Expanding Dr. Yunus' Sphere of Influence

This report by the New Economics Foundation was written before “Creating a World without Poverty” defined ‘social business’ and a ‘social business market’.

The key financial points about this definitions are:

1. for the Company
   • it can make profits
   • profits are re-invested into the growth of the business
2. for Investors
   • it can not take dividends out of the company
   • investments are treated as loans that are paid back with interest.

This means

1. for the Company
   • it puts its mission and its people first
   • it measures its performance in terms of achieving its social objectives
2. for Investors
   • once investments are paid back with interest, the company has no more obligation towards its investors
   • investors can be paid for contributions to the company without taking dividends.