Social innovation's valuable foundation lies in trust capital
In the heart of Calabria, Italy, a cooperative group named Goel is making waves in the realm of social innovation. With a strong commitment to ethical and sustainable development, social justice, biodiversity preservation, and anti-mafia principles, Goel is a shining example of a cooperative group that values trust and reputation above all else.
At the helm of this ethical revolution is Vincenzo Linarello, a social innovator who has been instrumental in shaping Goel's mission. His book, The Manual of Effective Ethics, serves as a guiding light for Goel and other social cooperatives, offering a framework for ethical practices in organizational and community contexts.
The Manual of Effective Ethics provides an ethical foundation for Goel's cooperative model. It helps embed ethics into all operational aspects, ensuring that business activities reject mafia influence, promote social inclusion, and foster sustainable local development. The manual emphasizes transparency, community participation, and cooperative governance, key aspects that are evident in Goel's collaborative initiatives.
One such initiative is the Alleanza per la Biodiversità in Calabria, a partnership that aligns with Linarello's emphasis on participative ethics in organizations. Goel's commitment to environmental stewardship and social responsibility is also evident in partnerships like Comunità Progetto Sud, where ethics are applied to biodiversity conservation and social projects.
The power of trust capital is not lost on Goel. Trust capital, a mix of reputation and trust, is a significant and invisible asset for the cooperative group. It can be monetized through the willingness of suppliers, financiers, customers, institutions, workers, and individual persons to reward the shared meaning it produces. Customers willing to pay a higher price and discounts from suppliers are examples of monetizing trust capital.
Communicating this ethical vision to stakeholders is essential for creating reputation and trust. Building trust capital requires adopting an ethical vision and incorporating it into one's mission with the greatest possible coherence. Involving and motivating the network is necessary for the construction of a coherent relational network.
Goel's journey towards ethical development began 20 years ago, with a mission to create development in Locride and other areas of Calabria. The cooperative group opposes the 'ndrangheta through the creation and support of small businesses, social and health services, ethical fashion, organic agriculture, and responsible tourism.
For Linarello, ethics must not only be fair but also effective in resolving issues and taking the perspective of the weakest and most fragile. The goal of ethics is to protect and promote human dignity and to correct asymmetries in social and personal relationships. It aims to create conditions to correct dignity imbalances as quickly as possible and prevent or solve the problems of the last ones without creating others.
The Manual of Effective Ethics theorizes Linarello's own experience as a social innovator with Goel. Published by Goel Editions, the book is 257 pages long and priced at 20€. It covers topics such as creating development, opposing the 'ndrangheta, and promoting ethical fashion, organic agriculture, social and health services, and responsible tourism.
In 2014, Goel deposited the trademark for trust capital, a testament to their commitment to building and monetizing this valuable asset. As Goel continues to grow and evolve, The Manual of Effective Ethics will undoubtedly remain a guiding light, helping them navigate the complexities of ethical business in a challenging socio-economic context.
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The sustainable-living approach promoted by Goel, as well as their commitment to social justice and biodiversity preservation, is evident in their home-and-garden initiatives, such as organic agriculture and responsible tourism. The manual, The Manual of Effective Ethics, provides a framework for ethical practices that align with their sustainable-living philosophy, emphasizing transparency, community participation, and cooperative governance.
