SVN - Social Venture Network

Partners at Criterion Ventures are not only members of SVN, but they are on committees for events, they interact with the leadership, and through Convergence we communicate about ways to help move leadership in the Social Change space foward.

"Social Venture Network (SVN) transforms the way the world does business by leveraging its members' collective strengths of leadership, knowledge and enterprise for a more just and sustainable economy.

Founded in 1987 by Josh Mailman and Wayne Silby, Social Venture Network (SVN) is a nonprofit network committed to building a just and sustainable world through business.

We believe in a new bottom line for business, one that values healthy communities and the human spirit as well as high returns. SVN members are a part of an expanding global network of pioneering entrepreneurs who share this vision and are helping to transform the way the world does business.

What We Do
SVN promotes new models and leadership for socially and environmentally sustainable business in the 21st century. We champion this effort through initiatives, information services and forums that strengthen our community and empower our members to work together on behalf of their shared vision.

Member Initiatives
Through SVN, members have launched new enterprises, formed strategic partnerships, and improved their own "triple bottom line" performance for people, planet and profits.

Innovations
Access to information like our Tools & Best Practices and our Peer-to-Peer Learning Call Series make it easy for our members to get connected and provide the necessary tools for members to get relevant information fast. The network itself is an incredible resource. Read more about the 20 Ideas That Changed the Way the World Does Business.

Events
SVN holds two annual conferences, including our Annual Member Gathering in the spring and our Fall Conference open to members and non-members by invitation. Additionally, SVN helps host Social Venture Institutes in Philadelphia, Cortes Island in British Columbia, Toronto, and Washington, DC, offering practical tools to socially-conscious business leaders. See our Event Calendar for more about upcoming opportunities to connect with SVN members.

SVN's Community Agreements
The Community Agreements expressing SVN members' commitments to each other were incorporated into the Charter of Social Venture Network on October 12, 2006. Click here to read.

If you are interested in becoming a member of SVN, we invite you to visit the Membership section."