Top Tweets Summarizing the BCLC 'Network Effect' Conference

The US Chamber's Business Civics Leadership Center conference was pretty awesome - I wish you could have seen it. Here some of the highlights told with quotes and tweets.

MGM, one of the world's biggest hospitality companies, made people cry with its touching diversity initiatives.

 

 

Alcoa, one of the worlds biggest aluminum mining and processing companies, made people awe at its environmental practices.

 

Google, one of the world's most successful and innovative companies, openly shared failures (and the resulting innovation that came from them) about skills-based volunteering.

 

I, honestly, didn't expect any of that. The US Chamber of Commerce is not known for its commitment to building a better world, and businesses aren't, either. But that's changing. In fact, it has to. Some of the most successful companies, like Patagonia and Unilever have proof why it has to, as do reports from PwC and Deloitte. And not only does it have to, but many companies are experiencing positive gains from being more socially and environmentally responsible: Yvon Chuinard, the founder of Patagonia shared that "Every time we’ve done the right thing for the planet, we’ve made more money…"

 

Now, thanks to BCLC, this message has a bigger platform to stand on. If the Chamber's BCLC conference did anything this year with its “Network Effect” conference, it provided inspiration, connections, and compelling data to help business leaders launch sustainability and social-good initiatives that will help the world, and improve their bottom lines.

 

The Power of the Network Effect

More than anything, perhaps the true power of this “Network Effect” is that it acts as a safety net to support people that try new initiatives, even if they are unsuccessful. This was made most evident during the panel on 'Catalysts in Capacity Building: Utilize Tools and Networks to Cultivate Impact'. During this panel presentation, the importance of failure was highlighted as a MUST DO by corporations. According to Jackie Suarez, Head of CSR for SAP, "You have to mess up a little bit before you get something right... it's vital to the process".

 

Camilla Nestor of the Grameen Foundation echoed this sentiment by saying that "In order to figure out what works, you have to be testing".

 

Turning Networks Into Action

There is no better way to take risks than to have a partner in crime, and the BCLC conferences provided some tips to make them effective:

1. Focus on co-creation

 

2. Implement pilots and learn quickly

 

3. Create solutions

This last point is obvious, but it was the resounding - and most important - takeaway from the conference.  For more about creating solutions, make sure to watch this video "The Solution Revolution".