Mark Kramer , Senior Fellow in the CSR Initiative of the Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business in Government at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government

Mark R. Kramer, the Founder & Managing Director of FSB Social Impact Advisers, is an expert when it comes to helping companies integrate their charitable efforts with their overall business techniques.

According to him, the traditional CSR (Corporate Shared Value) model is used by many big companies for several reasons: 1.) From a sense of moral obligation to give back to society; 2.) Out of “enlightened self-interest” as a way of facilitating business operations; 3.) As a way to pacify critics and eliminate obstacles to doing business; or 4.) To protect the reputation of a company or brand in the long-run.

Mark Kramer and Michael E. Porter (fellow Harvard Professor ) gave the example of how global food company Nestlé works with local farmers for production of its food products. They point out that Nestlé benefits as a company by taking care of the welfare of the small time farmers.  Here in the Philippines, Nestlé uses the same approach in working with small coffee farmers in the production of its world famous coffee products.

Kramer’s expertise in the field of philanthropy and CSR includes strategy, evaluation, leadership, social entrepreneurship, community foundations, venture philanthropy, cross-sector collaboration, and social investments. Aside from being a top consultant to major corporations in such matters, he is also the author/co-author of several studies published in the Harvard Business Review—influential studies that changed the way businesses undertake their CSR.

As a key speaker for various CSV fora, Mark Kramer encourages companies to make CSV as an integral part of their business strategy, thereby creating shared value not only for the company but also for society. Prior to founding FSG, Kramer was President of Kramer Capital Management, a venture capital firm, for 12 years. He was also an Associate at the law firm of Ropes & Gray in Boston. Kramer received his B.A. summa cum laude from Brandeis University; and has an M.B.A. from The Wharton School. He also received a J.D. magna cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.