Greetings from incredible India! I never thought I’d make it here and now I can’t imagine not having visited this country that is so full – full of delicious spicy foods, architecture rich with history, and myriad NGOs and companies that are the definition of social innovation.
I began my trip in Mumbai. A bustling hub of commerce, art and culture, Mumbai is home to over 20 million people, making it the most populous city in India.
The Great Wall of Mumbai stretches between the Mahim and Matunga Metro stops and is an ever-changing canvas upon which the city’s residents express their joys, sorrows, and frustrations. While there is no shortage of political commentary artists also celebrate the richness that is Mumbai.
I was honored to speak during a session at World CSR Congress with my colleague Ritu Sharma, CEO and co-founder of Social Media for Nonprofits (SM4NP). When Ritu invited me to present with her
about engaged philanthropy, I enthusiastically said “Yes!” and figured out the details later. During our talk we outlined our four-year partnership, which includes offering the SM4NP conference series at Microsoft. We reflected on our journey and offered tips from our experience working within a public-private partnership. Without going into details of the presentation itself I will share my tips for corporate citizenship professionals to be good partners to their NGO counterparts:
- Know what you can give
- Be transparent about parameters and branding guidelines
- Be helpful
- Ask for feedback
- Keep in touch
Other aspects of the conference highlighted topics ranging from social entrepreneurship, to diversity and inclusion in the workplace, to understanding the 2% law. At the end of the conference Ritu was presented with the Social Innovation Leadership Award. Well deserved!
Here are a few of my favorite moments from the conference:
