Addressing the basic needs of the poorest people in the world is a daunting mission, but San Francisco–based Mulago Foundation has developed a simple algorithm that makes it significantly easier. The philanthropic venture fund, led by managing director Kevin Starr, provides grants and low-interest loans to organizations that demonstrate an ability to transform impoverished communities. Think of […]
Social Entrepreneurs
7 Keys to Balancing Profits Versus a Higher Purpose
It’s always been tough to start a new business, even when the bottom line was just making a profit to stay alive. A few years ago, a second focus of sustainability (“green”) was added as a requirement for respectability. Now I almost always hear a third mandate – social responsibility. Entrepreneurs are now measured against […]
What’s In It for Me? A Summary of Social Impact Tax Reliefs
Interested in injecting an ethical component to your investing? Well, we have good news – with the SITR, you can have your cake and eat it too. So-called ‘impact investing,’ in which investors aim not only to make a return but also to make the world a better place through their investments, is a relatively new […]
How Toms Shoes Turned Social Responsibility into a Primary Business Strategy
Toms Shoes is a company that probably needs no introduction. It’s the shoe company that combined innovative business practices with philanthropy and got itself global attention as a result. Naturally, while some agreed with this novel business approach, others severely opposed such business practices. For one reason or another, Toms know how to remain in […]
When Good Beer = Clean Oceans
Saltwater Brewery was started just under 3 years ago when a group of friends from Florida decided to pursue their combined passion for beer and the ocean. Chris Gove, the founder of the company, was in San Diego pursuing a career in finance and development when he decided to come up with a business plan […]
4 Pillars of Social Capitalism Drive Good Business
I’ve noticed that most young entrepreneurs are more socially conscious today than ever before, which is a great trend. Unfortunately, some are so focused on this principle that they forget that every business, even non-profits, have to practice the basic principles of capitalism (build a business model to make money) to cover their costs to do good […]
How to Grow Your Business While Making a Difference
This year, the media has unearthed a lot of unscrupulous and unethical business tactics by large corporate entities and household names many of us know. This is alarming, and it also raises the question: is the truly ethical business a fairytale? And if not, then how does an ethical business compete in a world full […]
More Interested in Making a Difference Than Profits? Social Entrepreneurship.
What if smart and energetic entrepreneurs could “disrupt” a social problem and give us whole new ways at looking at solutions? That’s the heart of social entrepreneurism.
How Cause Marketing Can Be Smart Marketing
In the last 20 years, the term “cause marketing” came onto the horizon. The whole idea was this: Many companies donate their time, their talent and their money to various charities, but it was done without anyone knowing about it or the company gaining any additional value from being a good citizen.
Half of US Adults Say a Company’s Reputation for Social Responsibility Affects Their Buying Decisions
Good news for businesses and charities. About half of American adults say that companies’ social responsibility practices have a strong effect, or sometimes affects, their purchasing decisions and “who to do business with.” Another 25% say it affects their decisions once in a while.
