Analysis
In his 2009 Clinton Global Initiative speech Yunus explained that a social business is designed primarily to solve a social problem, not to generate shareholder profit. He stated that investors may be repaid their initial capital and can receive a limited, pre‑agreed return, but no dividends or profit beyond that. This matches the statement’s description of a cause‑driven model with capital recoupment and no further dividends.
Background
Muhammad Yunus, founder of Grameen Bank and pioneer of micro‑finance, introduced the concept of "social business" in the early 2000s. At the 2009 CGI, he outlined the model as a hybrid between charity and traditional for‑profit business, emphasizing sustainability and social impact over profit distribution.
Verdict summary
Yunus indeed described social business as cause‑driven, with investors able to recover their capital but not earn profits beyond a modest return.