- Grameen Foundation - www.grameenfoundation.org -
- Read Yuli's story -- Return to the Grameen Foundation homepage -- Photo of microfinance clients -
- Who we are -- What we do -- Where we work -- Get involved -- Resource center -

Grameen Foundation : What we do : Social Business

Social Business

In January 2008, Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus introduced a new term to the business lexicon: social business. Writing in his new book, Creating a World without Poverty, Yunus laid out the framework for two social business models and urged others to adopt them in the fight against global poverty. A social business is social-objective driven. In the first model, the company’s mission is achieved through creating or supporting sustainable "non-loss" business enterprises where all of the profits are ploughed back into the company rather than being distributed to shareholders. The second social business model is one which is profit-driven, but owned and operated entirely by the poor, who receive all company profits.

Learn more about social business on the Grameen Foundation blog.

Grameen Capital India and Grameen-Jameel Pan Arab Microfinance Limited are two social businesses that have already been launched with the support of Grameen Foundation.



Grameen Foundation : What we do : Social Business

- Grameen Foundation - Grameen Foundation uses microfinance and innovative technology to fight global poverty and bring opportunities to the world's poorest people. With tiny loans and financial services, we help the poor, mostly women, start businesses and escape poverty. Our global network of 55 microfinance institution (MFI) partners including our Growth Guarantee partners has touched more than 34 million people in 24 countries. In addition, we introduced and now sustain technology initiatives (Mifos and Village Phone) in Cameroon, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, bringing our total country outreach to 28.

50 F Street NW, 8th Floor / Washington, DC 20001 USA
+1-202-628-3560     www.grameenfoundation.org

   - Grameen Foundation homepage -