Happy Pollution Prevention Week! This week is dedicated to reducing and eliminating sources of pollution to prevent damage to the environment, as well as maintaining the planet’s resources and moving towards sustainability. In order for pollution prevention efforts to move forward, businesses and corporations must also take action in preserving the environment’s natural resources.
Some of the key players advancing environmental preservation within business are social entrepreneurs. They are also known as venture philanthropists, social innovators, and social capitalists. These individuals devote their time to pursuing key social issues, such as pollution prevention. They approach every project with courage and inspiration. As a result, they overcome traditional practices and obstacles to bring new ideas. Interestingly enough, 40% of social entrepreneurs work for for-profit companies, while 36% work for nonprofits.
Social entrepreneurs use proven business methods and strategies, as well as innovation, to provide solutions to social, cultural or environmental issues. Emphasis is placed on social or ecological value creation while attempting to boost the company’s financial value. The impact of these activities is measured and analyzed to evaluate strategies and maintain the highest standards. Qualitative and quantitative data is used to guide continuous improvement.
Examples of environmentally motivated social entrepreneurs include:
Enviro-grow
A social enterprise company that is tackling the immense amount of unrecyclable waste created by disposable coffee cups. To help solve this problem, Enviro-grow sells biodegradable coffee cups and kit that turns the used cup into a plant.
A social enterprise that diverts mattress from landfills and recovers the components that are recyclable.
A British startup that minimizes waste by making luxury items like handbags and wallets using decommissioned fire hoses from London’s Fire Brigade.
To learn more about social entrepreneurship and growing a business with a purpose, check out the infographic below created by Villanova University.
