Socially Responsible Business

(Image from priseworks.com)

My last post covered the concept of fair trade and globalization.  No one is thrilled at the idea of millions of workers being exploited for low wages and high profits.  Combine that with a growing desire among consumers to have items that you don't have to feel guilty for purchasing and voila, enter the change-makers.

LifeStraw, an invention that filters cholera
and typhoid

There are two entities at play here: the social entrepreneur and the socially responsible business. The social entrepreneur sees a problem and builds a business to address the problem on a large scale.  Rather than watching the news and feeling fear and trepidation at the massive problems our world faces, the social entrepreneur says, "let's fix it!"  They use a business model to solve problems without the end goal of becoming a multi-million dollar industry, but to change the world one section at a time. To read an inspiring story about one woman who changed her world, read about Maria Teresa Leal here.  Nick Moon and Martin Fisher believe that poor people don't need handouts, they need jobs.  From clothing lines created by women living in barrios in order to create sustainable jobs to water pumps for irrigation in Africa, social entrepreneurs  are changing the world significantly. Awesome. 

The Socially Responsible Business incorporates the values of fair trade.  They make sure all workers are fairly compensated and treated well, from the growers/ creators of the product to the factory employees to the sales team.  American Apparel is a large corporation with equally large ethics.  Smaller companies, like Ten Thousand Villages (who, I know, I've mentioned a lot lately), take this a few steps further and intentionally create a business model in order to build sustainable employment.

This is part of the coming wave.  As an idealist, I firmly believe that the world can become a better place with hard work and an entrepreneurial spirit.  Let's get going!