Comments on: How to Use Your Business to Help Others http://illuminea.com/small-business/how-to-use-your-business-to-help-others/ Create and optimize your web presence with blogging & social media strategies Wed, 04 Apr 2012 06:30:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Fred Schlomka http://illuminea.com/small-business/how-to-use-your-business-to-help-others/comment-page-1/#comment-123588 Fred Schlomka Mon, 06 Jun 2011 09:19:12 +0000 http://www.illuminea.com/blog/small-business/how-to-use-your-business-to-help-others/#comment-123588 Charitable activity is only one way a business can be socially responsible. A more difficult task is to try and integrate a meaningful social philosophy into the daily functioning of the enterprise. I run a social enterprise. What does this mean? In addition to providing me with a livelihood, the structure of the business enables economic activity at the lowest stratum of the economy. We provide touring services for tourists, and go out of our way to find local guides in towns and villages, foster the development of hostels and guesthouses at the village level. We also encourage our clients to do their shopping at small craft workshops, cooperatives, and fair trade outlets. Most tour companies take their clients to commercial shops and get a large 'kickback, often 30-40%, from the customers spend. Another aspect of our social mission is providing foreign visitors with information about the country not readily available from mainstream tour companies, who tend to avoid controversial issues. We jump right in. Our clients meet ordinary Israelis and Palestinians, hear their stories. We visit refugee camps, the Gaza Border, and the Separation Barrier. We also place people for overnight stays with Israelis and Palestinians in private homes, and generally try and give our clients a meaningful view of the country through experiencing the people. Charitable activity is only one way a business can be socially responsible. A more difficult task is to try and integrate a meaningful social philosophy into the daily functioning of the enterprise.

I run a social enterprise. What does this mean? In addition to providing me with a livelihood, the structure of the business enables economic activity at the lowest stratum of the economy.

We provide touring services for tourists, and go out of our way to find local guides in towns and villages, foster the development of hostels and guesthouses at the village level. We also encourage our clients to do their shopping at small craft workshops, cooperatives, and fair trade outlets. Most tour companies take their clients to commercial shops and get a large ‘kickback, often 30-40%, from the customers spend.

Another aspect of our social mission is providing foreign visitors with information about the country not readily available from mainstream tour companies, who tend to avoid controversial issues. We jump right in. Our clients meet ordinary Israelis and Palestinians, hear their stories. We visit refugee camps, the Gaza Border, and the Separation Barrier. We also place people for overnight stays with Israelis and Palestinians in private homes, and generally try and give our clients a meaningful view of the country through experiencing the people.

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