I was checking out the findings of Edelman’s 3rd annual good purpose consumers’ survey and the findings were very interesting. The good purpose study found that 61% of people have purchased a brand that supports a good cause even if it wasn’t the cheapest brand. That means if more brands support good causes consumers are more likely purchase the brand even if that spend an extra 50 cents to a dollar just because the brand supports a good cause. Also the study showed 83% of people are willing to change consumption habits if it can help makes the world a better place to live. I think if more companies took the time out to realize that they cant just spend all their money on ads that consumers would be more loyal if the brand related more to people social values and not just writing checks to charities. People have faces checks just have names and numbers. I feel that if a brand did more to help communities that consumes their brands it would be a step toward consumers being able to trust brands again because right now its really hard to trust anything that companies are saying. The results are in the actions and seeing faces. I hope that brands continue to buy into this method if you stand for a good cause that will buy. Richard Edelman Ceo of Edelman give his opinion on the subject last Monday on fox business channel I have posted the video if you would like to catch it out. This is the link Richard Edelman on good-purpose.

Sources
Edelman’s Good-purpose press release
Fox Business Channel
For Complete Finding and more information Visit the follow links
Goodpurpose
Edelman
Fox Business

School concept

This is a project made by Matas Ubarevičius for his studies. The main theme for school is adopting nature with children.

As human beings, we all like to express ourselves through a variety of media:

• Pictures
• Video
• Music
• Books
• Links
• Even Friends!

These media are a reflection of the much deeper drivers within us and show a true picture of ourselves; our interests, concerns, passions, friendships and talents.  

Because such forms of intellectual expression are undertaken in a very public way via social media, it’s easier to meet the people in the world who are sharing the same thoughts as you, manifested in the same intellectual expression that you illustrate i.e. you find people who have the same books, visit the same holiday destinations and share the same blog articles.

Some people are knocking around the phrase “serendipity” for how all this works.  I prefer to call it purpose, because that’s a more proactive phrase.  Serendipity suggest a degree of powerlessness, but most people actively using social media are proactively engaging with it. 

So for me, finding people who have common purpose in their intellectual ways of expressing themselves is a way of thinking & understanding how social media works.

This story from Co-operative News in February 2008 is the model for a “Social Business Fund” that we want to fuel with the “Sustainable Investment Network“:

CO-OPERATIVE & Community Finance is celebrat­ing a record year of achievement after providing over £1.7 million in loan finance to support the growth of the sector. Throughout 2007, the lender for social purpose – formerly known as Industrial Common Owner­ship Finance (ICOF) – has helped a range of both new and existing enterprises such as community radio stations, development trusts, support organisations and employee-owned businesses including:

• Ecosulis – a Bath-based co-operative providing consultancy and contracting services in ecological and environmental assessments, protected species work, ar­boriculture and biodiversity management. It also offers tree surgery, landscaping, ecological mitigation works and environmental contracting services

• The Bootstrap Company – a development trust based in Dalston, London, that works to ensure regen­eration projects benefit the community. The trust also manages a portfolio of affordable workspace for busi­nesses, charities and voluntary groups

• Welsh Biofuels – a leading biomass fuel company in Bridgend offering a viable and sustainable alterna­tive to the rapidly diminishing supply of fossil fuels.

Ian Taylor of Co-operative & Community Finance said: “We’re proud to announce another excellent year of achievement as it indicates that more and more co­operatives and social enterprises are accessing special­ist lending support that’s tailored to their needs.

“In particular we’re encouraged that over 70 per cent of our borrowers in 2007 were co-operatives.”

This increase in the total of co-ops supported has been boosted by the Village CORE Programme. The programme is a partnership between Co-operative & Community Finance, the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation and ViRSA (Village Retail Services Association) which aims to provide £2m of start-up funding to new com­munity-owned shops over the next three years.

As well as being its biggest ever lending year, 2007 also saw the launch of the third share issue of Co-op­erative & Community Finance’s ICO Fund plc.

For 20 years, ICO Fund plc has raised finance which is lent, repaid, and lent again to co-operatives across the UK. From Elm raised from previous share issues, ICO Fund plc has lent over £3.3m to 150 enterprises – trebling its positive impact for co-operatives, their members and local communities.

In the first half of the year Co-operative & Com­munity Finance was also gifted the Avon & Bristol Co­operative Finance (ABCF) Ltd loan fund in recognition of its experience and expertise. ABCF funds a range of loan services to support new and existing social enterprises and co-operatives in and around Bristol, Bath, Somerset and Gloucestershire.

These services include loans, long-term development finance, credit draw-down facilities, and funded busi­ness support.

For further information contact Co-operative & Community Finance on 0117 916 6750 or info@co-opandcommunityfinance.coop