Social entrepreneurship: what it is and 3 examples of projectsby Team AllYourVideogames | Nov 18, 2022 | Entrepreneurship |
Have you heard of social entrepreneurship? He is proof that a business can make a profit and still help change the world around us.
Entrepreneurship itself is already a path that transforms the lives of many people around the world. Now, imagine being an entrepreneur looking for a solution for the well-being of a community?
Social entrepreneurship has grown a lot in our country in recent years. That's what we're going to talk about in this post.
WHAT IS SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP?
The main attribute of social entrepreneurship is the creation of services or products that aim to reduce or solve problems in areas such as health, education, food, security, environment, among others.
Unlike a non-profit organization (NGO), social entrepreneurship is a business model that seeks profit, but with the objective of solving social problems in the communities in which it operates.
Social enterprises need to sell products or services that improve people's quality of life and help change social realities. And, at the same time, allow the company to maintain and grow.
SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP: CHARACTERISTICS
If you want to participate in social entrepreneurship by creating a business, you need to know that your idea must have some essential characteristics:
- Be innovative;
- Be achievable;
- Be self-sustainable;
- It needs to involve several people and segments of civil society, especially the population served;
- It must have a social impact and allow its results to be evaluated.
According to Sebrae, the main areas of action for social entrepreneurship are:
- Recycling, clean industries and alternative energies;
- Low cost housing;
- Education, literacy and digital inclusion;
- Community health and nutrition;
- Opportunities for the Disabled;
- Human rights;
- Agriculture, forestry and water use;
- Diversity and multiculturalism;
- Support for entrepreneurship and microcredit.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SOCIAL AND BUSINESS ENTREPRENEURSHIP?
The main difference between social entrepreneurship and traditional companies is motivation.
A social business, as we have seen, has the purpose above profits of minimizing or solving a social problem. A “classical” company, on the other hand, aims at profit for its owners, partners and investors. And there's nothing wrong with that either.
But you can ask us: “ah, but my company does social actions every year! Isn't it a social enterprise?” Unfortunately not! Yes, your company helps and contributes to causes and campaigns, but this is a one-off.
Let's take an example: your company runs a toy campaign to help underprivileged children with Christmas. This helps a lot, brings joy and happiness to them on that date. This is great and very important.
But the focus of the product or service your company sells is not exactly helping to alleviate or eradicate poverty for these children and their communities.
EXAMPLES OF SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Some social entrepreneurship projects have become a reference and are known by the entire community:
GRAAC
You have probably already heard about GRAAC, the Support Group for Adolescents and Children with Cancer, as it is one of the best-known social entrepreneurship projects in our country.
It was created in 1991 by pediatric oncologist Antônio Sergio Petrilli with the mission of providing high standard care to children and adolescents with cancer.
TAMAR PROJECT
Its main objective was to protect sea turtles that are threatened with extinction on the coast of our country. However, over time, they discovered that the project would only be successful if they supported the development of coastal communities.
In what way? Offering economic alternatives that alleviate the social issue, thus reducing the hunting of sea turtles for their survival.
GRAMEEN BANK
This project was created in 1976 by Professor Muhammad Yunus, from Bangladesh, when he lent 27 dollars from his own pocket to 42 women in the city of Jobra, because the banks did not give credit to the poorest population.
Its objective was to allow them to acquire raw material to make their handicrafts, freeing them from the clutches of loan sharks who kept them in slave labor.
To Yunus' own surprise, all these loans were repaid on time. This gave him an idea that this process could perhaps be multiplied indefinitely.
From this, he created the Grameen Bank.
DOCUMENTARY TIP ON SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP
WHO CARES
This documentary shows what it's like to be a social entrepreneur through the stories of big names in social entrepreneurship, such as Muhammad Yunus of Grameen Bank.
He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009 for creating the world's first microcredit line. It also includes physician Vera Cordeiro, creator of Associação Saúde-Criança Renascer in 1991, and Wellington Nogueira, founder of Doutores da Alegria.
To learn more about the film, click here.
BOOKS ON SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP
We have separated some books for you to learn more about social entrepreneurship, whether through the stories of people and their projects, or with guides on how to create a social business.
See our list:
1. CHANGE THE WORLD, YOU!: SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP HANDBOOK
This book is a great guide for anyone who wants to understand a little more about social entrepreneurship and where to start planning a social business.
2. SOCIAL IMPACT BUSINESS: A GUIDE FOR ENTREPRENEURS
The book points out the opportunities for impact social businesses and shows examples of pioneer entrepreneurs.
In addition, it presents the size of this new way of doing business, which combines economic value with social impact and contributes to achieving the goals of sustainable development.
3. SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND SOCIAL INNOVATION IN OUR COUNTRY CONTEXT
This book brings together different perspectives on social entrepreneurship and its diverse possibilities. In addition to an excellent read, it is a powerful tool for those who want to know more details about the subject, undertake and innovate.
4. FROM THE INSIDE OUT: HOW A GENERATION OF ACTIVISTS IS INJECTING PURPOSE INTO BUSINESS AND REINVENTING CAPITALISM
The book gives a good overview of conscious capitalism, citing several practical examples.
Full of great stories from entrepreneurs inside and outside companies who dared to think outside the box and generated a positive impact with social entrepreneurship.
5. CREATING A SOCIAL BUSINESS
In this book, the author shows how social entrepreneurship went from theory to a management practice adopted by large companies, entrepreneurs and social activists in Asia, South America, Europe and the United States.
Muhammad Yunus shows how this type of business can transform lives and even offers practical advice for anyone looking to create their own social enterprise.
6. A WORLD WITHOUT POVERTY. THE SOCIAL ENTERPRISE AND THE FUTURE OF CAPITALISM
Another book by Muhammad Yunus, which tells a little about his trajectory and reports the launch of the first social enterprises.
He tells about partnering with Danone to sell affordable nutritious yogurt to malnourished children in Bangladesh, building eye hospitals that saved thousands of low-income people from blindness, and offering suggestions on how to reach a world without poverty.
7. START SOMETHING THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE
In this book, author Blake Mycoskie shows that you don't have to choose between making money, working at what you love, or dedicating yourself to inspiring causes.
You don't have to be rich to donate and you don't have to be retired to dedicate yourself every day to a cause you love. You can unite profit, passion and purpose all at once.
If you intend to enter the world of digital entrepreneurship, the first step is to create a business plan to present to potential investors, accelerators or financial institutions.
To become one of the many social entrepreneurs, focus on presenting in a clear and detailed way what the social impact of your project will be and what the social capital and financial return will be like.
If you don't know what it is or how to create a business plan, visit this post that explains everything.
