Robert Chatwani spoke about Social Intrapreneurship and the importance of a sustainable business model behind a carving a social good initiative. Ebay World of Good is a true example where the social initiative builds off of the core brand promise of Ebay, while energizing the parent brand with its social good promise. Another example which comes to mind almost immediately as I think of a fit between corporate strategy and delivering social promise is that of Unilever in India. It is true “Bottom of Pyramid” strategy exploited immaculately to deliver value to the consumers, the community, the business and the brand.
It’s a unique model adopted by Unilever in India called “PROJECT SHAKTI”, where they have incorporated social good into their distribution model.
To give you the context , rural population comprises a majority of the Indian consumer market , which is still under penetrated due to lack of infrastructure and limited distribution to reach remote villages across the vast length and breadth of the country . This innovative distribution model has allowed Unilever to reach a brimming under-tapped rural market much ahead of competition , while fostering economic freedom for tens of thousands of women in rural India. Unilever employs women in their own homes as stockists and sellers for many of their products, who then supply these products to others at their village and neighboring communities at a margin to earn a livelihood .
Unilever is providing many rural women – with no means of earning a livelihood or no confidence or economic freedom, a way to stand on their own foot, while using them as a channel to push their products to thousands of far flung villages all across India. It’s an idea that has scaled and is raking profits to the brand, while generating a lot of social benefits and a wave of economic independence to tens of thousands of women.
Here is a visual representation of the Project Shakti model
It is clear that as organizations and markets mature , cultivating social intrapreneurship will yield innovative business models , educate and learn from consumers to remain ahead of the curve and recruit and retain talent motivated by a larger goal and purpose.
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