Maria Pinsker on How oikos Makes You Grow Through Each Challenge

“It is incredible how fast time flies when the event you and your team members have been planning for half a year eventually takes place. This year we were proud to welcome more than 160 participants at our annual University conference “Heldentag – Bist du bereit für Fairänderung?” to promote sustainability among students of all faculties.

 
When I joined oikos in 2014 I would have never imagined our association to become that popular in summer 2016, especially through our annual sustainability conference „Heldentag“. This year it was my responsibility to find seven speakers working in the field of sustainability and economics who would show that it is absolutely possible to combine both – profitability and sustainability. In six different workshops and one keynote talk, students had the possibility to learn from inspiring speakers who gave practical tips. From zero waste lifestyle t0 a business life running a package-free supermarket and many more. Thanks to the great work of our oikos Paderborn team, it was possible to not only organize the conference but also host our very first oikos Germany Meeting. At first it seemed to be a tough challenge to organize the two biggest events of the oikos year at the same time. However, our oikos team members supported each other and were very motivated to prove that one of the smallest chapters in Germany is able to successfully host a nationwide meeting.

 
I personally experienced how amazing it is to see your team members supporting the ideas you came up with and how students who are not part of oikos become aware of sustainability and the positive impact they can have on society. It was a challenging time as the vice-president of oikos Paderborn but I am still convinced that it was one of the most influencing years in my life. I truly hope that many of the students who participated in our conference or one of our other projects (Zero Waste Challenge, Documentary evenings, discussions, Veggie Dinner…) were inspired by our values and realized that there are other people supporting the same ideas as them.”

Written by Maria Pinsker, Vice-President, oikos Paderborn 

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oikos International

posted June 28, 2016

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oikos Presents its Leadership Programme at the Institute for Sustainable Leadership

In the end of May, Anita Negri travelled to Thailand to attend the ISL’s 11th International Symposium on Sustainable Leadership. The Symposium started with a field trip (External Development Day) to the Khao Hin Sorn Royal Development Learning Center, where participants experienced sustainability in agriculture in action following Thailand’s Sufficiency Economy Thinking’s principles. After having observed the achievements obtained by the centre, participants travelled back to the conference venue where an opening cocktail was held. Gayle Avery and Harald Bergsteiner, Directors of ISL, introduced the topics of the Symposium and an innovative tool, named Windtunneling, that would be utilized throughout the conference to share feedback, opinions and engage in discussions online.

The second day, May 31st was entirely dedicated to the Thai Sufficiency Economy Philosophy (SEP) with the participation of 300 guests and the launch of a book edited by ISL entitled Sufficiency Thinking. The launch was a successful and exciting event with a welcome speech from Dr. Chirayu Na Ayuthaya, Chairman of  the Thailand Sustainable Development Foundation followed by keynote speeches from His Excellency Don Pramudwinai, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, and Mr. Harald Link, Chairman of the B.Grimm group whose engaging talk covered how the B. Grimm group manage business with compassion. The afternoon featured panel sessions and workshops involving authors and practitioners on four broad topics related to the SEP – health, education, agriculture and community, and business.

 
On the third day, more than 10 papers were presented by ISL participants from around the world, ranging from sustainability in marketing, to agriculture and, of course, oikos’ paper on oikos LEAP. Fresh research was shared and participants engaged in interesting discussions. The Symposium was concluded with a panel discussion, hosted by Gayle Avery and Harald Bergsteiner, on the final day, with representatives from various sectors. Gayle Avery and Harald Bergsteiner addressed ‘honey-bee leadership’ and shared their findings and experience with the integration of SEP across sectors and its importance for the business as a whole. Some soon-to-be-published research was also presented on indicators for sustainability leadership and the path for companies and leaders to internalise sustainability thinking.

oikos is grateful to the Institute of Sustainable Leadership for having sponsored the trip to the Symposium and for the opportunity to share our efforts towards integrating sustainability thinking in economics and management.

All photos: Copyright Olga Mirkina, foto_om@mail.ru

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oikos International

posted June 28, 2016

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Publication of oikos Case Writing Competition finalists – 5 new free cases available

Picture_winners_cases_2016

We just published the finalist cases of this year’s oikos Case Writing Competition!
Whether you are a lecturer teaching courses in management, entrepreneurship or finance, or a student wanting to explore current sustainability challenges in your studies – these cases will provide fresh input to your classroom experience!

This year’s prize winners explore issues related to, among others, the supply chain of an organic mate drink company, the trade-offs faced by a sustainable energy startup and divestment efforts by a family investment fund.

Out of 14 finalists, 5 cases are now available for free as part of our oikos Free Case Collection. Inspection copies of 8 cases are available for download and can be purchased at the Case Centre very soon. Please find the links to all cases below.

Free cases and inspection copies of last years’ winners are available here.

Winners of the 2016 Competition

Corporate Sustainability Track

1st Prize

Free Case!

Guayakí: Securing Supplies, Strengthening the Mission by Michael Russo and Michael Crooke (University of Oregon, US)

2nd Prize

The Rise of a New Industry: Business Model Innovation at the Intersection of Energy and Mobility by René Bohnsack (Católica Lisbon School of Business and Economics, Portugal) and Pico van Heemstra (Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, Netherlands)

3rd Prize

KTDAL – Building Sustainability through Inclusion by D. Satish and Nagendra Kumar M. V. (IBS Hyderabad, IFHE University, India)

Runner-up

Free Case!

Alibaba.com between Economic Success and Corporate Responsibility by Kannika Leelapanyalert, David Beschorner, Kim Nadine Reckmann and Marie Aslanian (College of Management, Mahidol University, Thailand)

Social Entrepreneurship Track

1st Prize

Free Case!

Polarstern Energy – Sustainable Change Led by Innovative Entrepreneurs by Julia K. Binder (TUM School of Management at Technical University of Munich, Germany)

2nd Prize

Free Case!

Friends of the Children: Strategies for Scaling Impact by Jacen Greene, Nicki Yechin Lee and Eric Nelsen (Portland State University, US)

3rd Prize

Sanergy: Sustainable Sanitation by Indu Perepu and Geeta Singh (IBS Hyderabad, IFHE University, India)

Runner-up

Dr. Devi Shetty of Narayana Hrudayalaya: Delivering Quality Cardiac Care to the Masses by G.V. Muralidhara (IBS Hyderabad, IFHE University, India)

Runner-up

Social Franchising to Attain Scale and Sustainability: The Kibera Project in Kenya by Karen Loeb and Vijaya Narapareddy (Daniels College of Business, University of Denver, US)

Sustainable Finance Track

1st Prize

The Case for Divestment: Rockefellers’ Fortune? by Katrin Gödker, Josua Oll, Franziska Sump and Julia Frech (University of Hamburg, Germany)

2nd Prize

IFC Funding of Dinant Project: Call for Overhaul of Risk Assessment for Sustainable Finance by D. Satish and Manish Agarwal (IBS Hyderabad, IFHE University, India)

3rd Prize

Free Case!

Socially Responsible Investing: Data-Driven Decision Making by Magali A. Delmas and Jinghui Lim (University of California, US)

Runner-up

Bandhan: Advancing Financial Inclusion in India by Charles Dhanaraj (International Institute for Management Development, Switzerland) and Geetika Shah (Indian School of Business, India)

Runner-up

Catalyzing a Shared Sustainable Future: Responsible Banking at Yes Bank by Debapratim Purkayastha, Benudhar Sahu and Trilochan Tripathy (IBS Hyderabad, IFHE University, India)

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posted June 27, 2016

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Catalyzing a Shared Sustainable Future: Responsible Banking at Yes Bank

Abstract

As a leader in sustainable finance in India, Yes Bank reached the milestone of mainstreaming sustainability within its core business principles with a vision of evolving as the ‘Best Quality Bank of the World in India by 2020’. The sustainable corporate performance of the bank focussed on the triple bottom-line ethos, wherein the three interlinked measurement elements — people, planet, and profit — were interwoven with its business strategy. According to Yes Bank, its sustainable finance initiatives not only assisted it in creating value for stakeholders but also had a long-term positive impact on the community as a whole. The sustainable finance guidelines of the bank enabled it to integrate social, economic, and environmental policies into its business framework, and this attracted investments from Foreign Institutional Investors (FII) and Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPI) for building a clean and green India. The bank’s active presence in areas like development banking, micro finance, financial inclusion, agriculture, and investment in sustainable ventures created an enabling environment for the most disadvantaged stakeholders in society to aspire for a sustainable future and also enabled the bank to come up with some innovative products and services. As a sustainability leader for India, the bank’s sustainable finance approach distinguished it from its rivals and helped it emerge as a leading bank in the country despite its being a late entrant into the market. However, the bank admitted difficulties in communicating its sustainable objectives to its stakeholders.

This case is designed to enable students to: 1) Understand the concept of sustainable finance and understand why new age banks like Yes Bank were focusing on the triple bottom line ethos; 2) Study and analyze the sustainable finance principles and practices of Yes Bank; 3) Discuss and debate whether the sustainability initiatives of the bank delivered tangible results in terms of having a social, economic, and environmental impact on the community in the long run; 4) Understand the key concern for Yes Bank — communicating its sustainability initiatives to stakeholders — and explore the ways in which it can address the issue.

AuthorsDebapratim Purkayastha, Benudhar Sahu and Trilochan Tripathy
InstitutionIBS Hyderabad, IFHE University, India
Competition Year2016
PlaceRunner-up
TrackSustainable Finance
Key WordsSustainable finance, Responsible banking, Socially responsible investment, Climate change, ESG dimensions, Environmental Management Systems, Natural capital considerations, Green bonds, Microfinance, Financial inclusion, Bottom-of–the Pyramid customers, Sustainability Reporting, Stakeholder tension, Stakeholder engagement and dialogue, Communicating sustainability
CoursesFinance, Corporate Social Responsibility, Corporate Sustainability
Target AudienceMBA
Permission rightsThis case will be published at the Case Centre shortly. You can download an inspection copy below.
DownloadInspection Copy
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posted June 27, 2016

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Bandhan: Advancing Financial Inclusion in India

Abstract

Established in 2001 by Chandra Shekhar Ghosh to address the dual objective of poverty alleviation and empowerment of women, Bandhan was the largest microfinance institution (MFI) in India and the largest non-deposit taking MFI in the world. By 2013, it had grown to 2,016 branches across 22 states and union territories within India. With over 5 million borrowers and total outstanding loans of INR 57 billion (~US$1 billion), it had zero non-performing loans.

Case A sets up the need for and significance of financial inclusion, and the role of microfinance in the Indian context. It highlights Bandhan’s operational model and the various elements that explain its unique stature in the microfinance space. This case is poised at a junction when Ghosh is looking back with humility at Bandhan’s extraordinary achievements and contemplating plans to extend Bandhan’s reach by foraying into payment banking.

Case B is set at a time when Bandhan was about to embark on an organizational transformation that would convert it into a mainstream bank. In July 2013, supported by a Geneva-based investor, Bandhan had applied for a banking license to expand its operations by leveraging its network. And in May 2014, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had granted the license to Bandhan, making it the first MFI in the country to win a bank license, and also the youngest entity to be allowed to enter the banking space in India.

Ghosh had ambitious growth plans focused on the rural sector. Bandhan seemed to have built the right capabilities to be successful as an MFI. The cases allow for a rich discussion about the new capabilities that Bandhan would require as it shifted from being a pure MFI to a banking entity and how it should go about acquiring those capabilities. Was it preparing well to deal with the challenge of entering, surviving and growing in the banking industry while continuing to serve and grow in the MFI space? Could Bandhan develop a unique and innovative model to help it straddle both worlds?

With this license, Bandhan had been offered an opportunity to re-create the entire banking edifice in India. Participants have the opportunity to analyze the key issues in the cases and attempt to answer the question playing on everyone’s mind – how would Bandhan deliver on the goals of financial inclusion and sustainable banking?

AuthorsCharles Dhanaraj and Geetika Shah
InstitutionInternational Institute for Management Development, Switzerland and Indian School of Business, India
Competition Year2016
PlaceRunner-up
TrackSustainable Finance
Key WordsSustainable finance, Microfinance, Organizational transformation, Entrepreneurship, CSR
CoursesSocial entrepreneurship, General management, Strategy, Banking, Microfinance, Organizational transformation
Target AudienceMBAs, Executive education
Permission rightsThis case will be published at the Case Centre shortly. You can download an inspection copy below.
DownloadInspection Copy
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posted June 27, 2016

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Socially Responsible Investing: Data-Driven Decision Making

Abstract

Socially responsible investing (SRI) is an investment process that screens investment opportunities based on ethical, social, corporate governance, or environmental. SRI has been growing rapidly; total U.S.-domiciled SRI-managed assets increased from $3.74 trillion in 2012 to $6.57 trillion in 2014. The growth of SRI puts it in a position to encourage sustainability as such firms have better access to capital markets. Unfortunately, while financial performance indicators have become standardized, social and environmental performance ratings have not. As the prominence of SRI grows, so does the number of metrics available to evaluate corporate social performance: there were 21 ratings in 2000 and that number grew to 108 by 2012.

The complexity of environmental and social performance contributes to the proliferation of rating metrics. Different aspects of environmental performance might be important to different rating schemes. For instance, one rating could place emphasis on greenhouse gas emissions, while another rating could focus on water usage. The heterogeneity of such ratings creates a situation in which the results of an assessment of environmental performance can differ based on which criteria are used. This case examines this phenomenon.

This case examines 13 publicly traded chemical companies in order to understand the various measures and dimensions of corporate environmental performance. Students are presented with real-world data on corporate environmental performance (including pollutants released and third-party corporate social responsibility ratings) and asked to incorporate environmental and social performance into investing decisions available for download at http://www.environment.ucla.edu/ccep/sri. This case highlights the challenges of evaluating corporate environmental performance, including the positive correlation between environmental strengths and concerns.

AuthorsMagali A. Delmas and Jinghui Lim
InstitutionUniversity of California, US
Competition Year2016
PlaceThird Prize
TrackSustainable Finance
Key WordsCSR, Socially Responsible Investing, Environmental Performance, Social Performance
CoursesStrategic Management, Finance, Business Sustainability, Business and Society, or Environmental Entrepreneurship
Target AudienceMBAs, Undergraduates
Permission rightsThis case is part of the oikos free case collection. Download a free online copy below. If you are a faculty member and you are interested in teaching this case, you can request a free teaching note by sending us an email to freecase@oikos-international.org.
DownloadFree Case
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posted June 27, 2016

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IFC Funding of Dinant Project: Call for Overhaul of Risk Assessment for Sustainable Finance

Abstract

The case study is based on a dilemma faced by IFC, one of the financing arms of the World Bank Group, on whether it should release its next round of funding to Corporación Dinant (Dinant), a Hondurus-based vertically-integrated palm oil and food company, to enable it to develop young palm oil plantations. IFC, which proposed to invest US$30million of the total estimated project cost of US$75million, had disbursed US$15 million in November 2009.

Civil society groups had alleged that Dinant had been involved in gross human rights violations and accused it of forced eviction of farmers and inappropriate use of private and public security. The civil liberty groups alleged that IFC had not exercised due diligence in its review of the social risks attached to the project and that it had not responded adequately to the context of intensifying social and political conflict surrounding the project after its commitment to it. The World Bank’s own watchdog Compliance Adviser/Ombudsman (CAO) in its report found multiple failures by IFC in the handling of the Dinant project.

Having faced a backlash from civil liberties groups and having admitted to lapses, IFC now has to decide on whether to go ahead with its next round of US$15 million financing to Dinant. IFC is engaging with Dinant actively but the decision on funding the next round has to be taken. Backtracking on the funding would be seen as a serious blow to sustainable financing while releasing the next round of financing could only happen after Dinant gives a series of commitments to work closely with the community. All in all, the case study will definitely raise issues and call for discussion on appropriately assessing, forecasting, and pricing risks of sustainable finance projects, especially in conflict prone countries in the future.

AuthorsD. Satish and Manish Agarwal
InstitutionIBS Hyderabad, IFHE University, India
Competition Year2016
PlaceSecond Prize
TrackSustainable Finance
Key WordsSustainable finance framework, IFC, Honduras, Dinant, World Bank Group EHS guideline, Oxfam, ESAP Conditions, Compliance Advisor Ombudsman, Bajo Aguán, Stakeholders engagement, community development, Environmental social management
CoursesCorporate Sustainability, Business Ethics
Target AudienceGraduate level students
Permission rightsThis case will be published at the Case Centre shortly. You find an inspection copy for download below.
DownloadInspection Copy
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oikos International

posted June 27, 2016

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The Case for Divestment: Rockefellers’ Fortune?

Abstract

Founded in 1940, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund (RBF) is a private charitable foundation endowed with John D. Rockefeller’s heritage made in the fossil fuel sector from so called “Big Oil” companies. While it is RBF’s mission to advance social change and to contribute to a more just, sustainable, and peaceful world, in 2014 the fund was still invested in fossil fuels – implying a disconnect between the fund’s investment strategy and the commitment to tackling climate change. Due to this disconnection and the recent emergence of the fossil fuel divestment movement in society, RBF considered withdrawing all funds from fossil fuel investments.

Today, Stephen Heintz, president of RBF, set up a board meeting with all officers and trustees of RBF to discuss and decide whether the fund should fully divest from the fossil fuel industry. Given the (historic) importance of fossil fuel to the Rockefeller fortune, he was faced with a symbolic as well as fateful decision for RBF. This decision process represented a complex and multifaceted challenge: RBF’s moral obligation of preventing climate change and the economic duty as an institutional investor to preserve and increase endowment required balance. Stephen Heintz knew that in order to make a decision he would have to not only use solid financial calculations but also engage in extensive dialogue with all RBF relevant stakeholders.

Working on this case, students will be challenged to analyze investment performance from a financial as well as sustainability perspective, bring together arguments for and against divestment, and align conflicting interests through stakeholder dialogue.

AuthorsKatrin Gödker, Josua Oll, Franziska Sump and Julia Frech
InstitutionUniversity of Hamburg, Germany
Competition Year2016
PlaceFirst Prize
TrackSustainable Finance
Key WordsSustainable finance, divestment, climate change, portfolio management, stakeholder dialogue
CoursesFinance
Target AudienceMBAs, Undergrads
Permission rightsThis case will be published at the Case Centre shortly. You find an inspection copy for download below.
DownloadInspection Copy
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oikos International

posted June 27, 2016

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Social Franchising to Attain Scale and Sustainability: The Kibera Project in Kenya

Abstract

This case presents the history and development of a Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) project in the Kibera slums of Nairobi, Kenya, that was initiated by Rotarians and funded initially, in large part, by the Rotary International Foundation. It discusses the numerous operational and strategic challenges faced by those working on this Kibera Project and the Rotary Project leader, Kim Larson, whose persistent dedication and business perspective helped to shape much of the project after initial construction of eight water and sanitation kiosks, putting these WASH facilities on a path to sustainable operations. The case issues include Creating Shared Value (CSV), Total Quality Management (TQM) tracking processes, and community engagement that lead to measurable, sustainable operations in the water and sanitation sector.  The case also addresses how to create behavioral change in challenging circumstances like urban slums and how to use hygiene training as a marketing tool to drive usage of WASH facilities. Students will also learn how careful monitoring and analysis of health and financial data demonstrates the 3 Ps of sustainability of an operation (People, Planet, Profits) which, in turn, lay the foundation for replication and expansion in the form of social franchising.

AuthorsKaren Loeb and Vijaya Narapareddy
InstitutionDaniels College of Business, University of Denver, US
Competition Year2016
PlaceRunner-up
TrackSocial Entrepreneurship
Key WordsSocial Franchising, Scale and Sustainability, WASH facilities, Kenya
CoursesSocial Entrepreneurship
Target AudienceMBAs and Executive MBAs
Permission rightsAn inspection copy of this case and more information regarding publication will be posted shortly.
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oikos International

posted June 27, 2016

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Dr. Devi Shetty of Narayana Hrudayalaya: Delivering Quality Cardiac Care to the Masses

Abstract

The case discusses the growth of Narayana Hrudayalaya (NH) — a social enterprise set up with the objective of providing affordable healthcare to the needy — its emergence as a chain of well-run hospitals across India, and its foray into foreign countries. The case further highlights the decision of the company to go in for an IPO and poses the question whether this would affect the social objective of the organization in view of the pressures it would face as a publicly listed company.

NH was established in Bangalore in the year 2001 by Devi Shetty (Shetty) with a 225-bed hospital primarily providing cardiac care. By 2015, it had grown into a chain of 57 facilities with 5,600 operational beds. NH stood apart in the Indian healthcare market by providing quality healthcare to the masses at an affordable cost. In 2015, it had operational revenue (standalone) of INR 13,075 million with a profit of INR 289 million, treating patients from 25 countries. Shetty had plans to establish facilities with 30,000 beds by 2020. He pioneered several innovations to bring down the cost of treatment and the way in which the treatments were funded.

The challenge for Shetty was to ensure that the avenues and the investors he chose for further funding were in alignment with his priorities, growth plans, and expectation of returns.

In September 2015, Shetty announced his intention to go in for a public issue. There were doubts raised whether the pressure of shareholder expectations would distract Shetty from his social goals.

In 2012, Shetty had stated, “We are eccentric people. We are in the business because we want to help the underprivileged and the cost of healthcare to come down. For that, I need the freedom.” Will Shetty be able to enjoy that freedom and continue with his mission?

AuthorsG.V. Muralidhara
InstitutionIBS Hyderabad, IFHE University, India
Competition Year2016
PlaceRunner-up
TrackSocial Entrepreneurship
Key WordsSocial Entrepreneurship, Health care, Cardiac care, Innovation, Delivery to the masses
CoursesEntrepreneurship, Social Entrepreneurship, Healthcare Management, Hospital Administration
Target AudienceMBAs, Senior Level Undergrads
Permission rightsThis case is will be published at the Case Centre shortly. You can download an inspection copy below.
DownloadInspection Copy
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oikos International

posted June 27, 2016

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