Cynthia S. Woods is IASB director of advocacy and attended the Global Summit on Social Responsibility on behalf of the Association.

Social responsibility is the new buzzword, especially for the world of non-profit organizations. Whether reflected in "green" cleaning supplies, squiggly compact florescent light bulbs, or financing mosquito nets in Africa or drinkable water worldwide, projects are as varied as the people involved.

One definition of social responsibility sees it as relating to human society and how it is organized; creating practices that make a positive social, economic and environmental impact. As school leaders become more aware of the need to lighten our carbon footprint, it becomes our responsibility to help others find means to lighten theirs.

The Global Summit on Social Responsibility held last spring in Washington, D.C., was a three-day working event sponsored by the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) and The Center for Association Leadership, two organizations that are linked by the belief that associations have the power to change society for the better. More than 800 people participated, about half in person and the other half either in a podcast or online all around the globe.

This unique gathering of people from all walks of association life came with the hope that together they could create "a new magnitude of socially responsible leadership with associations leading the way and driving the social responsibility movement forward." Since most of these issues are too overwhelming for one organization to tackle, the theory is that together we can make a difference.

"Sustainability — connectivity" became the mantra for three days. Or, as was suggested at the end of the summit: "A radical capacity for sustainable compassion."

The summit centered on achieving five goals:

• Sharing strengths and celebrating successes
• Furthering the business case for social responsibility
• Identifying the unique competencies and capacities that associations bring to social responsibility
• Generating guiding social responsibility principles for associations
• Taking action

Margaret "Meg" Wheatley, a writer and management consultant who studies organizational behavior, set the tone for the transformation necessary to allow change that equates to social responsibility: "But I've seen that there is no more powerful way to initiate significant change … a community discovering what it cares about."

Facilitator David Copperider from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, challenged attendees to look at what it takes to be a "change leader." Change begins in the mind of an individual, in the workings of an organization, he said, and the social responsibility initiative is about change.

"I see an astonishing surge of interest in social responsibility around the world," he added.

Visioning

Participants at the summit learned how to use the "appreciative inquiry" process to gain positive ideas. Appreciative inquiry is a way of seeing the world and, by envisioning the way you would like it to be, create the reality of the vision. It is also a way of learning and leading change that reduces or eliminates resistance while generating positive energy for systemic or individual change.

Jeffrey D. Sachs, author of the book Common Wealth: Economics for a Crowded Planet, explained how the world has been able to make global economics work but has not been able to make a global society that works. Organizations should make it a part of their public policy agenda, because it is within their "sphere of influence," he said.

The four key goals of a global society, according to Sachs, are:

• population stabilization;
• the end of extreme poverty;
• environmental sustainability; and
• global cooperation to solve common problems.

Sachs challenged participants to make a global society work. Issues that need attention first include how to get a crowded planet focused on population growth and help impoverished nations control their birth rates. Also of high priority is addressing extreme poverty that is marked by lack of food, water, sanitation and jobs, as well as the rate of resource use being higher than replacement for items such as water, oil and food.

These issues can be resolved by citizens, organizations, states and countries working together through public policy and global cooperation, according to Sachs, and people should begin looking at these issues from the lens of common interests rather than differences.

Tackling the elephant

Advocating for ways to affect these various hurdles brought a multitude of ideas for action, which condensed into 18 broad topics covering a spectrum of social responsibility (SR) initiatives. They included: One World Award, Projects and Initiatives, Organizational Structures/Alliances, International Clean Water, Guiding Principles, Quality of Life for All, Public Policy: Dialogue and Action, Global Capacity — All Welcome, Age as an Asset, Global Connections, Seven Wonders, Starfish Community Network, SR toolbox, SR on tap, SR innovation on the edge, Recycle and free cycle, Global SR partners.

The Seven Wonders were identified as: prosperity, peace/safety, health, education, environment, innovation/technology, and social justice. That topic group combined with the guiding principles and global compact group to work on what the guiding principles would be for socially responsible organizations who might want to get involved.

The group looked at a variety of existing organizational principles and considered two varied sets: the 1450 Great Law of Peace of the Iroquois Confederacy and the United Nation's Millennium Project of 2002. The former has as its main premise that peace is law, encompassing justice between nations and individuals, health and power through justice. The U.N. project includes eight goals relating directly to socially responsible actions: eradicate extreme hunger and poverty; achieve universal primary education; promote gender equity and empower women; reduce child mortality; improve maternal health; combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and disease; ensure environment sustainability; and develop a global partnership for development.

The guiding principles sub-committee began developing a document on "Guiding Principles for Associations for Social Responsibility" that will be inclusive yet broad-based. Although it is a work in progress, the general format begins with a preamble stressing the willingness of associations and organizations to embrace the theories behind social responsibility. It includes seven additional areas of significance: responsible advocacy; environmental and economic sustainability; public protection that includes ethics and self-regulation; human rights; diversity; philanthropy/community service; and leadership. But the committee has yet to reach agreement on these areas.

One small step

The overwhelming aspects of this undertaking are juxtaposed with the recognition that this world grows smaller daily. And that we can't wait for a perfect time to begin.

"As a community we all learned that something doesn't have to be crystal clear to take a leap," said Susan Sarfati, president and CEO of The Center for Association Leadership and vice-president of ASAE. "We don't have to have all the answers."

School board members are already involved in social responsibility by virtue of serving their communities. But taking the next step to embrace what each can do to impact the change needed to sustain our small world may be more difficult to identify.

Much as anyone would like to solve the problem of world hunger tomorrow, it is impossible. But deciding to begin to work on helping solve the problem, identifying an issue to work on, and taking the first steps are all possible. Just having the dialogue to begin awareness is a first step.

Anyone can take that first step by asking some simple questions that may have complex answers: What is your passion? What would you like to see addressed and resolved in your lifetime?

Staying in education

Maybe the fit with social responsibility for those in education comes from already being involved in a socially responsible arena. Elected, volunteer school board members can work on social responsibility through a district mission statement.

School boards may have policies in place to encompass aspects of social responsibility. Illinois Association of School Boards also offers a new diversity/inclusion workshop for those looking for a place to begin.

The opportunities are limitless, whether looking for something that an individual can do, what a school board member can do, and even what a board, a district and a community can do.

The opportunities are as many as there are ideas, including adopting a less fortunate school in the state, promoting the "greening" of a district, or having students adopt a local, national or international project to shine light on and support solving some of the broader problems facing our globe.

What can Illinois school districts do to promote social responsibility as part of their legacy? Have the discussion focused on the question: "What are the elements of social responsibility that will become part of our core purpose?"

We owe it to all the children.

References

Jeffrey D. Sachs, Common Wealth: Economics for a Crowded World, Penguin Press, 2008

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