Social Capital Markets: A Conference, Community, and Movement
Below are some reflections I wrote up following my attendance at Social Capital Markets 2010 in San Francisco last October.
As a scholarship recipient at SoCap10, this was my first time at the conference. For newbies like me, the conference was overwhelming, both because of its sheer size (approximately 1,200 attendees) and the breadth of expertise represented by conference attendees. What stood out to me was that SoCap is so much more than a conference. It represents a community. And communities are capable of creating movements, which is exactly what the social finance and impact investing communities need in order to take off.
As a social entrepreneur launching a business on social metrics, I thought I would naturally gravitate to the Metrics track, yet I found myself moving between tracks, and often finding other people doing the same. If SoCap is an event that checks the pulse of North American social innovation, then I can surmise that this is a group of people where cross-pollination of ideas are drive innovation.
A couple of sessions stood out to me, in particular the Mobilizing Next Gen & Inter-Generational Investing with Lewis Hower of University Impact and Diana Ayton-Shenker of Fast Forward Fund. The session focused on how to engage different generations in philanthropic culture. The age range (from early twenties to late fifties) made this session a dynamic dialogue that pinpointed different areas of engagement, and a discussion that continued beyond the session and into Day 3 of ‘unconference’ programming.
The World Business Council for Sustainable Development: Pathway to Vision 2050 was also eye-opening. The Council, consisting of some of the world’s largest corporations (such as Weyerhauser), created a plan to become a sustainable planet by 2050. Interestingly, Weyerhauser’s Bob Ewing made a business case for sustainability, noting that “sustainable forest management ensures our long term existence”. Weyerhauser and a coalition of other companies have started Forest Solutions Inc., a for-profit that works on sustainable forest management, creating long-term value for it’s shareholders.
In short, SoCap presents itself as an exciting doorway into a transformed economy. I’ll definitely be back next year.
Note: In addition to Social Capital Markets 2011, the organizers of SoCap10 are also convening a similar event this year in Amsterdam, May 30 - June 1st, called SoCapEurope.
Photo credit:http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaysoncarpenter/5053338308/
