Systems thinking and a value-based definition of sustainability as base for a social enterprise

Sustainable development is high up on the agenda of many policymakers. On the ground level, there are a large number of people who would like to make a change or at least contribute. There are, however, numerous practical obstacles in setting up a company with an innovative product and sustainability as a core value. Taking this approach to a higher level, shifting the predominant economic system is even more daunting. This chapter illustrates some of the challenges of founding a social enterprise based on an innovative and sustainable product, derived from research in Switzerland and the Philippines.