Sunday 29 June 2008

Is your organisation a social enterprise?

Social enterprises are changing the landscape.  They are organisations that make money and do good for people and/or our planet at the same time.  The most famous example is perhaps The Body Shop.  I see social enterprises as the future for business.  My own purpose is to help organisations achieve a five-fold bottom line.  Social enterprises are the first step; they go past the confines of traditional business, government, philanthropy, and even charity.

Author Nic Francis provides great insight into this new world in a great little book 'The End of Charity'.  Founder of social enterprise Cool nrg and the former CEO of Brotherhood of St.Laurence, Francis says "We need to move beyond notions of charity and welfare, beyond do-gooding and guilt, to a system that recognises the complexity of our values and a realistic understanding of how we can support them.  The way to do this, I believe, is to embrace what I have come to call value-centered market economics."

I believe "value-centred economics" is a great way to describe the new world of business.

Be remarkable
Ian
Strategic advisor to difference makers

Friday 13 June 2008

Making the extraordinary the new normal

I take my hat of to Belinda a barista at Gloria Jeans Coffee Shop in Border's Bookshop Brisbane. Belinda stunned me recently by saying to me "Good morning Ian would you like your usual."

Most barista's take your name and write it on the cup so as not to confuse orders, not Belinda she shows genuine care and joy at seeing her customers.  Her behaviour should not be unusual, rather normal practice in our new world.

Be remarkable
Ian

Strategic advisor to difference makers