Grameen Danone Foods Limited: A Unique Model of Social Business Enterprise

Publication Date: 3 Jul 2007
Published by: Dhaka, Bangladesh: Grameen Danone Foods Limited
Document Type: Presentation

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Social Business Enterprise – Collaboration between a microfinance institution and the private sector

This presentation profiles the company Grameen Danone Foods Limited (GD), highlighting its role as a model of Social Business Enterprise (SBE). It explains how GD operates as an SBE, with a mission to reduce poverty by a unique proximity business model that brings daily healthy nutrition to low-income classes.

The presentation provides an overview of Bangladesh and describes:

• The history and characteristics of the Grameen Bank;
• The features of the Grameen Bank Credit Delivery System;
• The establishment of ‘Grameen Danone Joint Venture’ as an SBE.

The presentation lists the objectives of the company:

• To bring daily health nutrition to the deprived population of Bangladesh;
• To alleviate poverty through its business model;
• To create independent business and job opportunities in various sectors.

The presentation states that SBEs, according to Prof. Mohammed Yunus, are "social benefit maximizing kind businesses, which are created to do good to people, not paying any attention to making personal gain." Further it lists features of an SBE as one that,

• Passes benefits to consumers;
• Operates without incurring losses;
• Competes with profit maximizing enterprises;
• Generates profit and uses surplus for expansion, improvement of quality, increasing efficiency, etc.

The presentation describes the features of:

• The dividend and share transfer policy of SBEs;
• Grameen Danone Foods Ltd. (GD);
• Group Danone;
• Grameen companies.

The presentation concludes with information on the participation of “the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition” in the program.