Project Title: Active Citizenship for youths by enhancing LIFECOMP competencies through innovative teaching tools and techniques Project Number: 2021-1-ES02-KA220-YOU-000028702 MODULE No4 Solutions to environmental problems through social entrepreneurship [Have you heard before the term Social Entrepreneurship? Do you know how important could be in tackling environmental challenges?] Prepared by
2 R1.T2 – Module 4: Solutions to environmental problems through social entrepreneurship Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction ......................................................................................................... 4 1. Introduction to Social Entrepreneurship: Definition and basic elements ......5 2. Social Innovation, characteristics of Social Innovation process and tools ......7 3. Benefits of Social Entrepreneurship for local, regional and national development .............................................................................................................. 14 4. Sustainability and Social Enterprises ............................................................ 17 5. Good examples of social enterprises on combating environmental issues .18 References .......................................................................................................................................................................... 21
3 R1.T2 – Module 4: Solutions to environmental problems through social entrepreneurship Glossary Key Word Description Pitching Ideas The concept of this method is to effectively present your idea within a minimum of time. For this to be achieved you have to make clear what are the main goals of your social enterprise, what is the problem that addresses, what is the innovative solution that you propose and finally, what is the estimated impact of it. Problem Tree This tool is used in the early stages of the Social Innovation process in order to support the identification of a social / environmental problem and its roots whilst facilitating the identification and description of smaller and man-ageable goals that will contribute at the end to the provision of the best solution. As it derives from its name, it is actually represented by a Tree that has three different parts, the roots, the branches and the trunk of the tree Resilience The capacity of a system to absorb disturbance and reorganise while undergoing change so as to still retain essentially the same function, structure, identity and feedbacks Social Cohesion Social cohesion involves building shared values and communities of interpretation, reducing disparities in wealth and income, and generally enabling people to have a sense that they are engaged in a common enterprise, facing shared challenges, and that they are members of the same community. Social Entrepreneurship The process of identifying, evaluating and exploiting opportunities aiming at social value creation by means of commercial, market-based activities and of the use of a wide range of resources. It is the entrepreneurship that has as main goal to address pressing social challenges and meet social needs in an innovative way while serving the general interest and common good for the benefit of the community. In a nutshell, social entrepreneurship targets to social impact primarily rather than profit maximisation in their effort to reach the most vulnerable groups and to contribute to inclusive and sustainable growth https://www.oecd.org/cfe/leed/social-entrepreneurship-oecd-ec.htm Social Innovation Social innovations are new ideas that meet social needs, create social relationships and form new collaborations. These innovations can be products, services or models addressing unmet needs more effectively. Social innovation refers to the design and implementation of new solutions that imply conceptual, process, product, or organisational change, which ultimately aim to improve the welfare and wellbeing of individuals and communities. Many initiatives undertaken by the social economy and by the civil society have proven to be innovative in dealing with socio-economic and environmental problems, while contributing to economic development. https://www.oecd.org/regional/leed/social-innovation.htm “Social innovation is the process of developing and deploying effective solutions to challenging and often systemic social and environmental issues in support of social progress. Social innovation is not the prerogative or privilege of any organizational form or legal structure. Solutions often require the active collaboration of constituents across government, business, and the nonprofit world.” https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/experience/about/centers-institutes/csi/defining-social-innovation Social Impact Any significant or positive changes that solve or at least address social injustice and challenges. Businesses or organizations achieve these goals through conscious and deliberate efforts or activities in their operations and administrations Theory of change Theory of Change is considered as “a method that explains how a given intervention, or set of interventions, are expected to lead to a specific development change, drawing on a causal analysis based on available evidence.”
4 R1.T2 – Module 4: Solutions to environmental problems through social entrepreneurship INTRODUCTION Social Entrepreneurship constitutes one of the key business models that are primarily focused on having environmental, social, and economic values integrated within their mission along with their everyday practices. Through social entrepreneurship the youths can address social and or environmental challenges that their communities are facing by providing innovative solutions. In fact, learners will become aware of social entrepreneurship and the possibilities that it provides to the society in general, the advantages that it entails along with the promotion of social innovation and social cohesion and how these could lead to the betterment of their communities. Learning Outcomes Knowledge After the completion of this module, you will: ü Be familiar with social entrepreneurship principles and characteristics ü Be familiar with the term of Social Innovation and its importance ü Be aware of the benefits that social innovation and social entrepreneurship can bring to the community Skills After the completion of this module, you will be able to: ü Analyse a social / environmental problem using the appropriate tools and understand the challenge behind it ü Use design thinking tools and theory of change in order to provide solutions to different social/ environmental problems Competences After the completion of this module, you will be competent to: ü Address environmental issues that could be resolved through social entrepreneurship ü Identify a social and/ or environmental problem and come up with the most appropriate solution ü Inspire your peers presenting them ideas to solve environmental problems through social innovation
5 R1.T2 – Module 4: Solutions to environmental problems through social entrepreneurship LEARNING UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP: DEFINITION AND BASIC ELEMENTS Social Entrepreneurship as a phenomenon has been dominating the academic and business world for the past 20 years. Although as a term was introduced in Europe back at 60s it was only in the late 00s to be widely spread as a new business model. When referring to Social Entrepreneurship, we actually mean “the process of identifying, evaluating and exploiting opportunities aiming at social value creation by means of commercial, market-based activities and of the use of a wide range of resources” (Bacq & Janssen, 2011, p.388). In other words, social entrepreneurship constitutes of a hybrid business form where innovation and a vision for the betterment of the society coexist with operational business procedures and commercial activities. However, it would be false to state that the abovementioned definition constitutes a unified one. As many other recently introduced themes/ topics, there are different approaches that describe different aspects of social entrepreneurship. But what you have to keep in mind is that “Social entrepreneurship” was introduced as a mean to meet social needs through the combat of social, economical and environmental issues. How is this achieved? As the gap between the rich and the poor was becoming wider with inequality and social exclusion to threaten the societies prosperity and sustainability, and the state not to be able to serve all social needs a new entrepreneurial venture came up in order to provide innovative and inspirational alternatives. This new business model combines elements from traditional entrepreneurship such as the provision of products and/ or services, gain profit etc., to serve a social mission and vision. Moreover, the social mission is oriented in addressing specific environmental, social, and economical challenges whilst fostering inclusive growth, social cohesion, and accumulation of social capital, shared prosperity, and social inclusion. Video If you want to learn more, please watch this interesting video that explains What Social Entrepreneurship is See also here, an interesting video about The rise of Social Enterprises and Social Entrepreneurs See also here, an interesting video about Social Entrepreneurship: How to make money and help others at the same time If you are still wondering what are the differences between traditional entrepreneurship and social entrepreneurship , then you should take into account the following key elements: ü Social entrepreneurship is exercised by a group of people that want to contribute to their community by addressing specific social challenges /issues
6 R1.T2 – Module 4: Solutions to environmental problems through social entrepreneurship ü These people have a vision and a mission, and they organize their business in such a way so as to realize this social vision and mission through innovative solutions ü These innovative solutions must engage in a continuous activity of production and/or exchange of goods and/or services ü This social vision and mission are the social enterprise’s priorities over economic profit ü The structure and organization of social enterprises is based up on joint and collective activities and democratic decision-making processes ü Enterprises that fall under this category are operating autonomously without being affiliated to public or for-profit organizations ü Through social entrepreneurship It is envisaged that a surplus is created that benefits the community ü Social entrepreneurship causes social Impact which should be measured accurately and constantly Additional information If you want to fully understand the key elements that constitute social entrepreneurship, please read the following article about Social Entrepreneurship Dummies Video Watch this interesting video that summarizes the key pillars of Social Entrepreneurship “Did you know?” Many typologies have been proposed for the classification of social enterprises based on a variety of factors, such as such as purposes, organizational features, origins, development paths, institutional factors, resources etc. The most known social enterprise models are: i) Entrepreneurial non-profit model (ENP); ii) Social cooperative model (SC); iii) Social business model (SB); and iv) Public sector social enterprise model (PSE). The European Commission identifies the following types of social enterprises: a) Those for which the social or societal objective of the common good is the reason for the commercial activity, often in the form of a high level of social innovation, b) Those whose profits are mainly reinvested to achieve this social objective, c) Those where the method of organization or the ownership system reflects the enterprise's mission, using democratic or participatory principles or focusing on social justice source: European Commission (2015). A map of social enterprises and their ecosystems in Europe. Retrieved from: http://ec.europa.eu
7 R1.T2 – Module 4: Solutions to environmental problems through social entrepreneurship Time for a Quiz! Now that you have learnt about the fundamentals of Social Entrepreneurship and the Social Enterprises, try to identify two Social Enterprises that are active in your community. Write down a short description of them (like social aim and how they achieve it through the production of goods/ products and / or delivery of services) and identify the key challenges they address. Upload your findings in the AY4L collaboration space and learn what your peers think about your findings! LEARNING UNIT 2: SOCIAL INNOVATION, THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SOCIAL INNOVATION PROCESS AND TOOLS Social Innovation is strongly related to social entrepreneurship. As you have already learnt social entrepreneurship constitutes a business model that contributes to the combat of social, economic, political, cultural, and environmental challenges. And the mean to achieve these goals is the Social Innovation. As it derives by the term itself, Social Innovation describes the way that the abovementioned challenges can be addressed through novel/ innovative ways that lead to the improvement of the community seeking for social change. According to the EC Oslo Manual (1992) there are four different types of innovations: ü Product Innovation: This involves a good or service that is new or significantly improved; ü Process Innovation: This involves a new or significantly improved production or delivery method; ü Marketing Innovation: This refers to a new marketing method involving significant changes in product design or packaging, product placement, product promotion or pricing; ü Organisational Innovation: This involves introducing a new organisational method in a firm’s business practices, workplace organisation or external relations. Source: barrowfotu.com/blog/2012/12/what-is-social-innovation It should be made clear that social innovation is closely related with the social goals that aim to meet social needs having as an ultimate goal to achieve social change. Video Watch this interesting video that summarizes what the heck is Social Innovation
8 R1.T2 – Module 4: Solutions to environmental problems through social entrepreneurship But how does Social Innovation works? According to Murray, Caulier-Grice and Mulgan (2010) the Social Innovation Process consists of six stages by which new responses to social needs are developed in order to deliver better social outcomes. The steps are the following: Step 1: Prompts, inspirations, and diagnoses This stage highlights the need for innovation, e.g., identifying a problem. It involves problem diagnosing and framing the question in such a way that the root causes of the problem, not just its symptoms, are tackled. Step 2: Proposals and ideas In this stage ideas are generated to help the identification of insights and experiences from a wide range of sources Step 3: Prototyping and pilots In this stage ideas are tested in practice e.g., formal pilots, prototypes etc. Coalitions may are formed through piloting or conflicts are resolved. Measures of success are also agreed upon Step 4: Sustaining This is when the idea becomes everyday practice. It involves the identification of income streams to ensure the long-term financial sustainability Step 5: Scaling and diffusion Strategies for growing and spreading are developed, e.g., organisational growth. The demand may increase and the expansion that occurs can be referred to as ‘scaling’ process Step 6: Systemic change Systemic change usually involves the interaction of many elements: social movements, business models, laws and regulations, data and infrastructures, and entirely new ways of thinking and doing. In the following infographic the process of Social Innovation is presented in simple words.
9 R1.T2 – Module 4: Solutions to environmental problems through social entrepreneurship Source: https://medium.com/@be1morechange/what-is-social-innovation-4928d3f03c81 Additional information If you want to learn more please read this article about The Process of Social Innovation See also here, a guide for practitioners on Doing Social Innovation “Did you know?” Who are the social innovators? Social innovators can come from all walks of life. Social innovation can take place in public, private and third sector organisations. Often the most fruitful sources of new ideas take place in collaborations across sectors. It follows that social innovation is not the preserve of any particular group such as social entrepreneurs or think tanks but that these people and organisations make valuable contributions as do consultancies, policy makers, politicians etc. They can operate at the level of new ideas and pilots, of implementation and scaling, but also at the level of policy making. Source: https://www.channelmanche.com/assets/document-downloads/EU-Guide-to-Social-Innovation.pdf Time for a Quiz! After reading the additional material and watching the video about Social Innovation try to think of a social/ political/ economic / environmental challenge that your community face and try to describe the steps that you would follow for providing an innovative solution that could cause social change. Upload your findings in the AY4L collaboration space and learn what your peers think about your findings! Every process includes numerous tools for becoming a reality. Do you have any idea of what kind of tools are deployed during the Social Innovation procedure? There are many tools that you can use when it comes to Social Innovation with the most common ones to be the “Problem Tree Analysis”, the “Theory of Change” and “Pitching Ideas”. Each one of these tools is used in certain stages of provision of a solution to a social/ environmental/ economic/ political challenge, from identifying the problem to the communication of the solution, enhancing the outcome of the Social innovation process.
10 R1.T2 – Module 4: Solutions to environmental problems through social entrepreneurship a) The Problem Tree Analysis / Solution Tree Analysis This tool is used in the early stages of the Social Innovation process in order to identify the social / environmental problem and its roots whilst facilitating the identification and description of smaller and manageable goals that will contribute at the end to the provision of the best solution. As it derives from its name, it is actually represented by a Tree that has three different parts, the roots, the branches and the trunk of the tree. There are three steps within which the problem tree analysis taking place: ü The identification of the core problem/ challenge ü The identification of the factors that cause the problem (roots) ü The identification of the problem effects An example of a problem tree analysis is depicted in the graphic below: Source: https://cio-wiki.org/wiki/Problem_Tree_Analysis After finishing with the identification of the Problem you have the opportunity to provide your solutions by using the Solution Analysis Tree. In fact, it concerns the same method but instead of analysing the core
11 R1.T2 – Module 4: Solutions to environmental problems through social entrepreneurship problem, you will identify your vision by breaking it down it to possible solutions and effects as the following graph depicts. b) Theory of Change According to the United Nations Development Group (nd) the Theory of Change is considered as “a method that explains how a given intervention, or set of interventions, are expected to lead to a specific development change, drawing on a causal analysis based on available evidence.” The key advantages for using such a tool regard the identification of the actual than the desirable outcomes, recognizing at the same time the various stakeholders and sources needed in order for these outcomes to be achieved. As a process it includes five different phases Inputs, Activities, Outputs, Outcomes and Impact, where: ü Inputs describes the resources that you need ü Activities refers to the actual actions that you take by using the resources ü Outputs describes the final result of the process which is usually quantifiable (number of people participating in the activities, or a quantity of products produced) ü Outcomes describes what has been achieved in terms of attitudes, behaviours, knowledge, skills, status etc ü Impact describes the long-term outcomes. They are usually measured at a higher level. Source: https://pt.slideshare.net/JennyCatherine1/problem-tree-44261668/2
12 R1.T2 – Module 4: Solutions to environmental problems through social entrepreneurship Source: https://www.mysocialstartup.eu/the-theory-of-change/build-your-theory-of-change/ c) Ideas Pitching This tool is widely used for presenting your innovative ideas to various stakeholders in order to support your social endeavor with various means and resources in accordance to their role like donors, trustees, investors, customers, suppliers, volunteers, the community etc. The concept of this method is to effectively present your idea within a minimum of time. For this to be achieved you have to make clear what are the main goals of your movement, what is the problem that addresses, what is the innovative solution that you propose and finally, what is the estimated impact of it. “Tips” According to the Harvard Business School Online, when you pitch your idea, you have to follow specific steps in order to persuade your audience about the value of it: ü Know who you’re pitching ü Consider How You’re Presenting Yourself, Not Simply Your Idea ü Tell a story ü Cover the details ü Show the Roadmap Source: https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/how-to-pitch-a-business-idea Additional information If you want to learn more please read this article about The Problem Tree Analysis See the following article with a practical example about Using a Problem and Objective Tree to Set Realistic Goals See the following Report about Theory of Change
13 R1.T2 – Module 4: Solutions to environmental problems through social entrepreneurship See the following article about 9 Inspiring Examples of Social Entrepreneurs Pitching their Social Ventures Video Watch this interesting video that summarizes How to use Problem Tree Analysis Watch this video about Social Enterprise Pitch Watch this tutorial on How to Pitch a Social Business Idea Time for a Quiz! 1. After reading the additional material and watching the video about Problem Tree Analysis try to think of a social/ political/ economic / environmental challenge that your community is faced with and try to identify the cause and the effects of this problem by using the template of a Problem Tree provided below. Immediate consequences Root Causes Secondary causes Immediate causes Long Term consequences Impacts <<STATE THE CLIMATE AND DEVELOPMENT PROBLEM HERE>> Central Problem PROBLEM TREE ANALYSIS: TEMPLATE
14 R1.T2 – Module 4: Solutions to environmental problems through social entrepreneurship Upload your findings in the AY4L collaboration space and learn what your peers think about your findings! 2. Please visit this link and read an example of Theory of Change. Now, follow the tips provided in there and try to develop your own example. After completion upload it in the platform and discuss it with your peers. LEARNING UNIT 3: BENEFITS OF SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP FOR LOCAL, REGIONAL, NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT As previously illustrated, social entrepreneurship can contribute significantly to the development of communities either at local, regional or even at national level due to the nature of the aims and activities that lie within its heart having as a primary goal the provision of solutions that promote prosperity, equal opportunities for all, accessibility, social inclusion etc. The role of social entrepreneurship for the society, economy and environment could be briefly presented as follows (SESBA, 2017; Haugh, 2005): ü Social entrepreneurship is a business model that allows organizations involved to become more sophisticated and innovative in the way that they maximize economic and social values. ü Social entrepreneurial activity adds to economic development by creating new jobs and entrepreneurial ventures; also supports the economy by improving the quality of the local workforce (e.g. health care for the poor, vocational job training for high school graduates, substance abuse counselling for ex-offenders, etc.) and helping the disadvantaged to overcome their poverty through employment. ü By valuing social as well as economic returns, social entrepreneurship can target areas of social need and can contribute to the improvement of life conditions for beneficiaries and to lower program costs for governments. ü Social entrepreneurship can contribute to the increase of tax revenues while reducing welfare payments. ü Social entrepreneurship, as a bottom-up approach can also provide benefits in rural areas, enabling service providers to address local needs more appropriately, satisfying the distinctive needs of local communities. Working collectively creates social capital and builds confidence that can be applied to other community issues of concern.
15 R1.T2 – Module 4: Solutions to environmental problems through social entrepreneurship ü Through the employment of local people, the time spent on travelling to work will be reduced and might even eliminate some bus/car journeys. This would have a consequent impact on the demand for fossil fuels ü Engagement with groups of people who are less likely to be full participants in society and the economy. This targeting of specific groups within society can contribute to the reduction of social exclusion and isolation. ü Social Entrepreneurship contributes to empowering communities and building local democracy through participation in community events and initiatives. ü Last but not least, Social Entrepreneurship can lead to the development of positive effects on motivation of local people and the creation of local role models and heroes thus promoting social cohesion. source: https://blogs.ubc.ca/rexblog/2014/11/11/post-7-class-20blog-post-social-entrepreneurship-and-social-enterprise/ “Did you know?” According to a Research that has been conducted in 2020, although that many have the impression that social enterprises are relatively small and therefore have little impact on the society. But this was false! The Research revealed that 96% of social enterprises in the Netherlands were having an impact on the rest of the enterprises in becoming aware of critical social and/or environmental issues adopting also more responsible practices. The Research explains that this is done in three ways like the graph below depicts:
16 R1.T2 – Module 4: Solutions to environmental problems through social entrepreneurship Source: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/01/social-enterprises-can-have-a-big-impact/ Time for a Quiz! Imagine that you are a social entrepreneur whose social enterprise is providing solution to a critical social/ environmental issue that your community faces. Having this as a starting point, please answer the following questions: - Describe in short, the social problem and the social mission of your social enterprise - Identify the benefits of the operation of your social enterprise provide to your community Upload your findings in the AY4L collaboration space and learn what your peers think about your findings!
17 R1.T2 – Module 4: Solutions to environmental problems through social entrepreneurship LEARNING UNIT 4: SUSTAINABILITY AND SOCIAL ENTERPRISES As you have already learnt in Module 1 ‘Sustainable Development, Climate Change” the term “Sustainable development” refers to the ‘development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (WCED, 1987). There are several issues that are raised through this definition, such as: ü Social justice cannot exist without environmental justice ü Better management of natural resources is needed ü Climate friendly approaches should be employed by all actors in all operational fields ü Achieving positive impact on the environment and establishing social cohesion should become our primary goals in the long term Social enterprises contribute to smart and sustainable growth, by taking their impact on the environment and social cohesion into account in their long-term vision. Thus, social enterprises are important actors that contribute to the achievement of the Europe 2030 objectives. “Did you know?” Social enterprises have a big share in contributing to the smart and sustainable growth of their communities making sustainability one of their primary missions. Source: https://www.socialenterprise.org.uk/all-about-social-enterprise/social-enterprise-and-climate-change/ When it comes to sustainable development, as a term is intertwined with another feature of the communities of the future. Resilience! When we refer to Resilience we mean “the capacity of a system to absorb disturbance and reorganise while undergoing change so as to still retain essentially the same function, structure, identity and feedbacks” (Adger, 2005). In other words, Resilience helps us to perceive how persistent and transformative attributes of the living systems are vital for their constant development and sustainability through the years. “Resilience approach to sustainability focuses on how to build capacity to deal with unexpected change and offers a framework for facilitating sustainable development ( adaptation to
18 R1.T2 – Module 4: Solutions to environmental problems through social entrepreneurship change)” (Diesis, 2018). Especially, in the case of climate change social entrepreneurship constitutes a valuable mean for building climate resilient cities, having as central focus the provision of clean energy, clean water, and climate-smart agriculture. Additional information If you want to learn more on how social enterprises contribute to sustainability read this article about 5 ways Social Entrepreneurs are promoting Sustainability around the world See also this article about Social Entrepreneurship and Resilience Video If you want to learn more watch the following video about Climate Resilient cities LEARNING UNIT 5: GOOD EXAMPLES OF SOCIAL ENTERPRISES ON COMBATING ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES As you already know, the environmental challenges that our planet faces nowadays seem to be countless. But it is a common sense that if each one of us take some actions to prevent this, at the end we could come up with impressive results. Take for example the following Social Enterprises and the respective activities that undertake in order to achieve their social vision by contributing significantly in providing solutions against different environmental challenges. a) The case of ‘Liofyllo”- Greece Liofyllo was born back in 2018 in Greece, based on the idea of environmental protection and how the humanity can escape the linear model of consumption. For this to be achieved, Liofyllo creates an innovative, eco-friendly material (international patent) from untapped olive leaves and various adhesives, to reduce the production and use of non-environmentally friendly materials (synthetic, plastic, MDF, OSB, etc.), thus contributing to the reduction of pollution and ecological disaster (deforestation, mining, etc.). This innovative material, with different processing techniques, can be applied to a wide range of products (interior decoration, furnishing, etc.) thus covering the needs of more sectors of craft and industry. Liofyllo’s main pillars are green, social and female entrepreneurship. Through its actions, the enterprise wants to strengthen these sectors of entrepreneurship, inspire more people to engage in these areas
19 R1.T2 – Module 4: Solutions to environmental problems through social entrepreneurship and have as much social and environmental impact as possible, thus helping the local community and economy and in general the development in Greece. b) The case of “CLIMATETRADE” – Spain CLIMATETRADE is a social enterprise with the aim of helping companies achieve carbon neutrality. Its professionals provide innovative services; since its main activity is to connect companies that want to offset their carbon emissions with proven environmental projects. With more than 60 projects available in around 20 different countries, it has attracted more than 500 companies and offset more than 3M tonnes of carbon. c) The case of “HYDRIA for the planet” – Italy This social enterprise was founded in 2020 in Rome by Diego Cosmo, a young entrepreneur, and by Manuela Staffieri, a biologist specialized in nutrition. The idea was born in 2018 in response to one of the main problems involving the whole planet: pollution, caused by natural phenomena but, above all, by the activity of man through the reckless use of plastic. Their goal is to spread a message of positive change to people by pushing them to live a more sustainable life. Hence the need to offer and create eco-friendly products for daily use (Hydria for the planet thermal bottle) that will definitively replace the disposable ones. d) The case of “ECO-UNESCO”- Ireland ECO-UNESCO is Ireland’s youth environment educational organisation which works to encourage the personal development of youth while raising awareness of environmental issues. They provide a variety of different training programmes and events on topics related to sustainability and environmentalism, as well as accredited courses on sustainable skills, all aimed at young people between the ages of 18 to 25 (ECO-UNESCO, 2022). ECO-UNESCO have been influential in Irish national politics, successfully advocating for increased funding for youth schemes concerned with environmentalism in 2020 (ECO-UNESCO, 2020). Every year, they fun several information campaigns aimed at educating and empowering young people to become climate justice activists. They work with over 10,000 young people annually and have over 30 years of experience in delivering sustainable actions and environmentalism education and action in Ireland. Each year they host the Young Environmentalist Awards which recognises and rewards young climate activists (both individuals and groups) which have a positive impact on climate action in their communities and nationally. Why is this a best practice? Figure 1 - Image source: https://ecounesco.ie/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/cropped-ECOUNESCO-logo-CMYK_Badge_200x200.png
20 R1.T2 – Module 4: Solutions to environmental problems through social entrepreneurship ECO-UNESCO actively work towards supporting young people in becoming the best active citizens they can be – providing them with the skills and accreditations necessary to fight for climate action. They support young people try to enact real environmental change across the country and teach young people sustainable actions to increase the progress of the SDGs. e) The case of ‘TESURA”- Cyprus Think global, act local. This is the moto of TESURA, An enterprise in Nicosia, Cyprus that will moderate and support sustainable ways of living and connect people, communities and businesses that are willing to work on the philosophy of circular economy. Circular economy is an alternative to a traditional linear economy (make, use, dispose) in which people keep resources in use for as long as possible, extract the maximum value from them whilst in use, then recover and regenerate products and materials at the end of each service life. The SEs purpose is exploring alternative solutions to social challenges, with great respect to the environment and designing with sustainable and human center approach. Based on the philosophy of circular economy, aim is to evolve through the culture of reuse, reduce, recycle and grow solutions of an Ecofriendly lifestyle. f) The case of “Funky Guerilla” – Bosnia and Herzegovina Funky Guerrilla is a pioneer social enterprise in Bosnia and Herzegovina, established by a grass root organization Most from Gradiška. This CSO is focused on sustainable community development through three key programs: children and youth at risk (daily centre), environment and social entrepreneurship. The social business was founded in 2014 and ever since has been designing, creating and distributing the Funky Guerrilla products in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as abroad. Significant development support was received through YEP program /Impakt foundation. Additional information If you want to learn more on how social enterprises combat energy challenges read this article about 20 Social Enterprises leading Clean Energy Revolution In this article you can read about How Social Entrepreneurs can save the Environment In this article you can read about Cooling the Planet: seven social enterprise solutions to combat the crisis of climate change Video If you want to learn more examples please watch the following video about how Social Enterprises show the way on Environment Protection
21 R1.T2 – Module 4: Solutions to environmental problems through social entrepreneurship Time for a Quiz! Every year the Schwab Foundation on Social Entrepreneurship organizes the “Social Entrepreneur Awards” where nominees from all over the world are selected in terms of providing outstanding leaders pioneering solutions for social and environmental challenges ranging from refugee family reunification and human rights to water infrastructure and financial inclusion. Please, visit the website in this link and find two outstanding social enterprises that combat environmental challenges and write down in a few lines what they do and why you find this impressive. Discuss your findings with your peers. Conclusion Social enterprises can be defined as businesses that have a mission to solve social problems, improve people's lives, provide training and employment opportunities for the most marginalised in society, support communities and protect the environment. Social enterprises exist in all EU Member States, regardless of the type of welfare system or whether there is a developed non-profit sector, cooperative culture, or specific legislation, despite varying degrees of recognition and size. On the other hand, Social innovation is about thinking differently in order to bring about social/environmental change, which within the last two decades has gained momentum as a practical solution to address social, political, economic and environmental challenges. Some of the most powerful tools for achieving Social Innovation were described thoroughly, providing you with the opportunity to delve within them indicating that the provision of innovative solutions is something feasible for all! Test what you’ve Learnt! 1. Social entrepreneurs measure performance using business metrics such as profit, revenue and increases in stock prices. - True - False 2. Social Enterprises focus on maximising social impact rather than profit - True - False 3. What are the 6 stages in Social Innovation as outlined by Murray, R., Caulier-Grice, J. and G Mulgan (2010) ? a) Prompts, proposals, prototypes, sustaining, scaling, systematic change b) Prompts, prototypes, scaling, Proposal, systematic change
22 R1.T2 – Module 4: Solutions to environmental problems through social entrepreneurship c) Prompts, monitoring, prototypes, scaling, Proposal, systematic change 4. Social Enterprises can contribute significantly to the sustainability of their communities - True - False 5. Please describe which of the following features characterize Resilience: a) The capacity to deal with unexpected change b) To preserve the same functions, structure and identity of a system although changes are happening c) Facilitation of sustainable development d) All of the above REFERENCES Diesis (2018). How Social Enterprises contribute to sustainable Food system. Available at: https://www.diesis.coop/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/FOOD-Good-Practices_-1.pdf EC Oslo Manual (1992) Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development The Measurement Of Scientific And Technological Activities Proposed Guidelines For Collecting And Interpreting Technological Innovation Data Oslo Manual Haugh, H. (2005). The role of social enterprise in regional development. International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business - Int J Enterpren Small Bus. 2. 10.1504/IJESB.2005.007085. Murray, R., Caulier-Grice, J. and G Mulgan 2010 The Open Book of Social Innovation, NESTA/The Young Foundation Mort, G. S., Weerawardena, J. & Carnegie, K. (2003) “Social entrepreneurship: Towards conceptualisation”, International Journal of Nonprofit & Voluntary Sector Marketing, 8(1): 76-88. SESBA (2017). Module 1: Understanding Social Entrepreneurship. WCED (ed). 1987. Our Common Future: The World Commission on Environment and Development. Oxford: Oxford University Press:. Oxford.
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