Thanks to SSE for alerting me to this great conversation on how social enterprise may work. The audiocast is over a year old, but spot on for it’s focus on how we must change the paradigm of social enterprise. Evaluating Social Venture Ideas is from the Stanford University Net Impact Conference 2005 and brings together a social entrepreneur of sorts, a social evaluator/measurement expert, and a social venture capitalist. Most of the ideas link well with the the Jim Collins’ argument in Good to Great: Social Sectors and makes you realize that confusion exists across the spectrum from corner charity shop to global CSR.
The biggest question raised near the end | Can you do really good business and and really good social impact in one organisation?
For me, the answer is absolutely yes. How can that be if you are driven by shareholder value creation? Well, because at one end of the spectrum you will have companies that are profit driven (run ethically and sustainably of course), that deliver a return to investors, and integrate a direction of travel for some of that profit to go directly into social ventures or benefit with a direct link to increase funnel to social benefit with increase in company profitability.
*Note: it is a long listen (50+ mins), but several good points are raised throughout–so don’t give up on it at 38 minute mark.
Resources |
Getting Started with a Social Venture
Origo
SVTConsulting (SROI Measurement)
Legacy Venture
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