BeadforLife is an example of a socially innovative project. They have created a means for Ugandan women and their families to create and sell jewelry made from recycled paper—turning trash into sustainable income.
We can all agree that being responsible and putting people before profits is important.
But our planet needs more.
It needs our best and brightest minds thinking of new and highly effective ways to solve our problems and create a better world. Social innovation encourages finding new ways to solve our social and environmental problems.
From Wikipedia (itself an innovative approach to knowledge distribution):
Social innovation refers to new strategies, concepts, ideas and organizations that meet social needs of all kinds - from working conditions and education to community development and health - and that extend and strengthen civil society.
Over the years, the term has developed several overlapping meanings. It can be used to refer to social processes of innovation, such as open source methods and techniques. Alternatively it refers to innovations which have a social purpose - like microcredit or distance learning. The concept can also be related to social entrepreneurship (entrepreneurship isn't always or even usually innovative, but it can be a means of innovation) and it also overlaps with innovation in public policy and governance. Social innovation can take place within government, within companies, or within the nonprofit sector (also known as the third sector), but is increasingly seen to happen most effectively in the space between the three sectors.
Acorn Host donates 3% of its profits to organizations demonstrating innovative and effective means of changing the world.
We do this not just to contribute financially, but also to raise awareness about the work these organizations are doing. Find out more about who we have donated to on our 3% for good page.
