Many leading organizations from different parts of the world are already doing their bit towards social reform
If you’re running a business with the sole aim of selling stuff and making huge profits, then you are missing the bigger picture. While profitability is essential to sustain business operations and pay your bills comfortably, it shouldn’t be the only thing you seek. You also ought to aim to give back to society in any way you can and help it grow further.
Many leading organizations from different parts of the world are already doing their bit towards social reform. Perhaps now it’s your turn to stand up and do something that can change the lives of others for the better.
If you are looking for some motivation to pump your spirits, here are some few examples of businesses that have gone out of their way to make a change in society. Have a look at their social reform initiatives and learn from them.
CrushXO
This is an excellent example of how a business works to maintain profitability and have a positive impact on society through philanthropy. Crushxo is a beauty startup that designs vegan-friendly makeup products infused with various gemstones, such as Sapphire, Rose Quartz, Amethyst, Jade, and Tourmaline for women.
What sets it apart from most other companies exploiting the same niche is that CrushXO donates 5% of its total sales to various charitable causes dedicated to increasing education and awareness on breast cancer, female education, women empowerment, and spreading awareness about female reproductive health.
Over the years, many fashion models and digital influencers have come on-board to support their mission and spread it across the globe so that more women can achieve their true potential and live a healthy life. Going forward, the company seeks to take many new initiatives that could shape up the world into a better place for everyone, especially women.
Also read: 10 social impact startups in Southeast Asia that caught our attention in 2018
I-Drop
The second name on this list is I-Drop, a for-profit organization that helps people drink clean water. Instead of selling plastic water containers and bottles, it installs state-of-the-art water purification and dispensing machines at local grocery shops. People can visit these shops, refill their multi-use water containers with purified drinking water and make the payment. The payment then splits between the store owner and I-Drop.
Most people in African countries are deprived of clean water. An initiative like I-Drop is their best chance to have purified water at a reasonable price. There is no denying that I-Drop is doing business, but the model is purpose-driven and providing hundreds of thousands of people access to safe drinking water.
Many aspiring entrepreneurs can learn from this business model. For instance, Soarer Industries from Malaysia has already set up a similar business model in Southeast Asia. The company’s primary objective is to provide clean water to people who cannot access it. In the coming years, several other startups are expected to come forward and implement unique ideas to permanently fix this problem and build a profitable business along the way.
Bookshare
Millions of people across the world don’t get an opportunity to read their favorite books due to health issues like blindness, dyslexia, cerebral palsy, etc. Bookshare has come up with a unique solution to fix this problem. It provides customized reading experience using ebooks, audiobooks, highlighted texts, and braille to those who want to read but aren’t able to do so because of their physical and health condition.
There are more than 6.7 lakh titles in their online library of bestsellers, textbooks, career resources, children’s books, and other reading material. Many schools and students get free access to their online library of books, while adults can subscribe for the service for less than $1 per week.
It’s a fantastic way to nurture a reading habit among people and make sure that nothing can stop them from achieving their true potential.
Chapter W
Chapter W is a non-profit organization that operates in Indonesia and Singapore. The organization aims to increase access to non-toxic sources of lighting. Most rural women in Indonesia are forced to use kerosene lamps to provide lighting in their homes due to lack of electrical power in the country. The use of kerosene lamps has been linked to one death every 20 seconds in the country.
Chapter W uses the latest technology to build solar lamps that can replace kerosene lamps and ensure that no one dies due to indoor air pollution. The best part about the initiative is that they train rural women to design solar lamps, solving two problems simultaneously — poverty and indoor air pollution.
Also read: Can social impact be growth hacked?
Currently, the organization has created 186 women entrepreneurs, cut down 159,548 tons of CO2, helped over 28364 individuals, and saved about $226,912 in energy costs. The numbers are incredible and projected to increase in the coming years.
There are many other startups which have made social development an integral part of their business models. We will keep sharing their stories with you in upcoming posts. Meanwhile, don’t forget to tell us in the comments section what you think about such social entrepreneurship initiatives and their relevance in today’s business world.
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