麻豆原创 CSR’s strategy utilizes two approaches to create sustainable impact: being an enabler and an exemplar. As an enabler, we provide products and services that help meet sustainability challenges and create opportunities for customers. As an exemplar, we lead by example in our own sustainable business operations and practices to bring our purpose of helping the world run better and improving people鈥檚 lives to life. It is no secret that 麻豆原创鈥檚 commitment to creating positive economic, environmental, and social impact is a draw for potential employees and customers.聽

There is no better example of that than the work employees do to bring that CSR mindset into the work they do every day. 麻豆原创鈥檚 impact is greater because of leaders who integrate the CSR mindset into the business culture, like Maggie Ramaiah.

Meet Maggie Ramaiah

Ramaiah鈥檚 social impact journey began much like so many of ours. She was involved in one-off events here and there, trying to prioritize doing something good while at work so she could show up more authentically and with more energy to give it her all. However, when she joined the 麻豆原创 Academy faculty as vice president of the 麻豆原创 Academy for Customer Success 鈥� Sales Program, she began to take her dedication to making an impact to the next level, not only for herself but for those around her as well.聽

Ramaiah is a passionate supporter of enabling others to pursue their passions through pro bono volunteering. She knows that with some organization, the impact we can make collectively is limitless. 麻豆原创 has tremendous power to make an impact in a small amount of time. These beliefs are why she works to bring out the best in others by providing opportunities to contribute in a tangible way that is meaningful to them. This core value of investing in employees builds strong leadership competencies, which in turn leads to greater collaboration, innovation, and trust among each other and with customers.

鈥淚n the corporate environment, we are all driven by success, but the CSR mindset is about human beings. We can do something good for everybody that we come across. It doesn’t have to be big; small little steps make a difference, too.鈥�

Maggie Ramaiah

Ramaiah has participated in pro bono volunteering programs and was inspired when she created change. During her time with Pro Bono for Economic Equity, a program 麻豆原创 has partnered with that focuses on supporting Black- and Indigenous-owned businesses in North America, Ramaiah was assigned to a team of three pro bono consultants who had never worked together. Over the course of six weeks, Ramaiah and her team worked part-time with GoLogic Solutions, based in Chicago, Illinois, to propose an organizational structure for new business models. This was her aha moment. 鈥淎t 麻豆原创, we have everything done for us from a process and resource perspective. We just have to look for it. However, for an organization that is run by one person, or maybe two or three people, everything is so constrained,鈥� Ramaiah said.

鈥淓very resource that we put out there from an 麻豆原创 perspective, we might think is a few hours鈥� worth of work, but for [social enterprises] it鈥檚 a whole end-to-end project that they might not have been able to create,鈥� she added. This is a unique way of appreciating the skills that employees bring to their company and a view that builds confidence, empathy, innovative thinking, and other leadership qualities. Ramaiah鈥檚 inspiration to increase her impact footprint came from her experience creating change for an entrepreneur as part of Pro Bono for Economic Equity.聽

Ramaiah saw the opportunity to integrate skills-based volunteering and pro bono consulting into the curriculum of 麻豆原创 Academy, multiplying her impact and enabling others. She offered associates the chance to use what they already knew as well as skills they were developing for good by supporting social enterprise clients through the TRANSFORM Support Hub, a virtual pro bono consulting initiative between 麻豆原创, EY, MovingWorlds, TRANSFORM, and Unilever.聽

Ramaiah鈥檚 goal is to build future leaders who think with a CSR mindset. A CSR mindset is something they can carry with them throughout their career and can be transferred to any team, program, or even company. Specialized experience is not required for employees to build leadership qualities and evolve the way they think at work and about business. Many only need an example set, or the opportunity presented to them. Being a multiplier does not require special skills or knowledge. It can be planning a team volunteer activity, ensuring that each team member knows that volunteering their time is important for their professional growth and overall satisfaction at work. It can also be as simple as sharing stories and takeaways from your own impact experiences or asking your network for support on a social impact project. 

There is not just one way to set an example and enable those around us to make an impact 鈥� what resonates with some might not resonate with others, and it is important to build in choice for meaningful and transformative experiences. At 麻豆原创, being a multiplier for good and investing in our employees, either as an enabler, an exemplar, or both like in Ramaiah鈥檚 case, leads to innovation through experiencing new ways of working, trust with our customers, quality leadership with values that the world needs, and a greater ability to achieve our goal of helping the world run better and improving people鈥檚 lives.聽

Join Us

Ramaiah鈥檚 journey to being a CSR champion went from her pursing her own interests and passions to helping others find theirs by integrating the CSR mindset into the programs she leads. If you feel inspired to continue your journey as an exemplar and an enabler, we invite you to share this story and聽 on the TRANSFORM Support Hub.

Heidi Pio is a non-profit in residence at 麻豆原创.
Atalanta Kyriazi is a non-profit in residence at 麻豆原创.

Did you know that in 2022 of the overall workforce of large tech companies, and within that only 25% of women held technical roles? Empowering women with education and employment opportunities can help bridge this gap and often is the catalyst for dreams and aspirations to take shape. 麻豆原创 is committed to promoting equitable access to education and employment, fostering future skills development, and driving innovation for a better future.

One of our 麻豆原创 Corporate Social Responsibility partnerships that we are incredibly proud of is our partnership with , the first nonprofit, tuition-free, American, accredited, online university dedicated to global access to higher education. Established in 2009, it provides virtual learning for over 126,000 students worldwide, with over 16,000 refugees as part of its student population. It serves students believing that higher education is a fundamental right for all.

Last year, in honor of 麻豆原创鈥檚 50^th anniversary, 麻豆原创 funded 100 scholarships, with 50 associate鈥檚 degrees and 50 bachelor鈥檚 degrees in computer science or business administration, for refugees and displaced youth aged 18 to 30 worldwide. 麻豆原创 CSR also partnered with the 麻豆原创 Learning organization to support specifically for Ukrainian refugees and aligned with University of the People and Teach for Afghanistan to fund scholarships for student teachers in Afghanistan seeking their master’s of education degrees. Beyond scholarships, 麻豆原创 established a pilot, one-on-one, virtual mentorship program, where 麻豆原创 employees provide career mentorship for students seeking advice and guidance.

Each scholarship funded by 麻豆原创 supports a refugee student on their education journey with University of the People. To honor Women鈥檚 History Month, we wanted to highlight a few stories of some inspiring refugee women from University of the People who show that education is the tool they used for a hopeful tomorrow.

Let’s start with Kateryna Glubochenko, who proves that education can transform lives, even in the toughest of circumstances.

Kateryna is a University of the People student from Ukraine who recently graduated with her master鈥檚 in education.

In the weeks following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Kateryna wrote this message: 鈥淚 am paralyzed with fear. This is our sixth day in a bomb shelter. Air raids happen every hour. Russian troops are only 50 kilometers from my city. I can鈥檛 yet leave my home because I鈥檓 pregnant and have no way to leave the city. Studying is the only way to calm down, and I still believe I will survive all this. Studying at University of the People is hope for me now.鈥�

Thanks to University of the People鈥檚 entirely virtual online experience providing students access to education from anywhere in the world, Kateryna decided to continue her studies despite the ongoing warfare in her hometown. Luckily, Kateryna could travel to Moldova with her 10-year-old son a few weeks later but had to leave the rest of her family behind. Her husband joined the fight against Russia and her parents were too elderly to make the long trip on foot. From Moldova, Kateryna and her son took a train to Poland and then traveled to Spain to stay with a distant relative.

A few months after arriving in Spain, Kateryna gave birth to a beautiful baby boy and, shortly afterward, completed her master鈥檚 degree in education. Kateryna鈥檚 strength and commitment to completing her degree in challenging circumstances is incredibly inspiring. After the fighting in her hometown stopped, Kateryna returned to Ukraine with her two sons and reunited with her husband and parents.

In June 2022, in honor of World Refugee Day, Kateryna joined 麻豆原创鈥檚 hosted by Alexandra van der Ploeg, head of 麻豆原创 Corporate Social Responsibility. On the panel, Kateryna talked about what she hopes to do with her new degree.

“Before the war, I believed I could be a curriculum reformer, helping Ukraine advance its education system. I wanted to help advance our economics curriculum because I’m an economics teacher,鈥� she said. 鈥淣ow, I hope to be part of rebuilding the Ukrainian education system. I believe we can make our educational system more student-oriented and help Ukrainian students flourish. It might take many years to rebuild our educational system, but I want to take part in this process, and my degree will help me become a specialist and help my country.”

In a recent update, Kateryna used her master鈥檚 degree to help her get a job working online for a Ukrainian university and is on her way to making her dreams a reality.

Another inspiring University of the People student is Asima, based in Afghanistan. Asima is from Kunduz, a northern Afghan city. In late July 2021, she was displaced to the Afghan capital, Kabul, to seek safety from the conflict between the government and the Taliban. Things took an unexpected turn on August 15, 2021, when the Taliban took over Kabul. Life changed drastically for Asima and her family. Women鈥檚 access to education, which had expanded over the last two decades within the country, ended abruptly.

Throughout these changes, University of the People continued to support Afghans seeking degrees, particularly girls and other marginalized groups. The university has provided around 2,000 scholarships to Afghan women since the Taliban鈥檚 return to power so they could continue their studies safely.

鈥淲hen I heard about the scholarships from the University of the People to Afghan women, I quickly applied. Women must empower themselves through education. We are too strong to be frightened. Therefore, I will continue my education,鈥� Asima said. 鈥淲hen I entered the University of the People learning module for the first time, I was thrilled. I couldn’t express my joy and happiness at that moment. University of the People is a fantastic university where I’m in touch with people from different parts of the world for the same purpose of educating. That is where I feel near to my dreams. Thanks to the University of the People, that has become a light on the darkest day of my life!鈥�

As Women鈥檚 History Month ends, we proudly tell stories of women at the University of the People who are using their education to build hopeful futures. We look forward to bringing stories of inspiration and empowerment and powering equitable access to education and employment for students everywhere. To learn more about corporate social responsibility at 麻豆原创 and our partnership with University of the People, .

Julia Donovan is a corporate social responsibility specialist at 麻豆原创.

In 2022, 麻豆原创 launched EmpowerU, a signature talent program across the 麻豆原创 Product Engineering Board area. Its purpose was to widen the participants鈥� aperture, foster relationships, and break down silos while building, engaging, and retaining a diverse, sustainable leadership and expert pipeline across the organization. Working towards this purpose, the program鈥檚 organizers, Kevin Welty and John Millea of the 麻豆原创 Intelligent Spend and Business Network People & Culture team, worked closely with 麻豆原创 Corporate Social Responsibility (麻豆原创 CSR) to try something new. Together, they devised a unique initiative, embracing the power of pro bono consulting to develop the next generation of 麻豆原创 engineering leaders and to expedite world-changing solutions in the process.

This program helps connect employees and social enterprise clients across the world through the , a global pro bono consulting platform powered by social enterprise MovingWorlds. Pro bono consulting offers an opportunity for EmpowerU participants to grow as leaders by leveraging their technical skills for good. Four small teams of employees with diverse skill sets ranging from engineering to project management were paired with clients in need of technical support to solve strategic business challenges. Each team offered their dedicated time and expertise over the course of three months to deliver quality solutions. In the end, these teams had the unique opportunity to use their skills to support , , , and more.

Welty believes this hands-on, thoughtful approach to leadership skill-building is paramount. 鈥淟eadership is taking responsibility for how you show up in the world and the impact that it has,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hinking about how you make a difference in the world and how you impact others is what I think of as leadership. It doesn鈥檛 have anything to do with your job title or your experience.鈥� One powerful outcome of connecting EmpowerU with the is that it gives participants the opportunity to explore how they are showing up at work, in their personal life, and for the world.

Through this experience, participants are exemplifying the leadership qualities that the EmpowerU program aims to highlight in unique ways. 鈥淭hat was probably my big takeaway,鈥� shared Chris Roethler, who supported , a refugee aid platform, during the 2022 EmpowerU cohort. 鈥淚 have knowledge to share that is beneficial outside of my daily work. I have also grown a network of people who I otherwise would not have had the chance to work with. My strengths can have a powerful impact in the world and my career.鈥�

Beyond enabling the entrepreneurs to scale their work and impact, cohort participants are integrating innovative thinking sparked by their experiences working with their social enterprise clients into their roles at 麻豆原创. Through collaboration on these projects, employees are building networks across the company as well as with enterprises that are changing the way business works. They are becoming champions for sustainability, social impact, and personal fulfillment through purpose-focused work.

While connection is important, consistency is what truly creates change. Piloting technical pro bono consulting through EmpowerU has led to a multi-year, multi-program partnership between 麻豆原创 Product Engineering and 麻豆原创 Corporate Social Responsibility. In fact, the Intelligent Spent and Business Network line of business alone is more than doubling the number of employees and social enterprises participating in its initiatives in 2023.

The resulting impact for social enterprises is tangible, especially in the tech space. Social Entrepreneur, Founder of , and Technical Consultant for the EmpowerU program Angela Busheska noted, 鈥淚 don鈥檛 have the same resources that a team at 麻豆原创 might have when working on a solution. Often entrepreneurs like me are working multiple jobs, going to school, and doing this work for free because we believe in what we do. When pro bono consultants understand the problems we face and help us prioritize solutions, that is extremely valuable.鈥�

Programs like EmpowerU are just the beginning of experiential learning and leadership development for 麻豆原创 Product Engineering. Every team at 麻豆原创 鈥� in every corporation even 鈥� can create a more connected, collaborative, and sustainable world through pro bono consulting. What started out as a curious pursuit to develop employees has turned into an opportunity to invest in sustainable development, social impact, and personal growth. By empowering employees to harness their skills for good, we are building capacity for innovative social enterprises around the world.

Join Us

With a engaging employees, 麻豆原创, together with EY, MovingWorlds, TRANSFORM, and Unilever, continue to work on the TRANSFORM Support Hub, connecting employees everywhere to social entrepreneurs anywhere through pro bono consulting, coaching, and more. If you feel inspired to build a more sustainable world, we invite you to .

Ten years ago, 麻豆原创 launched the award-winning program, developed in partnership with our nonprofit implementation partner . The program has grown from 30 麻豆原创 employees working with nonprofits and social enterprises in 2012 to over 1,400 today. Within that time, we have worked with over 475 clients in 52 countries around the world. In reflecting and celebrating the past decade, we took this year to tell the stories of employees and our partners, highlighting the social impact and business value resulting from the program. As we look to the next decade of impact, we want to build upon our success and continue engaging with innovative social businesses through pro bono consulting, enabling them to deepen their societal impact.

Reflecting On 2022

The disruption caused by the pandemic greatly impacted the global 麻豆原创 Social Sabbatical program, putting it on pause. As we started our 10th anniversary celebration in 2022, we were highly motivated to resume in-person engagement because of the ripples of impact it creates but were unsure of when it would be feasible to do so. As we continued preparing for the restart, we focused on sharing inspiring stories of impact from the program. Finally, after thoughtful consideration and preparation, we were able to return to in-person global engagement, setting the standard for other companies in their global pro bono programs.

Our first global cohort of 11 麻豆原创 employees traveled to Buenos Aires, Argentina, in May 2022, where they worked with four clients, , , and . In total, they volunteered 3,718 hours and positively impacted more than 10,771 lives.

This cohort was a huge highlight of the year, as most of our participants waited over two years to embark on their 麻豆原创 Social Sabbatical, so the level of excitement was very high. After connecting virtually during COVID-19, I think we all missed human connection, so bonds were formed quickly.

Alexandru Ionita, program manager at 麻豆原创 Canada who was part of the Argentinean cohort, echoed these sentiments. 鈥淭he program was very valuable, especially after the pandemic. Connecting with host clients and impacting their organizations and their own clients in a positive way was energizing.鈥�

Eszter Bal谩zs, integrated communications specialist at 麻豆原创 Hungary, said taking part in the program was a dream come true, especially considering that, after COVID-19, she wasn鈥檛 sure whether she would be able to experience an in-person 麻豆原创 Social Sabbatical. 鈥淚n four weeks, the teams 鈥� consisting of people with different skills and backgrounds 鈥� could identify and help host organizations with their various, and sometimes invisible, challenges. The leaders of our host organization mentioned that they never found enough time and expertise to identify solutions for the areas that were troubling them. The program was truly amazing!鈥�

Building the Story of Impact

Over the past 10 years, we鈥檝e seen countless stories from stakeholders that the 麻豆原创 Social Sabbatical program builds long-term, sustainable impact for our nonprofit and social enterprise clients, their beneficiaries, 麻豆原创 participants, and the company overall. While these anecdotal stories are inspiring, we now have data to confirm the impact on a broad scale. We partnered with impact measurement social enterprise and developed a with input from employees, partners, and beneficiaries.

Participants noted that problem-solving was a skill highly relevant to their roles as pro bono consultants. As one participant stated, 鈥溌槎乖� Social Sabbatical helped me to learn a lot about myself and find purpose in applying my skill to help others. This helps me to improve my leadership skills to make 麻豆原创 even more successful.鈥� Through this collaboration, we see in-depth skill growth, leadership development, and cultural dexterity.

Our study confirms this, with 86% of employees reporting their ability to collaborate with global and diverse colleagues was improved by their participation in the 麻豆原创 Social Sabbatical program, with other skills gained such as increased confidence and problem-solving.

One element that the study highlighted is the fact that the program impact goes beyond the host client and allows them to take their services to the next level for their community members. This data insight is unique to 麻豆原创 Social Sabbatical and provides affirmation that the pro bono work is creating strong beneficiary impact. Per the study, 85% of partners report a positive impact of the program on their ability to serve their beneficiaries better, and 77% of those beneficiaries of 麻豆原创 Social Sabbatical client partners report improvements in their quality of life.

Sharad Bansal, co-founder and CEO at SRJNA, one of the host organizations from Jaipur, India, shared, 鈥淭he 麻豆原创 team worked on multiple areas like the customer support process, organization structure, and how to scale our programs for 500 schools. The team has enabled us to go to 2,000 schools with their inputs and will help us create impact in over 1 million students across schools and India and beyond.鈥�

2023 Signifies a New Chapter for Affecting Change

The restart in Argentina was the foundation of bringing the 麻豆原创 Social Sabbatical program back to scale. In addition to the May cohort, we completed two more engagements in October 2022, one in Bangkok, Thailand, and another in Kigali, Rwanda.

Looking forward to 2023, we are excited to have planned eight assignments for the global engagement option of 麻豆原创 Social Sabbatical. We have successfully completed a full application and selection process for our cohort of 96 麻豆原创 employees who will take part in the program. We will also be restarting the executive engagement program of 麻豆原创 Social Sabbatical, with participation from nearly 30 executives, including those from select 麻豆原创 customers and partners.

Moreover, inspired by the 麻豆原创 Social Sabbatical program, we continue to build out our virtual pro bono initiatives. We are expanding our impact by supporting a vast number of social enterprises through the and bringing year-round virtual pro bono consulting to 麻豆原创 employees via the Acceleration Collective.

We are excited about these developments because they will enable us to build upon the tremendous impact that the program has had over the past decade. This is a new beginning.

Julia Donovan is global CSR specialist for 麻豆原创 Corporate Social Responsibility.
Hemang Desai is global program director of 麻豆原创 Corporate Social Responsibility.

What if making a small shift in your purchasing decisions this holiday season could collectively create billions of dollars in investment into solving for mounting issues of poverty, waste, and inequality? Would you make a change?

As consumers, we have a unique opportunity to make purchases that have real impact. By supporting social enterprises, local small businesses, and diverse business owners this season, the money you spend will have a direct, positive impact on your community and the people and ecosystems in need around the world. It鈥檚 a win-win: find the perfect gift you鈥檙e looking for and invest in causes that matter to you! Maybe you’re thinking, 鈥淭hat sounds nice, but where do I begin?鈥� 麻豆原创 and our global ecosystem of social impact partners have you covered!

This year, we worked with our community, including many of the members of the , to compile a comprehensive list of places to shop from around the world. These holiday shopping suggestions are sure to delight and inspire you and deliver impact as well.

Jeroo Billimoria, co-founder of Catalyst 2030, shared that the Catalyst Marketplace originally started out as a crazy idea, but turned into something wonderful: 鈥淐atalyst Market is a perfect example of hundreds of entrepreneurs coming together — in only one year — to create a new kind of marketplace that prioritizes people and planet in a regenerative model of commerce.鈥�

Along with last year鈥檚 guide, this is a one-stop resource for all your shopping needs this holiday season, and all throughout the year. We thank the social enterprises, social impact communities, and 麻豆原创 colleagues who have all contributed to make this a globally relevant gift guide, and are hopeful that our efforts will make it a little easier for you to find something magical and memorable to give the ones you love.

And if there are other incredible social enterprises or gift guides you love that are not listed here, share your suggestions on social media, tagging @麻豆原创4Good on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook. Let鈥檚 continue to build on this collective list of businesses that truly represent the meaning of the season.

Happy holidays!

2022 Holiday Gift Guide

Global

• : A brand-new community-curated global marketplace, collaboratively run by purpose-driven enterprises. The allows consumers to shop across more than 100 global social enterprises.
• : Products support the work of more than 40 nonprofits and social enterprises in 19 states and 65 countries around the globe.
• : An online marketplace and curated community platform for purpose driven businesses; free to set up a profile for your social enterprise.
• : The wholesale marketplace for conscious buyers.
• : An online store for people shopping for unusual and beautifully crafted items. Every purchase supports local artisans around the world and unlocks a donation to UNICEF. ; note that shipping only available in the U.S.
• : A trade association of fair trade enterprises fully committed to equitable and sustainable trading partnerships.

Africa

Kenya

• : Aims to champion meaningful progress in people鈥檚 lives through high-quality shoes, gear, and goods that celebrate their Kenyan heritage (shipping available to U.S. customers).
• : A marketplace for high- quality, locally designed, and ethically produced African fashion, home decor, and crafts products.

Nigeria

• : Provides intensive training and employment opportunities for rural women in Imafon, Nigeria. These women learn to make beautiful crafts from waste materials, produce body butters, and other agricultural products, which are then sold and gives them a source of livelihood.

South Africa

• : A children鈥檚 book by Amonge Elethu Sinxoto to inspire confidence and positive change around the world (ships internationally).

Uganda

• : Up-cycled fashion brand, training and employing persons with disabilities.
• : Sustainable, waterproof accessories made from plastic waste.
• : Empowers refugee women in East Africa with the education and opportunities they need to become skilled, confident, economically independent entrepreneurs.

Asia

India

• : India’s first crop-to-cookie brand crafts delicious, clean, super nutritious baked goods using ancient grains.
• : A female-led social enterprise that produces hand-crafted stationery and engages women from marginalized communities to co-create the stationery, providing a new path to financial independence through the new trade of upcycling, recycling, and making (ships internationally).
• : Handmade, hand painted, eco-friendly products for home decor and gifting, made by artisans who can earn consistent and dignified livelihood from their craft. Their products are made with fusion of more than one art form and are inspired by the rich heritage of India.
• : A social enterprise that takes waste-bound saris and up-cycles them into beautiful clothes and accessories. Along the way, it employs women who did not have the opportunity for an education and path to financial independence and security (ships internationally).
• : A social enterprise upskilling women from rural and indigenous communities of The Nilgiris into fine first-generation artisans. Indian Yards uses only natural fibers to handcraft a wide variety of products using craft forms such as macrame, crochet, quilting, needle work, embroidery, and more.
• : Works directly with artisans, empowering them and their communities with a sustainable livelihood. Available in multiple countries outside of India.
• : A social enterprise that works with artists across more than 70 styles of traditional arts and crafts to create live online workshops, masterclasses, and DIY kits, and also retails beautiful art handmade by these master artists. Their work creates sustainable new livelihoods for traditional and folk artists and provides experiences and products to consumers.
• : A purpose-driven brand that focuses on revival of dying craft clusters across India with the aim to connect consumers and global businesses with the rare crafts of India. Resham Dor aims to empower the Indian artisans and create a sustainable life for them.
• : A sustainable brand for home decor and gifting products. Backed by a large network of women artisans, Sirohi is on a mission to create income opportunities for women from marginalized populations in India with existing craft skills (ships internationally).
• : A social enterprise dedicated to preserving heritage craftsmanship by adapting the heritage handcrafting process, artisanal skills, and know-how to create new products suited for contemporary homes and living.
• : Endeavors to give form to discarded paper through hand spinning, weaving, and handcrafting, amalgamating the traditional skills and knowledge with contemporary appeal (ships internationally).
• : A social enterprise that produces biodegradable disposable dinnerware through community-owned micro-enterprises spread across Northeast India. The tableware provides quality, green alternatives while helping to generate sustainable livelihoods amongst rural women and youth, locally.
• : A designed and curated collection of contemporary terracotta crafts from heritage pottery clusters of India, with a vision to bring the indigenous pottery crafts into the main stream.
• : A curated subscription or one-time purchase box filled with ecoconscious products. To Verth, it matters how these products are made and who they empower.

Indonesia

• : an emerging brand of eco-sustainable fashion that takes advantage of the abundance of waste materials. By doing so, Rubysh has successfully recovered hundreds of kilograms of waste to turn into pieces of jewelry.
• : health and beauty products with zero chemicals and support to local rose farmers.

Malaysia

• : Works with over 200 artisans to make gifts, apparel, and merchandise with hand-dyed textiles and eco-friendly materials (ships internationally).
• : Celebrating craftsmanship and advocating conscious consumption, Earth Heir serves traditional artisans in underserved communities by supporting them with market access and education in ethical business operations.
• : A women-led conscious jewelry brand that educates, employs, and empowers refugee children and youth, Fugeelah is deeply devoted to quality and dedicates itself to thoughtful sourcing, fair wages for the female artisans with whom they co-creates collections, as well as give-back initiatives that truly have an impact.

Nepal

• : A social enterprise dedicated to preserving traditional Nepali arts and crafts while improving the economic conditions of disadvantaged and marginalized producers 鈥� primarily women 鈥� through sustainable development.

Philippines

• : A pioneering UN-recognized Filipino social enterprise that produces a line of sustainable, green, biodegradable, and non-toxic home and personal care products.
• : A livelihood project-turned-social enterprise that specializes in making ecofriendly charcoal made from coconut waste, called the Eco-Uling. It aims to end poverty, save the environment, and empower people in their own little ways.

Thailand

• : A social enterprise that offers customizable and unique products, handmade by marginalized women with locally sourced materials, as an alternative to traditional corporate gifts.

Australia & New Zealand

• 膧kina: A social enterprise that offer a range of consulting and business development services to support businesses in creating positive impact.
• 膧kina has created a list of .
• : Australia’s first national directory of Certified Social Enterprises. The linked list has been filtered down to social enterprises offering giftable items, but the filter can be removed to search for other services.

Europe

Austria

• : An online baking school and coffee shop concept for seniors baking cakes and teaching baking classes to earn additional money to supplement their minimum pension and avoid old-age isolation. In-studio, live online, and on-demand courses available.

France

• : Fair and circular football brand.

Germany

• : With the first charity bag label in Germany, every purchase enables a vulnerable child in Africa to attend school for one year. The bags are created by two women from Hamburg from fine leather returns and surpluses from designer houses.
• : Standing for design that changes society, the label produces sustainably and fairly in Hamburg with socially disadvantaged people as well as with refugees who have only recently come to Germany. Both are united by their enormous craftsmanship beyond certificates and diplomas.
• : The founders of Conflictfood travel to the trouble spots of this world, looking for specialties typical of the country and deal with local farmers: honest, directly, and fair. They strengthen economic structures, fight the root causes of flight, and create peaceful perspectives. Enjoy culinary treasures from all over the world through Conflictfood.
• : A social startup from Munich where senior citizens bake delicious granny cakes. Its goal is to make life more worth living! Senior citizens pursue a meaningful activity and become part of a community, avoiding loneliness and isolation while pursuing their passion for baking.
• : Fair Ethiopian coffee with profits going directly to farmers and cutting the middleman (ships to Germany, Austria, and Switzerland).
• : Coffee and tea with social impact directly 100% transparent from the producers. Ohana builds a bridge between family-run coffee and tea farms and socially responsible companies. With purchase prices well above the world market and sustainable partnerships, the company supports farmers and at the same time ensure long-term high quality for customers. Ohana plants a tree for every kilogram of coffee or tea that binds CO2, contributing to biodiversity and creating jobs.
• : A social beer brand from Berlin-Kreuzberg. Every bottle of Quartiermeister support the work of social and cultural projects in the neighbourhood. Every beer is a donation. The company distributes all of its profits where the beer is sold. Consumption becomes a good deed. Quartiermeister has been campaigning for a fair economy for the good of all since 2010.
• : Glass bottles with beautiful designs to discourage plastic waste from bottled water consumption, with profits going to water charities.
• : Founded in 2014, Stadtbienen e.V. takes care of a species-appropriate habitat for honey and wild bees in the city. Inspired by the natural approach of the Mellifera association, a bee house was developed that allows beekeeping even on your own balcony. Support the work with the eco-fair gift box.
• : In large concert halls and at festivals, there is often a certain distance between artist and audience. It is completely different with sofa concerts. With these, a completely new musical experience is created. Experience the music up close and real with friends in your own home 鈥� or zoom call.
• : Online chocolate shop focused on socialecological fairness, quality, and craftsmanship.
• : Since 2013, 脺ber den Tellerrand has contributed to the integration and social participation of refugees in society. The company creates spaces that enable encounter and exchange at eye level and promotes friendships between people with and without a refugee experience. In these diverse encounter activities, mutual prejudices are broken down, openness and respect are promoted, and language skills and cultural knowledge are passed on.

Greece

• : High-quality bags and backpacks from broken refugee rubber boats (ships within Europe).

Ireland

• : An online charity shop that ships internationally.

Netherlands

• : Clothes and other textile products made from secondhand textiles and created by newcomers to the Netherlands (ships internationally at additional cost).
• by Social Enterprise NL: Buy Social Market is the simplest way to buy with impact; all products and services are offered by sustainable and inclusive companies. Check out its for gift ideas.

Slovakia

• : Laptop sleeves and slow fashion accessories, all made ethically and from upcycled materials (ships internationally).

U.K.

• : An initiative aimed at helping social enterprises thrive online, elevating the work of social enterprises that are supporting economic opportunities for marginalized communities.
• : A social enterprise that employs women, particularly mothers, from the Rohingya refugee community in India to create one-of-a-kind, multi-purpose baby blankets, which are hand-stitched from reclaimed and ethically-sourced cotton.
• : The UK鈥檚 membership body for social enterprises leads the world鈥檚 largest network of businesses with a social purpose who together are helping to create a fairer economy and a more sustainable future for everyone.
• : Brings together businesses that are a force for good all under one virtual roof.

Middle East

Lebanon

• : An organization producing the finest quality handmade artisanal products and maximizing employment opportunities for female artisans (ships internationally).

Turkey

• : Unique eco-friendly creative building kit that enables children to transform everyday objects into unique toys (ships within the EU).

North America

Canada

• : Indigenous owned business committed to nature and values the interdependency between all living things. Aurora Heat designs and hand creates sustainable, new-to-market products made from natural fur (ships within Canada and the U.S.)
• : Indigenous artists share stories of resilience through authentic art, culture, and fashion to empower the next generation (ships internationally).
• : Indigenous owned, eco-friendly collections of women’s wear and home decor textiles (ships internationally).

U.S.

• : Coffee grown in Ethiopia, with all proceeds going back to scholarships and education programs for refugees of Sudan in the region the coffee is grown.
• : Corporate gifting that is engaging, measurable, and meaningful.
• : Offers 15 flavors of fair-trade, non-GMO whole and ground coffee beans with specialty and seasonal flavors through a delivery and subscription service (ships to the U.S. and Canada).
• : A social enterprise offering ethically and sustainably sourced, durable, reusable bags that inspire people to reduce, reuse, recycle and re-imagine the world we live in (ships internationally).
• : Personal care products that are fancy and free of harsh chemicals.
• : Philadelphia-based manufacturing startup on a mission to construct stylish, sustainably sourced fashion. They aspire to support women from disenfranchised groups, especially those who are formerly incarcerated, in leading self-sufficient lives by creating fair wage employment opportunities.
• : A place to shop for meaningful gifts, jewelry, and housewares. All of the merchandise was created by participants in Art with a Heart鈥檚 workforce development program, and by committed volunteers. Sale proceeds are shared between Art with a Heart and the artist or community partner.
• : Stunning 3D portrait art made with synthetic hair you can feel and 2D reproductions and accessories from the mind of critically acclaimed visual artist Tyler Clark.
• : Remarkable and handmade wall statements for a thoughtful home, Kazi alleviates poverty in Africa through job creation.
• : Empowering artisan families in the Phillipines to overcome poverty by reimagining time-honored local craft for the global marketplace.
• : Artisanal manufacturer of moisture-rich personal care products, especially formulated for highly textured hair and dry skin (ships internationally).
• : An online baking shop that ships nationwide, products include custom cakes, cake jars, and celebration boxes.
• : A mission-driven jewelry company that puts people and products at its forefront as a social enterprise. Rebel Nell use profits to support programs that promote mental well-being, financial training, career education, and other wrap-around programs.
• : A lifestyle brand specializing in thoughtfully made goods, Rochelle Porter combines passion for patterns with a commitment to responsible manufacturing.
• : A low-carb baking mix company that offers sugar free and gluten free dessert baking mixes. The range of products consist of sugar and gluten free cake mixes, frosting mixes, and sprinkles.
• : With moccasins for children, TPMOCS gives back to Native American communities through employment opportunities and resources.
• : Empowering small farming families in Ghana to bring 100% pure cold-pressed moringa oil to conscious consumers worldwide.
• : Supporting the financial security of women coffee farmers (ships internationally).
• : Partners with NGOs around the world that employ women from disadvantaged communities and pay them fair wages to create beautiful and unique cloth bags from fabric scraps.
• : Each Yellow Leaf hammock is handwoven by the expert craftswomen of the Mlabri Tribe in the hills of Northern Thailand. Across three weaving communities, Yellow Leaf Hammocks works to create jobs for mothers and build a foundation for positive community transformation (ships internationally).

South & Central America

Guatemala

• : A social impact business located in the community surrounding the Guatemala City garbage dump, mi eelo is a 100% women-run team, utilizing honest, handmade processes, and recycled materials to create high-quality products (ships to the U.S. and Canada).
• : Home decor that explores synergies between designers and artisans, and empowers rural communities to rescue their cultural techniques, mitigate migration and preserve culture (ships internationally).
• : Conscious skincare with Mayan wisdom, that is both kind to your skin and the earth (ships internationally).
• : A cooperative of female Mayan backstrap loom weavers across Guatemala, Trama Textiles works directly with 100 women from 17 weaving communities across five regions to offer textile products as well as weaving classes at the Trama office in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala (ships internationally).

Mexico

• : Contributes to artisans鈥� wellbeing, the development of small businesses, and preservation of traditional crafting techniques through fair trade by providing secure incomes and community.

Hemang Desai, global program director of Corporate Social Responsibility at 麻豆原创, says that over the past 10 years, the benefits of the program have become clear, and he urges other companies to consider offering these types of programs to their employees. 鈥淭his is because it improves various business and soft skills, builds leadership, promotes entrepreneurial thinking, and allows employees 鈥� and in turn the company 鈥� to make a difference in the lives of other people and client organizations.鈥�

His sentiment is reflected by participants of the most recent 麻豆原创 Social Sabbatical who said that, through their experience, they were able to embrace the passion and energy of social enterprises, learn how business-driven companies can create sustainable social impact, and recognize the importance of ensuring that teams are empowered, engaged, and motivated to produce successful work.

Referring to a survey conducted among previous participants over the past 10 years, Desai outlines the top five benefits of :

1. Long-Term Career Impact

Seventy-four percent of employees reported that, as a result of the program, they have experienced a wide variety of outcomes that have benefited their careers. Among these were the ability to think differently, increased confidence, and improved networking. Additionally, nearly half attributed their career growth to program participation. 鈥淭he 麻豆原创 Social Sabbatical program empowered me. It made me step outside my comfort zone and helped me realize all the things I鈥檓 capable of. This program gave me the confidence to aim for more and obtain the leadership role I now have,鈥� said a participant from Argentina.

2. Influence on Personal Life

Eighty-eight percent of participants shared that the program led to positive, long-term changes in their personal lives. The top three self-reported changes included heightened social awareness, the formation of networks across the globe, and being reminded of what is truly important. 鈥溌槎乖� Social Sabbatical has made me a more open-minded, globally fluent person. I can safely say that my experience has made me a better person with a stronger focus on equality and opportunity for everyone,鈥� shared a U.S. participant.

3. Acquisition of Skills and Knowledge

Teamwork and collaboration emerged as the top skills employees acquired from the program, followed by cultural awareness, adaptability, and resilience. These skills continue to be applied regularly in the participants鈥� personal and professional lives. For instance, 86% reported that following the program, their ability to collaborate with global and diverse colleagues improved, as did the ability of 78% to work within a team. A participant from India revealed, 鈥淭he skills that we acquired through 麻豆原创 Social Sabbatical have given me the confidence to take up new projects without fear, knowing that I will find a way to make the project successful. It taught me resilience and adaptability.鈥�

4. Increased Community Engagement

Fifty-one percent of employees shared that they are now better engaged with their communities since their participation in the 麻豆原创 Social Sabbatical program. When participants were asked how the program improved their engagement, two out of three participants鈥� top responses were that they have a strengthened intent for creating a positive impact for their communities, have increased engagement through volunteering, and have experienced greater social awareness. 鈥淚 have always been one to engage in my community, but I always think of my 麻豆原创 Social Sabbatical when engaging now and the cultural awareness it gave me. I engage in a more empathetic way,鈥� noted one participant.

5. Improved Sense of Purpose

Seventy-nine percent of employees say their sense of purpose has been impacted for the better following the program. Through immersion into a new culture and working hand in hand with the community to make a real social impact, new perspective and purpose is inherent. Another participant shared, 鈥淭hese programs give me more purpose and make me want to drive change in my own community. I have been able to become an ambassador for other causes I feel strongly towards, such as Shatterproof and NAMI Philadelphia. These are things I likely wouldn’t have done before or may have attempted to do but not followed through all the way.鈥�

Desai says that, ultimately, employees crave purpose, with the desire to make a difference being the primary motivator for the majority of participants to apply to the 麻豆原创 Social Sabbatical program. 鈥淭his need has been accelerated by the COVID-19 crisis with now reflecting on their purpose in life and how this extends to . In fact, say that their sense of purpose is defined by their work.鈥�

He concludes by saying that the world is currently faced with a multitude of crises from climate change to mounting inequality, but that connecting employees鈥� skills with the needs of communities doing this work on the ground is where these big problems find solutions. 鈥淲hen we show business professionals the power and impact their skills can create to accelerate development in the world鈥檚 most under-resourced communities, it bridges the gap of tackling big real-world challenges and produces ripples of impact that聽gets us closer to聽a lasting, more sustainable world. 麻豆原创 Social Sabbatical provides a win-win situation for all.”

Feeling inspired? For more information about the 麻豆原创 Social Sabbatical program or to get involved, visit .

Julia Donovan is an 麻豆原创 Global Corporate Social Responsibility Specialist.

They fill in the gaps that cannot be bridged by the public or private sectors when it comes to providing critical services that impact social and economic growth and are vital for achieving the United Nations鈥� Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) by the looming 2030 deadline.

However, these organizations typically struggle with critical business challenges and need support in areas such as strategic planning, developing business processes, and growing their network. This is where initiatives like the 麻豆原创 Social Sabbatical program come in.

麻豆原创 Social Sabbatical is a portfolio of global pro-bono consulting programs that enable 麻豆原创 employees to share their knowledge, skills, and expertise with non-profits and social enterprises around the world. Over the past 10 years, 麻豆原创 employees have contributed in excess of 359,000 volunteer hours to help over 450 non-profits and social enterprises across 52 countries.

Hemang Desai is global program director for the 麻豆原创 Social Sabbatical portfolio on the 麻豆原创 Corporate Social Responsibility (麻豆原创 CSR) team. He says that non-profit organizations and social enterprises can benefit immensely from the expertise and experience of the private sector in addressing these issues.

鈥淭hrough engagement with the private sector, these organizations can learn the business strategies and skills needed to help improve organizational efficiency and management practices. At the same time, this gives businesses the opportunity to create meaningful, sustainable impact by supporting organizations in bridging societal challenges that they cannot address full-time.鈥�

Bringing Business Thinking and Strategy to Social Sector Partners

麻豆原创 recently conducted a long-term impact survey among the organizations supported by 麻豆原创 Social Sabbatical programs. For almost a third of responding organizations, one of the most impactful ways businesses can help them is through guidance on strategy and planning.

For example, during the 2017 program, 麻豆原创 employees volunteering at the Kazakhstan Foundation for Cultural, Social, and Educational Development (KFCSED) aided in establishing a five-year mission, vision, and strategy for the organization and supported it in communicating this with beneficiaries and the community. As a result, KFCSED, which is devoted to empowering women, was able to increase the scale and capacity of its projects, enabling it to serve five times more beneficiaries.

Mariya Asinskaya, a former project director at KFCSED said, 鈥淭he corporate sector can support non-profits because they have a lot of knowledge, and we need that — their professionalism and their tools. Almost all of them can be applied to non-profits.鈥�

Developing Skills for the Future

Over 75% of non-profit organizations and social enterprises that responded to the long-term impact survey said that interventions from business have helped to enhance their employees鈥� skills. For instance, at SA Teen Entrepreneur Foundation, a 2014 麻豆原创 Social Sabbatical participant that cultivates and promotes the entrepreneurial spirit in teens, employees were taught vital skills in stakeholder management, marketing, and external relations.

As a result of this training, employees learned best practices when it comes to approaching other corporations which opened new doors for the organization.

Founder and Director Lydia Zingoni shares, 鈥淲e are forever grateful for 麻豆原创鈥檚 contribution to our organization. We have recently launched an online version of the entrepreneur program and we are expanding it not only in South Africa, but globally.鈥�

Implementing Tools to Better Serve Beneficiaries

Eighty-five percent of social sector partners said that by being able to offer improved programs and services as well as enhanced systems, along with expanded internal capacity, they can better serve their beneficiaries. This was the impact experienced at the National College of Ireland Early Learning Initiative (ELI), which was developed to address the problem of educational underachievement in marginalized communities.

Prior to the 2015 麻豆原创 Social Sabbatical, the organization was struggling to support other communities in setting up or delivering its ParentChild+ program, which at the time was only deployed among 15 families. With suggestions from the 麻豆原创 volunteers, together with tools to better manage day-to-day operations, ELI was able to scale the program by diagnosing and improving process bottlenecks. Today, ParentChild+ has been implemented at 11 organizations and supports nearly 400 children per year.

鈥淔or many businesses, partnerships with NGOs and social enterprises have been purely financial without any real understanding of the challenges their partners face, nor realizing that their know how is in fact the solution,鈥� Desai concludes. “By working together, businesses and social sector organizations can create optimal impact in changing the world for the better.”

This year, 麻豆原创 Social Sabbatical is celebrating its 10th anniversary and has relaunched its programming, enabling employees to work hand in hand again with social enterprises and non-profits around the world. To learn more about the program and its success stories, .

麻豆原创 is one of seven global companies that already have 1.5掳C-aligned reduction targets, and the first in Germany.

The company has responded to a call to action issued by a broad coalition of business, civil society, and United Nations (UN) leaders to make the critical and necessary contribution to keeping global temperature increase within 1.5掳C above pre-industrial levels.

鈥淲hile much of 麻豆原创鈥檚 ability to create a sustainable future lies in how we enable customers to create positive economic, social, and environmental impact through our product portfolio, 麻豆原创鈥檚 ambition has always been to lead by example and be a credible role model,鈥� said 麻豆原创 Chief Sustainability Officer Daniel Schmid. 鈥淭o contribute to the UN Sustainable Development , we aim to become carbon neutral in 麻豆原创鈥檚 own operations by 2025. But our responsibility goes beyond that. In line with our vision and purpose to help the world run better and improve people鈥檚 lives, we are committed to join the global movement of leading companies and align our businesses with the most ambitious aim of the Paris Agreement to prevent global warming exceeding 1.5掳C. Our strong cloud strategy will be a key driver based on efficiency gains in our data centers and a significant increase of our cloud customers.鈥�

Setting Ambitious Emissions Reduction Targets

In June, global leaders 鈥� including Her Excellency Mar铆a Fernanda Espinosa Garc茅s, president of the UN General Assembly; Lise Kingo, CEO and executive director of the UN Global Compact; Patricia Espinosa, executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change; John Denton, Secretary-General of the International Chamber of Commerce; and SDG Advocate Paul Polman, former CEO of Unilever 鈥� collectively issued an .

The letter challenges chief executive officers to set ambitious targets for their companies in line with last October鈥檚 , which made the case for limiting global temperature rise to 1.5掳C above pre-industrial levels.

Companies are asked to set verifiable science-based targets through the , which independently assesses corporate emissions reduction targets against scientific best practice.

Building a prosperous, net-zero carbon economy by 2050 requires a transformation of unprecedented pace and scale, with decisive business leadership and investment in climate solutions supported by ambitious government policies. By setting ambitious policies and targets in line with a 1.5掳C trajectory, governments give business the clarity and confidence to invest decisively in the zero-carbon economies of the future.

鈥淲e need concrete, realistic plans by 2020 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 45 percent over the next decade, and to net zero by 2050,鈥� said Ambassador Luis Alfonso de Alba, UN Special Envoy for the 2019 Climate Action Summit, and one of the key advocates for the campaign. 鈥淐limate change requires an unprecedented effort from all sectors of society, and business leadership demonstrated by setting science-based targets at 1.5掳C will send strong market signals as we look to identify the scalable and replicable solutions needed to secure a world where no one is left behind.鈥�

鈥淲e have less than 11 years to fundamentally change our economies or we will face catastrophic consequences,鈥� said Lise Kingo, CEO and executive director of the UN Global Compact, an SBTi partner. 鈥淔or the first time, we are seeing business and climate leaders coalesce around a common call to action, sending a powerful signal that science-based target setting presents a significant opportunity for businesses to step up when it comes to tackling climate change and limiting global warming to 1.5掳C.鈥�

Paul Simpson, CEO of CDP, an SBTi partner, said, 鈥淭he science is clear: In order to limit the catastrophic impacts of climate change, we must ensure warming does not exceed 1.5掳C. The ambition is high, but it鈥檚 achievable, and science-based targets give companies a roadmap for getting there. Corporations worldwide have an unprecedented opportunity to be at the very forefront of the transition to a net-zero economy 鈥� and there is no time to lose.鈥�

To join the movement and take action,
visit: .