A world of difference: for these entrepreneurs, social responsibility isn't just part of their PR campaigns—it's the essence of their businesses. And they're changing the world for the better, one community at a time

Entrepreneur, Oct, 2004 by April Y. Pennington

PICnet's goal is to empower the missions of nonprofits through technology, by offering services including web development and online application design. With offices in Washington, DC, where many nonprofits dwell, PICnet has aided organizations such as the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and Relief International.

Frandsen (who's since left the company but remains on the board of advisors) and Ozimek don't mind that they've taken a different path than their peers. "Many of them [don't] get joy and passion out of thetr work on a day-to-day basis," observes Ozimek. "If you've had any kind of success, you should give back to help those who are less fortunate get to the same level you're at."

ONE PERCENT INSPIRATION

One percent may not sound like much, but to Marc Benioff, 39, founder of Salesforce.com and eu.author of Compassionate Capitalism: How Corporations Can Make Doing Good an Integral Part of Doing Well, it could equal much more. Urging other corporations to adopt his integrated philanthropy model of a 1 percent solution--donating 1 percent of the company's time, equity and profits to help the People and communities the business serves--he's used his own company as an example. Satesforce.com gives employees six days a year of paid time to volunteer and has used company profits to offer nonprofit organizations its CRM product for free.

Benioff fully integrated the Salesforce.com Foundation, a 501(c)3 charity, into his business from the start. Full-time foundation employees are found everywhere Salesforce.com does significant business, offering underpriveleged children access to technology and media.

According to Benioff, the 1 percent solution can work for any business. "We scaled our foundation symmetrically, because the model dictates that the foundation grows parallel with the company," he says. "In today's world, you cannot he a leader in your industry without being a leader tn your community."