Social innovation is a term that few have probably heard of unless they are recent majors in the field of business. It would be extremely helpful if we have people to help push forward change toward a cleaner and healthier world. Businesses can create an effective change, whether they are for profit or not. Social innovation, as I read it, is finding an issue about which one is passionate and pushing for positive change. I agree that as society develops, there will always be unforeseen consequences. As the consequences that are negative surface, it is important that people and businesses help find solutions for those consequences.
Here is an impressive video I found that speaks about the Ballard Center, sponsored by University in the United States.
It was enlightening to see people put action to their ideas. In the case of the company turning food waste into fertilizer, they act as an extremely beneficial company for our society. On one hand, the rotten food must go somewhere and is seen by most as waste. Companies would not be able to sell this waste, but to have a company welcome it, then turn it into something useful and valuable was a great idea business-wise. It was also a fantastic idea that changed the world, even in a small way. As I was growing up, we always took our excess food scraps and either fed them to our chickens or put them in our ‘compost pile.’ That just seemed normal. Perhaps, the social entrepreneur had a similar experience. Now, not only is it paying for his lifestyle, but he’s ‘cleaning’ the world and preventing potentially harmful emissions. Great idea! We all benefit from this company and what it's doing.
I personally believe that in our day of ease, due to innovation, we have more capability to recognize social problems. Data, or information, is so much more readily available. We truly live in the ‘Information Age.’ With so much information available, social problems that may have been overlooked are easier to be brought into the main focus of communities, regions, and nations. I also believe that entrepreneurs have access to machinery, computers, and programs that are so much more efficient now than in the past. This allows for innovations that are less expensive, and thus more affordable. Also, when a company does something “right,” it’s easier to recognize and reward them for their efforts.
This isn't a topic I look up very often, but when I do run across socially innovative ideas, it's good to see how entrepreneurs are using the resources we have in a positive way. I love it!
Have you seen socially innovative approaches to solve problems in your community? Tag me in your post and let me know all about it! I'm pretty good about upvoting others, especially those who leave comments to my posts 😎 Now get out there and do something good!
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