Social Good

The movement for social good2 has emerged in the past decade, fueled by a sense of urgency around three broad societal challenges: economic and social inequalities, climate change and its environmental impact, and the need to address intergroup tensions and wars (for analysis of information gleaned from academic publications, Internet discourse, and qualitative interviews). The quest to promote social good in the U.S. and around the world has brought together physical and virtual communities that have united around a cause or an idea, discoursing globally and instantaneously, and translating their concerns into coordinated actions. Among the actions to promote social good were protests or petition drives, organized through a combination of on-line social networks and on the ground actions. Prime examples of this phenomenon are the Black LivesMattermovementand the #OscarSoWhite protest against racial inequality in the Hollywood film industry.

Broadly, the term social good refers to services or products that promote human well-being on a large scale. The following is a multi-dimensional definition, based on a state-of-the-art review of the literature and expert interviews.

“Social good refers to individual, community and society well-being related to: (a) Addressing three specific domains – environmental justice and sustainability, diversity and inclusion,

and peace, harmony and collaboration; (b) Engaging unconventional systems of change such as grassroots and business collaborations, national and

international NGOs, and social entrepreneurs; and, (c) Utilizing innovative technologies and approaches, such as design thinking, big data–driven models, and

harnessing social media for social change. All aiming to promote social justice.” .