ABSTRACT

This chapter describes the national approaches to sustainable enterprise in Israel. It includes key information about the priority issues, trends, and government policies as well as best-practice case studies of sustainable enterprise in Israel. After a long period in which the Israeli business community only practised philanthropy, new Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) ideas and strategies are now gaining recognition and companies are starting to integrate social, ethical and environmental concerns into their core business. Israel's social responsibility standards can be linked with tzedakah, which has its roots in the Hebrew word tzedek, meaning justice. Many successful start-ups, such as Waze and Viber, were founded and developed by Israeli entrepreneurs, giving Israel the reputation of being the second most successful start-up hub in the world after Silicon Valley. Social enterprise has started to emerge as a fourth sector, with more than 200 active social businesses in Israel.