Social Impact and Profit

In a world where non-profits are urged to thrive using enterprise, and corporations are cajoled to build customer loyalty by demonstrating social responsibility... who's playing in the middle ground?

One little operation of note is San Diego-based Orijiro (o-re-JEE-roh). The company is "on a mission to be a conduit for giving." They create custom-designed products that increase awareness of, and support for, charitable initiatives.

For example, the company has a small line of greeting cards that are sold through independent coffee retailers in San Diego (and expanding across the US). The cards feature photography by artists in coffee-growing countries. Proceeds from the sale of the cards go to Orijiro's non-profit partner, New Mexico based, Coffee Kids.

Interestingly Orijiro is working to be a second-generation social enterprise by entwining social impact and profit.