Real Impact Begins When Executives Go There Get Things Done The John Deere Foundation and PYXERA Global in India [Huffington Post]

This article was originally published on June 3, 2015, by the Huffington Post, ‘Real Impact Begins When Executives Go There Get Things Done: The John Deere Foundation and PYXERA Global in India’. What if every major multinational company and corporate foundation moved from a check-the-box CSR model to a holistic, tri-sector engagement approach focused on improving lives? Imagine solving some of the worlds most intractable problems with joint initiatives that leverage the best of the private, public and non-profit spheres to develop sustainable solutions that address systemic problems. It is a shift in the global business culture and leadership mindset, particularly here in the West, that is just now starting to take root and build traction. I have worked in the corporate diplomacy and tri-sector engagement arenas for nearly two decades. In all my efforts with companies and their foundations, rarely have I seen this approach fully embraced at the very top with the most senior leadership rolling up their sleeves and getting dirty to get things done. Re-Imagining Development Tri-Sector Engagement from the Ground Up Many companies and corporate foundations talk about doing things differently and having an impact though too few actually invest in building sustainable programs from the ground up, working in true partnership with locals to bring about sustainable change and improve lives. This is just the approach though that the John Deere Foundation took when it partnered three years ago with PYXERA Global to create JIVA, the Joint Initiative for Village Advancement in Rajasthan, India. JIVA, which translates to life in the local Mewari dialect, aims to improve the lives of those residing in three villages in Rajasthan. JIVA was born from a 2011 corporate service trip in which Sam Allen, Chairman and CEO of Deere Company, led a team of executives on a volunteer experience in rural Rajasthan. The team spent one week working alongside farmers in these villages harvesting crops, cutting fodder, and helping to build livestock feeding bins. From this initial interaction, the John Deere Foundation decided to invest in a longer-term initiative. Since then, the John Deere Foundation, PYXERA Global, local NGO Jatan Sansthan, and the villagers have worked together to improve conditions in subsistence farming, education, and small-scale infrastructure. JIVA Impact Thusfar More than 50 percent of farmers have adopted one or more improved agriculture practices, resulting in increased profits for local farms. More than 50 percent of all village children are enrolled in JIVAs after-school program, including 100 percent of all drop-out students. Of those drop-outs, 84 percent have been reintegrated into formal schooling. In a region where individuals live on less than an average of $2 per day, JIVA is creating more than 70 full- and part-time jobs. Listening Then Leading with Core Competencies to Drive Sustainable Impact When I reached out to the John Deere Foundation for insight on their approach with PYXERA Global and why the project was different, President Mara Sovey said there was commitment at every level. What makes JIVA unique is that we actually began the project with a volunteer program, led by our CEO, Sam Allen. Throughout JIVAs development, we used our expertise and core competencies to make a sustainable impact and complement every activity along the way with employee volunteerism. I also reached out to PYXERA Global CEO, Deirdre White for her thoughts on the effort. First and foremost, we actively listened to the communities in Rajasthan through a comprehensive needs assessment, advised White. This project has stronger early results than anything Ive seen in my career. Senior leadership at the John Deere Foundation embraced the project at the highest level. This gave us the creativity and flexibility in how we approached the community. We were jointly focused on sustainable impact from day one of this project. This allowed our teams the room to assess and adjust along the way so the program would be targeted and tailored to the communitys needs. Assess, Adjust Advance A Focus on Personal Investment Community Ownership Yields Results Since 2013, villagers have invested over $14,000 dollars in agriculture and education-related infrastructure. For comparisons sake, this would be the equivalent of a five-person U.S. household living on an annual income of $27,376 contributing $219 to improve their neighborhood. This kind of personal investment indicates a behavioral shift that many in the development community consider the Holy Grail a commitment that demonstrates the communitys ownership in its own development. Moreover, villagers from neighboring areas are seeing the changes in the JIVA villages and have asked how they can emulate these best practices in their own communities. JIVA was recognized last month by the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy (CECP) as the recipient of their prestigious Directors Award for exemplary corporate-nonprofit partnership. Given the geopolitical climate globally, it is more critical now than ever that multinational companies and corporate foundations take the lead in solving many of the worlds greatest challenges. They are best positioned, as JIVA has shown, to create sustainable impact in the communities they serve. As a collective corporate community, we should celebrate efforts like this and actively work to share best practices so that we can emulate and scale similar interventions in the communities we touch every day. Written by Cari E. Guittard, Professor of Global Management, Corporate Diplomacy, and Women’s Leadership at Hult International Business School, for the Huffington Post, ‘Real Impact Begins When Executives Go There Get Things Done: The John Deere Foundation and PYXERA Global in India’. Grow your leadership capabilities with an MBA in international business at Hult. To learn more, take a look at our blog 4 steps to becoming a more influential woman: Focus areas for female leaders, or give your career a boost with our Masters in International Business. Download a brochure or get in touch today to find out how Hult can help you to learn about the business world, the future, and yourself. Hult Rotation offers you a chance to study in a truly global way. Our rotation program allows you to study and be immersed in some of the finest cities in the world. 📠¸: @jasminmanzano . Hult Rotation offers you a chance to study in a truly global way. Our rotation program allows you to study and be immersed in some of the finest cities in the world. 📠¸: @jasminmanzano . Each year, Hult seeks to enroll a talented and ambitious incoming class from all over the world. We look for diverse students with a wide range of experiences, perspectives, and interests—students who will thrive in our unique educational atmosphere. Are you ready for a truly global experience? 📠¸: @iambrunadiniz . Each year, Hult seeks to enroll a talented and ambitious incoming class from all over the world. We look for diverse students with a wide range of experiences, perspectives, and interests—students who will thrive in our unique educational atmosphere. Are you ready for a truly global experience? 📠¸: @iambrunadiniz . We’re excited to start 2020 on a ranking high! Hult is proud to have been placed #28 in Poets Quants 2020 rankings for Best Undergraduate Business Schools in the US. Taking a huge leap of 32 places from our 2019 position, we’re also very happy to have secured top positions in key categories like: life-changing experience, practicality of the degree, and global immersion. . With five global campuses, a student body of over 130 nationalities, and a learn-by-doing approach—Hult offers a student experience like no other. . We’re excited to start 2020 on a ranking high! Hult is proud to have been placed #28 in Poets Quants 2020 rankings for Best Undergraduate Business Schools in the US. Taking a huge leap of 32 places from our 2019 position, we’re also very happy to have secured top positions in key categories like: life-changing experience, practicality of the degree, and global immersion. . With five global campuses, a student body of over 130 nationalities, and a learn-by-doing approach—Hult offers a student experience like no other. . â€Å"I’m from an engineering background and needed a whole new skill set for the industry I wanted to switch to. I learned a lot about myself and how I deal with being out of my comfort zone. I learned both soft and hard skills, from how to work in very diverse teams to key accounting metrics and strategy. I was surprised by how weak I was at certain tasks in English or how strong I actually was in other areas. Hult gave me opportunities to try new things and meet people from places I never thought I would have friends. . My internship experiences gave me the chance to broaden my view of different cultures and different companies. I had the opportunity to work and live with people whose values differed from people in my home country. I thought that this would be difficult, but it gave me the chance to reflect on my own values and assess if they were a result of my home country environment or if they were intrinsically mine. . Diederick ter Kulve (@diederick.terkulve) Netherlands Masters in International Business . â€Å"I’m from an engineering background and needed a whole new skill set for the industry I wanted to switch to. I learned a lot about myself and how I deal with being out of my comfort zone. I learned both soft and hard skills, from how to work in very diverse teams to key accounting metrics and strategy. I was surprised by how weak I was at certain tasks in English or how strong I actually was in other areas. Hult gave me opportunities to try new things and meet people from places I never thought I would have friends. . My internship experiences gave me the chance to broaden my view of different cultures and different companies. I had the opportunity to work and live with people whose values differed from people in my home country. I thought that this would be difficult, but it gave me the chance to reflect on my own values and assess if they were a result of my home country environment or if they were intrinsically mine. . Diederick ter Kulve (@diederick.terkulve) Netherlands Masters in International Business . Say a big hello to our Bachelor of Business Administration program cover star, Elisa Orus Plana âÅ" ¨ . â€Å"I’m excited for the future—especially that I cant predict whats going to happen. Maybe Ill end up in Mexico working for a trading company or maybe in Africa, developing my own business. Everything is possible, and the options are constantly changing. I love the idea that Im never going to be stuck doing the same job until the end of my life if I dont want it to be like this. . Hult really supports me and my ambitions and truly believes that we deserve to be considered as professionals as well as students. Here, I get to express not just my opinions but all elements of myself. From my creative side with the Fashion Society to my finance and business sides in Trading Club and the Management Consulting Club. We get a different type of learning here. Not just essential knowledge and theory, but practical skills and mindset. The school is always evolving. We’re encouraged to innovate and to always look for new ways of doing traditional things. We learn how to be more confident and become aware of how we can impact our environment. The school aims to help you become a better version of yourself and to stand out from the crowd.â€Å" . Elisa Orus Plana French Bachelor of Business Administration Class of 2021 Say a big hello to our Bachelor of Business Administration program cover star, Elisa Orus Plana âÅ" ¨ . â€Å"I’m excited for the future—especially that I cant predict whats going to happen. Maybe Ill end up in Mexico working for a trading company or maybe in Africa, developing my own business. Everything is possible, and the options are constantly changing. I love the idea that Im never going to be stuck doing the same job until the end of my life if I dont want it to be like this. . Hult really supports me and my ambitions and truly believes that we deserve to be considered as professionals as well as students. Here, I get to express not just my opinions but all elements of myself. From my creative side with the Fashion Society to my finance and business sides in Trading Club and the Management Consulting Club. We get a different type of learning here. Not just essential knowledge and theory, but practical skills and mindset. The school is always evolving. We’re encouraged to innovate and to always look for new ways of doing traditional things. We learn how to be more confident and become aware of how we can impact our environment. The school aims to help you become a better version of yourself and to stand out from the crowd.â€Å" . Elisa Orus Plana French Bachelor of Business Administration Class of 2021"> During the final days of 2019, you probably reflected on what you’ve accomplished this year—and even this decade—and what you’d like to achieve in 2020. Let us know in the comments below. During the final days of 2019, you probably reflected on what you’ve accomplished this year—and even this decade—and what you’d like to achieve in 2020. Let us know in the comments below. â€Å"The first time we did group work on the program, I went head-to-head with a colleague. It taught me a lot about how I see people, how people see me, and how conflict can be resolved in a kind and productive way. The best feedback you get, when delivered constructively, is the most critical because it really feeds into how you lead. I’ve completely reversed my leadership style—the result is so much richer and more powerful when you lead from behind and lead with strength. . Studying in tandem with working, whilst challenging, gave me the perfect platform to directly apply learning concepts into my business environment, the competitive landscape, and the real-estate industry as a whole. When I started the program, I was very happy in my corporate role. But my courage and aspirations grew to the point that I took on a whole new direction. Having my career coach, Joanna, as a sounding board allowed me to really be strategic and get to know myself. She coached me thro ugh all the interviews, the research, and the questions. It went in parallel with what I was doing academically and after six months everything just clicked. . I went into the EMBA knowing I had nothing to lose and I’ve come out with everything. Great strength, global friends, amazing learning, mentors from professors, a job I love, and the knowledge that I can set my mind to achieve anything and with the right support and resources I’ll get there.† . Kashani Wijetunga British, New Zealand Sri Lankan Associate Director Senior Strategy Consultant CBRE EMBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"The first time we did group work on the program, I went head-to-head with a colleague. It taught me a lot about how I see people, how people see me, and how conflict can be resolved in a kind and productive way. The best feedback you get, when delivered constructively, is the most critical because it really feeds into how you lead. I’ve completely reversed my leadership style—the result is so much richer and more powerful when you lead from behind and lead with strength. . Studying in tandem with working, whilst challenging, gave me the perfect platform to directly apply learning concepts into my business environment, the competitive landscape, and the real-estate industry as a whole. When I started the program, I was very happy in my corporate role. But my courage and aspirations grew to the point that I took on a whole new direction. Having my career coach, Joanna, as a sounding board allowed me to really be strategic and get to know myself. She coached me thro ugh all the interviews, the research, and the questions. It went in parallel with what I was doing academically and after six months everything just clicked. . I went into the EMBA knowing I had nothing to lose and I’ve come out with everything. Great strength, global friends, amazing learning, mentors from professors, a job I love, and the knowledge that I can set my mind to achieve anything and with the right support and resources I’ll get there.† . Kashani Wijetunga British, New Zealand Sri Lankan Associate Director Senior Strategy Consultant CBRE EMBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"It was now or never. I knew that I’d have likely stayed in my neighborhood for years to come if I didn’t take this opportunity. I’d not lived or studied outside of the U.S. before. So I left my job as a global strategist at an advertising agency and moved halfway around the world. I’ve come back a more culturally aware, well-versed person. I’ve realized that everything is a learning experience and an opportunity for growth. Ill definitely carry this mindset with me into the future. Technology and social media allow us to be different people in several places at once. Im excited to see how I can establish myself in whatever city Ill be lucky enough to call home and still maintain deep connections with people all over the world. I’m inspired by my classmates every day. Hearing some of their life stories and how getting this degree fits into their greater mission has been very humbling. My biggest challenge has been finding the ‘right’ path for me. There have been rooms Ive felt like I shouldnt be in, but now Im proud to feel as though I truly belong, wherever I am.† . Dwayne Logan, Jnr. American MBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"It was now or never. I knew that I’d have likely stayed in my neighborhood for years to come if I didn’t take this opportunity. I’d not lived or studied outside of the U.S. before. So I left my job as a global strategist at an advertising agency and moved halfway around the world. I’ve come back a more culturally aware, well-versed person. I’ve realized that everything is a learning experience and an opportunity for growth. Ill definitely carry this mindset with me into the future. Technology and social media allow us to be different people in several places at once. Im excited to see how I can establish myself in whatever city Ill be lucky enough to call home and still maintain deep connections with people all over the world. I’m inspired by my classmates every day. Hearing some of their life stories and how getting this degree fits into their greater mission has been very humbling. My biggest challenge has been finding the ‘right’ path for me. There have been rooms Ive felt like I shouldnt be in, but now Im proud to feel as though I truly belong, wherever I am.† . Dwayne Logan, Jnr. American MBA Class of 2019 . Happy New Year, Hultians! . Happy New Year, Hultians! .