What is it? Is it giving a neighbour some money to start a business?

Is it microlending, Grameen Bank style?

The disbursement of money around society?

The societal impact of our spending?

How do we convene ethical business and not-for-profits to learn from each other?

Can an FI make money and do projects at the same time, such as investing in green building projects?

It isn’t rampant capitalism.

It’s spending money with an eye to social impact.

It’s looking at the entire suuply chain to ensure the business is providing equitable results.

How big is social? Is it our community, or is it global? Is it the people we do business with?

Spending, lending and investing with intention. To ensure good things results from those transactions.

If companies do more ethical business practices, they become more sustainable economically.

Social enterprise is a part of this. Not for profit and co-operatives are starting business models. This results in less environmental impact, and alleviates poverty.

Measuring impact is essential to being a part of social finance. ING Direct encouraging people to save, is that a social finance impact? Or is it marketing happenstance?

Intentions are key in order to examine the ultimate and inclusive impact of a business model.

Is there such a thing as an altruistic act. All transactions have to be successful.

It’s an amalgamation of capitalism, socialism and altruism all working together. Bill Gates calls it creative capitalism.

Do we have an anti-social economy?

Social capital. The Bowling Alone theory of a deteriorating community across society. How do we build in more social capital into our framework?

What’s the line between advocacy and advice. Giving people a sense of the societal impact of their spending, versus advocating that they change their patterns.

What is the relevancy to that community?

If you’re talking about lending, you’re not talking about telling people how to spend their money, but how to spend the bank’s money.

In social lending there is a fluid tie between socially progressive stories from those who want money and the good rate they get. People will offer a lower rate to socially responsible lendees.