Music Masters Series: Aima Labra-Makk

I've always believed that there is a lot of talent in the Philippines. We may lack opportunities for training, or need to develop our capacity to promote talents or to develop the market... but when it comes to raw talent, we definitely have a lot of it.

Last week, the Ayala Foundation shone the light on one such talent - virtuoso pianist (and fellow Cebuano) Aima Labra-Makk. Her playing has been described by European critics as "peerless marked by high musical intelligence, colorful expression with physical robustness (to sound), with elegant ease of touch but never for the sake of display."* 

The Ayala Museum lobby was turned into a mini concert hall where Labra-Makk started the evening with Haydn's Sonata hob. XVI No. 52 in E-flat Major and Schumann's Sonata No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 22. The highlight of the evening was her performance of Liszt's Piano Sonata in B Minor.

Now, what does that all mean to someone who was not brought up on classical music and cannot tell a Haydn from a Schumann or a Liszt? An evening of great music, all the same.

After all, you do not need a degree in classical music to appreciate it. You may need one to know how to analyze it or write an expert critique of it, but to appreciate it? To be so absorbed by the music that everything and everyone else in the room disappears? Or even just to sit in awe as you watch her fingers glide across the piano playing a soothing tune one minute and then see them transition into a frantic dance striking keys here and keys there as the piece gets more and more dramatic? No training necessary there. Just come as you are, and don't forget to bring a healthy dose of openness to see how the music can possibly move you.

Labra-Makk's performance last 24 Aug 2011 was just the first of the Ayala Museum's Music Masters Series - a cultural program aiming to promote top caliber Filipino talent in the field of classical music. I am definitely looking forward to announcements about their lineup of performances.

Proceeds of the concerts go to the Day at the Museum - an Ayala Foundation program that gives public school students the opportunity to tour the museum, and join hands-on workshops that give them a venue for creative self-expression through the arts.

The Switch: Corporate Give-away Options

"The Switch" is a series of blogposts about switching, one item at a time, to more socially-responsible and sustainable products. In the past I've always talked about products for individual use, so I figured it's time for a post on how organizations and corporations can make the switch too.

The marketing department of a company can be responsible for a lot of waste - flyers and marchandizing materials that aren't really useful and end up in the trash, or a multitude of tarpaulin banners that are not properly disposed of at the end of the event... the list can go on.

It's difficult enough trying to hit your deadlines and marketing targets, how can you find time to revamp your department into one that does end-to-end life-cycle management of all of its marketing materials? Well, as with anything, you start with baby steps. Here are my top two suggestions: (a) look into where you are sourcing your materials, or (b) be more conscious about what happens to your materials once your campaign is done. For this post, I'll start you off with some suppliers if you want to do option A.


TRY THESE SUPPLIERS

Trese or GK Payatas 13 Printers is a silk-screen printing and sewing venture operated as a social business model through the combined efforts of Gawad Kalinga Kapitbahayan residents, SIGA, GK Ateneo and GK Ateneo Alumni. They started off doing shirts back in 2003 but now, they accept made-to-order silk-screened giveaway items. You can read more about their story here.

A social enterprise that works with Gawad Kalinga community - how could I resist? So the next time I needed to produce some merchandize at work, I asked Trese to bid for the project against other traditional suppliers.

Look at the pretty bandanas
they made for us! :)

Initially, they had the higher bid. But they took the time to explain why it was so -- complete with excel sheet that broke down all the costs, plus a thorough explanation of their fair wages and labor practices that form part of the company's ethics. No other supplier took the time out to talk to me like that, and I really appreciated it. Of course, at the end of the day I have an obligation to my employers to manage our budget - which means I need to give the project to the supplier that gave the best quality for the best price. The great thing is that the people at Trese were willing to work with my needs - exploring different raw materials, size specifications and the like until they were able to match the lowest bid and still give me something of good quality.

So will I work with them again? Definitely! Good quality, on-time delivery, good client service... plus knowing that I'm helping out a GK community in the process was a great add-on.

For orders and inuiries, contact Mike Go or Felice Caringal at:
johnmichaelgo @ gmail.com / felice.caringal @ gmail.com

If bandanas and canvas bags are not exactly your company's style, don't fret. Even those who need high-end giveaways can now source from a social enterprise!

Internationally awarded Jacinto & Lirio is a high end brand of leather bags. Water hyacinth plant leather, that is. This group has found a way to turn what used to be considered a bothersome water-pest into a sustainable source of raw materials for statement accessories. Their bags can be found at several reseller stores or purchased online on their site. These retail for about Php 9,000.00, which is rather pricey for give-aways.

The good news is that this year they've launched Kwaderno, a line of water hyacinth leather-bound journals, which now gives more people a chance to own a bit of J&L.

As of now, Kwaderno is only available for bulk orders with a minimum of 100 pieces. Prices range from Php 200++ to Php 400++, depending on the designs.

For orders and inquiries, contact sales @ jacintoandlirio.com or +639173027278.
More details can also be found on their Facebook announcement: http://on.fb.me/r1oeSK

Jacinto & Lirio is the flagship brand of EcoIngenuity, Inc., a social enterprise that aims to raise competitiveness of indigenous materials and the communities that produce them, through global design standards.

Another option is the Gifts and Graces Fair Trade Foundation. Compared to the previous suppliers, their range of products offer more variety and they can also customize if you prefer special gift sets or gift baskets. The eclectic collection of products reflects the many different communities that the foundation works with, as each community has its own personality and skill sets. Their beneficiary communities go up to about 30, covering a range of poor, marginalized, and special needs groups.

Gifts & Graces is probably the most seasoned of all three. Among their clients are big names such as Ayala Land, Inc., Shangri-la group of hotels, Philippine Daily Inquirer, HSBC, and El Nido Resorts. Among their retail partners you can also find the likes of Kultura Filipino, Rustan's and the ADB Cooperative Regalo Shop.

This year's set of corporate give-away options include: Charging station made of wood (Php 800), Woven plastic organizers (Php 800), Travel set (Php 7000), Travel pillow & pouch (Php 450), and Gadget organizer (Php 500). Want even more variety? Try and checking out their regular products on their website and view products from the 10 product categories available!

For orders and inquiries, contact their marketing manager,
Chay Pascual at: marketing @ giftsandgraces.com.

Gifts and Graces Foundation is a certified Fair Trade organization.

Reviews: LCF Corporate Social Responsibility Institute Publications

The League of Corporate Foundations (LCF) in the Philippines describes itself as a "network of over seventy operating and grant-making corporate foundations and corporations that promote and enhance the strategic practice of Corporate Social Responsibility among its members and the larger business community, towards sustained national development."


The LCF first caught my attention through their annual CSR Expo event which brings together all their members to share case studies, discuss issues, get training from experts and hold an exhibit where you can learn more about the programs of different foundations and companies. I've always enjoyed going to these corporate do-gooder gatherings to keep myself updated on what's happening in the local 'industry'.

At the side exhibit for the Expo, the LCF's Corporate Social Responsibility Institute (CSRI) was selling some original publications so I grabbed a copy of each one to see what they've been up to.

I have a natural inclination to support and promote organizations that push for research, education and training because I believe  such continuous learning and sharing is what will establish the practice when it's new, and will keep it moving to reach new heights once it's already gained a good following.



About LCF CSR Institute









The CSRI is a division of the LCF that provides capacity development and learning resources for CSR practitioners, the academe and the private sector. Established in July 2007, it was "envisioned to institutionalize the learning process and systematically organize sharing of information, experiences, best practices, and lessons learned primarily among its members and other sectors of the society. The institute also aims to become a strategic partner of academic institutions embedding the essence of CSR in the fabric of basic education."

The CSRI has four major components: (a) academic development, (b) professional development, (c) research and publication, and (d) resource center.

My reaction after reading about he CSRI? I thought it was a great idea. My first local encounters with institutions studying and offering training in CSR were the Asian Institute of Management's RVR Center for Corporate Social Responsibility, and the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP).

I liked the RVR Center because while many companies seemed to be doing corporate philanthropy for PR purposes, here was an institute pushing the triple bottom line perspective and stressing corporate governance as an essential foundation to real CSR. And this was in the late 90's / early 2000's I think.  While the RVR Center had great materials and offered courses - these seemed extremely alienating for a newbie who was only trying to dip her feet into the CSR world. Their courses were designed for top level management, and of course came with a top level management price tag. (I bought a copy of their "Doing Good and Doing Well: Cases on Corporate Social Responsibility in Asia" case book, wrote a review on it back in 2005.)

Then there is PBSP. Friends in CSR circles all pointed to PBSP as the place to go for good training - they had good tools, good clients, great projects. The thing is - I had to work there to get their training. As far as I can tell, their training is offered to their people and their partners, but they don't really have an institute that is out to teach methods to a greater public. However, they always came highly recommended to work with or to work for.

So, with the presence of the LCR CSR Institute, are we getting closer to a point where we get CSR knowledge more openly distributed and training more available to newbies? I hope so. Their Facebook page shows that they've had a few events in 2009, but nothing much since then. So I've decided to take a look at their publications instead.



LCF - CSR Institute Publications

CEO Perspectives on Corporate Social Responsibility
League of Corporate Foundations (2006)

CEO Perspectives on Corporate Social Responsibility (2006)

First of all, I'm glad that the LCF undertook this project of studying the perceptions and practice of CSR among Philippine corporations. It's always good to know what the playing field looks like. But having said that, I'd also like to say that a second edition of the study is overdue as this one was done back in 2006. It would be interesting to see a side by side comparison of the 2006 study with a 2011 one to see what's changed in five years.

I liked their methodology - a mixture of CEO surveys and CEO Circle focus group discussions, then referring to supplementary data such as annual reports and press statements from participation corporations. They also had a good mix of different types of corporation sizes and backgrounds. Fertile ground to gather great insights into the CSR world in the Philippines.

While they did have some good findings published in the book, I somehow felt like I was looking for something more.

To be fair, what this book sets out to do is showcase what the different CEOs think, and how their corporations are practicing CSR. And they did achieve that. In fact, it has a good synthesis in the end summarizing the changing context of CSR logic among CEOs in the Philippines, as well as the different roles they see for CSR.

But personally, I was hoping for a deeper analysis and a stronger recommendation. An answer to "Now that we see what the CSR scene looks like and how CEOs view it... what should we do? How far are we from the ideal and how do we get there?" Or perhaps clustering of the different CEO perspectives into two or three major schools of thought in CSR and evaluating the pros and cons of each. Or doing a parallel study of how the CEO's perspective affects the development and practice of CSR in each cluster. Again, this is just a wish list of things I would be interested to know about the local CSR scene, and to see in a future publication. But as far as the "CEO Perspectives on Corporate Social Responsibility" 2006 publication is concerned, I think it's a good basic read. And it's set at a good price point of Php 100.00.

CSR Casebook
League of Corporate Foundations
CSR Institute (2007)

CSR Casebook (2007)

The CSR Casebook is a collection of real case studies from four organizations: Petron Foundation, Shell Foundation, Splash Foundation and Mirant Foundation. At about an average of 12 pages per case study, I think this book offers people a chance to take a peek at the world behind the press releases and photo ops. The case studies share their CSR journeys, some showcasing conceptual and performance evaluation frameworks, some listing principles and values that guided their programs, and others really detailing partnerships and program mechanics. At Php 200.00, I think this 52-page casebook offers value for money. Kudos to the four foundations that shared valuable information.

In the foreword, Lydia Sarmiento-Enrile, Chair of the CSR Institute, wrote:

"This casebook is just the beginning of many stories. The members of the League of Corporate Foundations, Inc. have expriences spanning decades of CSR practice in various fields of operation. We did not always do it right the first time. t is our hope that by sharing our stories with you that we can impart learnings, as well as the pitfalls for implementing our social responsibility in varying degrees and circumstances."

Indeed, I hope this edition is just the beginning of many other stories to be published. The second edition to this one is something I will be looking out for.

CSR Assessment Workbook
League of Corporate Foundations
CSR Institute (2008)

CSR Assessment Workbook (2008)

To me, this is like a CSR 101 exercise book that's probably a handy companion for a person who is trying to set up a CSR practice in their company. (Or someone who is trying to professionalize and institutionalize existing pseudo-CSR practices their companies are already doing.)

It starts off with a quick note of the history of CSR in the Philippines, then goes on to define CSR and give an overview of the 4P's of CSR Management:

• Position Strategically, 
• Plan Purposively, 
• Pursue Consistently and 
• Promote Effectively.

The succeeding sections then take you through one P at a time, with worksheets, charts and other tools that help you organize your org information, walk you through logical thinking frameworks, and make decisions from data-based assessment.

In other words -- if you are trying to establish a CSR department in your company, you can schedule a CSR assessment workshop with your organization's upper management and just follow this workbook step by step. It even has blank versions of its charts that would be easy for you to photocopy and hand out to all the participants of your workshop. Or you can simply scan it and flash it on your LCD projector and you can all work on filling the charts up together. They were designed in such a way that it's easy to understand and fill up even if you are not a CSR expert.

At Php 600.00, this is a little bit pricey. But if you think about the fact that it's actually a workshop curriculum in a book, you'll see its value.

Now, as far as commenting on how good and useful the frameworks are... I can't judge as I haven't had the chance to implement them or have other tools to compare them with. (Maybe if I manage to find an actual CSR practitioner willing to analyze it for me, that can be another blogpost?) 

All I can say is that it's a pretty good idea for them to release something like this. And if I can make a request -- how about a crisis management manual, next?

- - - -

All in all, I like what the LCF CSRI is aiming to do, and hopeful that these initial publications are just the first of many more to come. While I will always turn to places like the Stanford Social Innovation Review , Harvard Business School or 3BL Media to find out cutting edge trends and debates in the global CSR scene, at the end of the day we have to face the question of  how to localize and apply things to the Philippine or Asian context. Having the LCF and CSR Institute gives me hope that there is someone willing to take on that essential role of organizing and somehow directing the local scene.

So I say keep the publications coming and revive the events. It'll be a great service to local CSR practitioners, and to the communities they serve.





To purchase these publications, send inquiries by filling up the form here or get in touch with
LCF CSR Institute at:
6/F PDCP Bank Center
L.P. Leviste corner V.A. Rufino Streets
Salcedo Village, Makati City
Tel: +63 2 8925462 local 209 / 206

Change is Everyone's Business

Change is everyone's business,
and it's an everyday job.


A personal belief that I've always had, and one that is at the very core of why I strongly advocate Corporate Social Responsibility, youth empowerment and a healthy multi-sectoral cooperation when it comes to nation-building.


This year, the Philippines has been sucked into this whirlwind I call the "Elections Day High". Not a bad thing at all. In fact, I am very happy to see that this time around, some politicians have taken a step towards platform-based campaigning alongside the age-old showbiz-type brouhaha. In what was before an apathetic youth sector we now find youth advocates taking initiative to empower and activate their fellow youth to vote, and vote wisely, at that. What was once an un-empowered and jaded citizenry is now passionately waging a war against corruption and unfair elections, taking on social media and new technology as their weapons.


We don't have a perfectly clean and purely democratic elections ahead of us, but what we have is a definite improvement from what we had. And that, I find, is an inspiring picture. Evidence of a country that is slowly maturing.


But for all the admiration and pride I feel.. I am very ashamed to say that mine is one of the wasted potential votes that will not be counted. I failed to register, and yes, I feel deeply disappointed in myself. My friends make a point of not letting me forget it, too! And I'm glad they do, because I know they are doing it out of love for our country.


But what gets to me is how some people make it sound like I am failing to do my one and only job as a citizen. Sometimes I get the impression that people feel like on May 10th, they are called to do their duty as Filipino citizens, and after that, it's time to sit back, relax and let the newly elected officials do their job.


Once all the emotional advertisements and heated debates go off air, when all the campaigning ends and the noise dies down... how many of these people will really still be fired up and continue to talk about a better Philippines?


My guess is, not very many. Or at least not as many as we'd like.


But one group is trying to change that. A refreshing voice amidst all the Election Day High clamor - the voice of One Tama.

The antithesis of our ever-famous Juan Tamad, One Tama envisions a Filipino that is a true and active citizen of the Philippines. One that does not just demand that his government leaders do their job, but one that demands just as much from himself. One that understands that his duty to his country may peak on elections day, but it does not end there.


They have this fascinating concept of the "Dual Motion of Voting".


Voting, most people understand, is voting for the candidate they want to become the next president. But this, they say, is only the second motion of voting. There is a motion that precedes it, and it is one that is just as significant as the other. That is voting yourself as citizen.


Simply put, they say -


If you demand change for your leader, so should you demand change from yourself.


If you admit that you are part of the problem, recognize that you are most likely a part of the potential solution.


Whenever you invoke your rights as citizens, do not forget that you should also invoke your responsibilities as citizens.

These were the wonderfully refreshing words I heard that night when I attended Dialogues @ Starbucks where One Tama presented. And I am very glad I did. I walked away from that cafe fired up. In no way did it rationalize away my failure to register - I still feel very deeply disappointed about that - but it did remind me that my duty does not end with voting and that everyday I have an opportunity to serve the country that I love.


If you have time, even after elections day is over, do get in touch with One Tama and invite them to give a talk to your school, your office, or even just your barkada. Not everything they have to say is pretty, but sometimes you need someone to shove Philippine reality in your face to make you wake up. It'll be good for you.


In the words of the speaker, Jorel, "I am not here to make you feel bad. I am here to make you feel responsible."


Pick up the phone, or write that email. Seriously.


I'll say it again..


Change is everyone's business,
and it's an everyday job.




- - - -


To get in touch with One Tama, contact:
Jorel Soyangco
0917-8135195
duyanggiting@yahoo.com
onetama.com

Starbucks Manila Celebrates Earth Day!

Book Review: Corporate Social Responsibility: Doing the Most Good for Your Company and Your Cause (Philip Kotler & Nancy Lee)

Corporate Social Responsibility: Doing the Most Good for Your Company and Your Cause by Philip Kotler


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I ended up just skimming through this book as it's a bit too basic for me now. But it's a good read for the beginner still looking for basic info on the world of CSR as it gives a very good overview and loads of examples.


 In "Corporate Social Responsibility", Kotler takes you through what he calls the six options for doing good:
1. Corporate Cause Promotions
2. Cause-Related Marketing
3. Corporate Social Marketing
4. Corporate Philanthropy
5. Community Volunteering
6. Socially Responsible Business Practices


I say it gives a good overview as the focus throughout the book is on differentiating each type of CSR tactic, complete with an analysis of pros and cons of how each one can affect your brand. He doesn't really go into in-depth case studies, but he mentions a lot of examples done by major companies such as The Body Shop, ben and Jerry's, AT&T, McDonalds, and many many many more.


I'd recommend this to brand managers and other marketing department people who are well trained to push products, but find the world of CSR very foreign. This book will help you link different types of CSR to things more familiar to you - equity building, creating brand preference, driving traffic, and yes, even increasing sales. (I think I got you guys with that last one, didn't I? Heheh)


And to my friends over on the other side - the nonprofit managers and heads of fundraising - you better read this too! Because it helps a lot when you can speak the same language as your corporate partners and funders. This is a painless way to learn the principles and jargon, all within a context that makes sense to you. It's hard to transpose learning from a commercial setting into a nonprofit setting, trust me. I've done a few workshops with NGO people, trying to teach them marketing, so I've seen my fair share of blank stares and confused faces when I keep putting commercial brand examples in front of them. So please, read this book.




- - -


A slight caveat to my friends here in the Philippines. I got this book back when i was still in NYC, so I can't guarantee that you'll find this in your friendly neighborhood National Bookstore / Powerbooks / Fully Booked. I'm sure the special bookstores can order it for you; But from experience, waiting time is usually a month or so. If you're really really nice to me and promise to be really really nice to my book, I can maybe lend it to you. Just don't mind all the highlights and notes on the margins :D


View all my reviews >>

"Mission Driven Companies"

I was reading the Stanford Social Innovation Review today, and came across the article

Making the B-List:
The B Corp seal of approval distinguishes
truly responsible businesses
from mere poseurs.

It talked about the existence of, and need to properly identify authentic mission-driven companies. Companies that are, at the very heart of their operations, trying to do some good.

"Mission-Driven Companies". I like the sound of it.

I like the fact that there are companies set up to be something other than just profit-driven. With their bylaws rewritten not just to require board members to sell to the highest bidder, but to consider sustainability and socio-environmental impact as well.

I especially like the fact that some people are taking it a step further to create a certification process, a.k.a. 'The B List', to separate the real do-gooders from the greenwashers. (Or, as this article calls it, "good companies" vs. just "good marketing".)

What I'd really love to do is to be the one making the good marketing for good companies :-) Yes, that's why I joined advertising in the first place, hoping that someday I’d get a chance to do this. Well, I'm still here, and I'm still waiting.

But should I really be waiting for the revolution to happen? Or should I be part of the ones making it happen?

I don’t really know..

Ever since I got back from my New York internship with the World Youth Alliance, I’ve always had this dream of getting a scholarship to the Stanford Graduate School of Business to get a chance to study at their Center for Social Innovation. To really just focus my time on learning more about Corporate Social Responsibility. To understand the core ideas of development and sustainability in order to fully appreciate what role private corporations can play within that bigger picture.

Well, two years down the line… I’ve gotten so busy (and yes, I admit, overly-involved) with my job that I hardly had time to spend on my advocacy work.

But was it all a waste? Not at all. I feel like my training at work has been set on hyper-speed, and I cannot for the life of me understand how all that knowledge and experience could have been gained I such a short span of two years. No doubt these professional skills would come in highly useful in my advocacy work as well.

But that is not to say I am 100% sure that I should be here. And neither am I 100% sure that I should be on the other side doing something else, too.

And so while I am still undecided, I guess I can wait a little bit longer and be happy to straddle both worlds – a little bit of advertising here, and a little bit of advocacy there. And with some luck, perhaps I’ll find myself at a place where I won’t have to choose one over the other.

Book Review: Social Marketing- Improving the Quality of Life (by Philip Kotler, Nancy Lee & Ned Roberto)

For those of us who took up Marketing Communications, Philip Kotler and Ned Roberto are no strangers. Kotler was most probably the author of your Marketing 101, Comm 101 or Advertising 101 book. And Roberto, on the other hand, was probably a demi-god to your market research professor.

So put them together and add Nancy Lee (whom I only later learned is a social marketing guru of sorts, since the 70's), and you've got one really great resource book with practical guidelines on how to market your advocacies.

The book takes you through a different kind of thinking, starting even from the point of defining your "product", and who you should see as your "competition". What I found very interesting was how they defined a social marketing product as mainly composed of three parts - a core product, actual product and an augmented product. And how your positioning then not only becomes how to leverage yourself against the competition but also how to balance between all three levels of your own product.

The strength of this book, I think, is how the authors really impress upon the reader that social marketing campaigns are all about creating change - and so they walk you through the process of how to craft your campaigns in a way that will result in behavioral changes as opposed to mere awareness or buzz-generation.

Complete with the usual textbook offerings - tons of examples of social marketing campaigns, practical templates, models and case studies to illustrate all their points - you can't go wrong with this book. I think any NGO that's trying to up their efforts in the marketing and communications side should have a copy of this in their office.

But having said that, I will have to warn you that I got my copy back in New York so I can't guarantee that you will find this in your friendly neighborhood National Bookstore or Powerbooks (although I'm pretty sure Powerbooks can import it for you by special order). But if in case you really really can't find it, drop me a message and maybe I can lend you mine (if you promise to take really REALLY good care of it!).

One last note - this book was written more for people in NGO's than for brand or advertising people. If you're looking for good commentary on the best ways to link your brand to CSR efforts or how to build brand equity using advocacies, well, this isn't the book for you. I'm still on the hunt for something like that so if you do know of any, I'm very open to recommendations :-)


- - - -
Photo from Amazon.com
Average customer review: 5 stars
Citations: This book cited in 100 books

A re-post from my multiply account.