Principles

Principles

Collaboration

WBEA strongly supports cooperation between all businesses and people, regardless of obstacles and regional boundaries. We strive to bring together bright minds, combining power and innovation to make a difference. Together with all our members as a group, we identify social issues around the world and develop solutions; executing such by designating the right people to derive business plans and projects. WBEA believe there can only be change with collective effort and unity.

Networking

By creating a business platform, WBEA encourages the birth and growth of ideas. By providing a platform for exchange, WBEA promotes identification of global issues and innovative solutions. We build a circle of trust between our members by advocating excellence within the Association, placing priority on ethics and building a high moral ground, enabling the most comfortable environment for interaction. In this way, our members can explore opportunities never explored before.

Innovation

We work closely with top universities in North America and China for access to quick and accurate information in our areas of interest. We believe knowledge is power and are supporters of education. Together with various universities, WBEA develops programs for local students in areas of social entrepreneurship and corporate social responsibility. We recognize the need for cross cultural exchange of ideas in order for further economic development and believe that educational institutions are the best candidates to facilitate this interaction. We place our trust in the academia arena in providing suggestions noting global trends, ensuring us to make clever investments in business projects. Through discussions and sometimes even constructive criticism, we constantly find new ways for expansion in order to carry out the WBEA mission.

Equality

WBEA lives by the principle that everyone is equal, and each has potential to make a difference. There is not one entity that possesses every quality required to create change, the Association recognizes this and therefore stresses on collective efforts to achieve our mission. Influence is a group effort, and we must believe in each others’ ability. We must work together to create a harmonious society. We believe each member has something, whether it is a characteristic, an experience, or a skill in which the Association can benefit; similarly, each has something to learn from one another. We do not believe in superiority. Together we can make a difference, with your involvement; we are one step closer to our mission.

Social Entrepreneurship

Social entrepreneurship is the concept of doing business for more than the tradition purpose of pure profit, where social returns is given attention in addition to financial returns. Social entrepreneurs all over the world invent new business models balancing profits and social returns, something that has been a challenge because of its lack of incentives for traditional businesspeople. However, there are thriving social enterprises that successfully changed economic and social development through concepts of business and profits. Social entrepreneur Muhammad Yunus, founder of Grameen Bank was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his application of microcredit, a movement that creates economic and social development from the grassroots level. WBEA strongly supports the ideas of social entrepreneurship and believes positive affects on society and the environment should be priorities of any business venture. The Association is currently working with the University of Alberta Business School and Nanjing University of Science and Technology to form a research centre for social entrepreneurship. The goal of the research centre is to identify areas of need in China and do feasibility studies using readily available data beginning with the Jiangsu province, and provide solutions by applying current social enterprise business models from the west. WBEA plays the part of facilitator in this process and will take the responsibility of presenting such proposals to our members, gathering venture capital where the Association see fit.