Arquivo da tag: Socioenvironmental

Lack of collectiveness: the major ‘knot’ to be untied in (and by) philanthropy

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By Daniel Barretti, project manager at IDIS

 

“What is the difference between living in a world that is a mess and a world that is messy?”. This was how Philip Yun, Head of Global Philanthropy Forum, started the opening session called ‘Philanthropy: untangling the knots of the world’, during the Brazilian Philanthropy Forum 2024.

The idea is that society is not essentially a mess, but rather is living in a planetary mess created by itself. The positive part of this is that the mess, therefore, can be tidied up, and philanthropy can and should have an important contribution in this. For that reason, philanthropic actions should be efficient in comprehending the current challenges and proposing solutions as they arrise.

Amongst the many meanings of the Portuguese polysemic word ‘nós’, one of the most commonly used is to say ‘us’. But the panelist’s speeches pointed out a meaning of the word contrary to this word: the lack of collectivity – maybe the main challenge we must face in contemporary society. Sergio Fausto, General Director of Fundação Fernando Henrique Cardoso, says: “Spaces that should be plural and democratic are far from being spaces that privilege the debate and public interest”.

The ‘knot’ of the absence of collectivity is that which implies a lack of dialogue, a lack of plurality of people, ideals, skills and practices.

To Renata Piazzon, Managing Director of the Arapyaú Institute, one of the main ‘knots’ to be untangled nowadays is the climate agenda. However, it does not stand alone.

The environmental issue is interconnected with an extreme lack of collective sense, where the false dualism of man and nature prevails. According to the panelist, philanthropy must first understand climate issues from an integrated development perspective where, for example, heat waves, drought, and alarming fire outbreaks are not restricted to environmental concerns but also to agriculture, public health, and economy. After all, the interrelation between these phenomena is clear. The scenario of severe drought and fires directly impacts the population’s health, as well as the loss of agricultural crops. The unraveling of this chain reaction also leads to rising food prices, inflationary pressure and the consequent loss of purchasing power and deterioration of the population’s diet.

 

Watch the entire session 

 

 

Philanthropy should promote network action, articulating and mobilizing diverse social actors: the connectivity and collectivity as a solution to complex systemic problems.

If one of the main ‘knots’ to untangle is the absence of collectivity in society, this also seems like a challenge philanthropy itself must deal with.

Cida Bento, cofounder of the Center for Studies on Labor Relations and Inequalities, reinforces the importance of collectivity through the establishment of networks, and she goes even further defending a change in the power structure, bringing more diversity and, therefore, plurality of voices and interests to philanthropy. The search for solutions and the decision-making process lacks perspective from the part of the population that has been historically marginalized, the one’s who suffer with social, economic and environmental challenges in the current reality.

“[Collective and plural spaces] enable a more conscious decision-making and, therefore, generate a bigger impact”, completes Sergio Fausto.

A movement known as ‘trust-based philanthropy’ works in this path, advocating that funders should establish their relationships with benefiting partners through trust and collaboration, instead of conformity and control.

 

Rethinking the future of philanthropy

The educator and philosopher Paulo Freire once said that it was because of his love for the people and the world that he fought for social justice to establish itself before charity. It is not about demeaning charity itself, but rather knowing that by promoting charity as a consequence of a structure of privileges, there is a great risk that it serves as an instrument of maintenance, and even as an alibi for inequality.

Philanthropy differs itself from charity precisely through its strategic nature, capable of better allocating, qualitatively and quantitatively, private capital resources to public and collective causes. The question we must ask ourselves is: has it been effectively strategic? If the major ‘knot’ of the lack of collectivity, emphasized by the speakers, is present both in the current problems of society as well as in the way philanthropic actions have been carried out, this seems to indicate that the philanthropic sector also runs the risk of reproducing social power relations.

May harmony, reciprocity, collectivity and plurality be interlaced with a more powerful philanthropic thinking and acting process able to address current challenges, which are currently governed by almost exclusively private and economic interests.

Maybe it is time for society to rethink the subject of philanthropy (the white men, holder of financial resources and a certain professional prestige). After all, it seems urgent for us to look around and ask ourselves: who has the more to give and who has the more to receive and learn nowadays?

 

Photos by: André Porto and Caio Graça/IDIS.

Socioenvironmental: the integration of social and environmental spheres

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The pursuit of sustainability has become a fundamental goal for organizations, considering its value to society and the preservation of natural resources and the environment, as well as its benefits for organizational development and growth. This pursuit encompasses the economic, social and environmental spheres, which, although often addressed separately, are highly interconnected.

The current trend towards adopting sustainable practices is further driven by the urgency of climate change. According to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), climate change is undeniably caused by unsustainable energy use, land use changes, unequal consumption and production patterns, and lifestyles, resulting in high greenhouse gas emissions. These changes have already caused a 1.1ºC increase in the planet’s average surface temperature compared to pre-industrial levels. Their impacts range from human health and well-being to biodiversity and ecosystems.

 

But how do the environmental and social spheres intersect?

In general, it’s true that all economic activities have some environmental and social impact. With the evolution of corporate sustainability, now incorporated into the ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) agenda, organizations seek to mitigate their impacts within the social and environmental spheres through initiatives ranging from diversifying product and supplier portfolios to engaging stakeholders and implementing private social investment (PSI) actions. The complexity of the correlation between the social and environmental spheres necessitates equally complex initiatives.

While the environment is commonly understood as the natural world elements (water, air, soil, plant and animal biodiversity), its concept is broader. It typically includes not only these natural elements but also the relationships between people and their living environment, considering political, economic, cultural, and health aspects. Thus, addressing environmental initiatives inherently involves an integrated approach that also considers the social dimension.

Changes in the social sphere often correlate with environmental impacts at various levels, and vice versa. Among the various possible impacts and correlations, the following example focuses on water-related impacts, specifically alterations in water resources:

The interconnected functioning of these spheres is evident through this example. But could an environmental project operate, even in a remote location, without direct interactions with society? Initially, it may seem possible; however, considering the systemic impacts of the environment — namely, the natural environment and its relationships with society — it becomes clear that the interdependence of these concepts is inherent. The same applies to social projects; it is necessary to consider environmental factors.

Therefore, the need for a joint approach to these spheres is evident. Failing to consider the socio-environmental interconnectedness within projects and initiatives diminishes their effective impacts and their ability to reach broad audiences. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has emphasized the importance of integrating all sectors of society and implementing cross-cutting actions that address the complexity of interdependencies among climate, ecosystems, biodiversity, and human societies, particularly concerning climate change. This also applies to socio-environmental integration.

 

The role of philanthropy and Private Social Investment

The interdependence of spheres and, consequently, the causes associated with each of them, form a complex issue in which philanthropy and private social investment are already well equipped to act, without losing focus on the beneficiaries, namely those most affected by socio-environmental damage.

In our material, Perspectives for Brazilian Philanthropy 2024, we address the poly-crisis generated by this interdependence of spheres, highlighting the cross-cutting nature of causes and responses, and emphasizing the incorporation of these themes into our ecosystem’s strategic approach. Including connections, stakeholders, causes, and consequences in projects enables more informed decisions for generating structural changes.

This cross-cutting approach can be observed, for instance, in the Water Grant from the Mosaic Institute, which encourages community projects focused on water resource management and sustainable agriculture.

In the 2024 grant, the Institute offers up to R$45,000 for at least 12 projects contributing to SDG 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation – of the UN’s Agenda 2030. Projects aim to promote best practices in water resource management, increase access to water and sanitation, expand sewage and water treatment systems, preserve and restore water-related ecosystems, provide professional development for civil society organizations, and foster intersectoral cooperation.

 

IDIS in promoting socio-environmental action

Through well-planned and monitored private social investment, companies can navigate the interplay between Social and Environmental aspects, demonstrating their socio-environmental commitment to key stakeholders. Furthermore, they can engage stakeholders in collaborative processes to address complex social and environmental issues.

IDIS provides technical support to families, companies, and social organizations looking to initiate or enhance their private social investment with an integrated view of Environmental and Social aspects. We operate in a customized and participatory manner across six areas of action.

For more details, please contact us at comunicacao@idis.org.br