Elkington to lead social enterprise initiative

John Elkington, one of the best known proponents of responsible business practice, is to head a three-year project looking at what lessons large companies can learn from social entrepreneurs.

The $1million (£533,000) project will be carried out by Elkington’s SustainAbility consultancy and paid for by the US-based Skoll Foundation, which was set up to advance the work of those taking an entrepreneurial approach to social change.

Elkington, who co-founded SustainAbility in 1987 but recently stepped aside from his duties as chair, will play a key role in the project, which will lead to:

a ‘state of social enterprise’ survey on the sector’s contribution to sustainable development

‘white papers’ proposing policy measures that make it easier for social entrepreneurs to operate

workshops to spread best practice at social enterprises into other types of business.

SustainAbility, which usually deals with large company clients such as Canon, Deutsche Telekom, Ford, Microsoft and Starbucks, said that focusing on smaller, alternative companies was a ‘significant evolution’ in the consultancy’s work.

Elkington said that he viewed social entrepreneurship as ‘critical’ to the future development of corporate responsibility. ‘Our work with major companies and financial institutions continues, but we see huge potential in social entrepreneurship,’ he said.

Sally Osberg, Skoll Foundation chief executive, said a key aim would be to build bridges between social enterprises, mainstream businesses and financial markets.