Do you know that Borderless House is a “Social Business”?
Perhaps I should have asked – Have you heard of Social Business?
In general, it refers to a company or a business that tries to create value or impact society in a positive way by offering a service or a product that meets the needs or by presenting new solutions to challenges brought on by society.
And there are more and more people talking about it around the world, actually, you can also find some TED TALK videos talking about it too!
Even though “Social Business” is a term that you should know, it may sound a little complicated. But don’t worry, let me clearly explain it in a simpler way below.
What is Social Business
The phrase ”Social Business” refers to a brand of entrepreneurship rooted in funding or implementing solutions to cultural, social, or environmental problems.
Image credit: Devon Bunce/Digital Storytellers
Social Business seeks to maximize profits while maximizing benefits to society and the environment, and the profits are principally used to fund social programs.
The key traits and characteristics of Social Business
• The primary aim is to address a social problem
• It is financially self-sufficient
• It does not pay dividends to its owners
• It is guided by how its operations benefit the causes and communities of interest
What’s the difference between social business and regular business
Maximizing profits is not the primary goal of a social business as is with a traditional business – What sets a social business apart from a traditional business is that while the traditional business’s ultimate goal is to create wealth, the social business seeks to create lasting societal change.
What’s the difference between social business and non-profit organization
Unlike a non-profit, a social business is not dependent on donations or on private or public grants to survive, and to operate it is self-sustainable. While non-profit organizations where funds are spent only once on the field, funds in a social business are invested to increase and improve the business operations on the field on an indefinite basis.
Why is Social Business Important
Now, let’s go a little bit in-depth to see why social business is important, especially in our society and globally.
- Social businesses have the potential to change society and the world.
As social business concentrates on developing, financially backing, and executing ideas that contribute to finding solutions for social, cultural, and environmental concerns, it can make a huge impact on our life, in a positive way – and that’s why social businesses are much-needed, considering the times that we’re living in. The vision of a social business is usually social well-being related and a broader idea to excel as a community.
So social business is also a business that gets everyone in the world involved. People say that change-makers are those who take creative actions to solve social problems for the good of all – and this is who we are.
‘Creator’ of Multicultural Society – BORDERLESS HOUSE
So, for Borderless House, the social problem that we aim to solve with our business is – Prejudice and Discrimination.
We aim to build relationships among people with different backgrounds, such as different nationalities, races, and religions, and gather them together to live under the same roof in our share houses.
There are not only benefits but also conflicts sometimes when living in a mixed-culture environment. However, by sharing thoughts and feelings from time to time with each other, people can build a strong relationship in which we can understand other cultures and perspectives deeply.
Creating such a connection is the greatest value of BORDERLESS HOUSE.
The goal of our business is to create a multicultural society where people can mutually understand each other’s background regardless of race or nationality, and without prejudice or discrimination.
Our Vision
As more and more foreigners are settling in Japan, and it is important that there are places where they can live in peace and harmony. We believe that this solution which gathers people from around the world to live in a share house together is essential in a multicultural society.
As a ‘creator’ of Multicultural Society, we hope to accelerate the creation of an ideal society and to provide more people with opportunities for international living experiences, we aim to keep expanding our business and keep offering and creating opportunities for In-depth international exchange.
Planting the seeds of world peace is our mission and we welcome you to be a part of BORDERLESS HOUSE.