I do not normally share the CSR-projects of my business. But in this post I will do an exception and share some of my recent CSR-activities in the last month.

First of all: I call it “creative social responsibility”, well, because I speak on creativity and want to remind myself to do creative projects that help.

In the last few weeks we have done these projects (sample):

• Environment. (Tree planting, Bintan)

A few weeks ago I took my family to Bintan, Indonesia to help plant mangrove trees off the coast of Bintan to help restore the local marine environment.

• Pro-bono speeches (Boys’ Brigade.)

This Saturday I volunteered to speak for the Boy’s Brigade in Singapore. As a global speaker I find it important to get involved with the causes that are dear to the local community where I live. I was happy to be one of two speakers and to share the stage with the Minister of Foreign Affairs (Vivian Balakrishnan).

• Find-your-voice (sponsor a deaf child)

Last week I  was in Manila and met with Julie Gutierrez Esguerra, an amazing woman who teaches deaf children how to talk and read lips. A perfect example of someone helping children “find their voice”. And I am happy to sponsor Julie’s school to give the gift of speech to more deaf children.

I am of the belief that as a global speaker the CSR-activities should be a mix of very local (picking up trash with our children where we live – which we did yesterday) via local community involvement (like speaking for Boy’s Brigade, to regional help (like the support of deaf children in the Phillipines, to global events (like supporting WorldVisions projects (which we also did last week.)

I also believe it should be a mix of giving of your time, giving with your heart and giving with your wallet.

How do you plan your CSR activities and what is your strategy around it?

IDEAS ISLAND.

One of my global CSR-project is Ideas Island (www.IdeasIsland.com) where I encourage creative people from around the world to apply to come and stay – for free – on one of my private islands (in Sweden) to work on their favourite creative project. (I encourage those who can to give a small amount to charity, but no money goes to me.)

Ideas Island is all about giving creative people a chance to experience the amazing feeling of sitting, by yourself, on an island where you can just focus on your own ideas. (I spend 2 months per year on my other island so I know the creative power that comes from being alone with your ideas on an island.)

If you are interested to get a chance to stay on Ideas Island this summer (we have a couple of free weeks that just opened up) I MIGHT be able to get you a spot. Email me on fredrik@fredrikharen.com and tell me who you are and why you think you should get to stay on Ideas Island to work on your creative project.