This year I'm speaking at at least three conferences. I'm exited about each one of them, but I'm starting to think of the first two as a lead in to the third one, which is the one I'm most excited about. In each of my conference presentations, I am exploring topics of social marketing, corporate social responsibility, social media and credit unions, narrowing in on the essence of the story I'm trying to tell. In each one I'm getting a little closer to a greater truth: That credit unions can improve our communities directly through our work as local financial institutions.

It all leads to what we at Vancity call the Social Economy.

I have struggled a little bit with my definition of the social economy. At Vancity, we define it as the part of the economy used to make our society and communities a more equitable and livable place. It focuses on the society part of the concept of social.

I tend to define the social economy a little more broadly: as that increasing part of our society's economic decision-making that is influenced by emerging social tools. The water cooler is now global, and people can influence each other's spending habits and brand preferences more effectively and instantly.

Maybe I'm drinking a little too much Vancity Kool Aid, but lately I've been narrowing my definition a bit, more in line with Vancity's socially responsible way of doing business. I'm also being affected by reading Muhammed Yunus amazing new book Creating a World Without Poverty: Social Business and the Future of Capitalism.

As credit unions, we have several levers to pull to make our communities more just. One is through the products and services we create. Creating low rate loans to buy cars that emit less carbons or to upgrade our members' homes to make them more energy efficient, products that give some profits back to local environmental or social initiatives, and granting some of our annual profits back to organizations that improve the quality of life where we live and work are all ways we can achieve a healthier social economy.

Additionally, some part of the local economy is driven by our members. Their debit card and credit card purchases help put money back into the local economy, creating jobs and stimulating growth. Influencing part of that spending towards companies that have sustainable and just business models would be another way to create a stronger social economy.

Harnessing the social power of emerging collaborative tools to help people come together to create positive change is another powerful way we can shift decision-making to be better to the environment and each other.

I have been thinking about these things a lot, and am excited to be able to share some of the things we're doing at Vancity, as well as some things we're planning and some things we're just beginning to think about with our CU peers who can make it out to Indiana for the Partnership Symposium at the beginning of October. It's one of the events I'm most looking forward to in 2008, and I hope to see you there.