If you haven’t already, check out the first installment of The eco-ethical entrepreneurship trend, then read on!

Eco-ethical entrepreneurs are everywhere; most can be found with a simple search on the Internet, others can be found through the growing media outlets covering greener pastures.

A popular website that has grown tremendously is One Percent for the Planet (www.onepercentfortheplanet.org), an organization whose business members donate one percent of their revenues to an accredited non-profit environmental organization listed on their website.

This site has an enormous list of companies who are part of the eco-ethical generation. Some of these start-ups have grown tremendously over the course of time, fuelled by venture capitalists that specifically target socially responsible companies.

Other contributors are government grants, educational resources, business associations as well as business schools such as Duke University’s Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship.

The smaller grass-root businesses act as a pending model of how companies should and potentially will be conducted in the future. They are confirming the major benefits of sustainability and accountability, such as reaching niche markets, boosting corporate image and as a result increasing profits.

Around 64% of small business leaders say they are developing niche products and/or markets (Grant Thornton, February 2006) with an increasing amount incorporating eco-ethical philosophies. The newest trend within this realm is eco-tourism, such as Dragonfly Expeditions. They specialize in biologically diverse tropical regions with a strict “leave no trace” policy. There are many and wide ranging altruistic companies, some are creating ‘green’ products and a handful support a charity, while others encourage volunteerism.

Owner and designer, Rachel Alexander started her very own clothing collective called Freedom, a store located in downtown Toronto, featuring local designers and artists. She integrates organic fabrics and employs local home sewers to complete all of her work for the store. She says that starting this collective has been the most rewarding experience and is adamant about keeping the collective small and local.

However, even with smaller companies forging ahead, along with governments acting through laws and legislations, it is still the larger private corporations whom remain as major catalysts.

David Suzuki mentions, “The fact of the matter is that today, stuff-selling mega-corporations have a huge influence on our daily lives. And because of the competitive nature of our global economy, these corporations are generally only concerned with one thing, the bottom line.That is, maximizing profit, regardless of the social or environmental costs.” Conglomerates employ numerous individuals, conduct large quantity purchases and control the choices consumers can make through their offerings.

Responsible entrepreneurship is about creating a positive contribution to society while at the same time maintaining a profitable business. In the end, eco-ethical business owners know that money isn’t everything; it’s more important to make a difference and create positive change.

Image, Bucolic Country Lane in Florida, photograph by Randolph Femmer, courtesy of NBII

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