The author is hosting special Lunch 'n Learn sessions this week at the Centre for Social Innovation. Join him on Friday, Feb. 10th noon @ CSI Spadina (215 Spadina Ave, 4th floor) and Monday, Feb. 12 noon @ CSI Annex (720 Bathurst, 3rd floor).

Three years ago, I started my company Strategic Sustainable Investments to facilitate the shift of money in a more sustainable direction. Recently, there has been an explosion of interest in my work, and I’ve received an avalanche of requests from friends to help shift their money. It seems more and more people are becoming unhappy with their banks and investment advisors. They feel that their money may be perpetuating the problem, instead of funding a better future. This article is an attempt to simplify the process of shifting 100% of your liquid assets into accounts and funds that help build a sustainable economy.

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This series of blogs talks about social purchase as a way to bolster demand for the goods and services produced by social enterprises. The Caledon Institute recommended this approach to the City of Hamilton as one option in pursuing its goal of social inclusion. The City was interested in this objective in respect of its role as co-host of the PanAm Games in 2015. For background, please read the previous post: Enough Talk. Where's the Action?

Turns out Vancouver helped blaze the trail*. The Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee actively employed a Community Benefits Agreements approach described in blog #2 in this series. The benefits of a contract must go to more than just the successful bidders. Vancouver’s experience in developing Community Benefits Agreements grew from its commitment to social, economic and environmental sustainability.

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Two entrepreneurs. Two successful businesses. Both were unable to access financing from mainstream financial institutions. Both are driven entrepreneurs with solid business plans to support their growth. Both have experienced economic and social benefits, and were empowered through capital. The difference was the setting: Ouattara is a client of a microfinance organization based in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso and Ryan is part of a new targeted domestic microfinance project in Toronto, Canada.

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We have previously explored the links between social finance and Islamic finance; here, we explore Islamic finance claims of social impact. Part 1, published last week, examined the model; here, Part 2 lists a few examples of Islamic finance being used to produce social benefits.

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This series of blogs talks about social purchase as a way to bolster demand for the goods and services produced by social enterprises. The first two posts have described the concept and suggested two ways of encouraging its adoption, especially in the public sector.

The Caledon Institute recommended this approach to the City of Hamilton as one option in pursuing its goal of social inclusion, in respect of its role as co-host of the PanAm Games in 2015. Here are the recommendations on social purchase that we made to the City. They pertain to the Games specifically but clearly have broader application.

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