http://socialenterprisefund.ca/?page_id=14
Before class, in my mind I thought social enterprises and charities were the same thing. All though they share many similarities but there are also differences that set them apart. A social enterprise and charity both focus on a social factor, to some how better the environment, the community, or an issue that an individual is passionate about. However, charities do not have a source of income, financial needs are met by the generosity of donations, whereas, social enterprises focus on the business aspect while maintaining the social aspect as well. There are many social enterprises in the world today, but one that caught my attentions was Just Beginnings Flowers. “Just Beginnings Flowers is a social enterprise which combines a floral business with a floral training school” (Just Beginnings Flowers, 2010). Their mission is to provide training and give opportunities to the unemployed. Along with helping others, they also earn a significant amount of profit. Being green is another one of their highlights; they keep track of this by measuring their environmental footprint. For example, they collect rainwater in barrels and compost all organic waste. Just Beginnings Flowers runs a successful green business while helping people transition into the labour market.
