Not so long ago, I was a fresh new medical student with a strong interest in global issues and a background on social activism and human rights. I was...
As Canadian unions come under increasing attack by the Harper government (welcome to the club!), there are lessons to be learned from south of the border. A great model I'll dig into a little here is Working America.
Social entrepreneurship understand that it's about big ideas in small packages that have the potential to effect enormous social change. Social entrepreneurship is about the regional and global impact that can be unleashed if start-up solutions to local problems are given the support to grow, scale-up, and spread around the world. Here are some insights into what it takes to grow and scale.
There are many enterprises now that don't fit our outdated good vs. bad models; they're designed to make money, lots of it in fact, but they can only make that money for their shareholders by making our world a better place. This has been true in my experience as well. Nearly six years ago, I started this thing called "Green Rewards."
The new iPhone has arrived. And those who worship at the altar of Apple are salivating. But where does the company exist in the hearts of the consumers of technology? Other leading tech-centred brands are turning profits and making tangible commitments to the greater world. I don't want to hear any more excuses -- it's time to place cause at the core of business.
Ask anyone with a shred of a conscience, and they'll tell you that they want a cleaner and more equitable world. With the rise of social media, consumers are becoming increasingly more intelligent and aware of the implications of their purchases. We are shopping not only for value, but with values. That's a major culture shift.
In Rio, Canada worked pretty hard to make sure no binding agreement on tackling overfishing occurred...or any other agreement for that matter. We can't look to our politicians to help the Earth, but we can look to ourselves. Local efforts from businesses and cities: These are things we can count on.
Marketing has changed forever because consumers have changed so fundamentally. Consumers are now seeking more than just pure materialistic satisfaction -- they want their consumption experience to also have an impact or make a difference somehow.
