I had a chance meeting in November 2005 with Franck Riboud, the chairman and CEO of Groupe Danone, and I proposed a Danon company in Bangladesh. I suggested we make yogurt—but fortified yogurt for children who suffer from malnutrition—and then sell it at a price their parents could afford. He came for the launch of the factory and brought French soccer star Zinedine Zidane, who is such a big star in Bangladesh. The whole country was glowing over the fact that Zidane was there.
 
We are currently working on some refinements. The yogurt cups are biodegradable, made of cornstarch, but I would like them to also be edible. There is a small amount of plastic in the material now that keeps the cups from being edible, but they are researching the technology.

We are happy to do joint ventures in all kinds of social businesses, or encourage companies to do it on their own. For all of the problems we grumble about that never get solved, I say, “Build up a company.”  There could even be a stock exchange that trades social businesses—but you invest to do good and get your money back, not to make a profit.

Photograph by Terry O’Neil.