FOCUS ON: SOCIAL ENTERPRISE CSR
link the whole food chain in a way that everyone can understand. ”
PROFITS FOR PEOPLE
If Corporate Social Responsibility is about conventional businesses and their staff doing the right thing by making money and then giving some of it away, Social Enterprises go one step further by changing the very nature of their business model.
One of the founding fathers of the concept was Muhammad Yunus, who started out by establishing a bank to serve the poor of Bangladesh. He coined a definition of social enterprise which has been widely accepted as “harnessing the energy of profit-making to the objective of fulfilling human needs”. Now he has a network of social businesses in telephones, water, nutrition, clothing and footwear. In the UK, The Eden Project, The Big Issue magazine and Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen restaurants are all examples of social businesses. Yunus understood that all entrepreneurs are naturally committed to creating value. In the past, some of them turned philanthropist, using the money they had generated in order to create a social impact. The difference with a social enterprises is they short circuit that process by creating businesses which are
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Social Entrepreneurs can change the lives of millions of people for the better if only they are helped to follow through their ideas
themselves immediately producing the social benefit.
Former American President, Bill Clinton, was fascinated by the idea of Social Enterprise. He said: “The world is full of people with innovative ideas who are willing to give their all to implementing them but don’t have the money to get started. These “Social Entrepreneurs” can change the lives of millions of people for the better if only they are helped to follow through their ideas.” Those ideas are commonly seen in conventional community activities. But they can also be seen in areas which are much more connected into what looks like truly competitive territory.
When a licence to run the commercial radio station in Bath was offered, one of the bidders was an outright social enterprise. In their application, Radio Bath made it clear that they were going to operate with the support of the local community, because they felt that would make for a better station.
Executive director Simon Cooper said: “We would be different from other stations broadcasting in the area not only because we are locally based and local in our content, but because we are an engaged, integrated and an active part of the Bath community. Radio Bath would get involved in community concerns and initiatives, acting as a catalyst to improve life for local people and improve prospects for local businesses. Our mission will be to touch and invigorate lives in the city.” Unfortunately for them, they were unsuccessful in this particular bid, but it just goes to show that a social enterprise can play a part in virtually any area of business to bring a different dimension to the world of commerce.
More information from:
www.businessagainstpoverty.com www.Localgiving.com/communityfoundation/quartet
Business West Update JULY/AUGUST 2011
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