Making the world a better place is not the aim of most businesses. It is hopefully a bi-product but usually the name of the game is making money.
For social entrepreneurs it is the other way round. Their primary aim is to bring about a specific, positive change in society.
At a time when many question the ability of government aid programmes to bring about sustainable benefits for the recipients, the idea that entrepreneurs should  actively support social development while making money is an appealing one.
It harks back to the efforts of John Cadbury and the Quakers in 19th Century England. Today, with the internet making businesses much more mobile and interconnected, the potential for entrepreneurs to further social development is even greater.
On June 28th and 29th in Bonn, Germany the Ashoka Globalizer Summit took place. A dozen social entrepreneurs pitched their business plans to investors, consultants and change makers. This year the focus of the summit is on media businesses and harnessing the power of information to transform lives.
Related links:
 
http://www.ashokaglobalizer.org/
 
http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/birmingham/hi/people_and_places/history/newsid_8412000/8412655.stm
http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/social-enterprise-values-sustainable-finance

Jerry Timmins, Managing Director GMT Media ltd