Social Enterprise

What is a social enterprise?

Social enterprises are businesses that trade in order to pursue a social aim. They:

produce goods or provide services to achieve their goals and financial self-sufficiency
have social aims such as employment and training - or provision of services - particularly for disadvantaged groups
often have a democratic management style with different stakeholders taking part in decision making, eg employees, users of the social enterprise or specially appointed trustees
often report on their social, environmental and economic impact
principally reinvest profits in the business or in the community to further their social aims

Social enterprises are diverse and operate at many levels. They include community enterprises, social firms and mutual organisations such as co-operatives and large-scale operations operating nationally or internationally. What they have in common is a commitment to meeting social and financial needs, with some also aiming to meet environmental needs.

_{^{Social Enterprise entries have included a pool of non-profit and for profit business plans with an explicitly social agenda. Of the teams who completed plans in the Business Plan Contest in the past three years, over 25% were Social Enterprise plans.
Examples include:
* indicates business plan available in Baker Library
2006}}

2006 The Yashmere Company* (now called Shokay) is a sustainable and socially responsible venture providing a steady source of income to marginalized communities in China by bringing "Yashmere" (yak wool) yarn and products to the U.S. market. Website

_{^{2006 Pilot Stage winner, Mountains for Miracles*, provides public climbers with the opportunity to join grand mountaineering expeditions and adventure treks around the world while assisting in the fight against cancer through raising funds from within respective networks of friends and family. Website
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2005
2005 winner, India Info Village, enhances market and government service access of rural India through and innovative "government–business–civil society" model firmly anchored in village based, for–profit, entrepreneur owned community service centers.
2005 runner–up team, Liberty Health, is designed to increase access to health insurance for the uninsured in the U.S.by eliminating the costly inefficiencies of the health insurance distribution and risk assessment process and passing these costs savings initially onto health plans and ultimately unto health insurance consumers.back to top
20042004 winner, Sun Edison, endeavors to be the largest owner and operator of solar power generation assets in the U.S.A. Website
2004 runner–up team, Policlinicus*, is a network of ambulatory service and training centers in Ukraine expected to set an example for future changes in the healthcare system of the country, give rise to numerous copycats, give effective work organization training to outside doctors and healthcare managers, provide better medical services to patients and a better work environment for medical professionals. back to top
2003
2003 winner, Gyaana, seeks to eliminate functional illiteracy in India. At a time when children are taken out of school to work and help support the family financially, Gyaana will work with microfinance and vocational training institutions to provide funds for families to invest in their children's education and to make the children's education relevant to future opportunities.
2003 runner-up team, FoodSTOP (Food Storage and Transportation Operations) is a for-profit organization dedicated to the provision of an efficient produce distribution system. The core of the business will be the provision of storage facilities and transport vehicles, for fresh produce in order to keep the produce in an environment that retards post harvest deterioration.
2003 finalist, National Service Alumni Network, serves the 500,000 Americans who have completed a term of national service. The biggest obstacle to systemic change is an absence of political will and the realization that change is possible. NSAN will inspire and strengthen some of our most committed citizens for a lifetime of civic engagement.back to top
2002The 2002 winner, BEST Education Partners, is a for-profit education management company operating charter and contract K-12 public schools, optimizing the use of school facilities by also offering after-school and adult education services. Web site
The 2002 runner-up team, The Respond Project (formerly called The Unison Project), is a plan to reproduce nationally the local success of Respond, a fundraising CD for a Boston-area shelter for battered women. Web site
2002 finalist, Urban Enterprise Partners and Real Estate Investors, which includes a nonprofit organization that will develop and coach inner city businesses and an urban real estate investment group which will bring capital to inner city real estate and developments.
2002 finalist, Earthmaster Housing Systems, with the mission is to create an affordable, long-term solution to the urgent housing needs of the developing world.
2002 participant, Building Blocks International, a new international organization that uses MBA talent to improve educational opportunities for children in developing countries by providing organizational support to enable existing organizations to expand their research in return for measurable results. Web site
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2001The 2001 winner, Low Cost Eyeglasses, a social enterprise that has developed a scalable, low cost, available solution to meet the needs of the billion people in the developing world who need glasses yet don't have them. Web site
The 2001 runner-up team, Modulo, an enterprise developed to address the severe housing shortage in Mexico using an easy-to-use modular architecture to meet the mission of "building houses for the poor."
2001 participant, The Rebuild Center, a self-sustaining enterprise that provides its customers with used or surplus building materials and also provides a work and training opportunity for a workforce of homeless and needy people.

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