Esalen Institute: Social change cliff-side
It hit me as soon as we made the sharp turn off the gloriously serpentine Highway 1 at the signpost that read “Esalen Institute”. Like a cold, sharp gust of wind signifying the first day of winter, it caught me off-guard before knocking me off-balance. And then it...
India leading the world on CSR legislation
Social enterprises among the biggest potential beneficiaries India is inching ever closer to being the world’s first country to formally mandate companies of a certain size to spend two percent of their profits on CSR activities. The CSR provision is part of a...
Engineering an ecosystem to amplify social enterprise
Although we may have many varying definitions of social enterprise around the world, they all share a basic purpose: to operate a business that creates a blended-value outcome. They seek both financial success and social impact. It’s a business venture addressing a...
Social entrepreneurs: Heroes in their own right
You might say Heather Johnstone is your typical Vancouver North Shore anthropologist-turned-farmer-turned-social-entrepreneur. Only she doesn’t quite see herself that way. “I’m a farmer,” laughs Johnstone, who’s been managing the North Shore Neighourhood...
A new regime for Canadian not-for-profit organizations
What these changes may mean for you At the bottom of the list of most volunteer organizations, often operating on a shoestring, is concern about the legislation that deals with governance. After all, there have been virtually no changes in over fifty years. But, new...
Determining your impact
How to make the process easier Social entrepreneurs are in the business of creating positive impact. Whether in the initial planning phase or several years into operations, they work tirelessly to make our world a little bit better. But how can they be sure of what...
Fair Trade: Fare Thee Well?
While on assignment in Costa Rica recently, I toured a fair trade-certified coffee cooperative. After witnessing the rigorous work that went into producing each aromatic cup of my beloved beverage, I met with workers on the ground, hearing firsthand their assessment...Using derivatives to inspire alternatives for charity funding
Why, in this age of sophisticated capital markets, do charities not have the same avenues as for-profit businesses do to raise capital? A recent case study examines alternative funding structures for not-for-profits, modelled off of vanilla derivatives products. In...