Archive for November/2006

Arusha, Tanzania, June 4-7, 2007
TED’s first global conference is taking place with amazing people who are doing something valuable for Africa’s future. Their voices will inspire. And their ideas will spread.
“Over the past few years a growing number of people in the TED community have become passionate about Africa, a continent that appears to be at an important tipping point. Its problems and challenges are well known. Less well known is that across the continent, change is afoot. Instead of relying only on development aid, Africans across the continent are beginning to take matters into their own hands. Ingenious solutions are being applied to tackle some of the toughest health and infrastructure problems. Businesses are being launched that are capable of transforming the lives of millions. New communication technologies are allowing ideas and information to spread, enabling markets — and governments — to be more efficient. And the numbers suggest that incomes are starting to nudge up in some countries and real growth is on the way. A new Africa beckons.”
Some of the speakers already confirmed include:
Jacqueline Novogratz: After 20 years’ involvement in Africa, she founded the Acumen Fund, a leader of the “new philanthropy” movement which, instead of offering charity, supports entrepreneurs who are building businesses in areas such as healthcare, low-cost housing and water distribution.
Eleni Gabre-Madhin: Economist and leading researcher on African agricultural markets.
Danniel Annerose: CEO of and founder of Manobi, developer of prize-winning cellphone-based services that, for example, give farmers market intelligence and allow them to achieve better prices for their crops.
Jane Goodall: Famous for her pioneering work with chimpanzees in Tanzania, she has become a globally recognized conservationist and a United Nations “Messenger of Peace.”
Patty Stonesifer: CEO of the Gates Foundation, the world’s largest philanthropic organization. The Foundation funds multiple projects in Africa with a major focus on tackling AIDS, malaria and other public health issues.
See the full list of speakeres.
You can Register here.
What is TED?
What are TEDTALKS?.

IE Business School has signed an agreement with the Consejería de Empleo y Mujer de la Comunidad de Madrid to collaborate in offering forty-two scholarships intended for women graduates who are resident in the Autonomous Community of Madrid who wish to improve their skills in business administration. These scholarships cover 70% of all academic expenses; the remaining 30% is covered by the candidate. The scholarships by program are the following:

Executive MBA: 17 scolarships
Executive MBA online: 4 scolarships
International MBA: 4 scolarships
International Executive MBA: 4 scolarships
MBA Part Time: 13 scolarships
All tose interested must request the scholarship here before December 7th. At the same time, they must fil their admission form at Instituto de Empresa in a 40 day period. Admission is mandatory in order to obtain the scholarship.
For more information click here (In Spanish).

Independent Research and Practical Ideas for Global Development
The Center for Global Development is looking for a Controller, who will report to the Vice-President of the Center and will be responsible for financial policies, controls, strategic planning, and procedures. Individual must be “hands-on” as he/she prepares all financial reports and budgets and responsible for all audit and tax compliance. Other responsibilities include cash management, investment analysis, grant budget preparation, compliance, and reporting, employee benefits analysis and processing, receipting of funds, and maintenance of the general ledger. This position supervises one employee who is responsible for payroll and accounts payable.
learn more about the position and the required qualifications.
About the CGD:
The Center for Global Development is dedicated to reducing global poverty and inequality through policy-oriented research and active engagement on development issues with the policy community and the public. A principal focus of the Center’s work is the policies of the United States and other industrial countries that affect development prospects in poor countries.

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Looking to help drive Google.org‘s Global Poverty & Sustainable Development efforts?
Google is looking for several candidates for this position, based in Mountain View, California. This team works to innovate, establish and support sustainable models for global development. “Our mission is to accelerate growth and positive social impact using market-based, entrepreneurial approaches that promote sustainable economic growth and empowerment. We are exploring several potential approaches and creative interventions, including the following: creating jobs, fostering entrepreneurial support, discovering and advancing market-based solutions for basic socio-economic needs, bolstering girls’ and women’s education, providing access to financial services, clean energy and BOP innovations. These Program Directors will help lead program activities, assist in the development of Google.org’s poverty alleviation strategy and manage the portfolio of grants and investments.”
Take a further look at the Responsibilities and Requirements.

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Este año, la Fundación Teletón México ha decidido trascender las fronteras de México para la búsqueda del apoyo solidario de la sociedad española. Queremos invitar a la sociedad, empresas e instituciones españolas a sumarse solidariamente a esta causa que ayudará a la rehabilitación e integración de niños y jóvenes chiapanecos, fortaleciendo los lazos de hermandad entre ambos países.

La meta es desarrollar una acción solidaria España-México para colaborar con la edificación y futuro mantenimiento de un Centro de Rehabilitación Infantil de niños con discapacidad en Chiapas.
Ex-A-Tec Madrid es parte activa de la campaña del Teletón. Si quieres colabrorar, puedes recoger tu bote en el Instituto de Empresa, calle Pinar, 7 Bajo.
Para más información, ponte en contacto con Enrique J. Marí / Yessica Núñez en el teléfono 91.309.59.71 o por mail. Campaña Teletón España 2006

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Yet another great debate has taken place November 9, 2006 at 3 Times Square in New York City. Reuters, The Conference Board and the Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative at Harvard University have organized it.
Finding the optimal path to capitalism in the 21st century, generating long term value over the long term. Citizenship and sustainability struggling to gain top-executive mindshare. Boosting corporate reputation. Citizenship and sustainability programs moving up in priority. These are some of the ideas covered here.
A majority of major companies concerned with corporate responsibility issues acknowledge that they lack an active strategy to develop new business opportunities arising from meeting these citizenship and sustainability needs, according to a report released by The Conference Board. The report is based on a new survey of 198 medium to large multinational companies. Take a look at their report (The full report is only available to members).
Nearly half (46%) of the responding companies say that corporate citizenship and sustainability are major sources of business opportunity and not only sources of business risk alone. When added to the 44% who see these issues as sources of both risk and opportunity, a total of 90% of participating companies say their company’s approach to corporate citizenship and sustainability issues reflects at least some belief in the potential rewards.
Peter S. Knight, President of Generation Investment (Jed Emerson from Generation Foundation was with us at IE this past November 17th), Samuel A. Dipiazza, CEO PwC and Doug Bauer, Senior Vicepresident of the Rockefeller philanthropy are some of the people who take part on the conversation.
Follow the conversation.

Celia de Anca, Director of the Centre for Diversity in Global Management, Instituto de Empresa
On 6-8 November at the Westin Hotel in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Instituto de Empresa (IE) Business School, Madrid jointly with Effat College in Jeddah, developed an innovative international program to foster and promote entrepreneurship skills of Saudi Arabian Business Women.
47 women entrepreneurs and future entrepreneurs successfully completed a three day program aimed at equipping them with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in their local environment.
The sponsorship of the National Commercial Bank in Saudi Arabia enabled the participation of 15 female students from Effat College, Dar Al Hekma, and the College of Business Administration. Representatives from King Abdul Aziz University also attended. Women from the corporate world also participated in the programme representing international companies such as D.H.L., Xenel Group HR & Training Center, Jeddah United Sports, Abdul Latif Jameel Vocational Training Center, La Woman and Optics Company. Moreover, a group of well-known women entrepreneurs shared their experiences on how they initiated their careers as Saudi Women Entrepreneurs.

The program was opened by Dr. Haifa Reda Jamal Al Lail Dean of Effat College, and Dr. Celia de Anca, Director of the Center for Diversity in Global Management at Instituto de Empresa Business School. Both representatives gave an overview of the main themes of the program. They also provided information regarding the collaboration between the two institutions in the framework of this first event, as well as in a series of future events that will take place in Jeddah and in Madrid.
After the opening of the seminar, three key areas were developed during the three days of sessions:
Entrepreneurship Skills: Professors, Ignacio de la Vega and Paz Ambrosy provided an overview of the mindsets, methods, and managerial activities that support the entrepreneurial process. The main theoretical tools for the entrepreneurship process were discussed in the local context of Jeddah so that participants could better understand how to adapt theoretical models into real business practices.
Women in Business Intl Best Practices: Professor Celia de Anca gave an overview of women leaders worldwide. Today’s international organizations are increasingly open to the idea that women can act as a catalyst for the organization’s capacity to innovate. Participants analyzed the local opportunities from women leaders and explored the options available for women, identifying areas for training and personal development as necessary tools to obtain the maximum benefits out of the existing opportunities.
Women in Business: The Local Environment: The third part of the program was dedicated to the local environment for women in business in Saudi Arabia: Prestigious guest speakers focused on the current environment in the Kingdom for business women, highlighting the opportunities available and the challenges ahead. The experts also expounded models of successful women from the region and some of the key factors of their success.

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According to the Financial Times, a global shortage of poly-crystalline silicon, which is the basic raw material used to convert the sun’s rays into electricity, may turn the whole solar industry into an unviable one, at least for the next 5 years. It was projected that this shortage would be happening until 2008, hence poly silicon prices have doubled in 20 months and will rise to around 30% over the next three years.

The Economist on the other hand points out recent investments on solar energy, which are at $63 billion this year, up from $49 billion last year and $30 billion the previous year, having clean energy take one tenth of America’s venture capital. Their editorial suggests that “the flood of money into clean energy is better news for society than it is of investors.”

With soaring demand, such as that coming from California, which according to the Gobernator, aims to generate 20% of its power from renewable sources; or that coming from Germany which is the largest solar market in the world, despite the fact that the sun is not a regular visitor there, solar projects receive as much as EUR 0.57 for each kilowatt-hour, of electricity generated, compared with the usual EUR 0.05 for dirtier power.
The price for generating solar power has consistently fallen over time, going from $200 per watt to around $2.7 per watt. Yet, a Merrill Lynch report on the solar sector states that the transactions on poly silicon are unsustainable, at prices of $200 a kilogram, which is around 500% higher than in 2004. Goldman Sachs on the other hand expects output to be doubled by 2010.
What is certain is that the risks ahead in renewable energies should be further considered. The opportunity and the need are certainly there, but the targets have to be realistically considered, together with what assures to be a surging competitive market.

The Global Environmental Management Initiative (GEMI) and Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) announced the results of their first ever joint benchmark survey, “Sustainable Business & Strategy: Views From the Inside.”
According to their survey, CSR has a high profile inside sustainability business professionals companies. As an example of that, 72% of the survey responders stated that their CEO publicly communicates their company’s commitment to CSR, 47% believe they have the resources needed to achieve their CSR goals and 94% expect environmental, health and safety (EHS) and CSR to have more impact on business strategy over the next five years”.
“The survey provides important, new information about the context in which sustainability professionals operate, and the growing momentum we see to connect a company’s corporate social responsibility efforts to overall business strategies,” said Eric Olson, Vice President, Advisory Services at BSR.

The focus of the survey was on different aspects of EHS and CSR program management. The respondents, 54 sustainability professionals who are members of GEMI and/or BSR, came from a broad range of business sectors with consumer product companies representing the largest single business sector completing the survey (35%). Most respondents (89%) were from companies that were headquartered in North America. Annual sales of those companies participating in the survey ranged from $2 million to $95 billion, with an average (mean) of $21 billion.
“Not only does the survey reveal that there is strong senior management commitment to and in support of CSR, but companies are well down the road in implementing specific actions to advance the CSR agenda, including integrating environmental and social considerations into product design and procurement processes, and collaborating with external stakeholders, such as NGOs,” adds Accarino.
See the whole survey analysis.
See the Overview slides.
See the complete slides.

Seventh Generation and TreeHugger have launched Convenient Truths, a user-created video contest promoting accessible, influential, and inspiring responses to reducing our carbon emissions and dependence on fossil fuel.
The contest has been endorsed by former Vice President Al Gore, who calls it “a great way to spread the word and bring the issue into our daily lives.”
Entrants will have through February 2007 to create and submit 1-2 minute videos on everyday solutions to climate change. The site has just gone out and features a carbon calculator, news on climate change, and tips on reducing personal carbon emissions.
Winning entries will be determined by a combination of web viewers and expert judges. The winning videos will be broadcast on various outlets and the Top 10 videos will be packaged on a DVD and distributed by Ironweed Films.
Prizes valued at close to $25,000 are designed to reduce winners’ carbon emissions in high-impact areas of travel, transportation, and home. It is an interesting way of leveraging from An Inconvenient Truth into as they well describe Convenient Answers.