As the economy slowly resuscitates, companies might use a slow rebound as an excuse to ignore their social responsibilities. But I ask you to take a lesson from IBM, and not, as the company says, “retreat into our shells,” but rather, “go on the offense.”

“Although some companies are reacting to the present crisis by hunkering down and hoping to ride out the storm, from both a business and a societal standpoint, we are taking a different approach,” writes IBM Chairman and CEO Samuel J. Palmisano in the company’s 2008 Corporate Social Responsibility Report. “We believe that the issues facing the world are too critical and far too urgent — and the opportunities to make meaningful progress on them too immediate — not to act now.” |

For this reason IBM pledged itself to:

• Aiding victims of natural disasters with its “disaster relief in a box” Web-based management system.
• Addressing food shortages by helping compute genetic data that can be used to generate stronger strains of rice.
• Using technology to improve educational opportunities for 700 schools in 22 countries.

To read the full article, link here

C. Warren Moses, Former CEO

Tags: C. Warren Moses, Children, children's aid new york, voices

There has been a lot of debate lately as to whether proposals such as health-care reform will turn America into a socialist state.

Considering what I’ve learned in 35 years working for nonprofits, I confidently say that this can never be the case.

America will never become socialist because our advancement as a nation depends too greatly on the work of private donors (including individuals, corporations, and corporate foundations) in partnership with nonprofit organizations and the government to work together to find solutions to society’s most complex problems.

This uniquely American “social trinity” ensures that responsibility for public welfare can’t rest solely on the shoulders of the state. It hasn’t happened, isn’t happening, and won’t happen because the system we’ve developed is too effective to be tossed into the recycling bin in favor of government agencies created to do the job nonprofits do so well.

To read the full article, link here

C. Warren Moses, Former CEO

Tags: C. Warren Moses, Children, children's aid new york, voices

In the nonprofit world, the phrase, “we’ll do lunch” has its own meaning in the sense that “lunch” is code for “bring your checkbook.” You (the donor) and I (the nonprofit CEO) will enjoy a meal and then I’m going to pull out all the stops to prove to you why my charity deserves your organization’s financial support.

You might be invited to one of these lunches in the coming weeks, as charities make that year-end fund-raising push. The CEOs will have his (or her) spiel down pat. He’s polished. He even has a dollar figure in mind that he’d like to see you contribute. But eventually he’ll stop talking, and then it’s your turn to ask the questions. What you ask can help you determine the best use of your philanthropic dollar.

Here are the first three questions every courted donor should ask during The Lunch:

To read the full article, link here

C. Warren Moses, Former CEO

Tags: C. Warren Moses, Children, children's aid new york, voices

With the markets about as calm as a roller coaster, what we’re thankful for is all too often an afterthought. I don’t know anyone these days who doesn’t treat their stock portfolio as a scene from a gory horror flick: “I’m afraid to look — but I can’t help it — oh, I shouldn’t have looked.”

But while sitting down to Thanksgiving dinner with my family, I thought about what I’m grateful for. Those people surrounding me at the table — my wonderful wife, the kids I’m so proud of, and the grandchildren who never stop making me laugh — top the list. But I am also thankful to have a job that I love.

I’ve spent most of my career working for the Children’s Aid Society, a New York City nonprofit whose sole mission is caring for the health, education and well-being of children. My first job with Children’s Aid was as a social worker; today, I am the (former) CEO…..

To read the full article, link here

C. Warren Moses, Former CEO

Tags: C. Warren Moses, Children, children's aid new york, voices