Canadian Government Executive - Volume 24 - Issue 01

Social Enterprises are ... 2 A social enterprise is a firm dedicated to bene- fitting the community or society. Unlike a private firm, social enterprises are not fixated on profits but, unlike a charity or non-profit, can reward investors to some degree. There is no contradic- tion between doing good and being commercially self-sustain- able in the long run. Governments can encourage these enterprises with tax incentives, seed funding, and financial regulations. They can also spin off internal units as social enterprises. As with any blurring of the lines, there is dispute about what should count as a social enterprise. Nonetheless, an ideal type is emerging, one with four defining features. A sustainable business allows financial independence and political self-determination, not reliance on the goodwill of donors and granting agents. Revenues are not sought as an end, but as a means to an end. Entrepreneurial risk- taking creates social value, not just econo- mic value, by serving needs unmet by other sectors of society and striving for a greater cause. The methods of fast- moving start-ups and design studios are used to innovate. Social enterprises have more discretion to think holistically about the nature of challenges. Social entrepreneurship redefines relationships between the enterprise and those who benefit. Members of the broader community participate in the devel- opment of services and products as co-creators or are empowered to help themselves. ... a sideline : neither a social responsibility branch of a for-profit business nor a commercial shop run by charity; self- perpetuating social benefits are a social enterprise’s raison d’être . ... a pretence : not an attempt to whitewash a harmful business, nor a scheme to gain charitable tax status, nor a ploy by non-profit “grantrepreneurs” to appear less dependent on support. ... a diffusion of self-interest, as with worker cooperatives that share profits internally but have no larger social cause. Rethinking the nature of investing. Some social enter- prises reinvesting profits and some offering modest financial returns to investors. Social Returns on Invest- ment (SRoI) are expected, with new indicators and reporting methods demonstrating success to investors. Rethinking value creation and destruction. Doing good involves tackling neglected problems, helping the under-served, disrupting problematic behaviours, and rejiggering systems with harmful affects. Social enterprises also model the change they advocate. Rethinking management practice. Entrepreneurialism is not merely mimicked. Business skills support market viability. Design methods create thoughtful products and services. Systems thinking helps see problems holistically. Experimentation enables learning. Rethinking social relationships. Collective intelligence of social networks is the source of new insights. Social change is part of the value created. Those affected are involved in decision-making. Power relations between stakeholders are rebalanced to be fair and equitable. 16 / Canadian Government Executive // January/February 2018