groupelephant.com: Beyond Corporate Purpose
groupelephant.com: going 'Beyond Corporate Purpose' with a new definition of 'ERP'
groupelephant.com is a largely employee-owned group of boutique services firms and software companies, nonprofits and impact investment organizations, with a strong global presence. They are a great example of a conscious business with Profit & Value coexisting to generate Positive Impact over their society and environment.
As defined by John Mackey and Raj Sisodia, "Conscious Capitalism enables us to use this great system of social cooperation in ways that will transform our lives for the better and bring opportunity and hope to the billions on the planet still living in property and deprivation". The Group specifically focuses on the preservation of at-risk Elephants and Rhinos, through the economic upliftment of rural People in areas adjacent to the threatened species. Cleverly the name given to their Purpose is "ERP" - Elephant, Rhinos & People.
"Africa is tragically losing around 4 Elephants per hour and 5 Rhinos per day, a problem largely created by poverty."
The people behind ERP have a thesis that the primary cause of poaching is the exploitation of rural poverty by well-organized criminal networks.As explained by the Group, "By eradicating poverty through donor-funded activity followed by impact investment projects, the plan is to realise economic benefits for the communities through wildlife economies, ecotourism activities and agriculture. The value of Elephants and Rhinos are worth more to communities on a multi-year basis through ecotourism than they are dead, for the value of ivory and horn, respectively."
The Group is defined by 3 different types of organisational structures, which together create their "Beyond Corporate Purpose" activity and provides the ERP with professional and institutionalized delivery capacity:
For-profit businesses specialising in services and software products
Non-profit organizations focused on the preservation and protection of Elephants and Rhinos in the wild, and the economic uplifting of rural People
Impact Investment companies in partnership with rural communities, focused on ecotourism asset management, developmental infrastructure, and wildlife-related property developments
The operating costs of the non-profit operations, and funding for the impact investment ventures, are funded by the Group, running these organizations as businesses. 1% of all of the Group's revenues is channeled into activities that benefit Elephants and Rhinos, through the alleviation of poverty among rural People.
groupelephant.com is a great example and inspiration for other companies and people, because businesses have a great responsibility over their society and environment. This Group, and everyone behind the companies and organisations it comprises, are clearly taking action and Positively Impacting their community with their valuable work, maximising the Group's 'Beyond Corporate Purpose': ERP.