What defines a good social enterprise? Is it social and/or environmental impact? is it qualitative data (numbers and measurable information)? Or, perhaps, quantitative data (people’s experience with it)? The students of Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation at Mount Royal University were tasked by their professor Fiona Robinson with finding, analyzing and ultimately crowning the top 5 social enterprises of the year using all of those data points (and some inspiration from SEE Change publisher Elisa Birnbaum’s book In the Business of Change). They were also asked to consider the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s), and how each enterprise engaged with those 17 goals.
Drum roll please….the class’ picks for Canada’s Top 5 social enterprises of 2024 are…
1. Aki Solutions Group
Aki Solutions Group is a First Nations social enterprise dedicated to addressing food security and providing healthy, locally sourced food options to remote communities with limited access to all-weather roads, as well as offering sustainable energy solutions. They take pride in tailoring solutions to meet the specific needs of each community, while integrating Indigenous teachings and principles into their work. This approach has enabled them to successfully complete every project. Their core values have empowered many of the communities they serve, fostering a mindset of problem-solving and a deep listening to each community’s distinct needs.
SDG Goals: 4 Quality Education, 7 Affordable and Clean Energy, and 17 Partnerships for the Goals
2. Hiregood
Hiregood is an Edmonton-based social enterprise that addresses barriers to employment faced by people experiencing homelessness and poverty. Hiregood was born out of the need to give opportunities to marginalized groups to gain meaningful employment while keeping Edmonton clean and welcoming for everyone through its cleaning services. Since Hiregood started in 2017, the social enterprise has employed over 150 staff members, 80% of whom have faced employment barriers. Building on its success in Edmonton, Hiregood is now expanding to Calgary with a pilot program to assess its potential impact there. Hiregood offers more than just job opportunities; it also provides mentorship, skill development, and employment support, fundamentally changing the lives of its employees.
SDG Goals: 1 No Poverty and 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth
3. Fair Trade Canada
Originally known as Transfair Canada in 1994, Fairtrade Canada was initiated by various stakeholders, including community fair trade advocates and nonprofit organizations that were inspired by the fair trade movement in the early 20th century. Its core mission is to provide sustainable supply chains, while ensuring that workers and farmers in developing countries receive livable wages in order to have the opportunity to invest in their local communities. Fairtrade Canada was selected as my top choice due to their advocacy towards reshifting traditional supply chains towards a more sustainable and ethical approach, while also providing opportunities for workers and farmers in developing countries to have the opportunity for a better life.
SDG Goals: 1 No Poverty, 5 Gender Equality, 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth, and 12 Responsible Consumption and Production
4.Inclusion In Canadian Sports Network (ICSN)
Inclusion in Canadian Sports Network (ICSN) is a Black-led nonprofit empowering BIPOC in sports by breaking barriers and fostering inclusion. Its objectives—celebration, advocacy through allyship, and networking—highlight the need for diverse voices in sports. This is an issue in a lot of sports, particularly seen in hockey, due to things such as cost, accessibility and the negative culture surrounding it. Many feel excluded, deterring participation. ICSN addresses this by advocating for change and ensuring sports are accessible to all. Through programs like mentoring and leadership seminars, ICSN amplifies marginalized voices, fostering a more inclusive, diverse, and equitable sports culture.
SDG Goals: 5 Gender Equality, and 10 Reduced Inequalities
5. Buy Social Canada
Buy Social Canada is a national leader promoting social procurement and supporting social enterprises. Their mission is to create healthy communities rich in social, cultural, and economic capital by redefining how goods and services are bought and sold. They offer services like Social Enterprise Certification, which recognizes businesses with a social, cultural, or environmental mission, and partnerships that integrate social value into procurement practices. Through consulting, training, and directories connecting buyers with social impact suppliers, Buy Social Canada empowers organizations to prioritize social value. By engaging with them, businesses and consumers drive inclusive, sustainable economic growth across Canada.
SDG Goals: 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth, 10 Reduced Inequalities, and 12 Responsible Consumption and Production
Dana Dutton is a student of the Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation class at Mount Royal University. Additional credits to the entire class, including Sara Sail, Earnest Alama, Dana Dutton, Jaycee Ghostkeeper, Marcedes Moosewaypayo, and Ryan Radke.