How do Cities Organize Communal Life and Maintain Social Harmony
0 likes689 views
The document discusses the role of cities in fostering communal life and social harmony, emphasizing the contributions businesses can make towards these goals. It outlines the need for long-term capacity building among various stakeholders, including NGOs, businesses, and governments, while highlighting the importance of addressing safety, economic, and environmental stability. It calls for a shift from traditional corporate social responsibility to a more integrated approach that aligns community needs with business practices.
How do Cities Organize Communal Life and Maintain Social Harmony
- 1. 8th Europe Asia Young Leaders Forum How do cities organize communal life and maintain social harmony? What can business contribute to these processes?
- 2. Develop long term capacity within the various actors (NGO, MNC, academic, gov’t, and citizen) to create stable/ sustainable solutions •Provide a platform where civil sector professionals can share best practices •Conduct research, study problems, assess program, & create partnerships •Work with social entrepreneurs and NGO leaders to develop capacity •On campus research, develop student leaders, clubs, mentorships, internships Established in 2004, Hands On China’s mission is connecting people – both locals and foreigners in Shanghai who want to become involved as volunteers in community activities with local charities who need assistance. • Coordinates volunteer opportunities for active professionals, according to their availability and personal interests • Support project partners with direct donations, fundraising planning and execution, community project design/implementation • Design and manage a variety of community relations programs for private sector partners in Shanghai – CorpWorks! Developed the project based class Sustainability and Responsible Leaderships for 193 MBA students •To institutionally support society by leveraging its students, faculty, alumni •Improve student awareness of the social and environmental challenges in China •36 teams will conduct research, develop external partner, & present business plan
- 3. Initial Thoughts of Community How do cities organize communal life and maintain social harmony? What can business contribute to these processes? Better City Better Life
- 4. How do cities organize communal life and maintain social harmony?
- 7. Quality of Life For residents to invest in a city, the city must provide an acceptable quality of life that is convenient and affordable •Healthcare •Parks and green space •Entertainment •Restaurants •Retail •Community gatherings •Transportation •Culture
- 8. Safety and Security Before a city can find harmony, it must provide assurance of safety and security • Remove the threats of crime • Provide civil services (fire protection and emergency services) • Disaster relief More than that, citizens are also looking for: •Economic Security – That investments in their livelihoods in the city will not be taken from them •Physical stability – That their homes and communities will not be removed arbitrarily and without compensation •Emotional security – That they will be treated equally, and without discrimination •Equitable ownership – That their contributions to society will be recognized, rewarded, and appreciated
- 9. Environmental Stability In China, sustainability constraints are far more personal than “carbon” Resource Management Labor Safety Consumer Safety Urban Planning & Urbanization Food & Agriculture Landfills & eWaste Overpackaging Healthcare (Elderly & Family) Traffic and Transport Air, Food, and Water Quality Income Gap – Poverty Alleviation
- 10. What can business contribute to these processes?
- 11. Historical Role of Business Role of business in building community has historically been unclear, and clarity/ guidance typically only came from rules and regulations set up by governments Only roles that were previously accepted for companies to contribute to society: •Employee people •Make Money •Pay Taxes •Donate a little money… when you have the chance … but the rules are changing China is Maturing New regulations are strong Healthy vents and feedback mechanisms are being added Enforcement is WIP, but getting more consistent Consumers Have Changed – and So Have Their Expectations Consumers are becoming citizens, and citizens are becoming active Consumer pressure on industry will only grow stronger
- 12. New Responsibilities Moving Past traditional definitions and appearances of “CSR” and “Sustainability” Changing Business Model Paying full price of operations Rebalancing risk / reward equation Improving labor conditions and standards Addressing issues of governance and exploitation Changing Product Portfolios Focus on quality and safety vs. price and speed Moving away from environmentally damaging processes Working to improve industry standards Developing Communities Internally and Externally Creating core values that align with values of employees Moving away from value system that places citizens before consumers
- 13. Room for Innovation Role of Community Enterprises (Social Enterprises and NGOs) is growing • Better Raw Materials • Community Services • Financial Services • Better Labor Practices • Community Engagement • Access to Education • Better Quality • Economic Opportunity
- 14. “In the end, environmental, social and economic sustainability cannot be separated. A sustainable planet must include a sustainable human civilization – resilient human systems that respect the complicated relationships among poverty, human rights, economic development, environmental health, and human success” - Institute for the Future, 2008 Richard Brubaker, Founder [email protected]