Hotspot is excited to support the efforts of CDC Development Solutions (CDS) and IBM to strengthen international corporate volunteer programs through the new Center of Excellence for International Corporate Volunteerism. Hotspot will be providing guidance on the development of an effective digital communications strategy for the program that was reported by MSNBC. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is working with IBM and CDS to increase the number of employee volunteers at U.S.-based corporations by providing meaningful assistance to local governments, small businesses, and civic groups in emerging markets abroad. Corporate volunteers are “citizen-diplomats” making this work part of a practice that Hotspot is developing to strengthen and enhance the work of citizen diplomacy by providing digital communication strategies that make it easier for Americans to become internationally engaged. Hotspot’s previous clients in this area include the U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy, iEARN and the Alliance For Youth Movements. This problem is also part of Hotspot’s work in the field of corporate social responsibility but reflects the changing nature of CSR from a philanthropic model to a buisness development model. More details on the project are available from the USAID press release here.