The Greyston Foundation

The Greyston Foundation
Supporting low-income individuals and
families as they forge a path to
self-sufficiency and community
transformation.
Definitions of a Social Entrepreneur
The Skoll Foundation defines a social
entrepreneur as "society's change agent: a
pioneer of innovation that benefits humanity."
Wikipedia reads, "A social entrepreneur is
someone who recognizes a social problem and
uses entrepreneurial principles to organize,
create, and manage a venture to make social
change"
Examples of Social Enterprise:
Greyston
Ben and Jerry’s
Housing Works
Clif Bar
Body Shop
Working Assets
The Greyston Foundation
Greyston Foundation is an
integrated network of for-profit
and not-for-profit entities. Major
components include:
•Child and youth programming
•Services for people with
HIV/AIDS
•Low-income and supportive
housing
•Community Gardens
•Gourmet Bakery Business
Greyston Revenue Components
Diversity of Revenue Components
Greyston Mandala 1998-2007 (average)
13%
12%
14%
20%
Government Grants
Private Grants & Contributions
Bakery Product Sales
Contract Services/Service Fees
Other Income
41%
The History of Greyston Bakery
Founded in 1982 by a Zen Buddhist meditation
group led by Bernard Glassman
Greyston Bakery’s Business Model
To be a profitable company that produces
high quality sweet baked goods to
corporate and retail customers.
“We don’t hire people to bake
brownies; we bake brownies to
hire people.”
“Do good and do well. It's called a double
bottom line. Our social mission is as
important as our business mission,” says
Julius Walls, Jr., President and CEO of the
Greyston Bakery
“Our people are as important as the dollars
we make.”
Greyston Bakery’s Social Model
Through our openhiring program, we
hire people from the
local community
whom we train,
promote from within,
and mentor.
PathMaking
Greyston’s unique community
development approach is based
on “PathMaking," an idea
developed from two key
Buddhist concepts: mandala
(wholeness) and path
(transformation). A mandala
represents integration and unity
at a given point in time. The
concept of path recognizes that
individuals and communities
evolve over time, and that the
different aspects of the mandala
- body, heart, mind, spirit and
self - are linked in their
development.
New Retail Product
A new line of premium brownies that taste great
while supporting the greater good.
Challenges to the Model:
Competitive challenges
Capital
Labor and Workforce
Governance and Mission
Opportunities
Community Building
Jobs
Career Ladder
Investment/Reward
Why Establish a Social Enterprise?
*Pursuit of a social good
*Sustainability
*Fit a market niche
*Revenue generation
Creating a Social Enterprise
In creating a social enterprise, these are
issues to keep in mind:
Social Mission
Business model
Market Opportunity
Sustainability
Capital
Staffing
Goal Measurement
Governance and Expertise