About Us
Mission
To bring social enterprises into the mainstream!
Who are we?
ChooseSocial.PH is your destination to discover and explore the social enterprise scene in Philippines (and the amazing people behind it!). We are a crowdsourced social directory and aim to be the most comprehensive and up-to-date resource for anyone looking to learn more about social enterprises in Philippines.
Want to learn about a particular organization, looking for an organization to support, or maybe just feel like shopping while supporting a worthwhile cause? ChooseSocial.PH has got you covered.
What's a social enterprise?
Do good
Be financially sustainable
Have the cause be at the centre of the business
It will primarily exist and operate in order to improve a social or environmental cause or mission
Use market-based strategies to sustain their work
It will primarily fund itself through commercial activities or trade in order to remain financially sustainable
Be able to act independently
It will not be dependent on government grants or public donations in order to operate
Re-invest a percentage of its profits back into the cause or local community
The social mission/cause and the business itself are inextricably linked, so as the business and profits grow, the benefits to the impacted communities grow as well.
Want to learn more?
We're not the only ones crazy about social enterprise. Social Enterprise UK is doing great work and offers excellent resources for those of you interested in learning more about social enterprises or starting your own.But Why Choose Social Enterprise?
We believe all organizations need to be financially sustainable in order to scale up their impact, and we're big believers that social enterprises are the way to building a society where everyone profits. We want to foster and support organizations that are changing the business landscape – organizations that think like smart and savvy businesses in order to grow the bottom line: their social impact.
So whether you are looking to start an organization, support one, or work for one – whatever it may be, consider choosing a social enterprise – because when you choose social, everyone wins.
About the Team
Gelaine Santiago
Gelaine is one of the founders of ChooseSocial.PH and is all about people – she believes that effective people management can transform social enterprises into impactful and sustainable sources of good. She has an undergraduate degree in Biology and Political Science, and a post-graduate degree in Human Resource Management in Toronto. She is a Certified Human Resource Professional (CHRP) in Canada and has more than 4 years of experience working within for-profit and non-profit organizations. Gelaine has particular expertise in talent acquisition (recruitment), volunteer management, and training and development, as well as exposure to talent branding, marketing, and employee relations.
When she's not working as a Talent Acquisition Specialist for a financial firm, she volunteers to give pro bono employment and job search advice to recent immigrants and is also a Member of the Board of Directors for a non-profit humanitarian organization in Toronto focused on mass atrocity prevention. Though she was raised in Canada, she is a proud Filipina (originally from Malolos), and actively searches for ways to help develop strong communities back home.
Jérôme Gagnon-Voyer
Jérôme is a seasoned technical consultant and developer, and serves as a founder and in-house technology expert for ChooseSocial.PH. He graduated with a degree in Computer Engineering from Laval University in Québec (Canada) and has more than 5 years' comprehensive consulting experience for big players across Canada and the US within a wide range of industries. He's no stranger to entrepreneurship – in addition to large corporations, he's also worked with small to medium-sized tech companies in Toronto, interned at a start-up in Silicon Valley, and also managed his own IT consulting business.
Jérôme isn't just a tech guy, though! He also worked as national VP of Communications for the global NGO, AIESEC, where he led marketing and IT initiatives and also discovered his passion for social entrepreneurship. In his spare time, Jérôme uses his powers for good by working pro bono on a range of technology projects!
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