Pro Bono Perspectives
By Common Impact
Pro Bono Perspectives shines a light on the power of a purpose-driven career. Hear how everyday leaders from across sectors use their skills to create positive change in their communities!
Brought to you by Common Impact, a national nonprofit championing equity through skills-based volunteer programs that align business and social purpose to build the capacity of the nonprofit sector.
Introduction music by George Miata, By George! Audio
Pro Bono PerspectivesJun 11, 2021
3 Ways You Can Be a Force for Good in 2022
2021 was a year of transformation, defined by society’s continued reckoning with racism, the pandemic, climate change, and the Great Resignation. These issues underscored how pervasive inequity is and why centering the voices of those impacted by social challenges unlocks the most effective, sustainable solutions. In the Season 3 finale of Pro Bono Perspectives, host Danielle Holly highlights three ways you can be a force for good in the new year.
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Episode mentions:
“The Existential Crisis we Need” with Vu Le, NonprofitAF
“Holding Companies Accountable on Racial Equity” with Yusuf George, JUST Capital
“Practicing Equitable Philanthropy” with Dr. Rahsaan Harris, Citizens Committee for New York City (CitizensNYC)
“Leadership in Times of Crisis & Recovery” with Stephanie Royal, Robin Hood Foundation
“The True Purpose of Business” with Judy Samuelson, The Aspen Institute
“Slowing Down and Finding Fulfillment” with Grace Bonney, Design*Sponge
“Decolonizing Wealth: Equity in Philanthropy and Beyond” with Edgar Villanueva
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Pro Bono Perspectives is brought to you by Common Impact, a nonprofit that leverages skills-based volunteering and innovative, cross-sector partnerships to create more equitable communities. Visit commonimpact.org/companies for information on how we help companies deliver on their social impact, talent development, and employee engagement goals and commonimpact.org/nonprofits for insights into our capacity-building programs address social sector challenges. Keep up with the latest news, events, and stories of impact at commonimpact.org/blog.
How to Build True, Transformative Corporate-Community Partnerships with Fidelity Investments and Ichor Strategies
Get an inside look at the tactics top companies are using to build more inclusive, equitable culture and support the fight against racism in their communities. Find out how your organization can move from transactional to transformative change and strengthen employee and customer loyalty in the process. Plus, as we approach the end of year giving season, learn what equity-minded philanthropy and service look like and how they drive stronger results for nonprofits and their causes.
Guests Teresa Pelletier, Vice President of Community Relations at Fidelity Investments, and Wendy Matheny, Vice President & Principal with Ichor Strategies, a national social impact and community engagement consultancy, cover these topics, their racial equity listening tour, community-first partnerships, and more.
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Fidelity Investments helps over 40 million people feel more confident in their most important financial goals, manages employee benefit programs for over 22,000 businesses, and supports more than 13,500 financial institutions with innovative investment and technology solutions to grow their businesses. Fidelity’s diverse businesses and independence gives it insight into the entire market and the stability needed to think and act for the long term as it delivers value to its customers. The company is also deeply committed to communities.
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Ichor Strategies is a Black-owned advisory and research firm that specializes in connecting businesses to the communities they operate within, so that they can understand different perspectives, build authentic relationships, and foster mutual success. Ichor Strategies partners with engagement specialists across the country known as community relationship advisors (CRAs) who have powerful local roots and long-standing ties to their communities, helping businesses further connect with key audiences.
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Pro Bono Perspectives is brought to you by Common Impact, a nonprofit that leverages skills-based volunteering and innovative, cross-sector partnerships to create more equitable communities. Visit commonimpact.org/companies for information on how we help companies deliver on their social impact, talent development, and employee engagement goals and commonimpact.org/nonprofits for insights into our capacity-building programs address social sector challenges. Keep up with the latest news, events, and stories of impact at commonimpact.org/blog.
Slowing Down and Finding Fulfillment with Grace Bonney, Author of Collective Wisdom and Design*Sponge
Learn how relationships with people from different cultures and ways of life can have a profound impact on your values, happiness, and success as bestselling author Grace Bonney takes you through her new book, Collective Wisdom: Lessons, Inspiration, and Advice from Women Over 50, where she interviewed over 100 trailblazing women on their purpose, careers, activism, and community work. Hear Grace and host Danielle Holly discuss some of the biggest takeaways from the book, including the power of slowing down and the unique fulfillment of intergenerational relationships.
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Grace Bonney is the author of the bestselling books In the Company of Women and Design*Sponge at Home, and her brand-new title, Collective Wisdom: Lessons, Inspiration, and Advice from Women Over 50. She is the founder of Design*Sponge, a blog dedicated to the creative community, which reached nearly 2 million readers per day for 15 years; Good Company, a print magazine and podcast about creative entrepreneurs; and the After the Jump podcast. Grace is passionate about equity, inclusivity, and supporting all members of the creative community.
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Pro Bono Perspectives is brought to you by Common Impact, a nonprofit that leverages skills-based volunteering and innovative, cross-sector partnerships to create more equitable communities. Visit commonimpact.org/companies for information on how we help companies deliver on their social impact, talent development, and employee engagement goals and commonimpact.org/nonprofits for insights into our capacity-building programs address social sector challenges. Keep up with the latest news, events, and stories of impact at commonimpact.org/blog.
Committing to Digital Inclusion with Dan Noyes, Tech Goes Home
Last week, Tech Goes Home Co-CEO Dan Noyes joined host Danielle Holly at Common Impact’s Skills for Cities for a Community Conversation on the role cross-sector partnerships can play in addressing the digital divide and advancing racial equity. Shortly after, they sat down for this conversation to take a deeper dive into the root causes of the digital divide, the fundamental changes we must make to create a digital world that is accessible to all, and why this is both a social and economic imperative.
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Tech Goes Home is a nonprofit dedicated to addressing the digital inequities that pose a significant barrier to opportunity and success for students, workers, and families across Greater Boston. Visit techgoeshome.org to learn more and techgoeshome.org/get-involved for meaningful ways you can contribute toward digital inclusion and equity.
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Pro Bono Perspectives is brought to you by Common Impact, a nonprofit that leverages skills-based volunteering and innovative, cross-sector partnerships to create more equitable communities. Visit commonimpact.org/companies for information on how we help companies deliver on their social impact, talent development, and employee engagement goals and commonimpact.org/nonprofits for insights into our capacity-building programs address social sector challenges. Keep up with the latest news, events, and stories of impact at commonimpact.org/blog.
Examining the Great Resignation's Impact on Nonprofits with Melissa Madzel, Koya Partners
Nearly two-thirds of workers are considering leaving their jobs. As the Great Resignation continues with no signs of slowing down, we explore the challenges and opportunities it brings for the nonprofit sector, which was already under significant capacity constraints exacerbated by the pandemic, especially in HR and talent development.
Host Danielle Holly speaks with Melissa Madzel, Managing Director, Equity Initiatives, at Koya Partners about nonprofit turnover and retention, disruptions to the way we work, and how the growing focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is changing hiring practices and the way individuals from historically underrepresented backgrounds search for new roles.
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Koya Partners is a mission-driven executive search and strategic advising firm that connects exceptionally talented people with high-impact organizations. Visit koyapartners.com to learn about their services and read Melissa’s article “Nonprofit Job Hunting as a Person of Color” at koyapartners.com/blog/nonprofit-job-hunting-as-a-person-of-color.
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Pro Bono Perspectives is brought to you by Common Impact, a nonprofit that leverages skills-based volunteering and innovative, cross-sector partnerships to create more equitable communities. Visit commonimpact.org/companies for information on how we help companies deliver on their social impact, talent development, and employee engagement goals and commonimpact.org/nonprofits for insights into our capacity-building programs address social sector challenges. Keep up with the latest news, events, and stories of impact at commonimpact.org/blog.
Accelerating Corporate Action on the Climate Crisis
Unless companies take immediate action on climate change, we will quickly surpass the 1.5 degree Celsius global temperature increase that will have catastrophic implications not only on the environment and severity of natural disasters, but on human health, livelihoods, and security. But there is cause for optimism: more than ever, the private sector – which accounts for the vast majority of carbon emissions – is listening and stepping up sustainability commitments.
In this episode, Ceres Senior Director of Climate and Energy Steven Clarke shares how his organization is helping companies strategically navigate changing business realities and thrive in the accelerated transition to a more equitable, just, and sustainable economy. Learn more at ceres.org.
Ushering in a New Era of CSR with Carolyn Berkowitz, ACCP
Corporate mandates have changed. Customers, employees, and even investors are increasingly pushing companies to move from shareholder to stakeholder capitalism. What does this look like across companies and sectors? Are companies moving fast enough when it comes to making good on their commitments to social change? Carolyn Berkowitz, President & CEO of the Association of Corporate Citizenship Professionals (ACCP), shares her insights, plus the importance of diversity and inclusion within CSR departments.
Visit accp.org to learn more.
Reflecting on Service 20 Years After 9/11
This week, as we reflect on the 20th anniversary of 9/11, host Danielle Holly and New York Cares Executive Director Gary Bagley have a conversation on how era defining moments from the 9/11 attacks to the current pandemic and racial reckoning bring on new waves of service and activism. They also talk about New York Cares’ increased focus on food insecurity, taking meaningful action on DEI, and why companies actually benefit more from designing service programs around nonprofit and community needs rather than their own business results.
Visit newyorkcares.org to learn more about how you can serve NYC or support the organization.
The Lost Art of Connecting
CSR and social impact expert Susan McPherson talks about her new book, “The Lost Art of Connecting,” and signature “gather, ask, do,” method for meaningful networking and lasting business relationships. She and host Danielle Holly discuss the Great Resignation and how employees having more power will democratize companies’ approaches to CSR. Plus, Susan explains why even though companies are not moving as quickly as they need to on social and environmental issues, we should be encouraging – not disparaging – those that are making efforts to deliver on their goals.
For more on Susan’s work, visit mcpstrategies.com.
Empowering Communities through Digital Access
One of the biggest takeaways from the past year and a half has been that the “old normal” wasn’t working – like the digital divide. In this episode, host Danielle Holly welcomes Lina Klebanov, Head of CSR at Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), a global leader in IT services, consulting & business solutions, to share some of the solutions for digital equity and inclusion from TCS’s brand new report in partnership with the US Chamber of Commerce Foundation: “Digital Empowers: Technology as a Catalyst for Empowering Communities.” Learn how the current digital revolution is transforming education, employment, and access to basic needs, plus hear about TCS’s proven programs and partnerships to increase access to technology for all.
Find the Digital Empowers report at https://on.tcs.com/Catalyst(available August 11, 2021) and visit https://www.tcs.com/corporate-sustainability to learn more about TCS’s CSR and ESG initiatives to bring STEM education to under-resourced and underrepresented groups.
Leadership in Times of Crisis & Recovery with Robin Hood
Dr. Stephanie Royal, Chief People Officer at The Robin Hood Foundation, New York City’s largest poverty fighting organization, talks about community-driven philanthropy, leading with compassion, and how the K-shaped recovery from COVID-19 is further disadvantaging under-resourced communities and the nonprofit sector. Hear Stephanie’s takes on nonprofit talent management in the COVID-19 era, including new challenges with employee retention, the importance of investing in staff, building a culture of DEI, and supporting mental health and wellness. Visit robinhood.org to learn more.
Practicing Equitable Philanthropy with CitizensNYC
Join us for a conversation with Dr. Rahsaan Harris, CEO of Citizens Committee for NYC (CitizensNYC), a micro-funding organization that provides support to community leaders on the front lines of change in their own neighborhoods. Hear what it was like for Rahsaan to assume his position as CEO in March 2020 right as New York went into lockdown, how he drove meaningful change during the pandemic, and why he believes many elements of pandemic era philanthropy and work culture should remain in place.
Visit citizensnyc.org to learn more about Dr. Rahsaan Harris and micro-grants for neighborhoods, nonprofits, and small businesses.
Holding Companies Accountable on Racial Equity with JUST Capital
Hear from Yusuf George of JUST Capital, the only independent nonprofit that tracks, analyzes, and engages with large corporations and their investors on how they perform on the issues Americans care about most.
Yusuf recaps findings from JUST Capital’s Corporate Racial Equity Tracker and recommendations for how corporate leaders can act on DEI commitments as outlined in the CEO Blueprint for Racial Equity. One of the most crucial steps companies can take toward racial equity is tracking and reporting on the state of pay equity within their organizations, says Yusuf, who believes measurement, transparency, and accountability are all key to achieving meaningful change.
Yusuf and host Danielle Holly discuss other trends in CSR including shareholder versus stakeholder capitalism, the need to shed short-termism in DEI work, and why leaders must push past discomfort in order to make real progress on racial equity.
Visit justcapital.com to learn more.
- Corporate Racial Equity Tracker: justcapital.com/reports/corporate-racial-equity-tracker
- CEO Blueprint for Racial Equity: fsg.org/sites/default/files/A%20CEO%20Blueprint%20for%20Racial%20Equity.pdf
Cutting-Edge Technology in Support of LGBTQ+ Youth with The Trevor Project & Google.org
This Pride Month, we welcome Lena Ballantine, COO of The Trevor Project, which does life-saving work in mental health and suicide prevention for LGBTQ+ youth, and Jen Carter, Head of Technology & Volunteering at Google.org and founder of the Google.org Fellowship Program, a pro bono program that matches Google employees with social impact organizations full-time for up to six months.
Since the beginning of COVID-19, the volume of youth reaching out to The Trevor Project has increased significantly, at times as much as doubling. The recent political climate and racial injustices have also contributed to a mental health emergency where 42% of LGBTQ+ youth have “seriously considered” suicide.
In this context, Lena and Jen recap The Trevor Project and Google.org Fellowship Program’s work on the Crisis Contact Simulator, which leveraged cutting-edge AI technology to better equip volunteer counselors to support LGBTQ+ youth during a mental health crisis. Hear about the impact of this project and best practices for ensuring pro bono partnerships are set up for success.
Visit thetrevorproject.org for LGBTQ+ mental health resources and google.org to learn about the Fellowship Program and Google’s other philanthropic works.
Volunteer with The Trevor Project: thetrevorproject.org/get-involved/volunteer
The Trevor Project’s National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health 2021: thetrevorproject.org/survey-2021
Feeding a Culture of Equity and Inclusion with Chef Julia Turshen
Chef, cookbook author, and activist Julia Turshen operates at the intersection of food and social justice. Her highly acclaimed cookbooks share deeply personal and meaningful narratives on LGBTQIA+ representation, racial equity, body positivity, and more. Here, Julia talks about food insecurity and how the pandemic put the spotlight on systems that were already broken, plus what each of us can do to promote social justice and equity from our kitchens.
Learn more about Julia and her latest cookbook, Simply Julia, at juliaturshen.com and visit equityatthetable.com, her easy-to-navigate directory of women and gender non-conforming individuals in the food industry, focusing primarily on members of the LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC communities.
Debating the Tech Sector’s Role in Society & Democracy
Controversy over the tech sector’s role in society, democracy, and philanthropy has been making headlines for years. Recently, some tech companies have leaned into these areas even further while others have made statements that they are specifically staying out of political and social issues. In this episode, get a frontline perspective from Platypus Advisors Founder Caroline Barlerin, a leader in CSR and skills-based volunteering with experience at companies like Twitter, Eventbrite, and HP.
Caroline and host Danielle Holly discuss the changing nature of tech CSR through the lens of systemic inequity, diversity, and evolving approaches to philanthropy, especially amongst billionaires. Hear their thoughts on how skills-based volunteering and “platypus professionals,” those who span both business and social impact, will be some of the biggest drivers of meaningful social change in the years to come.
Visit platypusadvisors.com to learn more about Caroline and her work.
Credit Unions as a Catalyst for Social Justice
Dr. Mai Nguyen talks about the power of design thinking and how it’s being applied to financial institutions like credit unions to advance economic empowerment and social justice. Director of the Design Lab at UCSD and a Filene Research Institute Fellow, Mai has dedicated her career to addressing systemic discrimination and policies that create inequities in access to capital, housing, and more.
Currently, she is focusing on the study and expansion of credit unions as a catalyst for community transformation. Listen for a fascinating take on the social responsibility of credit unions, the significant community investments they’ve made in recent years, and how design thinking can transform them into a true force for equity.
To learn more about Mai’s work, visit mai.web.unc.edu, designlab.ucsd.edu, and filene.org.
How California Rallied Volunteers during the Pandemic
Learn more at californiavolunteers.ca.gov/get-involved/covid-19.
The True Purpose of Business with Judy Samuelson
,Judy and host Danielle Holly discuss the state of CSR and its future post-pandemic, CEO pay and income inequity, employees as a force for good, and Judy's new book, “The Six New Rules of Business: Creating Real Value in a Changing World."
Visit aspeninstitute.org and judysamuelson.com to learn more.
The State of Service & Civic Engagement in NYC
Visit nycservice.org to learn more about initiatives including the NYC Civic Engagement Survey, NYC Volunteers Count, and the NYC Corporate Volunteer Council.
Inspiring the Next Generation of Female Leaders
Sally shares her take on Marie Claire’s role in progressing diversity and equity as well as her commitment to engaging and inspiring the next generation of leaders.
Visit marieclaire.com for the latest stories on everything from fashion and culture to politics and activism.
Diversity, Equity, and the Future of Volunteering
Stepping Up for Young Women of Color
Building Back Better in 2021
The Existential Crisis We Need
For more from Vu, visit his blog, NonprofitAF.com.
Reflections on a Challenging, Clarifying, Transformative Year
Cross-Sector Collaboration for Racial Justice
Innovation & People-Centered Design for a More Just Tomorrow
Decolonizing Wealth: Equity in Philanthropy and Beyond
In this episode, Edgar unpacks the concept of “decolonizing wealth,” addresses several important critiques of philanthropy, and shares how his return to his Indigenous values now guides his career.
To learn more about Edgar’s work, visit schottfoundation.org and decolonizingwealth.
Building Equitable, Resilient, and Prosperous Cities
DEI for a New Era of Social & Racial Justice
Fashioning a Pathway to Success and Equity
Closing the Digital Divide in Education
Hear Dana and Justin share how HP and GBC-Education are combining their talents and resources to ensure all children have access to quality education, plus how other organizations can be part of the movement to close the digital divide.
Visit hp.com/us/en and gbc-education.org to learn more.
Back-to-School – For Some: Virtual Education and the Deepening Digital Divide
Gregg joins host Danielle Holly for a conversation on back-to-school amidst the continuing pandemic, virtual education, and the deepening digital divide that is preventing millions of students from continuing their schooling.
Visit pencil.org to learn more.
The Case for Optimism during COVID-19
How COVID-19 is Hurting Working Women
Balaji shares how TCS's volunteering and mentoring programs are helping people of all backgrounds build careers in technology, especially women and girls, minorities and other underrepresented groups. He and Danielle also discuss the impact of COVID-19 on women in the workforce and the future of CSR.
To learn more, visit tcs.com.
Fighting Harmful Paradigms in the Nonprofit Sector
To learn more about the Nonprofit Finance Fund's work, visit nff.org.
What Drives Young People to Act on Social Issues?
Listen as he and host Danielle Holly discuss what’s in store for brand engagement in social issues in the context of COVID-19 and how to tell when a company is authentically supporting a cause versus what’s just “good marketing.”
Unexpected Benefits of Skills-Based Volunteering
Google.org has recently stepped up its already impressive philanthropy work, committing tens of millions of dollars in additional funding to racial justice organizations and COVID-19 aid, as well as 50,000 pro bono hours.
To learn more, visit Google.org.
Serving Our Communities in Times of Crisis
How to Donate Effectively in a Disaster
To learn about Good360’s disaster relief work and COVID-19 response, visit good360.org.
Breaking the Stigma: Mental Health in the Age of COVID-19
Addressing Autism Today
To learn more about the Flutie Foundation and autism, visit flutiefoundation.org.
Fighting to End Malaria and Strengthen Global Health Systems
To learn more about Nothing But Nets and the fight against malaria, visit nothingbutnets.net.
COVID-19: Stories from Nonprofit and Business Leaders Fighting for our Communities
For nonprofit and corporate COVID-19 resources, visit commonimpact.org/initiatives/covid19.
The “New Normal” - Impact, Innovation and Work-Life Balance During COVID-19
To learn more about Salesforce.org, visit salesforce.org/volunteers/probono.
The Power of Saying “No”
To learn more about Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation, visit harvardpilgrim.org/public/our-foundation
Embracing DEI in the Tech Sector and Beyond
To learn more about Net Impact and Cecily’s work on the board, visit netimpact.org.
Make Equity a Business Priority
To learn more about Responsible Business Leadership at PwC, visit pwc.com/us/en/about-us/corporate-responsibility.html.
Strike a Chord
To learn more about Rita and WFUV’s cause work, visit wfuv.org/strikeachord.