Case Studies

Stop the Traffik (STT) is a not-for-profit organisation that aims to end human trafficking worldwide which worked with IBM to conceive and develop a data-hub based on AI and cloud technologies, that enables institutions such as Barclays, Europol, Liberty Global, Lloyd’s Banking Group, University College London, Western Union, and others to provide its analysts with information to help combat human trafficking. Since its inception, IBM has defined itself by fundamental values—not by products, technologies, or leaders. Today, it is shared values define how IBMers worldwide came together as the foundation of IBM’s culture, brand, work, decisions, and relationships.

In partnering with STT, IBM formed a team based in IBM’s Ireland Lab to work directly with STT and their partners to define and deliver a technology which would bring together data from disparate sources onto one platform for analysis. In designing this project IBM and Stop the Traffik (STT) had a goal to ensure that the TAH would become a self-sustaining entity and the TAHub (technology) would be a vehicle for sustainability. The key question was “what will the TAHub do that someone will be willing to pay for?” In this case, the data that is captured on the TAHub is where the value lies. Working with IBM, TAH designed a subscription model where clients of TAHub pay to access the TAHub data (and have the possibility to supply their own data to the TAHub). This enables the TAH organisation to supply valuable data to their clients, which funds the continued development of the technology (TAH), funds the employees of TAH, and any surplus goes to the NGOs on the ground to further their work in developing education and other programmes to raise awareness and discourage individuals from unwittingly becoming involved in trafficking scenarios. IBM did not have technology to address the needs of STT so their team worked with STT to understand the business goals, select the technology stack, and design the solution with one critical requirement that the solution would not have a long-term prohibitive cost of ownership for TAH. The solution is cloud based and does use IBM’s Watson AI technology and uses open-source technology. The IBM team were engaged in the full project lifecycle and worked in partnership with STT and some of the other partnering organisations. This is something the average developer on a large IBM software project does not experience. This project allowed the team to innovate and to engage their entrepreneurial mindset which they can take to other projects within IBM as they grow their careers. In addition, over the course of the project they worked with other organisations and third level institutions to develop aspects of the technology in a collaborative development model.

IBMers believe in progress—that the application of intelligence, reason and science can improve business, society and the human condition. IBM Impact is affecting business ethics, the environment, and the communities in which IBMers work and live. IBM’s Good Tech helps communities take on challenges big and small. IBM brings the power of its technology, resources, and people to help with initiatives around the world, from education to health. We’re making a difference. Stop the Traffik – People shouldn’t be bought and sold. STOP THE TRAFFIK is a pioneer in human trafficking prevention. Working to unite people around the world by inspiring, informing, equipping and mobilising communities to know what human trafficking is, know how to identify it and know how to respond appropriately if they saw it.

Using AI and machine learning, the tool is trained to recognise and detect specific human trafficking terms and incidents. AI also enables the hub to ingest open-source data, including thousands of daily news feeds, to help analysts better identify the characteristics of human trafficking, such as recruitment and transportation. Only authenticated partners have access to the secure data hub, known as The Traffik Analysis Hub (TAHub), to which they can upload non-personal data related to human trafficking. The tool then uses AI to aggregate and interpret the data, transforming it into information that governments, NGOs, and financial institutions can act on. By analysing unstructured data and sharing the results, the platform improves cross-sector collaboration. Finally, the data-hub’s shared governance means that all partners own an equal stake and keep control over their data. By effectively sharing data with everyone in the global anti-trafficking community, TAH (Traffik Analysis Hub) are multiplying their ability to achieve their eventual goal: The end of human trafficking. This was enabled by an IBM Impact Grant – which is the provision of IBM skills and technologies to achieve a societal benefit, which is focused on enabling a not-for-profit organisation to address their core challenge but to also supporting them to become self -sustaining. With its final development phase completed, the Traffik Analysis Hub is the Leading Global Technology Platform to Disrupt Human Trafficking and the TAH has become a self-sustaining, independent entity as of 2021. The Traffik Analysis Hub is part of the STOP THE TRAFFIK Group and the TAHub now has clients from NGOs, Law Enforcement, Government, Financial Institutions, Businesses and Academic Institutions on the platform collaborating and sharing their data to combat human trafficking. The technology has been repurposed within IBM for several other projects most notably for another CSE based project on homelessness. IBM also gained from the project in another way. Partnering with STT meant that IBM brought some partners to the consortium, but likewise IBM built relationships with different business units of organisations who were already IBM clients, forging new commercial opportunities.

IBM do not refer to this project or any of the others which follow the same model as Corporate Social Entrepreneurship. These projects sit within IBM’s Corporate Social Responsibility division and the purpose referred to as IBM Impact – Impacting business ethics, environment, and the communities in which we work and live. However, if we look at CSR in the context of the journey to CSE, we can see how IBM are ticking the boxes of some of the key drivers of CSE. For IBM it has grown in terms of competitiveness and resilience. The Impact projects have expanded and grown to become Tech for Impact, which includes Blockchain for Social Good, AI for Social Good, Call for Code, IBM Science for Social Good and Environmental Sustainability, among others. This model (CSE) is enabling IBM to help communities take on challenges big and small by bringing the power of its technology, resources, and people together to help with initiatives around the world. IBM are making a difference and, in their efforts, to solve significant humanitarian and environmental problems through Tech for Impact, IBMers are challenged to meet the expectations of the client, and with the highest level of professionalism put their hearts into what needs to be done because there is so much at stake – these projects are lifechanging and may in fact save someone’s life. IBM see the resilience it builds in the organisation. The triple benefit—for community, for IBM and for IBMers is proven through the authentic and impactful delivery of a solution to the partner NGO. These projects support IBMers in developing new skills, both technical and leadership. With ongoing global pressure to change the way organisations work and interact with the rest of the world, it is the integration of organisational programmes like Tech for Impact that a wider social and beneficial impact. At the same time, these initiatives are helping prepare IBMers for the technology and leadership roles of tomorrow.

John McGrath Snr Solution Architect (IBM) and Neil Giles (CEO – Traffik Analysis Hub) discuss their collaboration which resulted in the TAHub technology.

The vision and strategy of Delta Café, is mainly at the level of corporate responsibility and the environment, and is aligned to changes which have occurred to the procedures and practices in the organisation. On other hand, Delta Café S.A. ensures the creation of economic value, through the sale of a product – coffee – or services – e.g. Business Solutions; and at the same time, Delta Café S.A. creates social value, supporting local development, such as job creation in regions of the interior of the coffee producing country, creating economic wealth resulting in a win-win for all.

• Delta mission is “It comes from our core values, and it has given rise to a mission that is very much focused on our clients and a management model based on sharing and dialogue.” [official website].
• Promotion of the professional capacitation of its workers as “active citizens” for the creation of “competitive communities” through the dynamization of partnerships and networks that involve collaborators, media, commercial partners, private or public entities, civil society organizations among others.
• The creation of a project called Ambiente Delta with the main objective of reducing environmental impact and creating a network of Sustainability Ambassadors: comprising employees of the commercial department. It allowed the consolidation of the sustainability policy.

The development of tools, such as the “Human Face System” and the “The Guiding Principles of the Business” are considered innovative and disruptive, as Delta Café S.A. states, they help to achieve advanced forms of CSR.

• The CEO of Delta Café S.A. combines traits of corporate entrepreneur and social entrepreneur. On one hand, his company intends to find innovative forms of coffee production and its expansion/commercialization. On the other hand, his company, since it foundation, demonstrates a concern for its employees and collaborators, as well the concern for creating social impact in areas affected/involved by coffee production. It’s also claimed that “The origin, personality and character of our founder determine our values and the development of a responsible management of the human face that constitutes our organizational DNA”. [official website]
• The “Human Face System” may also demonstrate that the CEO and managers are active listeners of their stakeholders once it incorporates the stakeholder needs and interaction between the company and stakeholders “The Guiding Principles of the Business were therefore developed to serve as a management tool with which compliance is vital to the development of a healthy and long-lasting relationship with the stakeholders.” [official website]

As shown in the company’s mission and in the Delta Café S.A. social and environmental responsibility projects, the social and environmental values are given centrality in the structure of the organization. Therefore, the creation of economic value is sustainable. The company is also in compliance with the law.

• Delta, in their economy activities, “Purchases Fair Trade coffee with the purpose of improving producers’ life conditions.”
• The business “It has contributed to job creation and the promotion of socio-economic development in North Alentejo region.” due to the establishment of jobs for one of the stages of the coffee transformation process
• Partnership is established with the Lisbon Prison for the implementation of remunerated activities for prisoners; the activities consist of machinery repairs. The main goal is to improve the self-esteem and skills of the prisoners
• Partnership with a HEI (Egas Moniz School) where a health project was developed in order to identify the risk factors of heart diseases in collaborators of Delta Café
• Promotion of activities aimed at the well-being of children and aged people.
• Support for the development of an entrepreneurship manual, named “Having Ideas to Change the World”, based on entrepreneurial projects or ideas of children aged from 3 to 12 years old.
• Delta monitors “its carbon footprint during the product life cycle and carries out the respective compensation” [official website]. As a matter of fact, Delta claims to be the “pioneer in the commercialization of carbon neutral products.”
• “Developed a range of sustainable coffees: Biological Coffee, Fair Trade Coffee and the Origins Range containing 30% of coffee with Rainforest Alliance certification”.

The creation of infrastructures, both in the country and internationally, as well the support services that benefit the stakeholders such as local communities, consumers and other interest groups demonstrate the optimization of activities/services that are affected directly by Delta Café S.A. production.

Through the creation and promotion of social impact and innovative and creative solutions to solve social, environmental and economic problems

• Different infrastructures and a network of companies belonging to the Delta Group (as known as Grupo Nabeiro)
• The engagement with external organizations (such as HEIs and local associations) to develop social and business activities
• The establishment of strategic alliances for the development of social and business activities (for example, municipalities)

The entire enterprise is shaped so that all the people working there and external member can provide inputs to create change and innovation.
The hold meetings very regularly, the organize workshops, facilitate between members and more in order to enable everyone involved to become active in stimulating social, ecological and economic value creation for the region and its local stakeholders.

The cooperative brings multiple stakeholders together in order to create a more sustainable (ecologically, socially and financially) economy. The members are smaller and bigger enterprises, and most are profit oriented. Meanwhile all activities must be carried out in a sustainable way. There we have the double return: socially and economically.

This key element forms the basis of the cooperative. A cooperative is not a cooperative when there is no co-generating value.

The official website has a very complete employability portal with free MOOC’s, available job offers, reports on the most demanded key competences and other interesting resources on the world of work. They also have training programs for workers adapted to new work realities. In addition, they are committed to open innovation.
– “Open Future”: Partnerships between Telefonica and public/private institutions for the ecosystem acceleration, focusing on local startups on a seed stage. They have 43 spaces in 9 countries of Europe and LATAM.
Whitepaper: “Lean Elephants Addressing the Innovation Challenge in Big Companies”

Telefónica I+D coordinates the global digital innovation and R&D strategy for the entire Group. Their innovation aims at an efficient creation of the future of Telefónica’s business, in a period of one to five years.

• Telefónica Innovation Ventures (TIV): is Telefónica’s corporate venture vehicle to invests and build strategic partners aligned with Telefónica’s global strategy. TIV invests directly in tech startups, or through a network of leading venture capital funds in which TIV participate as a limited partner in key markets for Telefónica
• 5th edition of its Sustainable Innovation Initiative (SII) among employees, suppliers and startups linked to Wayra and Open Future.

Sustainability in the world of innovation. This is the main premise of the Sustainable Innovation Initiative (SII), Telefónica’s in-house project in which it invites its employees, suppliers, startups linked to Wayra and Open Future, as well as collaborating universities, to create ideas that have a positive environmental or social impact. With the Sustainable Development Objectives (SDI) as a framework, this IIS, which has held its fifth edition, has presented its three winners

Fundación Telefónica and Telefónica Open Future_ share the idea that building an innovative and competitive society requires entrepreneurship and job creation. For this reason, and through their employability programs, they promote opportunities among young people by providing them with the appropriate tools and encouraging their business opportunities in order to connect them with new employability.
Conecta Empleo is Fundación Telefónica’s Digital Training and Entrepreneurship Program that seeks to increase employment opportunities for youth.
Through its Foundation, Telefónica makes a large contribution to the economic, social and cultural development of the countries in which it operates, improving their quality of life and promoting equal opportunities among citizens

Telefónica promotes numerous initiatives to encourage responsible use of digital tools among adults and, above all, among minors. Because education and awareness are key to the future of the digital society.
Telefónica has drawn up a global strategy based on six key lines of action: alliances with interest groups; blocking content; promoting an appropriate audio-visual environment; developing products and services that promote responsible and safe use of the Internet; working with different providers to encourage plans that help to protect minors; and setting up education and awareness campaigns for all audiences to facilitate coexistence in an increasingly digital society.
Telefónica is committed to innovative ideas and does so through Wayra, the most global, connected, and technological innovation hub in the world. Wayra operates through 11 hubs in ten countries, bringing the entrepreneurial talent of its ecosystems on a global scale

Telefónica’s commitment to its employees, in accordance with the Principles of Responsible Business, is to encourage their professional development, provide them with fair compensation and ensure respect for human rights.
The organizations have created DatAcademy, the learning environment for training Telefónica professionals in the Big Data World and opportunities for the company