Designing CSR Campaigns

After spending three decades in the aerospace industry, I’ve seen firsthand how crucial it is for different sectors to learn from each other. We no longer can afford to stay stuck in our own bubbles. Take the aerospace industry, for example. They’ve been looking at how car manufacturers automate their factories to improve their own processes. And those racing teams? Their ability to prototype quickly and develop at a breakneck pace is something we can all learn from to speed up our product development. It’s all about breaking down those silos and embracing new ideas from wherever we can find them. When I was leading the Scorpion Jet program, our rapid development – less than two years to develop a new aircraft – caught the attention of a company known for razors and electric shavers. They reached out to us, intrigued by our ability to iterate so quickly, telling me "you developed a new jet faster than we can develop new razors..." They wanted to learn how we managed to streamline our processes. It was quite an unexpected and fascinating experience that underscored the value of looking beyond one’s own industry can lead to significant improvements and efficiencies, even in fields as seemingly unrelated as aerospace and consumer electronics. In today’s fast-paced world, it’s more important than ever for industries to break out of their silos and look to other sectors for fresh ideas and processes. This kind of cross-industry learning not only fosters innovation but also helps stay competitive in a rapidly changing market. For instance, the aerospace industry has been taking cues from car manufacturers to improve factory automation. And the automotive companies are adopting aerospace processes for systems engineering. Meanwhile, both sectors are picking up tips from tech giants like Apple and Google to boost their electronics and software development. And at Siemens, we partner with racing teams. Why? Because their knack for rapid prototyping and fast-paced development is something we can all learn from to speed up our product development cycles. This cross-pollination of ideas is crucial as industries evolve and integrate more advanced technologies. By exploring best practices from other industries, companies can find innovative new ways to improve their processes and products. After all, how can someone think outside the box, if they are only looking in the box? If you are interested in learning more, I suggest checking out this article by my colleagues Todd Tuthill and Nand Kochhar where they take a closer look at how cross-industry learning are key to developing advanced air mobility solutions. https://lnkd.in/dK3U6pJf

Too often, I’ve been in a meeting where everyone agreed collaboration was essential—yet when it came to execution, things stalled. Silos persisted, friction rose, and progress felt painfully slow. A recent Harvard Business Review article highlights a frustrating truth: even the best-intentioned leaders struggle to work across functions. Why? Because traditional leadership development focuses on vertical leadership (managing teams) rather than lateral leadership (influencing peers across the business). The best cross-functional leaders operate differently. They don’t just lead their teams—they master LATERAL AGILITY: the ability to move side to side, collaborate effectively, and drive results without authority. The article suggests three strategies on how to do this: (1) Think Enterprise-First. Instead of fighting for their department, top leaders prioritize company-wide success. They ask: “What does the business need from our collaboration?” rather than “How does this benefit my team?” (2) Use "Paradoxical Questions" to Avoid Stalemates. Instead of arguing over priorities, they find a way to win together by asking: “How can we achieve my objective AND help you meet yours?” This shifts the conversation from turf battles to solutions. (3) “Make Purple” Instead of Pushing a Plan. One leader in the article put it best: “I bring red, you bring blue, and together we create purple.” The best collaborators don’t show up with a fully baked plan—they co-create with others to build trust and alignment. In my research, I’ve found that curiosity is so helpful in breaking down silos. Leaders who ask more questions—genuinely, not just performatively—build deeper trust, uncover hidden constraints, and unlock creative solutions. - Instead of assuming resistance, ask: “What constraints are you facing?” - Instead of pushing a plan, ask: “How might we build this together?” - Instead of guarding your function’s priorities, ask: “What’s the bigger picture we’re missing?” Great collaboration isn’t about power—it’s about perspective. And the leaders who master it create workplaces where innovation thrives. Which of these strategies resonates with you most? #collaboration #leadership #learning #skills https://lnkd.in/esC4cfjS

Circular Supply Chain 🌍 The concept of circularity is driving a significant transformation in how supply chains operate. The goal is not simply to optimize processes but to redesign them to support systems that preserve value and reduce pressure on natural resources. Circular supply chains rely on multiple streams of value. These include the physical movement of products, the continuous exchange of information, the flow of capital, and the reintegration of recovered materials. Each stream plays a role in maintaining performance within ecological and economic limits. For supply chain teams, this transformation involves redesigning supplier networks, adjusting internal structures, and implementing new performance management systems. These efforts are central to enabling circular operations that are both resilient and measurable. Progress also depends on collaboration across departments. Decisions made in product development, finance, and public affairs influence whether circular solutions can scale. From designing with secondary materials to ensuring regulatory alignment, shared accountability is essential. Engaging customers in circular models presents its own challenges. Strategies must consider behavior, trust, and accessibility in order to extend product use or recover components at the end of their life cycle. This goes beyond messaging and into the design of services and experiences. Data is a critical enabler. Understanding material flows, product performance, and system efficiency requires investment in accurate and timely information. Without this, decision making becomes reactive rather than strategic. Policy and regulatory developments are also shaping how supply chains must respond. Requirements related to product stewardship, material traceability, and environmental impact reporting are becoming more common and more specific. Leading organizations are treating circular supply chains not as an operational upgrade but as a strategic foundation. This shift opens the door to innovation, improves resource security, and aligns with the growing demand for transparency and long term value creation. #sustainability #sustainable #esg #business #circular

Earlier this week, Principles for Responsible Investment published its latest guide: "Sustainability in supply chains: A guide for private markets investors." The guide offers insights to investors on how sustainability risks in supply chains can be assessed and managed, and how effective supply chain due diligence can directly create value. Yesterday, during a panel discussion at the 2025 Supply Chain Sustainability School (UK) Summit, we touched on this topic in the context of making sustainability data reporting 'work'. For those working in sustainability, particularly where limited legal frameworks currently exist, it's unfortunately not always enough to frame supply chain due diligence as "the right thing to do". The PRI report highlights that there is a sound business case in adopting robust supply chain due diligence methods. Some key takeaways include: ➡️ Strong ESG practices enhance brand reputation and open new market opportunities. ➡️ Early identification of risks (including carbon-intensive operations) cuts costs and improves efficiency. ➡️ Reducing supply chain risk boosts investor confidence, often enhancing valuations and lowering borrowing costs. ➡️ Increased supply chain resilience helps to protect businesses from geopolitical, regulatory and environmental shocks. While written for the investment community, the guide provides equally valuable insights for businesses embedding supply chain due diligence into their operations and the business case in doing so. I've attached a copy for those who might be interested in reading more.

Inclusion isn’t a one-time initiative or a single program—it’s a continuous commitment that must be embedded across every stage of the employee lifecycle. By taking deliberate steps, organizations can create workplaces where all employees feel valued, respected, and empowered to succeed. Here’s how we can make a meaningful impact at each stage: 1. Attract Build inclusive employer branding and equitable hiring practices. Ensure job postings use inclusive language and focus on skills rather than unnecessary credentials. Broaden recruitment pipelines by partnering with diverse professional organizations, schools, and networks. Showcase your commitment to inclusion in external messaging with employee stories that reflect diversity. 2. Recruit Eliminate bias and promote fair candidate evaluation. Use structured interviews and standardized evaluation rubrics to reduce bias. Train recruiters and hiring managers on unconscious bias and inclusive hiring practices. Implement blind resume reviews or AI tools to focus on qualifications, not identifiers. 3. Onboard Create an inclusive onboarding experience. Design onboarding materials that reflect a diverse workplace culture. Pair new hires with mentors or buddies from Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) to foster belonging. Offer inclusion training early to set the tone for inclusivity from day one. 4. Develop Provide equitable opportunities for growth. Ensure leadership programs and career development resources are accessible to underrepresented employees. Regularly review training, mentorship, and promotion programs to address any disparities. Offer specific development opportunities, such as allyship training or workshops on cultural competency. 5. Engage Foster a culture of inclusion. Actively listen to employee feedback through pulse surveys, focus groups, and open forums. Support ERGs and create platforms for marginalized voices to influence organizational policies. Recognize and celebrate diverse perspectives, cultures, and contributions in the workplace. 6. Retain Address barriers to equity and belonging. Conduct pay equity audits and address discrepancies to ensure fairness. Create flexible policies that accommodate diverse needs, including caregiving responsibilities, religious practices, and accessibility. Provide regular inclusion updates to build trust and demonstrate progress. 7. Offboard Learn and grow from employee transitions. Use exit interviews to uncover potential inequities and areas for improvement. Analyze trends in attrition to identify and address any patterns of exclusion or bias. Maintain relationships with alumni and invite them to stay engaged through inclusive networks. Embedding inclusion across the employee lifecycle is not just the right thing to do—it’s a strategic imperative that drives innovation, engagement, and organizational success. By making these steps intentional, companies can create environments where everyone can thrive.

A leader in an organisation maximises productivity and output for that organisation by bringing the best out of everyone and the best out of how people combine together. If you are a leader, it is a good moment to find your voice to tell the individuals in your teams that there is power in diversity and that equity and inclusion still matter to you; to set goals around keeping the best of those conversations and programs alive; and revisit them often with your team to assess your progress and test their continued relevance.  It is alarming to see a number of companies backtrack on their programs and their public commitments in this area. However smoothly worded, the role modelling is unfortunate. We live in a complex, globally connected world. Diversity, equity and inclusion programs have been useful in raising awareness of our differences. These programs can provide a common language and often a safe space to use that language to explore those differences, points of ignorance or even ideas on how to come together more productively. Harnessing the diversity that follows good practice boosts creativity, productivity, mental health, motivation, reduces attrition and creates better safety nets on tough decisions (because different perspectives prevent big mistakes). A good time to show your leadership.

#Climate reporting is dead. Long live 氣候揭露! [with a #DoubleMateriality cherry on top] ICYMI, late last year, the Chinese Ministry of Finance released 企業永續揭露準則第1號－氣候 (试行) | Corporate Sustainable Disclosure Standard No. 1 – Climate (Trial). The Chinese standard aligns with IFRS’s S2 climate reporting standard, but importantly includes the requirement to report on both how climate change affects a company’s finances as well as the impact of their business activities and value chains on the environment. Also notable that whilst the Ministry has said the new standard will at first be voluntary, in time it will expand implementation “from listed companies to non-listed companies, from large enterprises to SMEs, from qualitative requirements to quantitative requirements, and from voluntary disclosure to mandatory disclosure.” This new reporting standard is particularly relevant for Aotearoa #NewZealand given China’s position as one of the country’s most important trading partners, and the rapidly shifting geopolitical sands. The standard’s release also reinforces calls for NZ companies impacted by the recent rollback of domestic #ClimateReporting requirements to continue building on the foundations of recent years, understand and focus on where the process can best derive strategic value, and prepare for the inevitable requests from international value chains and customers captured by their reporting regimes.

Here's how to create a marketing strategy you'll actually use: One that doesn’t sit in Powerpoint collecting dust. One that doesn’t fall apart the minute LinkedIn’s algorithm changes or a new ESG rule drops. A strategy that actually helps you grow. 🧱 Start with these 6 parts: 1. Positioning What do you do, for who, and why does it matter? One sentence. No buzzwords. If it needs a slide deck to explain, it’s not working. 2. Strategic advantage What makes you different? If you can’t answer that, ask your best customers. Or study your ideal clients’ problems until you find an edge worth betting on. 3. Audience clarity Who’s buying? And why now? Get specific: – Industry, size, budget – Pain points they admit out loud – Triggers that push them to act (regulation, funding, fear of greenwashing) 4. Funnel reality Not theory. Reality. Where are people finding you? What builds trust? What finally gets them to say yes? If you don’t know, ask. Or review your last 3 closed deals and reverse-engineer the journey. 5. Execution rhythm Planning a year ahead is a waste of time. Markets shift. Algorithms change. Your strategy should adapt. Plan 1 week ahead for socials. 1 month ahead for campaigns. That’s enough. Keep it simple. Keep it moving. 6. Strategic story This is the glue. Why you? Why now? Why does it matter? If your story is forgettable, so is your marketing. Bonus: Solve your customers' problems and/or help them achieve their goals. It's that simple. Content marketing is the ultimate test of how well you know your customers Want help turning this into a strategy you actually use? Let’s talk.

I often think about the difference between being a funder and being a true partner. Through Cisco Social Impact Investments and the Cisco Foundation, we provide funding to organizations working at the forefront of social innovation. That support is critical, and we’re intentional about honoring its role. At the same time, we try to ask ourselves a broader question: how can we show up in ways that go beyond funding itself? Every nonprofit needs capital. But many also need access to technology, strategic guidance, specialized expertise, and networks that can help them scale and strengthen their work. We think about this as 1 + 1 = 3. Where it makes sense, we pair funding with technology. If the right infrastructure or stronger cybersecurity can accelerate impact, we lean in. We offer advisory support when it’s helpful, whether that’s thinking through growth, measurement, or long-term sustainability. If a partner needs highly specialized expertise, such as a cybersecurity assessment or a refined fundraising strategy, we tap into our ecosystem to connect them with the right people. Sometimes the value we can add is simple but meaningful. Hosting a partner at our offices so they can convene without additional expense. Presenting together at conferences to amplify their voice. Making introductions that create new opportunities. I believe this is where corporate philanthropy becomes most effective. Every company has assets beyond funding: talent, technology, relationships, credibility. The question is not just how much we give. It’s how intentionally we bring the full enterprise to the table. Because funding matters. But the multiplier often comes from everything around it.