Позитивные изменения. Том 2, № 3 (2022). Positive changes. Volume 2, Issue 3 (2022) - Редакция журнала «Позитивные изменения»

Одним из трендов развития социального предпринимательства эксперты называют проекты для старшего поколения. Во всем мире, в т. ч. и в России, население стремительно стареет. По данным ООН, к 2050 году каждый шестой человек в мире будет старше 65 лет (16 % населения), по сравнению с каждым 11-м в 2019 году (9 % населения). Это значит, что продукты, которые социальные предприниматели будут создавать для людей старшего возраста и с особенностями здоровья, будут востребованы. Социальным предпринимателям нужно искать инновации, укреплять команду и идти в цифровой мир. Без этого, к сожалению, в будущем никак.

Любой бизнес может развиваться успешно и благополучно только в устойчивой благополучной среде. Весь мировой опыт показывает, что просто бизнес — это не цель. У бизнеса должен быть какой-то социальный эффект.

«Наверное, у социального предпринимательства будет какой-то новый взлет, старт, когда не только крупный бизнес, но и наше общество поймет ценность работы соцпредпринимателей. Чтобы ее донести, недостаточно рассказать про один-два проекта. Возможно, нам нужен какой-то знак качества, лейбл на эти социальные услуги и продукты, чтобы люди видели, узнавали и понимали, что этому продукту можно доверять, можно покупать, помогать тому сообществу, в котором ты живешь. Как это сделать — пока непонятно. Наверное, это задача на ближайший год-три», — считает Екатерина Плужник, начальник отдела КСО Росбанка.

Социальные предприятия — это всегда истории изменения жизни людей. В турбулентное время, когда кажется, что вокруг все плохо и ни на что нельзя повлиять, эти истории дают возможность почувствовать, что на жизни конкретных людей ты можешь влиять, причем это не требует чего-то особенного. Достаточно делать выбор в пользу социальных предпринимателей.

We Have the Money, but We Need a Business Model: How a Social Entrepreneur Can Find an Impact Investor

Yulia Vyatkina

DOI 10.55140/2782–5817–2022–2–3–29–34

Social entrepreneurship remains a territory of opportunity in the times of crisis. Experts note that businesses that have not closed down during the pandemic are more adapted to the new economic environment. Impact investors are willing to continue supporting interesting projects; there is money in the impact investment market. The state also provides a wide range of opportunities. What other changes and trends exist in the development of social entrepreneurship was the topic of expert discussion at the opening of the “Start Differently” joint acceleration program of Rosbank and Impact Hub Moscow in September this year.

Yulia Vyatkina

Editor, Positive Changes Journal

ENDURING AND RESILIENT

As shown by a study conducted by the St. Petersburg State University’s Graduate School of Management and Impact Hub Moscow, social entrepreneurs proved to be more enduring and resilient during the COVID-19 pandemic than microenterprises and small businesses[23]. Virtually none closed shop. While the current economic situation in the country remains a challenge, those who survived the pandemic are now more adapted to the new environment, experts say.

Social entrepreneurs solve operational problems every day, often with no to stop and think about what and how they can improve and refine. The pandemic was precisely the kind of stop that enabled a very serious leap forward. The explanation is simple: people who work in social entrepreneurship originally came there not just to make money, but to solve a social problem. They carry a great burden of responsibility; they cannot abandon the people they care about, their beneficiaries, their clients. That is why they are forced to find new ways and internal resources to keep doing what they are doing.

Social projects often have no business model and no view of the future. Which means an experienced investor would not fund such an application.

The fact that none of the social entrepreneurs shut down their business during the pandemic and in the current situation is also confirmed by Lyubov Yermolayeva, co-founder of the BuySocial project[24].

“The response to the current crisis is similar to what happened in 2020. The first reaction is a shock, and then everyone realigns themselves to keep helping the vulnerable people they work for. Some may be facing some temporary financial difficulties. But actually all the 60 projects we are working with are still up and running. They are related directly to people from vulnerable groups and understand that in case of the crisis their customers would be even more vulnerable. Of course, social entrepreneurs cannot leave them alone, and have to continue their activities and mission,” says Lyubov Yermolayeva.

However, since BuySocial has many corporate clients, the service has been affected by the departure of international companies; yet, it hopes that Russian and international companies remaining in Russia will continue to support social entrepreneurs. The BuySocial platform is now restructuring its operations, focusing on its core product, corporate gifts, relying on marketing and PR tools and partnerships.

“We hope that the ESG agenda will continue to be relevant from the business perspective. It matters, for example, for those who enter the Asian markets. Promoting social and environmental topics, including through the purchase of souvenirs from social entrepreneurs, is a good way to show that the company is not indifferent to what is happening in the world. And it also increases the loyalty of their customers, partners and employees,” Lyubov Yermolayeva adds.

REQUIREMENTS FOR IMPACT PROJECTS

“There is no crisis in the impact investment market,” says Olga Ryabova, an independent expert on social entrepreneurship, permanent chairman of the Future of Jobs Committee of the G20-Y Summit, and a practicing impact investor.

“The volume of funds from private investors exceeds the number of applications we receive. This paradox can be explained by underdevelopment of the impact investing market. People who come to us with applications do not always understand what impact investing is, and that different investors have different tools in their toolbox,” the expert explains.

For example, the European Venture Capital Association begins