Do you want to follow your passion to create a business that puts people and planet first? You are not alone.

Social enterprise has taken off around the world as demand grows for market solutions that are inclusive and sustain our planet.

In this session, you will gain an in-depth look at funding resources from grants to micro-loans, through to venture capital. We will spend time on your specific business needs and understand what it takes to grow a social enterprise.

Learn and gain insights from Joanna Reynolds, Director of Social Enterprise, Centre for Social Innovation. Joanna leads social enterprise development across several vibrant networks in Ontario and Canada and has spent the last 12 years focused on the development of social finance and social enterprise.

When your business has a social and environmental purpose core to its business proposition, we all want you to succeed.

A social enterprise:

• Can be for-profit or not-for-profit entities, they may be B-Corps (but don’t have to be)
• Places social/cultural/ ecological impact as core to the business strategy
• Impacts cannot be secondary to the purpose of the enterprise
• Provides financial returns
• Measures their results and, as their business grows, so does their social impact

At their best, a social enterprise considers impact throughout the fullness of the operations including their supply chain, internal processes, governance, environmental footprint, and community engagement.

Are you built for the future? Did you know that adopting social and environmental objectives into your core business opens opportunities for growth while making the world a better place? Companies that have social and environmental objectives gain new customers, create brand trust, and attract top talent.