Business for Purpose Network (B4PN) Weekly Announcement
Update #12 — February 12, 2021
The Business for Purpose Network (B4PN) is an initiative catalyzed by the JW McConnell Family Foundation and the MaRS Discovery District. Contact Allyson Hewitt, VP Impact at MaRS for more information or to join our mailing list ahewitt@marsdd.com with a DM that indicates your preferred email or to unsubscribe.
1.0 B4PN MEMBER NEWS.
1.1 RW Institute has an extensive array of resources that will be of interest to those looking to build their corporate citizenship programs. In one of their past “Listen Up! Episodes” they discuss The Purpose Mindset: Inspiring Your Employees and Alumni to Change the World. Passcode: c7ar0QT!
1.2 Social Purpose Institute (SPI) defines a social purpose business as “a company whose enduring reason for being is to create a better world. It is an engine for good, creating social benefits by the very act of conducting business. Its growth is a positive force for society.” They were recently featured in BurnabyNow. Burnaby partnership will promote local social purpose businesses.
2.0 WEEKLY ANNOUNCEMENT FOLLOW UP ITEMS. The British Academy, Future of the Corporation session recordings are now available. If at all possible, I would strongly recommend you find the time to listen (1.5 hours long each).
2.1 Why we need Govern leadership to promote purposeful business
2.2 How Government can promote purposeful business through law, regulation and standards
2.3 How Government can support business to become purposeful through partnership and skills
3.0 INTERCONNECTEDNESS. Purpose-led leaders understand that all our issues are connected. Corporate Knights in their latest newsletter reports that Climate change may have had a “key role” in pandemic. A new study suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic may be rooted in climate change, according to a story (in English) from French news site France24.com. University of Cambridge researchers, using temperature and rainfall data to track changing bat habitats, have found that over the last century, 40 bat species have relocated to southern China, the area where the SARS-CoV-2 virus first appeared. Each bat species carries an average of 2.7 coronaviruses, increasing the risks of animal-to-human transmission. “The fact that climate change can accelerate the transmission of wildlife pathogens to humans should be an urgent wake-up call to reduce global emissions,” researcher Camilo Mora warned.
4.0 BRAND AND PURPOSE. Morgan MacLeod, Co-founder of Cubicle Fugitive writes in Strategies that “plain and simple, purpose drives brand”. Check out her advice to legal firms in Profits of Purpose: How to make money and a difference.
5.0 RECOGNITION OPPORTUNITIES.
5.1 Fast Company is excited to introduce a new recognition program: Brands That Matter. Early Rate Deadline: March 26 ($495 US)
5.2 2021 SDG Pioneers. As part of their annual Making Global Goals Local Business campaign, the UN Global Compact celebrates a group of SDG Pioneers — business leaders who are doing an exceptional job to advance the Global Goals through the implementation of the Ten Principles on human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. Open to any UN Global Compact-participating company until March 15, 2021.
