It’s been nearly two years since the United Nations gave the world a 12-year window for reversing climate change. Knowing that the impact of the world’s collective action may not manifest for years, or even decades, the need to make significant change has never been more pressing.
With just over a decade before the effects of climate change become irreversible, working to repair the existing damage, as well as mitigate future damage, are of equal importance. It’s the responsibility of every citizen to support organizations working toward these goals. Determined, intelligent minds, in partnership with a mission-driven organization, have the potential to make global change at a time when it’s needed most.
That’s why HBS Online is proud to announce its partnership with Sustainable Harvest International for the second-annual Community Challenge.
The Challenge
Sustainable Harvest International (SHI) is a nonprofit that has provided training and tools to rural farmers for more than 20 years, enabling them to improve their diet, income, and health, while also working against the effects of climate change and slash-and-burn farming tactics.
As reported by the United Nations, the reversal of climate change by the year 2030 is linked to the crucial reduction of poverty. According to SHI, 30 to 40 percent of deforestation is the result of small-scale farmers who are struggling to support their families with unsustainable farming techniques, simply because they aren’t aware of sustainable alternatives.
By teaching sustainable farming practices, SHI has helped over 3,000 families in Central America regenerate roughly 30,000 acres of previously degenerated land. Now, SHI is looking to scale up and expand the impact of their mission to reverse climate change and fight rural poverty.
HBS Online and SHI are challenging the Community to develop a business plan that enables SHI to scale their impact by creating ventures that offset financial costs and increase farmers’ benefits.
Chapters are encouraged to either come up with their own business plan, or use one of the following ideas as a starting point:
- Marketing and selling products, such as coffee, plantain chips, and honey, from SHI farms
- Selling appropriate services, tools, or equipment to farmers in the program
- Identifying larger institutions in your area that would be interested in providing agricultural production training to smallholder farmers using SHI’s model
Solutions must support ecological-based farms in rural communities while considering affordability, organic integrity, and limitations on mechanized farming.
“The Harvard Business School Online Community can really play a tremendous part in helping our organization expand the reach of our mission and reach our goals for scaling up,” says Florence Reed, SHI’s Founder and Director of Strategic Growth. "Humanity has a very short window in time remaining to reverse climate change. Now is the moment in time for us to step in and play a much larger role in leading this paradigm shift.”
The HBS Online Community has already proven its ability to help a nonprofit during last year’s Community Challenge in collaboration with the Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB). Ten Chapters submitted their proposed plans to help the GBFB develop a scalable, cost-effective way for pantries to deliver food to clients. The New York City Chapter’s solution was selected as the winner, and the Challenge showed that when members of the HBS Online Community come together, they can produce innovative, practical solutions for organizations making positive change.
Getting Involved
Do you want to help SHI scale their mission? If you’re not already part of one of the 33 Community Chapters around the world, sign up for the Chapter closest to where you live. To note, the closest Chapter may be in another country, as the Community is still growing.
Once you've joined a Chapter, let your Chapter Organizer know you’re interested in participating in the Community Challenge. The Organizers will be spearheading the logistics, and will communicate with their Chapters about how to virtually meet to brainstorm solutions.
Submissions are due July 17th, 2020. Please see the Community site for submission details.
After HBS Online and SHI have reviewed all solutions, a select number of Chapters will have the opportunity to speak directly to SHI executives. Those executives will determine which Chapter’s solution could be the most viable and impactful, and will select that Chapter as the winner.
HBS Online is proud to partner with SHI to work toward a sustainable future for our planet, and is excited to see what positive change can happen when the HBS Online Community comes together for a second time to tackle an issue on a global scale.
If you're interested in meeting a network of business professionals in your area, explore the HBS Online Community and find your Chapter today.
