The internet has completely revolutionized the way we live. Typewriters, hand-written letters, and paper research are quickly becoming a part of a by-gone era. Methods we once used to obtain information, or stay in contact with loved ones are being replaced by emails, the internet, and of late, social media.  There are emerging signs now that social media is even taking over some of the functions of how people connected through more recent techno-advances like emails or instant messaging. Social media is injecting new life into philanthropy and new possibilities …

Volunteer tourism or “voluntourism”, which has been increasingly popular among leisure travelers, is extending its reach into the workplace. Some folks are taking sabbaticals from their jobs to be philanthropic volunteers. Some companies not only permit employees to take sabbaticals, they are putting programs in place to encourage employees to be involved in charity travel.  Both companies and employees see charity travel as a win win situation.
Multinational companies, such as India’s Infosys Technologies and global accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers, view charity travel as an opportunity to give employees work experience in …

We’re a huge admirer of charity:water and have been raving about them for their simple yet life-changing mission to bring clean drinking water to people in developing nations and for their marketing and fundraising prowess. We love founder, Scott Harrison’s story even more because the seeds that spawned this whole movement were planted from a volunteer tourism trip.  We’re seeing, in real-time, the far reaching effects of voluntourism. In two years, charity:water has raised over $7 million and funded 1,247 water projects in 14 countries around the world.  You can …

Did you ever consider how we chose to live at home matter to people around the world? In our globally-connected world, our lifestyles (how we live, shop, eat, buy, etc.) have far-reaching effect. We can do good for people in, say, Southeast Asia without ever stepping foot in the region. How do we do that? We can use the power of the purse to help. If we integrate more fair trade purchases into our regular buying habits, then we could help reduce poverty around the world. The impact the average …

There is a growing belief that one of the best solutions to eradicate poverty is through social entrepreneurship and small business economics. The premise is that being poor isn’t just about not having money — it’s really about the lack of skills and capabilities. Based on past experiences, people are sophisticated enough to recognize that handouts alone are not only ineffective, they cause dependence. There are a lot of buzz about turning free-market entrepreneurs on the poverty problem and not increase handouts. Another driver is that many non-profits are moving …

First hotels are offering free nights for community service, now retailers are embracing community volunteering or giving back — consumerism meets volunteerism.

Popular retailer, Banana Republic, announced the launched of the “ONE+ALL” campaign this week which will help local service organizations match up with Banana Republic customers who are interested in volunteering based on their skills and interests. Banana Republic employees will also provide professional development training to service nonprofit representatives, to help the nonprofits sharpen their recruiting and training strategies.
The retailer is committed to becoming a more eco-conscious brand, doing …

A question many have been asking and the answers vary because global citizenship means different things to different people.