--- crowd-funded eco-conscious hardware: https://www.crowdsupply.com/eoma68
On Mon, Apr 25, 2016 at 4:28 PM, Hrvoje Lasic lasich@gmail.com wrote:
One of the company involved in this year program also actually think to be organized as "Benefit Corporation". They are from Italy and as I understood in Italy this is possible (one of the very few countries) and their business idea is strongly socially oriented. I didn't ask myself if this is legally possible - good question. I guess that you would have to discuss it with some legal person and as Rockstart is partially financed from Dutch lottery (which is by definition charity)
iinteresting.
However, in later stage when you actually need investment to scale it might be more difficult to raise money (from simple reason that investor ask for profit - this is truth). It may need some other means to raise money for your company.
well, let's think about it. you're an eco-company. you want some money, and you want to pursue ethical and/or eco priorities, do you *really* want to completely abandon all those principles, on which, basically the *entire company is based*, just to receive some money??
surely it would be better to explain to the investors that in order to achieve the goal of being profitable whilst prioritising eco-responsibility, that the investors need to accept that the ethical and eco priorities *are* the top priorities, yes?
and good investors - the ones that have the environment as a priority over profit in their minds, will go "hmm, you're right. actually, i've been looking for people just like you - here's a billion dollars".
Between priority 1 and 3 there is little difference.
it's a huge difference, that's only really noticeable when the financial pressure is on (such as shareholder fights that result in EGMs looking for good reasons to fire - or impeach - the Directors). a standard company that has an "Eco" policy or, as best illustrated in Professor Yunus' book "Creating a World Without Poverty", has a "Corporate Social Responsibility" policy, such policies are actually "Corporate Financial *IRR*esponsibility".
remember, Directors are *legally* required to pathologically enact the Articles of Incorporation. if you have not done so - for example by pursuing an "ethical business model" instead of "profit maximisation as clearly stated in the Articles of Incorporation", you can be prosecuted, receive a criminal record, and be struck off from ever being a Director.
it's a huge difference that is only really noticeable if you investigate it in depth.
l.