"I believe that Silicon Valley is truly a place of excellence and the impact of this tiny community on the world is completely disproportionate to its size. We are the undisputed leaders of technological change. But with our abundance of talent and resources, we also have the opportunity to be the pioneers of social change and, ultimately, this may be our greatest contribution."
Jeff Skoll, businessman, founder, The Skoll Foundation
A few years ago, a pioneering company decided to start a capital fund that would help new companies, small firms and disadvantaged companies get into business and grow.
The thought was that these new companies eventually would become dedicated contractors and suppliers to the big company—a sure way to help them grow large enough to compete with others. It is a model that has worked well in several industries like auto dealerships and fast-food franchising.
Although this is not really philanthropy, more companies should consider using this approach as a way to make a meaningful contribution to society. A development fund can be established to support or advance any number of charitable and philanthropic endeavors, in addition to those with a commercial basis.
The societal impact of financing a business and subsequently providing a ready source of contract opportunities cannot be understated; it promotes economic development, growth and employment for new entrants and at the same time increases the tax revenue base of local cities and counties.
These are all good things.
(c) Adonis E. Hoffman, 2008.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
1 comment:
Hello. This post is likeable, and your blog is very interesting, congratulations :-). I will add in my blogroll =). If possible gives a last there on my blog, it is about the OLED, I hope you enjoy. The address is http://oled-brasil.blogspot.com. A hug.
Post a Comment