SHORT CASE STUDIES ONSOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS

Who are social entrepreneurs?

American Apparel: ethical fashion

Co-operative banks: social and democratic banking

Les Jardins de Cocagne: organic and local production with a reinsertion project

Ecover: ecological cleaning

Exki: natural and fresh food

Fifteen: Disavantaged youth employement

Social trends

Fair

Poverty

Community + green

Green

Green + health

Poverty + integration

The new idea

American Apparel is a vertically integrated manufacturer, distributor and retailer, based in downtown Los Angeles, California. They currently employ approximately 10.000 people globally (about 5.000 in L.A.), and operate more than 285 retail stores in 20 countries.

The social enterprise growthThey started in 2003 with the ambition to change the fashion world and reject the sweatshops. As a social responsible company, they take care of their employees’ well-being and produce their goods in the US.

The market impact

With their first shop in China, American Apparel goes a step further to make a bigger difference by creating their clothes with fair trade cotton.

American Apparel

Fair

New ideaClothes produced in the US with good working standards

Social enterprise growth10.000 employees285 retail stores in 20 countries.

Market impactIncreasing market in ethical fashion

Fair

American Apparel

Co-operative banks

The new ideaFriedrich Wilhelm Raiffeisen created in the mid of the 19th Century a credit cooperative in his constituency in order to fight against unequal access to banking services. The concept of co-operative banks was born: gathering savings to be redistributed as loans with basic guarantees and low interest rates. The social enterprise growthRaiffeisen revolutionized the banking system with this new approach based on solidarity, democratic control, open membership and independence. Deeply rooted in the real economy, the model solves concrete problems of the population. He dedicated his life to promote and open new credit co-operatives in rural areas.

The market impactFrom this very local initiative emerged a very large scale network of co-operative banks (e.g. Raiffeisen Group, Crédit Agricole, Crédit Mutuel, Rabobank etc.). Today, 4.200 banks operate locally with more than 160 million customers and 50 million members (social shares’ holders).

Poverty

New ideaFinancial services for everyone through cooperative banks

Social enterprise growthLocal co-operative banks sharing the same values created everywhere in Europe and beyond

Market impact4.200 local banks ; 160 million customers and 50 million members

Poverty

Co-operative banks

The new ideaThe first « Jardin de Cocagne » was opened in Besançon in 1991, based on a Swiss initiative and developed in France by the social entrepreneur Jean-Guy Henckel. The idea is to provide jobs to people who are marginalized from traditional labor market (i.e. unemployment, handicap, life upheaval etc.) by producing organic vegetables and distributing weekly baskets to members. The social enterprise growthLocal social entrepreneurs replicated this concept combining a social mission (social integration through job experience and coaching) with ecological ambition (producing organic and local food). The association Julienne Javel started in 1994 with a replication strategy and guidance in development, management and professional coordinators skills. In 10 years, the number of gardens increased from 20 to 90, employing more than 3000 persons per year and with a network of 15000 members.The market impactThe concept is now so popular today that waiting lists have been set up in Paris.

Les Jardins de Cocagne

Community green

New ideaProduce local organic food for the people living in the city

Social enterprise growthIn 10 years, from 20 gardens to 90.3000 employees, 15000 members/clients

Market impactIncreasing demand of local and organic food: waiting lists in big cities

Community green

Les Jardins de Cocagne

The new ideaFounded in Belgium in 1980, Ecover is a pioneer in ecological cleaning, proposing efficient and sustainable solutions for the hygienic needs of people today and for future generations. For instance, it brought to market the first phosphate-free washing powder. The social enterprise growthAfter several ups and down, Ecover decided to keep the green side of their products and it finally came up as the best choice. With a wide range of products from washing powder to hand soap, Ecover is now distributed worldwide in around 26 countries. The market impactThe company is green from its products but also from its business operations, and is thereafter certified ISO 14000. Ecover’s products are made of sustainable plants and mineral ingredients and tend to become more and more organic. With a packaging 100% recyclable.

Ecover

Green

New ideaEnvironmentally friendly cleaning product

Social enterprise growthCreated in Belgium, present now in 26 countries

Market impactCreation of a trend followed even by volume retailing

Green

Ecover

The new ideaFrédéric Rouvez, Nicolas Steisel and Arnaud de Meeûs wanted to come up with a new type of fast food that was healthy and good quality. Exki is born from this challenge in 2000, with the opening of a restaurant at the heart of Brussels. The social enterprise growthThe merge between healthy and fast food was already well rooted on the American and British catering markets and the 3 social entrepreneurs brought it successfully to continental Europe, going even a step further with a green ambition (i.e. sustainable materials, reduce packaging, recycled paper etc.)The market impactExki scales up internationally very fast with a first restaurant in Italy in 2004 and others in France and Luxembourg. The concept starts from a niche and Exki manages to combine its financial success with its social commitment and drives plenty of initiatives in the area of “positive economy”.

Exki

Green health

New ideaFresh, fast and healthy food store

Social enterprise growthFirst restaurant in Belgium 2001 and now 41 shops in Europe

Market impactIncreasing demand in healthier fast food

Green

The new ideaFifteen is a chain of restaurant created by Jamie Oliver; renowned from the TV show he started and also due to his social entrepreneurship spirit.The social enterprise growthFifteen helps disadvantaged youth to enter the labor market through cooking courses and work experience in its high standard restaurants. Fifteen provides basic and transferable skills in the food industry, where the demand for employees is very high. The market impactThe first restaurant opened in 2002 in north London, then Amsterdam, Cornwall and finally Melbourne. It is certified as a WISE company, i.e. Work Integration Social Enterprise.

Fifteen

Poverty integration

New ideaSocial restaurant to integrate young people

Social enterprise growthFirst restaurant in the UK in 2002 now 4 and worldwide

Market impactIncreasing numbers of Working Integration Companies + public awareness

Poverty integration

Fifteen

Social business makes sense

• A better business:

• Sustainable• Coherent• Long term focus