CWCF's Justice, Equity, Diversity, Decolonization & Inclusion (JEDDI) Business Conversion Project:
Business Conversions to Social Purpose Organizations for Equity-Denied Groups
With insights from Juliet ‘Kego, MBA- Prof. Jessica Gordon-Nembhard- Prof. Marcelo Vieta
Facilitated by: Janielle Maxwell, JEDDI Project Coordinator
Session Overview
1. CWCF’s JEDDI Social Acquisition/ Business Conversion Project
2. Juliet ‘Kego’s Presentation
3. Jessica Gordon- Nembhard’s Presentation
4. Marcelo Vieta’s Presentation
5. Question & Answer Period
*Speech note
JEDDI= Justice, Equity, Diversity, Decolonization & Inclusion, SEs=Social Enterprises, SPOs=Social Purpose Organizations, EDGs= Equity-Denied Groups
A Little About CWCF’s JEDDI Business Conversion Project…
JEDDI Project Tasks & Timeline
Presenter #1
Juliet ‘Kego
A co-founder of Black Women Professional Worker Co-op & Whole Woman Network
II. A BUSINESS IN THE PROCESS OF CONVERSION TO A COOPERATIVE (WHOLE WOMAN NETWORK)
Integrating More Equity-Denied Groups in the Social Acquisition Process
Insights from BWPW Co-op & Whole Woman Network (WWN)
Affinity of EDGs to SPOs
Historical Context:
•Pre and Post-colonialism
•Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade
Socio-cultural Affinity:
•Black social/solidarity economies
•Collectivist/Cooperative: Ubuntu, Esusu (ROSCAs)
Atautsikut, Onye Aghana Nwanne Ya etc.
Economic Affinity:
•Business Structures (Sole Proprietorships, Family-owned Businesses)
Political Affinity:
Challenges Faced by Equity-Denied Groups in Business Conversions
•Lack of robust representation for mentorship and support
•Lack of access to resources to build operational capacity, organizational effectiveness, staffing and skills development
•Lack of access to investment capital to operationalize, stabilize, scale (Four Key Barriers to Capital, source: The BridgespanGroup)
•Face increased due diligence, risk aversion and additional questioning.
How Business Conversions to SPOs can Benefit EDGs
•Creating space for formal and informal economies
to co-exist and thrive.
•Dismantling systemic and structural inequalities.
•Business Succession and Planning.
•Preserve cultural heritage & community
• Preserving Indigenous knowledge.
•Build capacity for investment-readiness
•Building stronger ecosystems & intergenerational wealth.
•Alternative finance models (ROSCAs)
Presenter #2
(video)
Jessica Gordon-Nembhard
Professor, Dept. of Africana Studies, City University of New York , and member of Grassroots Economic Organizing Collective: Topic: Solidarity Works, Reflections from the WC Movement
Presenter #3
Marcelo Vieta
Associate Professor & Director of the Centre for Learning, Social Economy and Work at the University of Toronto
CWCF’s Website Resources
About the JEDDI Business Conversion Project:
https://canadianworker.coop/jedi-conversions-project-about/
If you’re interested in the Steps for a Business Conversion: https://canadianworker.coop/how-a-business-conversion-works-for-buyer-and-seller-sides/
Examples of Successful Conversions from Traditional Businesses to SPOs:
https://canadianworker.coop/case-studyexamples-of-social-acquisitions-business-conversions/
CWCF Worker Co-op Academy:
https://canadianworker.coop/worker-co-op-academy/
BIPOC Training Bursary:
https://canadianworker.coop/bipoc-training-bursary/
Racial Justice Project Grants:
https://canadianworker.coop/funding/racial-justice-project-grants/
Contact Info
1. Janielle Maxwell
JEDDI Social Acquisition Project Coordinator
Canadian Worker Cooperative Federation�Jedi-sa@canadianworker.coop | IG: @canadianworkercoop
2. Juliet ‘Kego Ume-Onyido
BWPW & Whole Woman Network Co-Founder�julietkego@gmail.com | linkedin.com/in/julietkego�BWPW Co-op | bwpwcoop.com | Twitter/IG: @bwpwcoop
3. Hazel Corcoran
Executive Director of Canadian Worker Co-op Federation
hazel@canadianworker.coop | Twitter: @WorkerCoop
4. Jessica Gordon Nembhard, jgordonnembhard@gmail.com
5. Marcelo Vieta, marcelo.vieta@utoronto.ca