December Social Impact News Roundup: Moving From Transactional to Transformational

Why Social Procurement is the Future of Responsible Business

A recent report by Impact Europe, Sattva and SAP reveals a clear trend: 80% of businesses see social procurement as a solution to meeting their sustainability goals. This isn’t just about responding to consumer demand — companies are recognizing the potential for innovation and growth through collaboration with social enterprises. The report also highlights the role of social procurement in driving inclusivity, sharing examples of how partnering with minority- and women-owned businesses fosters economic equity and ethical labor practices. The bottom line? The future of social procurement is bright. Learn more here about how this trend is reshaping the future of responsible business.

Building Climate Resilience with AI

The latest research report from Mercy Corps Ventures outlines how data, analytics, and AI are laying a critical foundation for building climate resilience. Drawing on years of investment insights and over 30 interviews with leading innovators, the report analyzes how tech advances in the last decade have dramatically increased the sophistication of AI models. It also explores the trends (and barriers) shaping the possibilities for the next decade – notably, challenges related to data quality and the need for underlying infrastructure. Learn more here about how this community of innovators, funders and ecosystem partners can work together to realize a climate resilient future enabled by data. (Looking for ways to integrate AI into solving social problems more effectively? Check out this new AI-powered Research Assistant tool from Reach for Change.)

The State of CSR in India

As we reflect on a decade since India’s CSR mandate came into effect, it’s clear that the role of CSR has expanded significantly. Corporates are increasingly adopting a problem-first approach, going beyond the transactional nature of funding programmes to create a more enduring impact. CSR is now seen as a vehicle for innovation, often employing mechanisms such as innovative finance to attract further investment and enhance the scale and sustainability of solutions. Corporates are not only deploying funds, but are also playing a catalytic role by engaging in collaborative partnerships. Check out the full report here to see which industries are the biggest spenders, which sectors receive the most funding, and whether the funds are reaching the most in-need areas.

Social Impact Job Openings

• Acumen is hiring for multiple positions, including:
  • Associate Director for Institutional Partnerships (based in New York, NY)
  • ESG Manager (based in Lagos, Nigeria)
  • Foundry & Partnerships Senior Associate , Acumen Academy India (based in Mumbai, India)
  • Product Marketing Manager – Contractor (based in London, UK)
• Bopinc is hiring for a Gender & Diversity Impact Manager (based in Kenya, Ethiopia, Nigeria, or the Netherlands)
• CARE is hiring for a Director, Digital Inclusion (based in Washington, D.C. or Nairobi, Kenya)
• CareNX is hiring for a Tele Caller (based in Mumbai, India)
• ClimateWells is hiring for a Corporate Partnerships Manager (based in Austin, TX)
• Connective Impact is hiring for an Engagement & Administrative Coordinator (remote)
• Euclid Network is hiring for multiple positions, including:
  • Communications & Events Officer (hybrid out of The Hague, NL)
  • Project Manager – EU Focus (hybrid out of The Hague, NL)
  • Project Manager – Impact Measurement Focus (hybrid out of The Hague, NL)
• Impact Shakers is hiring for an Impact Investment Manager (remote within Europe)
• International Justice Mission is hiring for a Director, Strategic Partnerships Marketing & Communications (based in Washington, D.C.)
• IREX is hiring for a Senior Program Officer, Communications (based in Washington, D.C.)
• Mercy Corps Ventures is hiring for multiple positions, including:
  • Global HR Investigator, Africa Region (various locations in Africa)
  • Systems and Analytics Project Manager – Global Safeguarding Team (Remote within US)
  • Emergency Response Finance Director – International Finance Team (based in US or UK)
  • Director of Programs (based in Abuja, Nigeria)
• Pyxera Global is hiring for multiple positions, including:
  • Associate Director, Client Success and Sustainability Lead (based in Washington, D.C.)
  • Client Manager (based in Washington, D.C.)
  • Private Sector Partnerships Specialist (based in Washington, D.C.)
• Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship is hiring for a Specialist, Social Innovation, Private Sector – Contractor (based in Geneva, Switzerland)
• Stand Together is hiring for a Managing Director, Social Impact Marketing (based in Arlington, VA)
• Upaya is hiring for an Event Consultant (based in Seattle, WA)
• Vimeo is hiring for a Global Belonging & Social Impact Manager (based in New York, NY)
• WEConnect International is hiring for multiple positions, including:
  • Accounts Receivable and Budget Manager (hybrid out of Washington, D.C.)
  • Market Lead (based in Japan)
  • South Asia Assessor (remote within SE Asia)

Upcoming Events & New Programs

• December 9: The 2024 Tech4Eva Conference will take place in Lausanne, Switzerland and online.
• December 12: Join the TRANSFORM Support Hub for a ‘Discussion about Regenerative & Circular Business Models,’ feat. professor and award-winning author, Christopher Marquis. Learn more and register here.
• December 13: Deadline to apply to the WiNFUND, open to women-led organizations working to improve healthcare access, affordability, and accessibility across Africa. 
• December 20: Deadline to apply to the Crypto for Good Fund IV, open to early stage entrepreneurs working in web3 to drive climate resilience across the Global South. 
• January 6: Deadline to apply to the 100X Impact Accelerator, open to impact-first ventures registered anywhere in the world with at least 10,000 end-users. 
• January 8: Deadline to apply for funding and support from Truist Foundation Inspire Awards, open to nonprofits helping mid-to-late-career individuals reskill, upskill, or change careers.

Wins from our TRANSFORM Support Hub Community

• AgriShare App was awarded a gold award under the Consumer Goods and Services Digital Excellence category of the Digital Impact Awards Africa!
• CareNX was honored as the ‘Best Startup Pitch’ at the AI in Healthcare Workshop co-organized by Blockchain for Impact!
• Closing the Loop’s One for One partnership with Vodafone Germany was recognized by the Germany Sustainability Awards in the category of Digital Communications in Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability Communications!
• Disruptia was named as the winner of the XIX Colombian Entrepreneur of the Year UR Award in the Esmeralda Hummingbird Category for its work contributing to the sustainable development of the country!
• eBusaka was recognized as a Top 3 Finalist Winner in the TotalEnergies Startupper Challenge in Zambia, and named as the Best Circular Economy Project – earning K185,500 in funding!
• Elli Cares founder, Angela Edwards, has been named as a finalist for Social Impact Entrepreneur of the Year in the GEN NZ Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Awards!
• FUND2740 launched two new AI tools for entrepreneurs!
• Global Distributors Collective launched a new tool for last mile distribution companies designed to help evaluate their performance against 23 essential KPIs, spanning crucial business areas such as value proposition, sales and marketing, and backend infrastructure/overhead costs!
• Kukula Solar, Natfort Energy, Nyalore Impact Ltd., & Uplinx Energy were named as winners of the Global Distributors Collective Innovation Launchpad!
• Leiho partnered with CityVentures to make goodie bags for its City Quest Challenge, bringing together students to unlock their creativity and sharpen their problem solving skills! 
• Poket will be attending Singapore International Agri-Food Week as a featured-start-up, exhibiting at the Asia-Pacific Agri-Food Innovation Summit!
• TORAJAMELO successfully broke even this year, and showcased its latest projects and collections internationally to preserve Indonesia’s weaving heritage while promoting conscious consumerism on a global scale!

A Final Bit of Inspiration

“Social procurement is more than just a transaction. It’s about building partnerships that create a ripple effect of social impact.” – Alexandra van der Ploeg, Head of Global Corporate Social Responsibility at SAP