Can entrepreneurs grow their businesses, be environmentally friendly, and uplift the poor?

Can entrepreneurs grow their businesses, be environmentally friendly, and uplift the poor?

Can entrepreneurs grow their businesses, be environmentally friendly, and uplift the poor?

Co-presented by Human Nature in partnership with Global-Link MP Events, Inc., the Green Business Forum entitled “Passion, Purpose & Profit: The Viability of Business for Social Good” held last September 26 engaged the public in answering this question by exploring the pillars of Human Nature’s Pro-Philippines, Pro-Poor, and Pro-Environment advocacy through different speakers’ own social and ecological endeavors.

 

Pro-Poor


(L-R) Human Nature's Anna Meloto-Wilk, GK Enchanted Farm's Frank Chiu, and Bayani Brew's Xilca Alvarez-Protacio

Human Nature’s president and co-founder Anna Meloto-Wilk opened the forum by introducing the subject of enlightened business and the urgency of developing social enterprises. By harnessing what she calls “the genius of the poor,” businesses can create and redistribute wealth among stakeholders and shareholders alike.

Two exemplary social entrepreneurs who shared their stories of harnessing the genius of the poor were Xilca Alvarez-Protacio of Bayani Brew and Frank Chiu of the Gawad Kalinga Enchanted Farm. Both of their business models involve efforts to develop the potential of the poor by giving them viable opportunities for growth while giving resourceful businesses the opportunity to create creative solutions to social and ecological issues, especially poverty. The key, according to Meloto-Wilk, is for businesses to invest in the hopes and dreams of the poor and bridge these aspirations with their own as they move together towards inclusive growth.

 

Pro-Environment


GET's Freddie Tinga introduces the public to the electric jeepney: The COMET

Freddie Tinga, President of Global Electric Transportation Philippines (GET), spearheaded the Pro-Environment session by introducing the next-generation e-vehicle solution: the City Optimized Managed Electric Transport, or COMET, which has already begun traversing its route along Quezon City.

Tinga’s mission with the COMET is to promote technology that is sustainable and responds to the Philippines’ environmental and social needs, starting with the most basic form of public transportation: the jeepney. Through the COMET, GET aims to provide better working conditions for jeepney drivers while having a more beneficial environmental impact, thereby building a better vehicle and a better world.

 

Pro-Philippines


(L-R) GKonomics ASAM's Rose Cabrera, Gawad Kalinga's Tony Meloto, and Plush and Play's Fabien Courteille

Gawad Kalinga (GK) founder Tony Meloto concluded the forum with his discussion on Bayanihan Economics, which is the foundation of GK’s social mission to end poverty for 5 million families in the Philippines by 2024. Building a country where nobody is left behind, especially the poor, requires a ground-breaking brand of nation-building whose efforts are focused on empowerment and shared growth, rather than charity.

Inclusive growth entails uplifting the poor by providing land for the landless, homes for the homeless, and food for the hungry, as well as concrete opportunities to rise up out of poverty through social entrepreneurship. Two such social entrepreneurs who shared in these practices are Fabien Courteille of Batang Bayani International Inc. (Plush and Play), a social enterprise focused on creating safe and non-toxic plush toys for children, and Rose Cabrera of GKonomics ASAM, a social enterprise which enables communities, entrepreneurs, and designers to collaborate and develop high end products.

"We cannot end poverty through charity,” declares Meloto. “We have to now move towards Christian stewardship. Mula sa awa ngayon papunta na sa gawa [From pity we’re now moving towards action]. Honest hard work and perseverance will end poverty in this country. Let's all be stubborn and let's not give up on our God and country."

Be one with us in this mission! Be a social entrepreneur by becoming a Human Nature dealer or purchasing products of our partner social enterprises.