This video and article are produced and published by Devex Impact, a global initiative of Devex and USAID, that focuses on the intersection of business and global development and connects companies, organizations and professionals to the practical information they need to make an impact.
At a time when businesses are expanding their social missions and setting development-focused goals, Stephen Jordan, the executive director of the Business Civic Leadership Center, a non-profit affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, said euphemisms can cloud important discussions among potential partners.
“We have jargon because some of the simple words are scary,” said Jordan, speaking with Devex Impact on the sidelines of BCLC’s 2012 Global Conference in Washington D.C.
Jordan also explained why companies are more focused than ever on the communities in developing countries where their work takes place, pointing to Alcoa’s work with local communities in Brazil as an example.
Video editing by Sarah Cannon.
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About the author
Andrea Useem
As former associate editor and content director for Devex Impact, Andrea created and managed cutting-edge content on the intersection of business and international development. An experienced multimedia journalist, Andrea also served as leadership editor at the Washington Post and spent three years as a foreign correspondent in Eastern Africa reporting for publications including the Boston Globe, Dallas Morning News, and San Francisco Chronicle.