Tech Matters: Using tech for positive social change

One of last month's issues of the Economist featured a cover story was heavy handed against corporate social responsibility. I felt the articles were not at the usual Economist level of analysis, and came across as more a negative editorial than impartial articles. I spotted a link to the letters generated as a result, and they are from a strong group of people making good counter-arguments. I especially liked the letter from the head of BT making the case for "adorned capitalism."

I am already starting to plan my spring trips. One place I will definitely be going is the Sixth National Gathering of the Social Enterprise Alliance. This is the grassroots conference for social enterprisers: the people who run mission-supporting businesses inside their nonprofit organizations. Last year was a blast, and I am looking forward to this one! Thanks to support from the Skoll Foundation, I will also be traveling to the UK for the Skoll World Forum on Social Entrepreneurship. One of our team members, Jesse Fahnestock, is attending the Skoll program at the business school there, which is the host of this event. It will be great to see Jesse again, and to tap into the vibrant UK social entrepreneurial scene. Should be two exciting social entrepreneurship events!

My last Davos Diary piece for BBC News was published this week, 'Meetings of Minds' . This was fun to write, and this Davos was incredible. Here's the text of my article: My good friend from India, Joe Madiath, bumps into another man at a Davos party thrown by the Egyptians. They say hi and shake hands. Joe exclaims: "You know something? You look a lot like Al Gore." "Many people tell me that," was the reply. Joe continues on this vein and asks the man his name. The quiet response? "Al Gore." The idea that a social entrepreneur serving the poorest of the poor in India might bump into a world famous politician is not a surprise here at the World Economic Forum. It was a quintessential Davos moment that drives home the accessibility of world and corporate leaders to each other and to social entrepreneurs, religious figures, artists, and the leaders of non-governmental organisations and trade unions. Self help The Schwab...