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Case studiesAshoka: Innovators for the Public (North America Program)Waste Concern: Turning a problem into a resourceSynopsis As of September 2005, the co-founders of Waste Concern – an organization dedicated to improving waste recycling in Bangladesh – are considering making a change to their model in order to get approval from the municipal government for a large-scale composting site. Since their inception in 1995, Waste Concern has followed a decentralized composting model whereby each composting site is a small-scale operation processing 3 tons of organic waste per day. In this model, they have relied on land and waste supply from the Dhaka City Council (DCC) municipal government. Now, they are working with Dutch-based World Wide Recycling BV (WWR) to set up a 700-ton per day composting plant, which will enable them to earn tradable certificates for US$11 per ton of reduced methane gas, making it the first in the world to garner credits through composting waste under the United Nations Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). To launch the composting site, they face the hurdle of getting DCC’s approval. They have three alternatives: (1) follow through with the original plan whereby the municipality would supply both the land and waste, which entails waiting for DCC’s approval; (2) purchase the land for the composting site and rely on the municipality for a waste supply; or, (3) purchase the land and take on the responsibility of waste collection themselves. In their considerations, they need to weigh the financial and social aspects and determine an appropriate structure for their organization. Pura Vida CoffeeThe Bertelsmann Reinhard Mohn Fellowship: CSR as Cultural ExchangeSynopsis: The Reinhard Mohn Fellowship is an initiative of Bertelsmann AG. It reflects Bertelsmann's ongoing commitment to fostering social, cultural and individual development by aiming to reward and sponsor people with leadership qualities who have demonstrated enterprise, creativity and entrepreneurial spirit. It provides for up to five social entrepreneurs from all over the world to be selected from a group of applicants to undertake a one year program offering them the opportunity to experience corporate culture, work on projects in various divisions and build networks within Bertelsmann's global group of media companies. The idea behind the initiative is not only to provide a unique opportunity to socially innovative young entrepreneurs but also to allow the company to benefit from their contrasting points of view and differing sets of experiences. The case aims at stimulating students to think about innovative ways in which companies can contribute to society. It also allows for a discussion of the process of gaining and keeping momentum for social initiatives within large companies. Questions which might be posed include: who benefits from the initiative? Is the program a success? Can its impact be measured? And, above all, can it be replicated or provide a role model for other companies? In particular, the case allows for an interesting discussion on corporate responsibility initiatives in privately held companies. |