Heading into the season of thanksgiving, efforts seem to be sprouting up to build a brighter future everyone can be thankful for … someday. As with most efforts to bring people together to tackle big socioeconomic goals, the fruits of that labor are unlikely to be seen for quite some time.
 
Take, for instance, the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce’s new CEO Council, which has assembled 89 C-suite execs to date and expects to add more.
 
The council is meeting to advise the chamber on issues affecting the local business community, such as workforce development, affordable housing and economic recovery. Perhaps gathering ‘round the table to work on these issues will keep them engaged locally and less interested in exploring the idea of relocating. You can read more about the council on page 4.
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Also kicking their efforts up a few notches is Hollywood-based Good Worldwide and Upworthy, which have partnered with Oakland-based Net Impact to launch the Good Institute on Nov. 3. The institute will function as a think tank focused on empowering socially responsible organizations and people.

In conjunction with its launch, the Good Institute released its first impact survey of business leaders and members of the general public, who identified climate change and voting as critical issues. The survey respondents listed corporate social responsibility initiatives and treating employees fairly as top ways businesses can be impactful.

“By identifying specific steps, we, engaged citizens, are willing to take to make a difference, as well as the qualities we need to see in business leaders, the report provides an ideal roadmap for broad stakeholders to work together to address the world’s biggest challenges,” Net Impact Chief Executive Peter Lupoff said in a statement.
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And not to be left out of a chance to address the world’s problems, Barbra Streisand is funding a new institute at UCLA’s Division of Social Sciences that will include research centers for truth in the public sphere, climate change, dynamics of intimacy and power between women and men, and the impact of art on culture. UCLA, which announced the institute Oct. 18, has not disclosed the size of the gift.