Working in these fields...

Social enterprises are social mission driven organizations which trade in goods or services for a social purpose. Rather than maximizing shareholder value, their main aim is to generate profit to further their social and environmental goals. It could be that the profit from the business is used to support social aims (whether or not related to the activity of the business, as in a charity shop), or that the business itself accomplishes the social aim through its operation, for instance by employing disadvantaged people (social firms) or lending to businesses that have difficulty in securing investment from mainstream lenders. Becoming a social entrepreneur has become increasingly popular for students who want to “run their own business” but desire outcomes that are more meaningful by contributing to the “common good.”

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), also known as corporate responsibility, corporate citizenship, responsible business, sustainable responsible business (SRB), or corporate social performance, is a form of corporate self-regulation integrated into a business model. CSR is commonly described by its promoters as aligning a company's activities with the social, economic and environmental expectations of its "stakeholders." In some respects, CSR has become a multi-billion dollar public relations specialty in the business world because of how important “corporate image” has become and the way in which corporations are generally perceived. Google any major corporation along with the key words “social responsibility” and you’ll get the idea. Careers in this field cover a variety of different socially responsibility outcomes ranging from business ethics to “green” business to sustainable development.

Foundations: A corporate entity or a private foundation that derives its grant-making funds primarily from the contributions of a profit-making business. The company-sponsored foundation often maintains close ties with the donor company, but it is a separate, legal organization, sometimes with its own endowment, and is subject to the same rules and regulations as other private foundations. According to the Council on Foundations, there are more than 2,000 corporate foundations in the United States holding some $11 billion in assets. Learn more.

Philanthropy derives from Ancient Greek, meaning "to love people." Philanthropy is the act of donating money, goods, services, time and/or effort to support a socially beneficial cause, with a defined objective and with no financial or material reward to the donor. In a more general sense, philanthropy may encompass any altruistic activity intended to promote good or improve human quality of life. Although philanthropists are often rich, people may perform philanthropic acts without possessing great wealth.

"College students, many of whom spend the little extra cash they have on pizza and laundry, don't fit the typical profile of a wealthy benefactor. But in a growing national movement, students enrolled in newly created philanthropy courses are steering thousands of dollars to local charities."...Read more...