction of additional warming would worsen the impact.

Threatened Wildlife Species: African elephants remain under severe threat from poaching, habitat loss, and human-wildlife conflict.  In the 1970s, Africa was home to more than 1.3 million elephants. Today, 415,000 remain. 

Lack of Education in Africa: In sub-Saharan Africa, 9 million girls between the ages of about 6 and 11 will never go to school at all, compared to 6 million boys, according to UIS data. Their disadvantage starts early: 23% of girls are out of primary school compared to 19% of boys. 

Reputation Dynamics Predictions for 2019: 

What will be key to success for building resilience communities for the long-term will be ‘inclusiveness’ towards devising holistic approaches and solutions for restoring ecosystems that include multiple stakeholders including indigenous populations, women and refugees.   Specifically for:

Empowerment of Women and Girls:  Empowering women to participate fully in economic life is essential to build stronger economies and improve the quality of life for women, men, families and communities, including raising the bar on sector expertise and programs that enable economic security, mitigate domestic violence, close gender gaps in the workplace and communities at large.

Preservation of Forests:  Forests are a stabilizing force for mitigating climate change. They regulate ecosystems, protect biodiversity, play an integral part in the carbon cycle, support livelihoods, and supply goods and services that can drive sustainable growth. Approximately 2.6 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide, one-third of the CO2 released from burning fossil fuels, is absorbed by forests every year. Estimates show that nearly two billion hectares of degraded land across the world – an area the size of South America – offer opportunities for restoration. 

Refugees in Protracted Exile Need Education: Refugee camps and villages show characteristics of short-term settlements, children are born, families are finding ways to survive, and communities hosting refugees are struggling with how to live, work and go to school together. Education plays a particularly vital role for those who are displaced and rebuilding their communities. 

Urban and Rural Development: With the increasing number of natural disasters, corporations, emergence of mission-critical foundations and nonprofits are re-thinking approaches to disaster relief and recovery efforts. While many organizations will continue to provide immediate relief to victims of natural disasters through cash grants and product donations, companies are taking a more pro-active approach to restoring and building resilient communities for the long-term. 

Tapping the Next Generation: Today, employees, particularly millennials, are passionate about social causes that benefit the greater good and expects to work for a company that supports causes they care about. Millennials will make up 75 percent of the workforce by 2025 and they are looking for socially responsible employers.  Companies must improve how they advocate, market and align with their philanthropic commitments via experiential digital and mobile network communications.

Conclusion:  For the SDGs to be successful, the co-creation of programs at the local and global level with businesses, academia, civil society/nonprofits will continue to be essential for restoring and building resilient communities for underserved populations. However, what is fundamental to success is to convene more alliances, break down silos, enforce dialogue and action on a more inclusive front.  

By: Samantha Taylor - Founder of Reputation Dynamics

Since 2005, Reputation Dynamics (RD) has been committed to addressing social, environmental and human justice issues. RD mobiizes corporations, NGOs/civil society and academia to devise share-valued approaches and develop inclusive partnerships.

I look forward to connecting with peers who are making the world a better place, advancing the Sustainable Development Goals. Please contact me at:  

sam@reputation-dynamics.com

***

Reputation Dynamics and #GivingTuesday

Reputation Dynamics is proud to support #GivingTuesday by forming inclusive partnerships and mobilizing collective action between the for-profit and nonprofit sectors. We are committed to building resilient communities and focus areas include forest and wildlife protection, women’s economic security and youth education.

Reputation Dynamics is excited to highlight the following client initiatives:

American Forests: Protecting and restoring threatened forest ecosystems.

http://www.americanforests.org 

Women’s Funding Network: Mobilizing the financial power and collective action of more than 100 foundations on the front lines of gender equality.

http://www.womensfundingnetwork.org

TCU’s Discovering Global Citizenship Program: African Rhino Community Centre (ARCC) for enhanced rhino protection and human development in South Africa.

https://planetrhino.tcu.edu

Reputation Dynamics - Elephant Art Shop:  Protection of the endangered African elephant species.

https://www.facebook.com/ElephantArtShop/

As we celebrate our national day of giving in support of nonprofit organizations, it is important to work together collectively to address our pressing world issues. Reputation Dynamics welcomes the opportunity to learn more about your #GivingTuesday initiatives, exchange knowledge and explore opportunities to collaborate.

We look forward to hearing from you and providing information about how to support these terrific initiatives.

Harambee.

Sam Taylor, Founder of Reputation Dynamics

#ReputationDynam

#GivingTuesday

The Power of Private-Public Partnerships: Deconstructing Gender Bias for Resilient Communities

Multiple events such as UNGA, Women’s Funding Network conference, Concordia Summit, Global Goals for Sustainable Development, Bill & Melinda Gates Goalkeepers, have mobilized determined leaders in dialogues about ideas and commitments to investing in the world’s poor.  

Despite the current administration, challenging global economy and unprecedented global disasters, voices are amplified about gender equality for all.   

However, the gap between making women and men equal partners in the economy and society remains significant. In fact, according to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report, economic gender equality is predicated not be achieved for another 170 years. 

Equal access is fundamental to society stability, ensuring resilient communities for the long-term.

Yet, the world’s political, cultural, humanitarian and environmental issues continue to be disrupted by the complexities of non-equal access and discrimination.

A recap of the realities we face:

• Wage Gap: Women generally earn 79 cents for every dollar men earn
• Women of Color: Occupy only 11.9 percent of managerial and professional positions
• Executive Positions: Women hold 29/5.8% of CEO positions at S&P 500 companies
• Poverty: In the U.S. in 2016, more than one in eight women, more than 16.9 million, lived in poverty.  14.5 million poor children, more than half, live in families headed by women
• Human Trafficking: At least 21 million adults and children are bought and sold worldwide into commercial sexual servitude, forced labor and bonded labor.  Around $32 billion profits are generated

Oxford Dictionary’s Definition of Gender Equality = ‘The state in which access to rights or opportunities is unaffected by gender’

Gender and racial inequality is not only a pressing moral issue, it is also a critical economic challenge.   

Women = 50 percent of the population: 

Improving the livelihoods of women and girls represents the single biggest opportunity for cultural, human and economic development.

According to a new McKinsey Global Institute report, $12 trillion could be added to global GDP by 2025 by advancing women’s equality. In addition, women are the world’s most powerful consumers controlling 65% of consumer spending.

Outdated norms and gender stereotypes are impeding achieving the systemic change required to better integrate women into society, holding back the global economic growth that will come from increased gender equality and women’s empowerment.

What is fundamental to success is deconstructing the roots of gender bias early.  Mitigating negative perceptions about both men and women in leadership and role in communities represents a powerful ripple effect, benefitting families, communities, workplaces and economies at large.

Now more than ever before, women around the world are poised to make significant progress but are faced with several issues which need to be addressed:

• Lack of economic security
• Domestic violence
• Lack of access to education and healthcare

To be sure, if women do not achieve their full economic potential, the global economy will continue to suffer. Investing in women and girls, creates more stable families and communities.

A Powerful Solution - Private-public partnerships:

The U.S. devotes less than 1% of its annual budget to foreign aid with Trump recommending a 30% cut to the State Department’s budget including funding for USAID’s critical health programs.

 While U.S. foreign-aid programs have helped women and children fight disease and poverty, have access to basic needs, the public and private sectors are further poised to mobilize and action programs that close gender gaps in the workplace and communities at large.

Support of SDG goal 5, achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. Includes raising the bar on sector expertise and programs that enable economic security, mitigate domestic violence, ensure access to education and health. 

For example, an Intel analysis states that making the Internet accessible to 600 million women and girls (40 percent from developing countries) could generate an estimated $13-18 billion in annual GDP across 144 developing nations.

A diverse range of for-profit and nonprofit organizations from multiple sectors are on the front lines of scaling up programs, partners and stated impacts for women and girls. Organizations of note include Coca-Cola’s 5X20, GAP P.A.C.E, Unilever’s Sustainable Living Plan, the Akola Project and The Women’s Funding Network.

The power of private-public partnerships can take these complex problems and distill them down into concrete concepts, implementable programs that have measurable impact and long-term sustainability.

Shared value add dialogues, co-creation and design of programs at the local and global level with businesses, academia, nonprofits will continue to be essential for systemic change and improving livelihoods of women and girls.

Stay the Course: Transformative Change:

When people are inflicted by disasters and trapped in the cycle of poverty, ‘We the People’ are all at risk both at a local and global level.

Investing in the world’s poor remains a priority along with ensuring economic security and mitigating violence among women and girls.  This requires a renewed focus on scalable economic development and capacity building, opportunities for job training and employment for underserved populations, consistent access to basic needs and investments in children’s education.

By Samantha Taylor, President of Reputation Dynamics.

Sources:

• McKinsey Report - http://www.mckinsey.com/global-themes/employment-and-growth/how-advancing-womens-equality-can-add-12-trillion-to-global-growth
• Partner Spotlight: The Women’s Funding Network is the largest network of foundations devoted to women and girls. We empower over 100 foundations, spanning 6 continents, to incubate, lead programs, and take collective action to solve complex social and economic issues - www.womenfundingnetwork.org

About Reputation Dynamics: Since 2005, Reputation Dynamics (RD) has been committed to addressing social, environmental and human justice issues. RD mobilizes corporations, NGOs/civil society and academia to devise share-valued approaches for community development and improvement of livelihoods.

Please contact me for a dialogue about creating successful private-public partnerships - sam@reputation-dynamics.com

Trends for 2017: ‘We the People’ for Social and Economic Sustainability

The United States, United Kingdom and the European Union are undergoing dramatic social, economic and cultural change in a volatile political environment. Donald Trump’s victory was the outcome of years of disturbing world events, a turbulent financial system, and economic stagnation in the U.S.

In the wake of the election, the political system being scrutinized, lack of trust and transparency, ‘We the People’ have to live with it and has forced us to take poise.

 Preamble to The Constitution of the United States and Bill of Rights:

 ‘We the People’ of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

What is certain is that progress must be made to ensure a healthy planet for our future generations.

As we reflect on the complex global challenges, notably the widening gap between the rich and the poor, government(s) and hierarchical systems alone cannot address the multiple social, environmental and economic problems.

 ‘The world perishes not from bandits and fires, but from hatred, hostility, and all these petty squabbles.’  Anton Chekhov

 A recap of the realities we face:

•  Poverty: 700 million people worldwide are living on less than $1.90 a day.  The world will need to feed nine billion people by 2050 and a 70% increase in global agricultural production will be essential to ensure an adequate food supply.
• People displacement: Wars, conflict, and persecution have forced more people than at any other time to flee their homes, seek refuge and safety elsewhere. There were 65.3 million people forcibly displaced in 2015 with children and families being forced to flee to neighboring countries.
• Destruction of forests: Half of the earth's forest cover is gone with only 40 billion hectares remaining today. Every year, an average of 13 million hectares of forest disappear, often with devastating impacts on communities and indigenous peoples.
• Threatened wildlife species: In the 1970s, Africa was home to more than 1.3 million elephants. Today, as few as 415,000 may remain and 35,000 elephants are killed by poachers each year to feed the ivory black market.  Most recently, China announced a plan to phase out all ivory processing and trade by the end of 2017, a move that conservationists hope will stymie the mass killings -- and threat of extinction -- of African elephants.
•  Chronic diseases: Deaths from chronic diseases, such as cancer and heart disease, have risen by more than 50 percent and are rising fast in low and middle-income countries, striking far younger populations than in rich countries.
•   Lack of education in Africa: Today, there are 30 million children who are not receiving education and a shortage of quality teachers is a major problem.  

Reputation Dynamics Predictions for 2017:  Destructive Transformation:  

In the face of a disruptive economy and new technologies emerging every day, institutions are tasked to make progress with the Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) which cites no poverty, zero hunger and partnerships for the goals among top priorities.  Key considerations for 2017 include:

• Nonprofit/Citizenship Program Development and Innovation:  Under the new administration, it is anticipated that government funds for charities will decrease over the years.  Growth of nonprofits, social enterprises and community development programs will depend on new approaches for fundraising and long-term development. Technology, marketing and creating an effective user-driven experience will be essential for authentic donor cultivation and support. 
• Public-Private Partnerships: The role of inclusive partnerships (to include corporations, academia, civil society/NGOs) will become even more critical to address gaps mitigating poverty, improving the lives of displaced children and families, while preparing for future leaders in the workplace.
• Diversifying with Foundations:  The growth and emergence of mission-critical organizations willing to give larger funds for innovative institutions with well defined cases for support addressing challenges for the longer term.
• Tapping the Next Generation: The millennial generation will outspend baby boomers for the first time in 2016. Gen Xers are set to inherit $40 trillion. For and nonprofit institutions must improve how they advocate, market and align with their philanthropic commitments via experiential digital and mobile network communications.
• Aid for Refugee(s) Displacement: Resettlement efforts are complex and must support children and families with immediate basic needs and education for future survival.
• Protecting Forests and Greening of Cities: The growth of urbanization, greening of cities, including conserving and sustainably managing forests are vital for addressing climate change, protecting ecosystems and wildlife habitats. 
• Role of Academia: Raising the bar on preparing business and social enterprise leaders for the needs of tomorrow’s workforce.  Engaging students in experiential learning and community programs to gain greater knowledge about human rights and social justice issues.

Conclusion:  The co-creation of programs at the local and global level with businesses, academia, civil society/nonprofits will continue to be essential for restoring and building resilient communities. However, what is fundamental to success is to convene more alliances, break down silos, enforce dialogue and action on a united front.

Since 2005, Reputation Dynamics (RD) has been committed to addressing social, environmental and human justice issues. RD will continue to mobilize corporations, NGOs/civil society and academia to devise share-valued approaches based on longer-term community needs and improvement of livelihoods.

‘We the People’ deserve our dignity, freedom, potential, human and social justice.

We welcome a dialogue with colleagues who are committed to making the world a better place and exploring opportunities for collaboration in 2017.

By: Samantha Taylor - Founder of Reputation Dynamics

To learn more about RD's work and clients' on the front lines of  change, please contact: sam@reputation-dynamics.com

Narrowing the Divide between the Rich and Poor: Field Trip Report with TCU in Panama

Upon arrival into Panama City, one is struck by the new skyscrapers, architectural wonders and causeways in celebration of the prosperous trade traffic navigating the Canal, reporting fiscal revenues of $2.61 billion in 2015.

Panama is booming, with an average economic growth of 9 percent in the past five years, the highest in Latin America. Financial services and projects like the subway and multibillion-dollar expansion of the canal have contributed to this growth with the canal accounting for 10% of the country’s GDP.

However, Panama illustrates the starkest disparities of wealth in Latin America.  Poverty in Panama, according to the World Bank, is a rural and indigenous territories phenomenon, as can be seen in the once vibrant town of Colon, an hour’s drive from Panama City.

Despite the nation’s great wealth, we are reminded of the divide between the rich and poor, inequality that keeps almost 40 percent of its population in poverty – threatening to turn ‘The Boom to Bust’.  Furthermore, half of the country’s children are poor with nearly a fifth suffering from malnutrition.

I invite you to read more about my visit to Colon, Panama with staff/faculty members from TCU’s Discovering Global Citizenship Program and reflections about poverty. 

We took a very scenic train ride to Colon via the Panama railway fringing the edge of the canal and diverse, lush biodiversity with the occasional crocodile popping its head around passing ships.   The city of Colon sits by the Caribbean, wedged between a port and a cruise ship terminal. 

Our day began with breakfast at Hotel Washington, once a popular venue with its marble lobby and majestic pillars, commanding a view of the water and an abandoned ship.  The crumbling and neglected hotel with wires sticking out of walls in precarious places, is in desperate need of repair.

Today, Colon is where potable water, electricity, structurally sound buildings, and employment are all in short supply for the city’s 220,000 residents.

Yet in the early 1900s, during and after the construction of the canal, Colon blossomed with theaters, clubs, restaurants and finely manicured boulevards, hailing distinguished visitors like Albert Einstein.

The Lost Colon:

'The 98 cent tour’ with Sister Barbara who runs MUCEC, a non-profit charity supporting distressed women in Colon, provided a whole other perspective on poverty in a span of a mere 4/5 blocks.  We were told to leave our bags and not have any cameras exposed. Following closely on Sister Barbara’s earnest heels of conviction through the mess and stench of unsanitary conditions, she takes the hands of the children to ask if they had any food or water that day.  Sister Barbara, originally from Brooklyn, has committed her life to this community to help these families see hope of a future.

The visuals entailed rotting buildings with weeds sprouting from the cracks, a steady stream of sewage in the alleyways, jury-rigged water services, abandoned yellow taxis resting on deflated tires, while malnutritioned locals hang out in the streets.

As Panama City grew and modernized in the post-World War II era, Colon’s vibrance wore off. The ultimate closing of American military bases with the canal’s transfer to Panama in 1999 accelerated Colon’s deterioration. Crime and poverty grew, and the middle-class relocated to the suburbs, Panama City or out of the country.

Colon is the city that Panama forgot, in spite of vigorous development meant to court Caribbean cruise ships. Prior to 1869, the railroad connecting Panama City and Colon was the main transit across the continental Western Hemisphere. A last whiff of prosperity was seen during the construction of the Panama Canal.

Meanwhile, just around the corner from Colon is a $5 billion canal upgrade, a so you would think hub for economic development, skills development, creation of jobs and opportunity to improve livelihoods, including the 27,000 people that continue to live in condemned housing.

Colon’s duty-free trade zone, the largest in the Western Hemisphere, has done little to improve the town’s fortunes. Recent developments, including a hotel, an airport upgrade, a cruise ship dock enabling visitors to shop without entering the city’s squalor, have benefited mostly the businesses in the zone, a source of friction. Home to the zone’s 30,000 employees, Colon got lost in the middle of the free zone, and has become a challenge for the government, residents, businesses to revive what was once a thriving town.  Yet, it has been argued that projects like a new highway connecting Panama and Colon, the expansion of the canal, construction of a new hospital and other public works have reduced unemployment and poverty, yet these families continue to live in this squalor with no immediate way out.

Plans are now in place for the revitalization of Colon but with a lot of skeptism about how to realistically save and restore some of the crumbling buildings and historical assets, recently attracting preservation experts to write a plan with the help of organizations like the World Monuments Fund.  This will entail moving families out and securing the provision of basic human needs.  But how and to where?

In 2015 UN-Habitat reported signing two cooperation agreements with the cities of Colon and Panama to promote urban renewal and revitalization. These agreements, directly related to the issue of urban land use, planning and revitalization, seek to encourage public and private investment.

To be sure, such disparities are growing starker in rising economies like Peru, Brazil and Ecuador where communities are excluded in urban development and renovation plans, keeping the divide firmly intact between the rich and the poor. Fundamental to any progress will be addressing the racial discrimination that has stagnated Colon, getting people out of poverty, creating jobs and improving livelihoods.

This cannot be solved by government alone and will require other leaders from civil society, academia and international development partners to step in.  This is an opportunity to develop new models and approaches for mitigating poverty in the midst of social, cultural and political circumstances – scale and replication for ‘Boom to Bust’ scenarios such as Colon.

In conclusion, I share Sister Barbara’s powerful perspective, hope for Colon and communities trapped in poverty around the world:  “Change does, however, occur. We have witnessed repeatedly violated, humiliated and oppressed women find shreds of human dignity from which to build new lives and to grow. We have seen the malnourished children of these women learn to read or just to say “thank you”. Once launched, the empowering search for self-respect and human dignity is not easily lost.  Hence, after years of slow, painful struggle, and almost constant evaluation, our prospects are stronger than ever, and our motto remains “Si podemos” – “Yes we can”.

By Sam Taylor, Founder of Reputation Dynamics.

Sam Taylor is Senior Advisor to TCU’s Discovering Global Citizenship Program and accompanied Dr. Jane Kucko and John Singleton to learn more about the Universities work and community development partners.  TCU’s mission is to “educate individuals to think and act as ethical leaders and responsible citizens in the global community.”  The University transforms life and learning by infusing international perspectives and skills throughout the teaching, research and service missions with a focus on developing markets.

***

About MUCEC: MUCEC began in 1985 with efforts to help some of the poorest of Colon’s impoverished inhabitants -- the abused women and their children with little or no income.  Unlike other programs, MUCEC seeks a permanent solution rather than a temporary fix of the problem via a handout. For more information: http://mucec.org/english/nosotros.html

Client Spotlight: American Forests and Eddie Bauer

To commemorate Earth Day and celebrate 20 years of partnership with American Forests, Eddie Bauer has made a commitment to honor the planet by setting a goal to plant 500,000 trees in 2015. And for all you outdoor enthusiasts, Eddie Bauer is making it easy to get what you need for yourself, family and friends while also helping preserve the landscapes you care about. 

From today until Earth Day — April 22 — Eddie Bauer is making its “Add a Dollar, Plant a Tree” option available to both online and in-store customers. In addition, on April 21 and 22, Eddie Bauer will plant a tree for every transaction, whether online, in store, or by phone. Our 20-year partnership has resulted in the planting of more than 6.5 million trees in 150 ecosystems in the U.S. and Canada. Over the course of two decades, these trees have contributed to $100 million worth of improved air quality, $16 million in sequestered carbon and $20 million in enhanced water quality.

Please help us continue to restore and protect our forests by supporting our work through Eddie Bauer.

***

Sam Taylor

Trends for 2015: Joining Forces is Vital for Resilient Communities

In 2014, the UN Climate Summit, the first ever U.S.-Africa Summit, dwindling natural resources, gaps between the rich and poor has propelled awareness of advancing solutions for our complex challenges.

To be sure, the influence of climate change is fueling global economic volatility, posing threats to natural resources and wildlife habitats. What is certain is that progress must be made to ensure a healthy planet for our future generations.

A recap of the top realities we face includes:

• Harsh climate: This burden cost $2.1 billion between 2000-2013 due to weather-related disasters.
• Destruction of forests: Half of the earth's forest cover is gone with only 40 billion hectares remaining today. Every year, an average of 13 million hectares of forest disappear, often with devastating impacts on communities and indigenous peoples. The conversion of forests for the production of commodities such as soy, palm oil, beef and paper-accounts for roughly half of global deforestation. 
• Threatened wildlife species: The London Zoological Society has reported that world wildlife populations have been cut in half from 1970 to 2010:
  •  In the 1970s, Africa was home to more than 1.3 million elephants. Today, as few as 419,000 may remain and 35,000 elephants are killed by poachers each year to feed the ivory black market.
  • The South African government recently reported a record 1,020 rhinos have been poached in the country since the beginning of 2014, surpassing the 1,004 rhinos killed in all of 2013.
• Chronic diseases: Deaths from chronic diseases, such as cancer and heart disease, have risen by more than 50 percent according to the Council on Foreign Relations and are rising fast in low and middle-income countries, striking far younger populations than in rich countries.
• Lack of education in Africa: Today, there are 30 million children who are not receiving education and according to the 2014 Education for All Global Monitoring Report, the shortage of quality teachers is the key problem.  Children are not receiving quality education and skills training for potential jobs.

Major initiatives in 2014:

First Ever U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit in D.C: The White House convened African heads of state and government, U.S./African corporations, civil society to strengthen alignment between the United States and opportunities for trade and economic investment in the continent. Africa is finally being recognized as the next major emerging market, access to new consumers and resources with a combined GDP upwards of $2 trillion.

UN Climate Summit: President Obama unveiled a series of actions to urge the international community to cut emissions and help developing countries better prepare for climate change.  While the EPA proposed a new plan designed to cut carbon emissions by 30% by the year 2030:

•  New York Declaration on Forests: More than 150 governments, companies and NGO world leaders endorsed a global timeline to cut natural forest loss in half by 2020, and strive to end it by 2030. 
• The U.S. and China signed the first major deal on climate change to cut emissions.

Predictions for 2015: Value of nature:

While nature is deemed priceless, various studies have tried to estimate the value of ecosystem services (provision of timber, minerals, food and medicines) in financial terms.  The total value of ‘nature’ is estimated to be about $33 trillion per year of which the global economy is consuming about $7 trillion dollars annually.

This is raising the bar on developing more inclusive partnerships between the public and private sectors to ensure the provision of basic needs (such as food and water) and solutions to ensure more resilient economies.

Environmental awareness and education: With consumers and millennials more informed about the increasing role of crowd funding, digital and mobile network applications, for and nonprofit companies must improve how they share, advocate and demonstrate their commitments. Also, enlist participation from the public at large with authenticity and transparency.

Forest and wildlife protection: Continued action to conserve, sustainably manage and restore forests can contribute to economic growth, alleviating poverty, creating food security, protecting wildlife species and habitats.

Investment in Africa: Africa’s economic growth and prosperity will be driven by primarily investing in youth education and creating jobs. 

Market access: More correlation and alignment between trade, new and existing markets is the focus of economic growth.  The co-creation of programs at the community-level with businesses, government and nonprofits is essential for long term sustainability, protection of resources and livelihoods.

Conclusions: In a disruptive global economy, companies and individuals have significant opportunities to promote economic growth, develop new products and access new customers, while saving trees and protecting wildlife species. However, what is fundamental to this success is to convene more alliances, break down silos, enforce greater knowledge exchange and a more united front to address the complex challenges associated with climate change.

By: Samantha Taylor - Founder of Reputation Dynamics.

Reputation Dynamics and #GivingTuesday

Reputation Dynamics is proud to support #GivingTuesday by building awareness, forming inclusive partnerships and mobilizing action between the for- and nonprofit sectors to protect the planet and improve livelihoods.  Specific focus areas include forest and wildlife protection, youth education and empowering women’s owned businesses. Reputation Dynamics is excited to highlight the following initiatives:

American Forests: Restore forests, create wildlife habitat and improve the health of the planet – www.americanforests.org.

Indego Africa:  A leadership Academy in Kigali, Rwanda to provide artisan partners with free advanced business training, equip these talented women with the tools they need to succeed as independent businesswomen and drive sustainable change in their communities – www.indegoafrica.org

As we celebrate our national day of giving in support of nonprofit organizations, it is important to work together collectively to address our pressing world issues. Reputation Dynamics welcomes the opportunity to learn more about your #GivingTuesday initiatives, exchange knowledge and explore opportunities to collaborate.

We look forward to hearing from you and providing information about how to support these terrific initiatives.

Harambee.

Sam Taylor, Founder of Reputation Dynamics

#ReputationDynam

AMERICAN FORESTS: PROTECTS AND RESTORES FORESTS

Reputation Dynamics is excited to work with American Forests, the oldest national nonprofit conservation organization in the country, to support corporate development and engagement. 

Founded in 1875, American Forests restores and protects urban and rural forests.  The organization has served as a catalyst for many milestones in the conservation movement including the founding of the U.S Forest Service. Since 1990, American Forests has planted more than 44 million trees in forests throughout the US and in 44 countries, improving ecosystems and livelihoods.

For more information – www.americanforests.org

First Ever U.S. Africa Leaders Summit in D.C “We Don’t Need No Education. We Don’t Need No Thought Control.”

Sam Taylor's visit to Shining Hope School, Kibera Slum, Nairobi. Kids singing a song they created in the hopes of their future.

The White House has convened more than 50 African heads of state and government, US and African corporations, as well as members of civil society to strengthen alignment between the United States and opportunities for trade and economic investment in the continent.

Africa is finally being recognized as the next major emerging market, access to new markets, consumers and resources.  In fact, Africa, with a GDP of more than $2 trillion in 2013, is now larger than India’s. Topics being addressed include investing in women, health, resilience and food security in a changing climate, combating wildlife trafficking, as well as an emphasis on forging more inclusive partnerships between the public and private sectors.

In addition to combating corruption and enforcing transparent business practices, there needs to be more education and advocacy for the continents pressing social, environmental and cultural challenges including impacts of climate change and poverty.

While the theme of the U.S./Africa Summit is about “Investing in the Next Generation,” at a fundamental level, we need to tackle lack of access to education and interrelated links between poverty and the provision of basic human needs such as food and water.

Today, there are 30 million children in Africa who are still out of school and according to the 2014 Education for All Global Monitoring Report, the shortage of quality teachers is the key problem in the efforts to provide children with quality education, skills training and potential jobs for our future generations.

While there are considerable benefits and economic potential for the United States, Africa’s economic growth and prosperity will be driven by primarily “Investing in its Youth” and creation of jobs for the continent.

We are to be reminded that one of the Millennium Development Goals set by world leaders in 2000 was to achieve universal primary education by 2015. 

 By Samantha Taylor, Founder of Reputation Dynamics

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