The bottom line typically refers to net income. Net income is the profit that an organization has after subtracting all costs and expenses from the total revenue generated by that company’s activities. In business, it is safe to say that this bottom line is the true measure of its success. The bottom line is what makes or breaks a company and it is arguably the primary motivating factor in capitalist society.
The bottom line is also the driving factor in government. Cuts are never made to social or community programs on the basis of effectiveness. Even the least effective social programming serves a purpose. Government never “wants” to cut programs or funding either. Do any of us really believe that the powers that be are out to get us? It may appear that way on occasion but in reality governments typically are doing what they think is right; trying to juggle the degree of public outcry with meeting the bottom line of a budget that would cause equal outcry to miss.
What’s a Government to do? Or the bigger question; what’s a Community to do? Some innovative thinkers, more and more, are creating new ways to both satisfy a bottom line and contribute to a social aim in a sustainable and effective way. One of these progressive ideas that is truly on the move is that of a Social Enterprise.
Social Enterprise
Social Enterprises focus on what is referred to as a triple bottom line. They not only deliver on the financial bottom line like every other enterprise, they also focus on a social and environmental bottom line. They do this by doing business that is congruent with a social purpose.
The Social Enterprise Alliance defines a Social Enterprise as: An organization or venture that advances its social mission through entrepreneurial earned income strategies. Organizations accomplish this in diverse ways including:
- Using profit from the business to support social aims such as the Salvation Army Thrift Stores.
- Accomplishing a social aim through its direct operation such as Ecoworks in Langley, BC.
- Working independently as a private business such as Working Assets.
- As an independent Not For Profit group or part of a bigger organization such as Above the Underground in the Fraser Valley.
- In partnership between both NFP and traditional business such as Future Foundations an Abbotsford, BC.
Social Enterprises are beginning to pop up on mass as our culture becomes more aware of the impact traditional business has on society. It is very common to see programs being funded in part by the Canadian Federal Government as Service Canada sees its way to support more skills development solutions to under and unemployment. Many of these are multiple organization partnerships like the Baristas Youth Skills Link Programs in Surrey and Burnaby, BC.
Pacific Community Resources, in partnership with the Surrey School Board and Starbucks Coffee Canada and with funding provided by Service Canada has developed the Baristas Program. The program intends “to provide youth with barriers to employment with employability skills and a dynamic work experience in Starbucks outlets, assisting with the attainment of exciting careers in the growing retail food service sector.” There are three ingredients that are key in giving youth opportunity they may not have gotten otherwise. The first is a six weeks of lifeskills and workplace success skills that help participants overcome barriers, and provide them with basic soft skills 
essential to maintaining gainful employment. In its second component, participants get to practice their learned skills on the job during nine weeks of work experience at a Starbucks location. Here they are given skills in the Retail Food Industry while gaining important experience that will help them when they move on to the open market. They are also provided with support as they conquer the barriers that have limited their success in the past. The third and final component is training and guidance in searching for sustainable employment. This final step gives participants the last piece they need to join the workforce.
More meaningful then simply employment, the Baristas Program fosters the development of strong and healthy self esteem in its participants. They empowered to step into the world and become responsible, productive members of the communities they are part of. In recognition of their efforts and the success of the program, the popular program was awarded the BC Career Development Award of Excellence 2004 by the Career Management Association of BC.
In a time when the bottom line is ever more important that the humans that make bottom line success achievable, the Social Enterprise movement is indeed a bright and shining light. They are increasingly more popular and employ a degree of inspiration through increasing innovation and creativity in building and developing sustainable community. As we accept the growing inability for government to provide all required community supports, we are driven to look for new ways to find solutions to community challenges. Social Enterprises give us this solution and their limits are only restrained by the constraints of ones own creativity.
