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"Ano nga ba ang isang social enterprise?" (“What is a social enterprise?”) When faced with this question, diverse perspectives often emerge.

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While there is a growing demand for businesses to adopt principles of inclusivity, responsibility, and sustainability, there is still a lack of understanding about social enterprises, as well as misconceptions surrounding the practice of social entrepreneurship (SE), even within the SE sector. 

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When the National Social Enterprise Development Roadmap (SE Roadmap) was launched to the public in 2023, its movers recognized the important role of communication in increasing public awareness and bridging gaps in the understanding of social entrepreneurship. Furthermore, it became evident that sharing real stories and experiences of social enterprises, the people behind them, and the communities they were impacting was an effective way to open up dialogue on SE and to bring the discussion to a larger network of stakeholders. Thus, Tatak SE™ was developed as the SE Roadmap’s platform to build its community of advocates and to communicate SE advancement efforts under one identity. 

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Ano ang tatak ng isang SE? 

During the 2023 SE Roadmap Council Conference, Tatak SE™ was officially launched through the session, Ano ang tatak ng isang social enterprise? (What is the mark of a social enterprise?), led by Reichelle Carlos, Executive Director of Bayan Social Economy Action Research (SEARCH) Foundation, and Prof. Pinky Poe, Managing Partner of ATBP Co. and Chairperson of the MSMEs & Associations subsector. 

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Reichelle, speaking on behalf of the SE Roadmap co-secretariat, shared Tatak SE’s vision to become a community-driven movement that inspires, enables, and empowers SEs and the practice of social entrepreneurship in the Philippines. At its core, Tatak SE is anchored on the values of bayanihan, the sense of community, and shared purpose: values that are expressed in many different ways in the unique settings of SE partner communities. 

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Prof. Pinky zeroed in on the role of Tatak SE as a platform of community-building and communication, in support of the SE Roadmap and its subsectors: the Academe, Cooperatives, Corporations, MSMEs and People’s Associations, and NGOs. Citing the overwhelming response to subsector-led programs such as SE 101, the SE Symposium, and the SE Workshop Series, Prof. Pinky highlighted the power of these initiatives to drive interest in SEs, deeper dialogue, and collaboration for SE-directed innovations.

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Reichelle and Prof. Pinky were joined by Wryneth Gay Mayapit, co-founder and Chief Community Engagement Officer of INDI Heritage PH, and Karissa Mae Bautista, Enterprise Development and Sustainable Markets Specialist of Forest Foundation Philippines, for a panel discussion on bridging gaps in SE understanding; mainstreaming the discussion on social entrepreneurship; and the impact of sharing stories on-the-ground. 

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To bridge communities, seek first to understand. 

Despite being raised in an IP community herself, Wryneth’s SE journey in working with local and indigenous communities proved to be more complex than anticipated. Although the advocacy of INDI Heritage PH aligns with IP values of intergenerational wealth and cultural preservation, environmental conservation, and economic revitalization, Wryneth and her team experienced many challenges in building partnerships with IP communities. This was due, in part, to the history of exploitation, cultural appropriation, and commercialization of indigenous art that IPs have long experienced, making them wary of prospective partners.

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Wryneth emphasized the importance of a grounded approach when working with these communities.  “With the long history of IPs being exploited, I realized that it is important to seek to listen, seek to understand, seek to walk in their shoes, and be ready to immerse. Understand the world from their perspective," she shared, putting empathy and understanding first when engaging with communities. 

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Karissa, citing the work of Forest Foundation Philippines, stressed the importance of creating a participatory platform when working with communities. Forest Foundation has played a significant role in helping associations and cooperatives to enhance benefit sharing mechanisms. This approach not only promotes sustainability but also ensures that the community's voice is actively considered in decision-making processes. 

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She shared one of their success stories, in partnership with social enterprise Palamigan Co. and a cooperative in Basey, Samar. Due to the impact of COVID-19 on tourism in the Sohoton Cave Natural Bridge Park, there was a need for an immediate source of income to sustain the patrolling activities in the natural park. Recognizing that the communities, mainly fisherfolk, had a high demand for ice, Forest Foundation Philippines partnered with Palamigan Co. - with support from Bayan SEARCH and Bayan Innovation Group - to set up a micro-ice plant in the area.

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Through the partnership, they witnessed the commitment of cooperative members, who actively assumed leadership roles, engaging in tourism and the operation of the micro-ice plant facility. This diversification effectively broadened the income sources of the cooperative.

Growing Tatak SE through community spaces and the grassroots 

Addressing how we can bridge gaps in the understanding and appreciation of SE, Karissa cited the effectiveness of community gatherings, such as the subsector-led SE Symposia and SE Workshops. These spaces of dialogue and collaboration are a means for the community and the public, especially the youth, to better understand SE and its underlying values. 

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Utilizing engaging multimedia formats like reels and videos featuring community stories have also proven valuable because, even within local communities operating as SEs, there may be a lack of awareness or belief in the concept of SE. Sharing SE success stories can help form a better understanding of how social enterprises work and their potential benefits for communities.

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Wryneth emphasized that another excellent way to advance SE education is by bringing initiatives to the grassroots. At the same time, she acknowledged the challenges in working with communities where limited internet connectivity and technical proficiency pose obstacles. To create a more significant impact, Wryneth stressed the importance of understanding these challenges and exploring alternative methods to engage communities beyond online education. This approach ensures that SE education reaches a wider audience, even in areas with limited online resources.

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Building our community and our brand

As part of Tatak SE’s visioning, the question posed to the SE Roadmap Council was: as brand bearers of SE, how do we shape community experience? What values do we want to stand for? “Tatak SE is the identity that we will carry,” Prof. Pinky emphasized.

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The SE Roadmap Council recognizes its role as the first brand ambassadors of Tatak SE. By encouraging member organizations to actively engage in the subsectors’ community-building initiatives, the work towards advancing SE can be amplified further. 

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The Tatak SE team, led by Bayan Innovation Group, has launched its communication support initiatives, including a monthly community newsletter; the gathering of SE stories for written and video features; and promotional support for the subsectors’ SE programs. Tatak SE has also activated its social media pages via Facebook and Instagram. 

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Reichelle presented the Tatak SE logo, with intertwined hands that symbolize collaboration, craftsmanship, and the work to be done in nurturing a strong, united community of SE advocates. The SE Roadmap community is encouraged to use the Tatak SE logo and brand visuals to promote their products, services, and SE initiatives. This will not only increase public recall of Tatak SE but also drive collaboration across subsectors and SE Roadmap member organizations. In the following months, the Tatak SE team will conduct information sessions on how to collaborate on joint initiatives; how to use Tatak SE’s brand marks for cross-promotion; and how we can amplify our stories of change. 

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To learn more about Tatak SE, connect with us through tataksocialenterprise@gmail.com. 

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