Today I joined Startup Canada (@Startup_Canada) and Community Foundations of Canada (@CommFdnsCanada) for a live #StartupChats #StartupImpact Edition on Twitter hosted by Lyndon Johnson (@THINK_Lyndon), Founder of Toronto based COMMS.BAR to discuss SDGs for Entrepreneurs. The event had 35 contributors, 22.4 million impressions and the Wakelet can be found here. Here’s how I answered the questions:
- What are Sustainable Development Goals? Tag all of the entrepreneurs and businesses you know that contribute to advancing #SDGs!
Sustainable Development Goals aka SDGs are goals to transform our world that the United Nations ushered in on 1 January 2016 to banish a whole host of social ills by 2030.
@GreenBureau @bigrigwraps @bcorp @APBoardofTrade @patagonia are leading the charge but there are so many. - Why should entrepreneurs consider aligning their businesses with at least one Sustainable Development Goal?
#Entrepreneurs should consider aligning their businesses with at least one #SDG because it’s the right thing to do — #EthicalBusiness — and EXPECTED — by 40% of millennials according to recent Deloitte study. - How can aligning with #SDGs help entrepreneurs to attract and retaining top talent and foster a thriving culture in their business?
#Entrepreneurs should align their #businesses with #SDGs because it attracts top talent who want to work for #ethicalbusinesses they can be proud of and no doubt impacts culture of a business. - How can building a business that contributes to advancing Sustainable Development Goals help entrepreneurs to scale-up?
#Businesses that contribute to advancing #SDGs help #entrepreneurs scale-up as documented by @BCorporation for many reasons, but mostly because people who are becoming increasingly aware are shopping for it. - What are some of the easiest and accessible ways in which startups and entrepreneurs can begin advancing #SDGs with their businesses?
I just wrote a blog post about how #entrepreneurs should begin advancing SDGs with their #smallbusiness…
https://suesutcliffe.com/6-steps-to-telling-your-sustainable-business-story-on-social-media/ - What are some of the best practices you have seen of businesses advancing #SDGs in Canada and the world?
When I think about businesses driving #SDGs @Patagonia comes to mind because they’ve really lead the charge. Did you know that 1% of Patagonia sales fund grass roots movements that preserve and restore natural environments? - How can entrepreneurs determine which Sustainable Development Goal is most aligned with their business? Share what #SDGs your business support!
I believe we all need to #leadwithlove which means doing the very best we can do move the needle with ALL of them, educate ourselves and those who will listen on best practices. - What types of funding, support and opportunities are available to entrepreneurs advancing Sustainable Development Goals? Tag all of the support and organisations that make an impact.
My go-to education on funding, support and opportunities available to #entrepreneurs advancing #SDGs would be @GreenBureau and @BCorpCanada - As a business supporting #SDGs, you may consider yourself to be a social enterprise! As a social enterprise, what supports, resources and funding is available to scale social impact? Let’s build a cheat sheet. Tag away!
Here are some supports, resources and funding available to scale your social impact:- @BCorporation
- @BCorpCanada
- @CommFdnsCanada
- @CFTNetwork
- @FTFederation
- @IEF_FIE
- @LaunchYU_York
- @MaRSDD
- @metowe
- @RICCentre
- @RyersonDMZ
- @Startup_Canada
- What action should every entrepreneur take right now to advance #SDGs today?
Every #entrepreneur should read the CPA’s Ten Key Elements to Sustainability Business Practices in SMEs (https://cpacanada.ca/en/business-and-accounting-resources/financial-and-non-financial-reporting/sustainability-environmental-and-social-reporting/publications/sustainable-business-practices-key-elements-smes) which gives down to earth, sequential “to do” items and policies for making your ideas reality.
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