In this episode, Mary Ellen Schaafsma, Director and Co-Founder of the Social Purpose Institute (SPI) at United Way BC, shares the concept of businesses having a social purpose as their reason for being, beyond profit. Over the last 5 years, SPI has been piloting programming to help businesses determine and implement their social purpose, in an effort to create a movement of businesses for good.
While it’s more often that businesses support charities, Mary Ellen explains how it makes sense for United Way to support the business sector in having a societal purpose– social and/or environmental – at its core to best benefit the community, in fact, to create the thriving community that United Ways often aspire to. It’s also an opportunity for United Way to shift, changing not only its approach for impacting the community but how it engages corporations. This work has gained the attention of funders, interested in seeing this innovative model adopted across the country. We suggest it’s worth your attention too, whether as a funder, nonprofit or for profit organization. Have a listen. While it’s more often that businesses support charities, Mary Ellen explains how it makes sense for United Way to support the business sector in having a societal purpose– social and/or environmental – at its core to best benefit the community, in fact, to create the thriving community that United Ways often aspire to. It’s also an opportunity for United Way to shift, changing not only its approach for impacting the community but how it engages corporations. This work has gained the attention of funders, interested in seeing this innovative model adopted across the country. We suggest it’s worth your attention too, whether as a funder, nonprofit or for profit organization. Have a listen.
Resources:
Social Purpose Institute: https://socialpurpose.ca
Social Purpose Innovators program: https://socialpurpose.ca/services/innovators/
Social Purpose Implementers program: https://socialpurpose.ca/services/implementers/
Mary Ellen Schaafsma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maryellen-schaafsma
Coro Strandberg: https://www.linkedin.com/in/corostrandberg
Hemlock Printers: https://www.hemlock.com
GLOBE Events: https://www.globeseries.com/events/
Propelling Purpose Summit: Road to Purposeful Economy (discount code PAN-21): https://propellingpurpose.ca
Business For Purpose Network (B4PN) Weekly Announcement – https://allysonhewitt.medium.com/business-for-purpose-network-b4pn-weekly-announcement-c036111d3800