So last night a group of CEO’s got together in Johannesburg for the 702 Sun International CEO Sleepout which took place in Sandton [absolutely no irony there].
As i am in Americaland at the moment i only knew about it from the Twitterer and then was only able to get glimpses of what was happening from the same medium.
In some ways it seemed like a good idea – i heard about R24 million being raised for the homeless [but nothing about how it’s being planned to get it to them] but there were also a lot of aspects about it that started to make me a little wary.
And so at one point i tweeted this: i love the idea of #CEOSleepOutZA but celebrity chef soup and all night coffee seems to be somewhat missing the point?
My friend Megan, who lets me Improv with her on occasion and who sometimes says really nice things about me online responded to my tweet by asking ‘What exactly do you like about the idea?’
And while i responded with a defensive attempt at an answer, i had to be more personally honest and admit to myself that i didn’t really know. Something inside me wanted it to be a really good idea somehow and yet so much inside me was really just alarm bells going off.
I just read part of this article now from Eyewitness News which is titled, ‘CEOs overwhelmed by experience’ which contains such gems as this: “It grounds me when I have to experience what they experience every day.” [attributed to ‘a business executive’ – this is cutting edge journalism here it seems].
So the one tweet showed me pictures of the all-night coffee stand. A second one alerted me to the Celebrity Chef who was on hand to make soup for the participants. i read a tweet which spoke of how the one lady arrived with a sleeping bag able to take temperatures of down to minus twenty degrees.
This article went to say how, ‘The country’s top decision makers braved the cold winter evening and swapped their beds for the concrete pavement along Gwen Lane.’
As @MrSmithMachine To truly complete the #CEOsleepoutZA experience, they should let homeless people sleep over at all the CEO’s Sandton mansions tonight’, which seemed a little more on the button.
Because every homeless person has an iPhone with portable charger
This article did mention that the money raised was going to be going towards Boys and Girls town which absolutely does sound like a great deal [especially if it happens before the celebrity chef or whoever designed the designer cardboard chair/sleeping bag combos gets their cut] but it mentioned that it was about raising ‘awareness about the plight of people living in poverty.’
i’m not so sure.
If you are not aware that there is widespread poverty in South Africa, then you really should book a consultation with your local proctologist to see about having your head removed. The plight of people living in poverty? Well, that seems like quite an easy one to figure out as well, especially to the extent that one would sleeping in a warm sleeping bag, eating designer soup and drinking coffee in front of the press.
The cynic in me wonders how many of the people/companies involved did so for the press it generated or to stick up a photo in the entrance hall or add it to the company’s list of accomplishments come year end. The eternal optimist fights back saying that for some people it must have been a genuine experience and hopefully it somehow opened eyes and will open wallets and hopefully even mindsets towards the huge disparity between rich and poor in South Africa.
i honestly am interested though. Do you know someone who was there who can write a piece for me? What are your thoughts on the event? Is this something that will make a positive difference to the poor in South Africa? i would love to know your thoughts on this one…
My heart says “Yes, Please”, but my gut is really screaming “No!”
I do think your proctologist line is your fines work. ? Thank you for writing this.
Your finest work, even…
Ha ha that last line was not your fines work but I appreciated the tearful emoji. And the words!
Thanks for the thanks. I think this is a good post, only it could go even further. Lots of issues here need raising and exploring, including the one night publicity stand charity blitz bonanza.
I am hoping you might write that piece…
Brett: great thoughts, I listened to 567 discussing this from what I could gather it was an initiative put in place by a CEO who had previously been homeless, the second point that intrigued me was the amount of money raised, as 567 put it the money was to be used by DoSD to build additional shelters in Jhb. I hear your concerns and I share them, I also they question my (and our) complicity in the failure to raise awareness of this issue and to raise funds to combat homelessness, build relationships and have constructive discourse about this.
Ultimately I would hope that whoever organised this discussed it with the role players in this particular NGO sector.
That is my head.
My heart says it was an unscrupulous marketing attempt to draw clients to large corporates who are claiming some form of social responsibility (the ultimate cynic in me, questions how the money is donated section 18A – bbbee points etc). Coupled with this it demeans the work of advocacy campaigners who have spent countless hours, months, years on the street, learning to understand the primers that have led to the individual homelessness (in my very limited experience every case is very unique).
I am currently trying to wrestle myself into a space between the two, to see the good and constructively critique the bad.
Keep on sharing squire
Sorry money also goes to Boys and Girls Town
Thanks buddy, this is really helpful.
There are loads of people who probably feel the way you do. For me I was never under the illusion that they would experience the real deal. What I am happy about is for the charity who will benefit. At the end if the day that is all that matters. It was never the intention i believe not to have some creature comforts.
One of the CEO’s who participated is an old friend of mine. This is what he had to say on IT Web
“I believe that maybe it is a glorified sleepover for rich kids, but anything that can do this and simultaneously raise R25 million can’t be bad. But whatever the different intentions are of people getting involved, they did just get involved.”
“And I think it is a far cry more… better than putting a hashtag on their Twitter account. There is always more to be done, and I think we should embrace that and always try to do as much as we possibly can”
From what I have read from the other CEO’s as well I don’t think any of them were under the illusion that what they experienced was the exact equivalent of actually being homeless. I don’t think it was quite a ‘Zacchaeus’ moment for anyone involved but kudos to them for getting involved and hopefully it will be at the very least a step in the right direction toward greater social justice.
Would your CEO friend be up to writing an experiential piece for my blog? Looking for some stories from those who took part.
I don’t think so but I can check with him.
Hi Brett
I was there and published a piece on our website
http://nmg-group.com/2015/06/thoughts-on-ceo-sleepout/
Different people and companies went into this with different intentions and expectations. These thoughts are mine.
Andrew
Thank you so much, Andrew. Will take a look when I get to my computer!
Im in agreement with you here. What would make this really effective, and truly work to give CEO’s an experience? Give them blankets from Pep, wrap them in old clothes and give them all random boxes. This is a charity event, sure, and I’m all for the money getting raised etc. But it’s also supposed to raise awareness, and with just enough comfort involved for the participants that they dont reeeeeally have to come to grips with homeless life. Definitely agree with you on this one.