Page 167 - Social Enterprise A New Business Paradigm for Thailand

to create the “One for One” model: every time a customer bought a pair of shoes, TOMS would
donate another pair to a child in need. Additionally, one-third of the company’s profits were

allocated to public benefit through grants and partnerships with community organizations to
drive long-term, sustainable change. This approach earned strong customer loyalty and set a new
standard in social entrepreneurship by blending profit with purpose (Preedee Nukulsompratana,
2022). While the company faced criticism, particularly concerns that free product giveaways could
harm local economies by undercutting local businesses, TOMS nevertheless gained broad
acceptance among customers and investors. Its innovative business model earned numerous
awards, including the U.S. Secretary of State’s Award for Corporate Excellence and the 12th
Cannes LionHeart Award (MENDETAILS, n.d.). 108 . Mycoskie also authored the New York Times
bestseller Start Something That Matters, which encourages others to incorporate giving into their

business practices (CEO Channels, n.d.) 109 .

TOMS is widely recognized as a pioneer in social entrepreneurship, demonstrating that a business
can grow while creating meaningful social impact (Wilson and Hopewell, 2018). Over the years,
the company expanded its model to include eyewear, coffee, clean water initiatives, safe
childbirth, and anti-bullying programs. To date, TOMS has impacted the lives of more than 105
million people through the donation of shoes, eyeglasses, and clean water (LinkedIn, n.d.) 110 .

5.2.4 Aravind Eye Care System (India)
The Aravind Eye Care System (AECS) was founded in 1976 by Dr. Govindappa Venkataswamy and
has become one of the world’s largest and most successful social enterprises. Its core mission is
to eliminate preventable blindness by providing efficient, high-quality, and affordable eye care to
all, regardless of economic status. AECS has pioneered a cost-effective model based on economies
of scale, enabling it to perform a large volume of surgeries at prices the poor can afford (Aravind
111
Eye Care System, n.d.) . The organization also established Aurolab to manufacture intraocular
lenses, sutures, and medications at low cost, dramatically reducing the price of cataract surgery.
Those who can afford to pay help subsidize care for those who cannot, through a cross-

subsidization policy that ensures equitable access to treatment (Karmali, 2010). AECS provides a
broad spectrum of services, including outpatient consultations, eye surgeries, and specialty care
in areas such as retina diseases, glaucoma, and pediatric ophthalmology. Its reach extends beyond
hospital settings, with mobile eye camps and community clinics serving rural and underserved

108 From MDs’ LIFE | “10 Good Things About the Brand ‘TOMS’ That We Should Know and Learn From”, by
MENDETAILS, n.d., retrieved on February 14, 2025, (https://mendetails.com/life/10-good-facts-about-toms/)
109 From Summary of the Book Start Something That Matters by Blake Mycoskie, by CEO Channels, n.d., retrieved on
February 14, 2025, (https://www.ceochannels.com/start-something-that-matters/)
110 From We’re TOMS, by LinkedIn, n.d., retrieved on February 14, 2025, (https://www.linkedin.com/company/toms/)
111 From About Us, by Aravind Eye Care System, n.d., retrieved on February 14, 2025, (https://aravind.org/our-story/)
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