When large number of citizens acquire capacity to shape civic & economic life. Social enterpreneurship is a process that enables citizens to do that” Azadeh Tajdar: Shetab Afghanistan

We are living in times of immense possibilities. I strongly feel that as a nation we are all set to lead the world. With the war cry of Atma Nirbhar Bharat & Make in India campaigns, the stage is already set, the runway is ready.

Now it is not only about meeting the ends, or struggling for basics. We now have the bandwidth to look around and do something for people around us, contributing to nation building. The businesses are not only being built/run for profit, it is also about bringing a change, making an impact, uplifting the society as a whole, people are talking about  Let’s grow together. 

Social Entrepreneurship defines the state and stage of a lot of businesses today. Earning a livelihood while working for the betterment of the society, profits with purpose. And mind you, I am not using the word charity. It is strictly about running a business with profits. The Outcome & Income Both Matter.

The term Social Entrepreneurship encompasses any business that develops solutions to address any social, or environmental issues. It is about creating the right impact in the needed direction. The term has picked up fast in the last decade.

The understanding of the 17 SDGs will give more clarity of the framework of these kinds of businesses. The underlying theme of all these businesses is Sustainability. In fact Lot of individuals and organisations today have been keeping sustainability at the core of the business. 

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all countries – developed and developing – in a global partnership. They recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests.

The SDGs build on decades of work by countries and the UN, including the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs are:

Goal 1: No Poverty – End Poverty in all its forms everywhere

Goal 2: Zero Hunger – End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture

Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being  – Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages

Goal 4: Quality Education – Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

Goal 5: Gender Equality – Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation – Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all

Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy – Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all

Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth – Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all

Goal 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure – Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation

Goal 10: Reduced Inequality – Reduce inequality within and among countries

GOAL 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities – Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

GOAL 12: Responsible Consumption and Production – Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

GOAL 13: Climate Action – Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

GOAL 14: Life Below Water – Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

GOAL 15: Life on Land – Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

GOAL 16: Peace and Justice Strong Institutions – Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels

GOAL 17: Partnerships to achieve the Goal – Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development

These SDGs given by the UN addresses all the challenges that the world is facing today, keeping sustainability at its core. Any business whose model strives to achieve any of the SDGs is a Social Enterprise. And that’s what the World needs most today.