Social innovation usually includes an investment with a positive impact on the community.
Social innovation is a concept that refers to novel forms of administration, management or execution that contribute to solving or mitigating a social problem . These are strategies or ideas that can improve the quality of life of the population.
It should be noted that the idea of innovation refers to the introduction of changes to achieve progress, renewal or improvement of something. Social , meanwhile, is that linked to society: the set of individuals who live in a certain territory and organize their coexistence based on common rules.
Characteristics of social innovation
The notion of social innovation refers to a creative solution to an environmental, economic or other problem that affects a community . It should be considered, however, that there is no unequivocal definition, but rather there are several different approaches to the issue.
Sometimes it is associated with social entrepreneurship : the application of business techniques or methodologies to achieve a goal of social interest. However, there are analysts who highlight that positive social impact can be achieved through other means. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) , solidarity economy and ethical finance are other concepts related in some way to social innovation.
It is understood that a social innovation provides value to society as a whole . Establishes new collaboration links and manages to satisfy a collective demand or requirement.
In other words, social innovation is considered to be a new way of addressing a community challenge through practices or procedures that are more efficient or effective .
Poverty reduction is one of the usual objectives of social innovation.
Its development
Social innovation emerges as an alternative path followed by governments, non-governmental organizations, companies and civil society in general to respond to needs that have not been covered by appealing to traditional models . Its implementation requires commitment and active citizen participation, both to identify the problem and to propose possible alternative solutions.
The beginning of social innovation, therefore, is linked to collaboration to respond to a social challenge and promote community development . The articulated work between different actors and creativity make progress possible.
It is key that social innovation is carried out through structural and interdisciplinary projects . These undertakings must be sustainable (for the resolution of underlying problems without exhausting existing resources and respecting the conservation of the environment), transversal (with the intervention of different sectors) and replicable (they must be able to be reproduced, on the appropriate scale, in different places).
Regarding its promotion, it is considered that cooperation between different sectors and specialties is required. It is common for entrepreneurs and even private companies today to aspire to generate more than just services and products to obtain profitability: they also aim to generate a contribution to the community. In this sense, permanent training and specialization are factors that contribute to social innovation.
It can be said that someone who has technical skills and knowledge, as well as the willingness to collaborate with their environment, has the necessary resources to achieve social innovation.
Social innovation can consist of the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) for community development.
Examples of social innovation
As we already indicated, any original solution that respects sustainability criteria and improves people's living conditions can be considered a social innovation. The contribution can be to social inclusion, inclusive education, the empowerment of women, access to drinking water or the protection of human rights in general, to mention a few possibilities.
An often-mentioned example of social innovation is the Ana Bella Foundation for the Aid of Battered Women . This is an initiative that was launched more than two decades ago by the Spanish Ana Bella , who suffered abuse from the father of her children for eleven years.
After leaving a home for battered women in 2002 , and aware that only 1 in 5 abused Spaniards access help, she began to tell her life story to show the victims that there is a way out. Thus she began to be contacted by women who went through the same situation, she began to forge a network and in 2006 she founded the institution that bears her name.
The social innovation of the Ana Bella Foundation lies in the various tools it launched to make the problem of gender violence visible and assist victims. Today its network has 28,000 women survivors committed to the fight for equality in 88 countries . Its work includes training agents of change, generating employment opportunities and disseminating positive testimonies in the media.
Another example of social innovation is Atomic Lab . It is a venture by Argentine inventor Gino Tubaro that provides free prostheses for arms and hands using 3D printers.
Thanks to the designs of the prostheses, Atomic Lab turns people with disabilities into "superheroes" . The Atomic Lab workshop features 15 3D printers and also has the materials and supplies necessary to transform digital models into physical objects.
The Uruguayan clothing brand Calmo is also an example of social innovation. With the intention of collaborating with the conservation of traditional techniques, it works with artisans under the premise of slow production: capsule collections made with natural materials obtained without animal abuse and appealing to sustainable processes.
Calmo also works under the principle of minimal waste, using geometric shapes to reduce waste in cutting fabrics. Likewise, it opts for high-quality garments that last for many seasons to avoid continuous replacement with its consequent impact on the environment.