General FAQs
A Social Business is a non-dividend company dedicated entirely to achieve a social goal. In Social Business, the investor gets his/her investment money back over time, but never receives dividend beyond that amount. The sole purpose of the business is to solve a predetermined social problem in a sustainable way.
The 7 principles of Social Business are:
1. Business objective will be to overcome poverty, or one or more
problems (such as education, health, technology access, and environment) which threaten people and society; not profit maximization.
2. Financial and economic sustainability.
3. Investors get back their investment amount only. No dividend is given beyond investment money.
4. When investment amount is paid back, company profit stays with the company for expansion and improvement.
5. Gender sensitive and environmentally conscious.
6. Workforce gets market wage with better working conditions.
7. ...do it with joy.
Social Business Day 2016 will take place on July 28-29, Dhaka, Bangladesh. (It is normally held on June 28 every year. But this year June will be a fasting month because of Ramadan. That's why it has been shifted to July 28-29.
More information on participating in Social Business Day
Social Business Day is organized to discuss and celebrate the groundbreaking idea of social business, a non-dividend company created to solve a social problem.
Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus will host the event while many prominent figures of around the world including national and international social activities, celebrities, faculties, successful corporate and social change makers, NGOs, students journalists, innovators and entrepreneurs of diverse backgrounds will attend the event.
The objective of this event is to let people learn about social business by sharing the experiences of social business entrepreneurs and experts in the field. The event also creates an opportunity for participants to engage in various interactive panel sessions and workshops to broaden their understanding in their specific areas of interest. Our ultimate purpose is to inspire you to join the social business movement to create a world without poverty!
Click here to see the reviews of the previous Social Business Day events.
This year we are hosting Social Business Day at the “Social Business Convention Center (SBCC)", Zirabo, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Please click here for directions.
If you are interested in finding out how a business model can sustainably fight social problems, interested in learning how the concept of social business can help generate lasting solutions this event will surely be something you would want to attend.
To participate in Social Business Day 2016, please register online at our website www.socialbusinesspedia.com
Click here for registration details.
Social Business Day is one of the signature events for the social business movement. It brings together professionals who understand and practice in the field of social business. You will also get an opportunity to be a part of highly focused discussions on very specific social problems when you participate in our workshops and panel sessions. You'll get to ask questions and have them answered by those who know from experience at home and around the globe. Network and make connections. This year’s event also coming up with a new dimension- Country Forum where the participants of a particular country will talk face to face on their own social problems, current practice and probable solutions. Engage and be a part of the movement to fight social problems and build a better world!
Please click here for a tentative programme schedule for Social Business Day 2016. The programme schedule is subject to change.
Another key part is field trip program. It lets the participants to visit the social business projects physically. As like previous years, We will also make arrangements for field trips to some social business project sites prior to Social Business Day and also after the event. For participating in the field trips, you will have to register separately in our pedia.
Click here for more information on the field trips and the packages we offer and get yourself registered.
Gate opens at 7.30am. Please prepare to arrive early so that your conference check-in procedures are completed by 8:30am at the latest. The ceremony will kick off at 10.00am sharp in both event days!
Yes, you would need a valid visa to enter Bangladesh. Apply early to make sure you get it on time. Procedures for applicants vary from country to country so please contact your nearest Bangladesh High Commission or embassy to find out about the visa procedures. If you need the invitation letter, please register at the event first and then fill up the field here and request for visa invitation letter.
Yes. Please check-in at our check-in counters located at the entrance of the ground floor of the “Social business Convention Center (SBCC)". Signs and layout maps will be there to guide you. Also our conference volunteers will be able to answers any questions you may have.
Our webpage containing information on the panel sessions and workshops will have a description of what to expect from each panel session/workshop. We hope that would be helpful for you to decide on which one to attend.
On Social Business Day 2016, you will not only have the opportunity to listen to Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus speak on social business but also hear the inspiring words of our esteemed special guests coming from a diverse background of expertise from around the world.
Please check out our programme schedule in the weeks to come to see who will be speaking in our plenary sessions.
Click here to see who spoke last year on Social Business Day, 2015.
Our website www.socialbusinesspedia.com will contain all updates relating to our event so do keep an eye on it! If you need further information, please feel free to email us at socialbusinessday[at]yunuscentre.org
The panel sessions and workshops will all be happening simultaneously so you will have to choose which one you want to attend. When registering for our Social Business Day 2016, please also register for the panel session or workshop you are interested in attending. Spaces are limited so don’t forget to register for the ones you find most attractive! Please click here for the list of panel sessions.
Yes. All participants attending Social Business Day- 2016 are requested to give their feedback through clicking here.
Country forum is a cluster of simultaneously held sessions as a part of Social Business Day 2016 (SBD) program in Dhaka on July 28-29, 2016. The expected time slot for a forum is 3 hours or more during which various countries, provinces, or regions will be invited to organize their own programs to review how social business is taking shape in their countries, who is doing what, what is the plan for next year, what needs to be done, making announcements of upcoming actions. Each country will organize it on their own initiative. Delegates will pay registration fees as usual to come to the SBD and participate in the Forum.
Yes. The participants can have chance to visit social business projects physically. We will be organizing field visits to social business project sites.
Click here for more information on the field visits.
Any person, country, province, district, region may contact Yunus Centre to present their proposal to organize a Forum during SBD. Only condition for Yunus Centre (YC) to agree on the proposal would be to satisfy itself that the organization or the person have the capacity to be the "Lead Organization " or "Lead Organizer" of the Forum, and that he/she can ensure bringing at least 20 delegates from the country, province, district, or region and he/she can make sure there will be enough speakers from the area for the Forum. Organizer will continue to work with YC to work out the details as the SBD date approaches.
Our next Social Business Day will be on June 28-29 in Bangladesh, so save the date for the 8th Annual Social Business Day, June 28-29, 2017! To stay updated please Keep your eyes on www.socialbusinesspedia.com
Another big event in the world of social business is the Global Social Business Summit (GSBS 2017) organized by the Grameen Creative Lab (GCL) which will take place in November 2017.
Click here for more information on the Global Social Business Summit
Please carry a printout of the email of participation confirmation you would receive as a proof of registration. Please note that there will NOT be any new registration at the door.
If you do not receive an email confirmation upon registration, please contact us at socialbusinessday[@]yunuscentre.org
Nobin Udyokta (Young Entrepreneur) is the concept of social business to encourage and finance business ideas from the youth. The aim of this particular type of social business is to turn unemployed youths of Grameen families into entrepreneurs to undertake sustainable business. The eligible criteria are:
- Grameen bank borrowers’ children
-Parents must have been Grameen borrowers for at least 3 years (current membership) and 7 years (ex-members)
-18-35 years old
The entire registration process will be online through our website at www.socialbusinesspedia.com. Registration will only be completed upon payment of your registration fees.
Click here to register
The Yunus Centre is the one-stop resource centre for all social business related activities both globally and in Bangladesh. It monitors the progress of social businesses and helps remove bottlenecks. It keeps the spirit of the global social business movement very high through various events, social media, publications, and websites.
The Yunus Centre also helps forge lasting, productive relationships among all social business institutions around the world. Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus is the Chairman of Yunus Centre and its Executive Director is Ms. Lamiya Morshed.
Find out more about Yunus Centre from its website www.yunuscentre.org
The registration fee includes your access to the whole two day's event (timing); the plenary sessions, workshops, panel sessions, country forum, the Social Business Marketplace and also your lunch and snacks sessions.
For international participants the registration fees are: $500 (Corporate) and $200 (Students).
Currently registered students of schools, colleges and universities can participate in the event through the student registration process. Please provide your student ID card during the time of your registration.
Registration begins on April 3 and will continue through to July 1, 2016.
The possible last day for registration will be July 1, 2016. Please ensure you are registered by the deadline. There will be no new registration at the gate. If the maximum number of allowable participants is reached before the deadline an announcement will be made on our website. It is advisable to register as soon as possible to avoid disappointment!
Upon completing the entire registration (including payment), you will receive a confirmation email to the email address that you provide in the online registration form. You must bring a printout of that confirmation email to the event as it serves as your entry pass. If you do not receive the confirmation email, first check the email address that you provided in the online registration account and the problem still persists than please write to us at socialbusinessday@yunuscentre.org to notify us of the problem.
Yes, your conference volume will be in your conference bag. Please collect your conference bag at the check in counter at the entrance.
Dress Code for Social Business Day should be business or business casual or national dress
There will be NO new registration at the door. Please ensure you are registered for Social Business Day 2016 before the deadline: July 1, 2016.
For any queries, please contact:
Yunus Centre
Grameen Bank Bhaban (16th Floor)
Mirpur-2, Dhaka-1216, Bangladesh.
Tel: +88029005257-69; Mobile: +8801778443287
Email- socialbusinessday@yunuscentre.org