♦ SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

Social entrepreneurship is related to SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE INVESTING (SRI) and environmental social gover (ESG) investing. SRI is the practice of investing money in companies and funds that have positive social impacts. SRI has also grown in popularity in recent years.

Socially responsible investors will often eschew investments in companies that produce or sell addictive substances (like alcohol, gambling, and tobacco). They may also seek out companies that are engaged in social justice, environmental sustainability, and alternative energy or clean technology efforts.

Socially conscious investors screen potential new investments for environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria. This set of standards considers how a company performs as a steward of nature, how it manages relationships with employees, suppliers, customers, and the communities where it operates, and how it treats its company’s leadership, compensates its executives, and approaches internal control and shareholder rights.

♦SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global Goals, were adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030. They are an integrated set of 17 interlinked objectives. Achieving these goals requires the collaborative efforts of governments, civil society, the private sector, and individuals worldwide.

Here's a brief overview, categorized for clarity:

People:

• No Poverty (Goal 1): End poverty in all its forms everywhere.
• Zero Hunger (Goal 2): End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.
• Good Health and Well-being (Goal 3): Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.
• Quality Education (Goal 4): Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
• Gender Equality (Goal 5): Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.
• Clean Water and Sanitation (Goal 6): Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
• Affordable and Clean Energy (Goal 7): Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.
• Decent Work and Economic Growth (Goal 8): Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.
• Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure (Goal 9): Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation.
• Reduced Inequalities (Goal 10): Reduce inequality within and among countries.
• Sustainable Cities and Communities (Goal 11): Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable 

Businesses harming the environment

The working world damages the environment in a number of ways, including:

Office heating and air-con systems use massive amounts of electricity and pump greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Moreover, a lot of buildings aren’t energy-efficient. In 2019, 1

• When people commute to and from work, traffic jams pollute carbon into the atmosphere.
• Even with better recycling practices in place, office workers still generate tons of paper waste that goes to landfills or incinerators.
• Alongside paper, additional waste spans equipment such as computers and other electronics. Ending up in landfills, they don’t break down and can leach dangerous chemicals.

7% of net emission by greenhouse gas in UK came from business.

♦Gold Standard offsetting

Net-zero emissions is the ultimate goal, with prevention, reduction and investment the best ways to achieve that. Offsetting is an option too but think of that more as a last resort. Why? The best solution is to stop harmful emissions from getting into the atmosphere in the first place.

But if your business does go down the offsetting route, be sure to use Gold Standard certified projects. These offer long-term resolutions, such as wind farm initiative providing renewable power to 70,000 Indonesian homes, reducing dependence on fossil fuels. Gold Standard also advocates going Climate+ – rather than aiming for carbon-neutral, offset more than your footprints

Measure and reduce your carbon footprint

As well as investing in a sustainable transport service like zeelo

 diverting to green energy, or Gold Standard offsetting, other ways to reduce the carbon footprint of your business include:

• Changes to the office environment. For example, use energy-efficient lighting such as LEDs, apply motion sensors for lighting, and instal temperature controls.
• Invest in a Revolving Green Fund. This is a self-financing method to pay for energy-saving initiatives.
• Reduce waste and recycle. Consider buying recycled paper or go paperless where you can, and donate old electronics.
• Lower aviation emissions. Don’t travel for business unless you really need to; consider replacing emission-laden journeys with conference calls.

As well as reducing your carbon footprint, it’s also a good idea to measure it. That way, your business can set targets and keep track of progress. Emissions are grouped like this

• Scope 1: All direct emissions from the operations of a company
• Scope 2: Indirect emissions from electricity bought and used by them
• Scope 3: All other indirect emissions generated by the organisation that are out of their control, such as waste and water

1. Renewable innovation: Johnson & Johnson

An excellent example of CSR on the frontline is big pharma pioneer Johnson & Johnson. They have focused on reducing their impact on the planet for three decades. Their initiatives range from leveraging the power of the wind to providing safe water to communities around the world.

♦Social issues: Google

Google is trusted not only for its environmentally friendly initiatives but also due to its outspoken CEO, Sundar Pichai. He stands up against social issues including President Donald Trump’s anti-Muslim comments and the era created by AI in terms of misinformation and fake news.

Google also funds initiatives to drive inclusion both in the company and society in the areas of:

• ♦Racial equity
• ♦Disability inclusion
• ♦Gender equality 

•  ♦Sustainability: Coca-Cola

  

  As brand, Coca-Cola is putting a huge focus on sustainability. The key areas are climate, packaging and agriculture along with water stewardship and product quality. 

  Their message is ‘a world without waste’, with the aim of collecting and recycling every bottle, making their packaging 100% recyclable and replacing all water used in creating their drinks back to the environment to ensure water security. They aim that by 2030, they will have reduced their carbon footprint by 25%

• ♣"lUXURY AND SUSTAINABILITY ARE ONE AND SAME"

  • Care: Reducing environmental footprint by using innovative tools and original methodologies. They’re aiming for a 50% reduction in carbon emissions by 2025 within Scopes 1 to 3 of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol. They’re also gunning for 100% of the supply chain to be transparent by 2025.
  • Collaborate: The aim here is to boost stakeholder engagement in promoting sustainable luxury, promote parity and diversity, and be an employer of choice.
  • Create: Through innovation, knowledge sharing, and groundbreaking solutions, Kering strives to bring sustainable practices into the mainstream. For instance, they created the Materials Innovation Lab (MIL) in 2013, seeking to identify sustainable and responsible alternatives in terms of materials and fabrics

  
  

  ♦INITIATIVE TO SUCCEED👍🌈:-

  The four main focus areas :-

  1. Energy efficiency and emissions
  2. Water efficiency
  3. A leading offering in circularity
  4. Safe operation

• ♦Sustainable practices for companies

  Over one million species face extinction, our oceans are dying, and rapid change in  nature is not reversible. Shocking, right❓❔ At a business level, there are a number of sustainable practices that can be put in place to positively impact environmental change. These range from shuttle employee programmes to throwing your organisation more heavily into community efforts.

• ♦Workplace diversity & inclusion: Starbucks

  

  ♦ Packaging: LEGO

  

  As we conclude our exploration of social entrepreneurship and its connection to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), it is clear that the power of innovation and entrepreneurship lies not just in creating economic value, but in shaping a better, more equitable world🌏. Social entrepreneurs are at the forefront of driving solutions that address some of the most pressing challenges facing our society today—poverty, inequality, environmental degradation, and more.

  By aligning business practices with the SDGs, social entrepreneurs are transforming the way we think about success. They demonstrate that profit and purpose can coexist, creating positive social and environmental impacts while still achieving financial sustainability. Their work proves that with creativity, determination, and collaboration, we can make meaningful strides toward a sustainable future💯.

  The message here is simple❗: we all have a role to play. Whether you're an entrepreneur, a policymaker, or an everyday citizen, every action counts. Embracing the SDGs,🍀 supporting social enterprises, and committing to sustainable practices can help us build a world where prosperity is shared, the environment is protected, and everyone can thrive.

  Let's continue to innovate, collaborate, and take responsibility for shaping a future that supports people, planet, and prosperity for generations to come. The journey is long, but the opportunities to make a difference are vast, and together, we can create a more just and sustainable world✌✌🍃

• ~ KANAN THAKRAL.....