27th February 20234th edition of the monthly webinar successfully engages on topical issues helping shape societySocial enterprises examined for their impact in helping balance or engage with modern corporates for sustainable positive impactThe role of various partners in helping nurture and grow social enterprises interrogated GABORONE - The 4th edition of Hotwire’s increasingly popular “HotCon” was successfully held on the 23rd of February 2023. The platform, part of a monthly series, convened curious minds and inquisitive “doers” from not only Botswana but the globe, this time to ideate and discuss the issue of social enterprises and their almost meteoric rise across the globe. Anchoring the debate this month was a global array of thought leaders and changemakers, including Marcus ter Haar (Executive Director of Five6 Consulting) in Botswana; Amanda Nthati Chembezi (co-founder of Girls For Girls Botswana) in Botswana but doing work across the Sub-Saharan region-; and Christian Weirich (Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Happy Farm) in Switzerland. The 2018 Deloitte Global Human Capital Trends report reveals an infrastructure and resource change that speaks to a shift in mindset – how do we make the world a better place, not just for days and weeks, but for decade upon decade, in a truly sustainable model. This change reflects the growing significance of social capital in determining an organisation's goals, directing its interactions with stakeholders, and determining whether it will succeed or fail in the end.The world over, conversations around the need for greater sustainability and ESG thinking have propelled individuals, businesses, and societies to rethink their role in how we shape brighter futures for generations to come. With greater social consciousness and a desire to ensure we all leave a greener footprint, social impact businesses and social enterprises are fast emerging as veritable means to drive good in a sustainable and feasible manner, solving real-world problems with a hands-on community approach. .This edition of HotCon sought to tackle the intricacies of this and exploration of the model for success, with 93% of attendees at the virtual platform believing that social enterprises strongly change how the world works today. Speaking to the role of such impact-led entities, ter Haar noted that it is in underserved communities largely that big companies and government themselves can struggle, and yet social enterprises who find the “sweet spot” to drive social good can make a real impact. This of course does not come without challenges, which all panelists noted range from funding challenges to reputational risk and even struggles in effectively reporting on impact in a meaningful way. It would appear that the onus is as much on social enterprises and entrepreneurs - with a need to apply an entrepreneurial mind to solutionist thinking – as it is too on individuals looking to play their part. “We are starting to create a culture in Botswana around greater thought in how we use our money, if not about the product itself,” Amanda adds. She also noted that we need to look at conscious consumerism differently. Even choices around product purchase are key, e.g., choosing to support informal traders or small businesses is an act of consciousness, albeit in a nuanced way. For social entrepreneurs and indeed entrepreneurs in many forms, highlighted Weirich, it is less about starting out with the label of “social enterprise” and the many articulations or definitions this brings, but about a focus on what value one seeks to create or issue one seeks to address. This sense of focus, purpose and clarity can often serve as the greatest catalyst towards real impact, even guarding against such issues of greenwashing or “ticking a box” with inherently limited impact. “When I think about impact, it is about something that wouldn’t have happened otherwise,” he notes..“A bottom-up community approach is worth more than a top down, website tick-the-box approach,” Weirich shared. This extends to monitoring and evaluation too, with the most effective reporting designed to ensure informed future effort, and garnering insights from the proverbial foot soldiers on the ground, a crucial fact ter Haar and Chembezi underscored further. Social enterprises have a clear purpose and role in modern societies and are increasingly making their mark when delivered and executed correctly. Changing mindset and mobilising action, however, are key. “It’s generational,” says ter Haar. “Consumers today don’t only look at price and design, but the cleanliness of the product (impact, value chain, etc). It’s about the conscious consumer.” How society – and indeed corporates and investors – support and engage with them is a key dynamic towards real, meaningful change. Reassuringly, the “for good” intention at heart is not out of reach, already demonstrated in Botswana’s borders, boardrooms and social gatherings. But there remains, as the panel and the engagement with attendees revealed, much more yet to be done. ENDS.
27th February 20234th edition of the monthly webinar successfully engages on topical issues helping shape societySocial enterprises examined for their impact in helping balance or engage with modern corporates for sustainable positive impactThe role of various partners in helping nurture and grow social enterprises interrogated GABORONE - The 4th edition of Hotwire’s increasingly popular “HotCon” was successfully held on the 23rd of February 2023. The platform, part of a monthly series, convened curious minds and inquisitive “doers” from not only Botswana but the globe, this time to ideate and discuss the issue of social enterprises and their almost meteoric rise across the globe. Anchoring the debate this month was a global array of thought leaders and changemakers, including Marcus ter Haar (Executive Director of Five6 Consulting) in Botswana; Amanda Nthati Chembezi (co-founder of Girls For Girls Botswana) in Botswana but doing work across the Sub-Saharan region-; and Christian Weirich (Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Happy Farm) in Switzerland. The 2018 Deloitte Global Human Capital Trends report reveals an infrastructure and resource change that speaks to a shift in mindset – how do we make the world a better place, not just for days and weeks, but for decade upon decade, in a truly sustainable model. This change reflects the growing significance of social capital in determining an organisation's goals, directing its interactions with stakeholders, and determining whether it will succeed or fail in the end.The world over, conversations around the need for greater sustainability and ESG thinking have propelled individuals, businesses, and societies to rethink their role in how we shape brighter futures for generations to come. With greater social consciousness and a desire to ensure we all leave a greener footprint, social impact businesses and social enterprises are fast emerging as veritable means to drive good in a sustainable and feasible manner, solving real-world problems with a hands-on community approach. .This edition of HotCon sought to tackle the intricacies of this and exploration of the model for success, with 93% of attendees at the virtual platform believing that social enterprises strongly change how the world works today. Speaking to the role of such impact-led entities, ter Haar noted that it is in underserved communities largely that big companies and government themselves can struggle, and yet social enterprises who find the “sweet spot” to drive social good can make a real impact. This of course does not come without challenges, which all panelists noted range from funding challenges to reputational risk and even struggles in effectively reporting on impact in a meaningful way. It would appear that the onus is as much on social enterprises and entrepreneurs - with a need to apply an entrepreneurial mind to solutionist thinking – as it is too on individuals looking to play their part. “We are starting to create a culture in Botswana around greater thought in how we use our money, if not about the product itself,” Amanda adds. She also noted that we need to look at conscious consumerism differently. Even choices around product purchase are key, e.g., choosing to support informal traders or small businesses is an act of consciousness, albeit in a nuanced way. For social entrepreneurs and indeed entrepreneurs in many forms, highlighted Weirich, it is less about starting out with the label of “social enterprise” and the many articulations or definitions this brings, but about a focus on what value one seeks to create or issue one seeks to address. This sense of focus, purpose and clarity can often serve as the greatest catalyst towards real impact, even guarding against such issues of greenwashing or “ticking a box” with inherently limited impact. “When I think about impact, it is about something that wouldn’t have happened otherwise,” he notes..“A bottom-up community approach is worth more than a top down, website tick-the-box approach,” Weirich shared. This extends to monitoring and evaluation too, with the most effective reporting designed to ensure informed future effort, and garnering insights from the proverbial foot soldiers on the ground, a crucial fact ter Haar and Chembezi underscored further. Social enterprises have a clear purpose and role in modern societies and are increasingly making their mark when delivered and executed correctly. Changing mindset and mobilising action, however, are key. “It’s generational,” says ter Haar. “Consumers today don’t only look at price and design, but the cleanliness of the product (impact, value chain, etc). It’s about the conscious consumer.” How society – and indeed corporates and investors – support and engage with them is a key dynamic towards real, meaningful change. Reassuringly, the “for good” intention at heart is not out of reach, already demonstrated in Botswana’s borders, boardrooms and social gatherings. But there remains, as the panel and the engagement with attendees revealed, much more yet to be done. ENDS.
