On the 30th July, 2009 ,ChangeFusion in corporation with the Moral Center has organized a conference on “Business for society and morality for sustainable growth: Future of social enterprises” at Impact Arena Muang Thong Thani. This conference aimed at providing a platform for discussion and exchange of ideas among social entrepreneurs from various sectors across the country as well as introduce to the public the general idea of social enterprises and their roles in creating sustainable society.
The session began with an opening speech from Mr. Sunit Shrestha, Managing Director at ChangeFusion. This is followed by a penal discussion among different social entrepreneurs who run their own social enterprises. Among them include;
1. Executive Director of Magnolia Quality Development Corporation, an environmental friendly housing project that emphasizes on an energy saving design. The company also engages in a number of socially and environmentally responsible projects. For example, “Wisdom” project which helps to educate customers on being “green consumers, “Phuttaraksa Foundation” which promotes environment protection, and housing for senior citizen and orphans.
2. Ms. Aurapin Sinarmaravej, Managing Director of Kokoboard, provider of environmental friendly plywood furniture made from byproduct of farming activities. Besides being a good example of sustainable resource use, it has become a reliable source of extra income for farming communities. Burning of agricultural byproduct has been reduced which, in turns, helps to decrease amount of carbon dioxide release and protect the environment.
3. Mr. Nawee Nakwatchara, “Grassroot Innovation Network” project manager. Grassroot Innovation Network brings organic agriculture into rural communities of Buriram province. Switching from single crop farming to multiple crop farming reduce the impact of decline in crop prices while using local raw materials reduce the cost of farming by as much as two third of the original cost. Organic agriculture suits better with the local terrain while protecting the environment and biodiversity in the area. As a result, average income among the villagers has been increasing and their standard of living improved.
4. Ms. Theparat Tantikanlayaporn, Managing Director of Chivalry Silk: provider of online fair trade silk products. The profit is channeled directly to the villagers bypassing the middleman who often reaps most of the profit and leave very little to the villagers. Chivalry Silk has been able to improve the income and standard living of the local silk producers while preserving local Lanna culture which is slowly disappearing from the Northern Part of Thailand.
5. Mr. Patipat Supasumpao, Managing Director of OpenDream: a web design company that caters especially to social organization client. OpenDream employs a cross subsidization model in which 20 percents of the revenue from the commercial clients help to subsidize 80 percents revenue coming from social clients. OpenDream emphasizes on taking the project with extended social impact, for example, they build a website for “Mor Choa Baan Foundation”. This website allows the public to gain access to vast information on Thai local medicine and treatment. They are also involved in building an infrastructure for epidemic disease surveillance on mobile which helps the government to monitor the spreading of different epidemics particularly in rural area.
6. Mr. Thivakorn Loapunsuk, Managing Director of Thoth Media: a producer of media for social purposes. Thoth Media aims at utilizing new technology to create constructive online media content that will benefit the society. They also provide media consulting service for various social organizations. Their portfolio includes campaigns to promote safe sex and stop domestic violence against woman.
The overall discussion was lively and very constructive. New ideas and opinions are being discussed. The combination of business logic together with social benefit helps to enhance the ability of the social enterprise to survive and make profit while helping to solve social and environmental problem. This is a unique quality of social enterprise which distinguishes itself from traditional NGOs who tend to depend heavily on grant money and constantly facing cash flow problem. Triple Bottom Line approach which incorporates social, environmental and economic dimensions lie at the heart of any sustainable and successful social enterprise.
