Social entrepreneurship often gets mentioned as a concept, but it is rare to come across entrepreneurs who went ahead and set sail on their journey.
We got together with several alumni from our Impuls programme, a formative cycle for social entrepreneurs, to discuss concrete aspects of their motivations and their day-to-day lives.
What made you consider social entrepreneurship?
“My primary motivation was to become an entrepreneur, to be my own boss, to realize my ideas by launching a project from the very beginning and organizing things as I please. While searching for ideas, it became obvious to me that I wanted to choose a social project that was at the same time both profitable and self-sufficient.”
Emma Zimmer, Nouma
“I wanted to create something that belongs to me. My personal convictions and social engagement pushed me to think about a greener, more equitable and environmentally responsible business strategy.My journey through nyuko's 123 go social programme then helped me realize the right strategic plan of action.”
Sandra Siebenaller, Nappilla
“We became social entrepreneurs because we wanted to find a solution to an environmental problem, for everyone else as much as for ourselves. Most of us are mothers, so we are aware that environmental degradation and climate change will increasingly affect future generations if we do not act. We deeply wish to reduce waste and imagine that a world without it is possible – a world where nothing is lost, but everything is transformed like in nature. In addition to reducing waste, we support and sell organic and local products. We are also a cooperative, and give great importance to a democratic form of governance. Finally, through our events and workshops, we have set up a place to exchange about and discuss more sustainable modes of consumption. A store that combines all these features could not happen by magic, so we became social entrepreneurs.”
L'équipe fondatrice d'OUNI
Terra coop
“We wanted to create a site to show that it is possible to farm in a more ecological and fair manner that brings agriculture closer to the consumer.”
Pit Reichert, Terra
“I began my journey in entrepreneurship simply because I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit. The social aspect is not a bonus, it's natural to me. As an economic agent, a company must act responsibly, and must not only create value in the commercial sense but also in terms of welfare.”
Thierry Li, Seabiscuits
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