Two Models Connecting Technology and Social Change: The World’s Largest Philanthropic Network and the Global Rescue Service

A conversation with Paul Shoemaker, Executive Connector and Director, Social Venture Partners Seattle; and Andrew Wallis, Founder, unseenUK; hosted by Jay Leon, Founder and CEO, CSG Channels

Social Venture Partners is a worldwide network of impact investors and, as Shoemaker explains, technology makes this possible. He believes we should all be asking ourselves “What does your world need you to be now?” SVP has grown 20% in the last year. Why? Shoemaker says SVP cuts across geography and political dogma; It’s about engagement beyond physical capital. He believes people want to be working on the things they’re passionate about in a networked system rather than in silos. Companies and the private sector are playing an increasing role in that. In an increasingly networked, digitized world, it no longer takes a small group of thoughtful committed citizens to change the world. It only takes one.

Andrew Wallis was at FiRe last year with Hugh Bradlow of Telstra and Julia Ormond talking about the potential for a global human trafficking mobile rescue system. Hold your phone in your hand. No really, do it. That phone is a potential global rescue network, but it is also your connection, within four degrees, to slavery. The impact of slavery on business globally is $42-44 billion each year. There are an estimated 25 million slaves in the world. Globally, we don’t have a safe enough law enforcement network to ensure that victims won’t wind up back in slavery, which was a bit of a wall for unseenUK and the plan for a global mobile rescue system.

However, Wallis’ friends at Polaris have done it in the U.S and the U.S. and Australia have passed laws around supply chain transparency. There is progress and it can be done.