Increasingly, young professionals are looking to make a difference in the world - and not just by occasionally volunteering or unplugging their cell phone chargers when they leave home. They are looking to use their education, skills, networks and enthusiasm towards social and environmental change. This isn't simply a fad that will disappear in a few years: take a walk around a university campus or engage a group of young professionals in a conversation, and you'll see it not only in their innovative ideas but also how these ideas are being put into action.
I am one of those young professionals, and I have found a way to make a difference at Social Capital Partners - an organization that passionately believes that market forces can be harnessed to provide innovative solutions to address structural social problems. SCP facilitates financing to demonstrate that businesses with social objectives can become successful without compromising on their bottom line. As we continue to learn about what it takes for these businesses to be successful, we continue to push the boundaries on how we can scale up our social impact and how to leverage our human and financial capital towards achieving maximum returns. And we have demonstrated some success - though there is still much more to be done.
It's not often that you find a place that allows you to work on important social issues in innovative ways - while also providing the space to place this activity within a broader perspective. I'm fortunate to get paid to work on issues that I am passionate about, in a professional environment that respects creativity, inclusion, leadership, collaboration and hard work. What's even more exciting is the ability to build and test innovative models that can change the way we value social objectives and think about how they can be achieved.
At the end of the day, I do what I do because it's needed, and it's what I enjoy. We're in the midst of a particularly difficult economic climate, which has created even more impetus for new solutions to social issues. Many non-profits are finding that we cannot work in isolation if we are to make a significant dent in the issues we address, and we must find ways to collaborate within and across sectors. It is challenging work, but together with our partners and investees, we're committed to this journey and to sharing our ideas and learning along the way. And I'm thrilled to be along for the ride!
Posted by Karim Harji on Thursday, May 7th, 2009