What Social Enterprise Is and Is Not
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What Social Enterprise Is and Is Not

What Social Enterprise Is

Social enterprise is,  about using a market-driven business model to address critical social and environmental issues. Many people believe that a fundamental element of social enterprise – is collective ownership.

Until we come up with a broader term than “social enterprise”, some would advocate for a broad interpretation that does not limit it to collectively-owned businesses. If the overarching purpose of the business is to address a social and/or environmental issue, it’s a social enterprise – regardless of its ownership structure. This is a pragmatic position — the world’s problems are far too great to be creating arbitrary silos that limit participation and sharing.

What Social Enterprise Is Not

Social enterprise is not about balancing the “double bottom lines” of profit and social impact, as though they are equally important. The real bottom line for a social enterprise, the goal by which its success should ultimately be evaluated, is its social (or environmental) impact, and being profitable (or at least financially sustainable) is the entirely necessary.

Of course, there can be no social mission without money, but the first goal is mission.

Social enterprise is not the exclusive domain of. While nonprofits have been – and continue to be – leaders in the social enterprise movement, social enterprise need not be limited to nonprofits. Moreover, simply being owned by a nonprofit is not sufficient to make a business a social enterprise. The enterprise must have as its overarching purpose the amelioration of social and/or environmental issues.

Social enterprise is not just another fundraising strategy for nonprofits  Social enterprise is not about “saving” the nonprofit sector – While social enterprise has great potential for enhancing the vitality and sustainability of the nonprofit sector, that potential impact is secondary to its real purpose – helping (directly, through the operation of the business) to make the world a better place.

Why Social Enterprise Matters

Social enterprise matters because it is focused on making positive change at a time when we desperately need it. Social enterprise is important tool, among many, that is actively and directly making our world a better place to live.

Social enterprise is more responsive. Social enterprise doesn’t rely on the shifting priorities of government and major foundations; it gets on with making the change that is needed within a community and (sometimes) grows to affect whole cities, countries, and regions.

Social enterprise is scalable. Like all businesses, social enterprise has, with investment and sales revenue, the ability to grow to meet needs and priorities of the communities it serves, as opposed to traditional nonprofit programs, which are often limited to the funds available from government and philanthropic funders.

Social enterprise actively engages stakeholders. Social enterprise gives the people  help – a direct voice in the operation of the business – as owners, employees and paying customers.

Article based on :  https://managementhelp.org/socialenterprise/index.htm

Social Innovation Toolkit 2018

NESTA from UK has created useful Toolkit on Social Innovation that can be of help to every aspiring social entrepreneur (the link is below).

How can we create more economic, social and environmental value in our communities? Over the last few years, the European Social Innovation Competition has mobilised thousands of Europeans to tackle that question. Whether the issue is how to make digitalisation inclusive, providing refugees with opportunities to take part in society or using place-based approaches for empowering
young people in a changing economy: social innovation is about coming up with new responses to such societal needs and problems. This toolkit aims to support social innovators all across Europe to develop their ideas, by using the steps of the innovation spiral. Each step is presented with a set of tools and sources that you can use to transform your idea into a viable and effective initiative.
Social innovation is not a new phenomenon, but it has grown in prominence over the last decade both as a term and as an important driver of social change. There is no universal definition of ‘social innovation’, but one that is both elegantly simple and widely-used is
‘ideas that are social in their ends and in their means’ (see Nesta 2010). Ideas may vary to be products, services, processes or organisational models. Social innovation concerns the process of developing and deploying new effective solutions to challenging and often
systemic social and environmental issues.
The European Social Innovation Competition seeks social innovation ideas that are social in both their ends and their means. Each year, the European Social Innovation Competition raises awareness of a different challenge facing European society and aims to unearth
potentially game-changing ideas from all corners of Europe. The competition was established in memory of Diogo Vasconcelos, a visionary Portuguese leader who focused on fostering innovation to address some of the great societal challenges of our time. This competition will continue his legacy by inspiring more and more Europeans to become social innovators, making improvements to their communities and societies.

Here is the link.

WeTransfer: File Sharing Tool with a Heart of a Social Entrepreneur

WeTransfer: File Sharing Tool with a Heart of a Social Entrepreneur

WeTransfer is not only a very simple-to-use tool for sharing files, but as it turns out – it’s almost a social entrepreneur.

WeTransfer was founded in 2009 as the simplest way to send big files around the world. Today they have a set of nice tools which they call The WeTransfer Family with a motto – bring your ideas to life:

  • WeTransfer – for sending ideas
  • WeTransfer Plus – for sending bigger ideas
  • WePresent – for sparking ideas
  • Paste – for presenting ideas
  • Collect – for grouping ideas
  • Paper – for capturing ideas

WeTransfer interface is very simple, which makes transferring files incredibly easy. Since you don’t need to sign up if the size of your files doesn’t exceed 2 GB, you can just go to WeTransfer and start the transfer process – add files, enter a recipient’s e-mail address, your e-mail address and an optional message. As soon as the file gets uploaded, you can send it to the addressee. You receive two e-mails after sending data through WeTransfer. The first e-mail includes a confirmation that your file has been sent, and the second one comes when the recipient downloads the submitted file. If you want, you can choose an option to send files via download link instead of using an e-mail address.

If you need to transfer bigger files and want to explore other features, you might consider WeTransfer Plus. A Plus account lets you transfer up to 20 GB at a time, whether that’s lots of small files, or one massive one. With WeTransfer Plus, files are not deleted after a set period of time. It is simple to manage your transfers, see what you have sent and when, and easily forward, resend or delete transfers. WeTransfer Plus users have the option to protect their transfers with a password.

WeTransfer Paste syncs to the cloud, so you always have your team’s latest thinking at your fingertips. Browse, zoom in and download every image, file, and video in full resolution. When you’re ready, present your deck in a link, onscreen, or as a PDF.

WeTransfer Collect is the best way to organize your ideas. Save content from across your apps and bring it together for your friends, your team, or just for yourself. Organize your ideas as beautiful boards that are perfect for visual thinkers. Invite anyone to add to your board so you can collaborate and create together. Then share it with a simple link to send your ideas out into the world.

Since 2009, WeTransfer has given away 30% of its ad inventory to support artists, photographers, musicians and more. They’re committed to diversity in their storytelling to help spark different kinds of ideas for their readers. This is the part of WeTransfer where you can sense the spirit of a social entrepreneurship. WeTransfer supports many creative projects which raise awareness of different problems, for example, bringing together world-renowned photographers to highlight key issues in climate change.

Would you like to know more about WeTransfer or try it? Click here – https://wetransfer.com!

Files.fm: Store, Share and Sell files

Files.fm: Store, Share and Sell files

Almost everyone knows such filesharing platforms as Google Drive and Dropbox, but how many of you have heard of Files.fm? Files.fm is an IT company founded in Latvia, that builds easy to use, modern and innovative software products for file storage applications since 2007.

The most popular feature of Files.fm is file storing and sharing. How it works? Pretty simple. Once a user uploads files to the server, they obtain a unique link, which then can be shared to all users who need access to the files. If you want to quickly upload up to 2 GB files and send them to someone without storing them more than 60 days, you don’t even need to be an authorized user – go to Files.fm, upload your files, obtain a link and share it!

filesfmAfter storing one or more files, the user receives a unique link. By opening this link, you will see a list of stored files. The user can see the file name, size, description and choose to download or view his or her files. Each individual file also has a unique download link. You can store documents, photos, video, audio or any other file type. You can simultaneously select and upload multiple files. Maximum upload size is 2GB at one time for free users. Pro and Business users can upload files without size limit.

File storing and sharing is not the only feature provided by Files.fm. They offer inserting a file upload form in your website even you don’t have any programming skills. You can use Files.fm as a virtual server hosting. Files.fm provides a handy file synchronization tool for content sharing and copying. There is even such an option as creating your public file catalogue and exchange channel. And, yes, Files.fm is a platform for selling digital downloads as well.

Are you intrigued enough and want to try Files.fm by yourself? Go for it – https://files.fm!

Three books for every social entrepreneur

Three books for every social entrepreneur

Are you a social entrepreneur who experienced challenges and now you’re seeking for some fresh solutions or inspiration to keep doing your good job? Are you a beginner who is lost in this vast field of social entrepreneurship? Are you just thinking about becoming a social entrepreneur, but before doing so you want to be sure what you are up to? No matter what is your answer, these three books might help you.

Jonathan C. Lewis – The Unfinished Social Entrepreneur

The Unfinished Social Entrepreneur is about powering up your social justice career. This book is a compendium of 21 original essays and insights – part memoir, part handbook – about the challenges and questions every social entrepreneur thinks about. For the novice changemaker, each chapter bristles with provocative tips and tools to transform your social justice career. Social entrepreneurs are a club of conscience. Sign up. Show up. Stand up.

Jason Haber – The Business of Good: Social Entrepreneurship and the New Bottom Line

The Business of Good narrates the story behind social entrepreneurship as told by the individuals compelled to create a change in the world – not just another business. Serial and social entrepreneur Jason Haber intertwines case studies and anecdotes that show how social entrepreneurship is creating jobs, growing the economy, and ultimately changing the world. From Main Street to Wall Street, today’s social entrepreneurs are rebooting capitalism, challenging the charity industrial complex, and disrupting business models. Haber envelops the reader in the foundation of social entrepreneurship, from Benjamin Franklin to what he calls The Great Convergence, the turn-of-the-millennium zeitgeist shift which provided the fuel for social entrepreneurship’s surge to the forefront of business. Haber shares the stories of inspiring young people that are disrupting established norms and changing the world.

Ruth Shapiro – The Real Problem Solvers: Social Entrepreneurs in America

Today, “social entrepreneurship” describes a host of new initiatives, and often refers to approaches that are breaking from traditional philanthropic and charitable organizational behavior. What types of change have these social entrepreneurial efforts brought to the world of civil society and philanthropy? What works in today’s environment? And, what barriers are these new efforts breaking down as they endeavor to make the world a better place? The Real Problem Solvers brings together leading entrepreneurs, funders, investors, thinkers, and champions in the field to answer these questions from their own, first-person perspectives. In no other book are so many leaders presented side-by-side. Therefore, this is the ideal accessible and personal introduction for students of and newcomers to social entrepreneurship.

Urvaste Village Society – a promoter of traditional food in Estonia

Urvaste Village Society – a promoter of traditional food in Estonia

Urvaste Village Society is a NGO located in a small village in South Estonia. The goal of the social enterprise Urvaste Village Society is to ensuring a good living and working environment for local residents in local community. Urvaste Village Movement started to produce a finely milled flour mixture (the Kama). The Kama is traditionally a mixture of roasted barley, rye, oat and pea flour. The oat flour may be completely replaced by wheat flour, or kibbled black beans may be added to the mixture. The Kama considered to be one Estonian traditional food.

Urvaste Village Society started in 2010. Nowadays they are producing an ecologically clean Kama and selling it successfully all around Estonia.

This field of action is one of many others to Urvaste Village Society. In the development plans of the nearest years are promoting the chocolate manufacturing in the village, developing the catering service, etc.

 

Business model

Offer:  traditional Kama mixture with many different tastes

Customer segments:  eco-friendly people, families with kids, tourists, urban inhabitants, enterprises, the public at large

Customer relationship: personal; impersonal

Key activities:  developing the network of farmers; product development and design; packaging; marketing

Key recourses: network of farmers, production and storage facilities, kitchen appliances, people

Cost structure: primary goods, energy, room maintenance, maintenance and repair of equipment, costs on the package, people

Revenue streams:  product (the Kama); degustation; workshops; catering

Impact measurement: number of products; number of community members involved into to production and selling process; number of farmers cooperating with the NGO; number of customers; number of regular customers; number of orders; number of business clients; local economic growth; created work places.

Reverse Lavka – a local food supplier in Estonia

Reverse Lavka – a local food supplier in Estonia

The goal of the social enterprise Reverse Lavka is to provide Estonian farmers and small producers a food shop for Estonian people, a preferred and accessible option. Reverse Lavka wants to make Estonian eating habits more environmentally friendly and supportive of the (local) rural economy.

In order to achieve the goal, Reverse Lavka purchases small-scale products and sells them to urban people in Tallinn through e-shop sales and at theaters and festivals. Reverse Lavka travels with a carrot car around 200 kilometres, collecting tons of goods from farms and producers.

The main focus is on the environmental friendliness of food. Reverse Lavka constantly strives to find possibilities for smarter consumption by preferring organically grown if possible and locally produced products, preferring biodegradable packaging, etc.

Reverse Lavka distributes information on the benefits of local nutrition to the public and among company subscribers.

Business model

Offer:  buying of goods grown by small farmers and distributing these goods to the urban inhabitants. One aim is to raise the awareness of urban residents about the origin of Estonian food and bring home-grown food closer to the urban population.

Customer segments:  urban inhabitants, eco-friendly people, families with kids, enterprises, the public at large

Customer relationship: personal; impersonal

Key activities:  developing the network of farmers; a comfort and fast food distribution to customers

Key recourses: network of farmers, vehicles, storage facilities, distribution point/shop, e-shop

Cost structure: transportation, vehicle maintenance and repair, people, ICT costs

Revenue streams:  food distribution; mentoring

Impact measurement: number of farmers in the network; regions represented on the website; number of products represented on the website; number of customers; number of regular customers; number of orders; number of business clients; number of new clicks on the website; ecologically clean/organic products distributed by Reverse Lavka.

Website: http://tagurpidilavka.ee/

Smart villages – a new way providing services in rural areas
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Smart villages – a new way providing services in rural areas

European Network for Rural Development published a material about Smart Villages in May 2018. There is a full overview about the concept of Smart Villages, the meaning and importance of the concept. Community-lead actions are responding directly to local needs and opportunities and can be fully innovative. Social enterprises in rural areas with a high level of social capital can be pioneers of social innovation. Social innovation models in rural services are provides in the material.

The full publication is available in English: https://enrd.ec.europa.eu/sites/enrd/files/enrd_publications/publi-enrd-rr-26-2018-en.pdf.

SEIKU – social entrepreneurship incubator in Estonia

SEIKU is Estonia’s first social entrepreneurship incubator located in Tartu, South-Estonia. The goal is to help local people, NPOs and other interested parties to start their own social enterprises.

The main target group for the incubation program are people who are interested in social entrepreneurship and are willing to work intensively for 3 months to form their concept of a social enterprise and create a business plan which would be the base to start their own enterprise.

Pre-incubation (3 months) mainly consists of a training program, which helps the participants to think through all aspects of starting a business. The main incubation program lasts for 7 months and the  goal is to help social enterprise ideas to function as real social enterprises.

http://seiku.ddakadeemia.ee/

Kodukant, the Estonian Village Movement

Kodukant, the Estonian Village Movement

Kodukant, the Estonian Village Movement is an association of non-governmental organizations, structured at three levels – village, county and national. Kodukant was set up officially in October 1997 and now has about 5,000 members. Kodukant embodies the spirit and values of the villages and is driven by a passion to retain rural life and traditions. Kodukant’s aims are to give technical advice; to promote networking and communication; to arrange training and capacity building; to act as advocate for rural communities; to support local initiatives; and to foster co-operation at all levels.

Kodukant is the most important promoter of the Smart Village concept in Estonia. Kodukant is supporting the social entrepreneurship in rural areas by consulting, training programs, development of teaching materials, etc.

For future information: https://kodukant.ee/.