Some firms are ready to eschew the motivation for self-gain

So far, so ordinary – but this is a sandwich shop with a difference – inspired by the philosophy of a Nobel Peace Prize winner and with connections to Bob Geldof and Bill Clinton.

Social Bite, founded by Alice Thompson and Josh Littlejohn, was established after a life-changing visit to Bangladesh, where the young entrepreneurs toured projects set up by Nobel Peace prize winner Muhammed Yunus.

“Social business is not the same as social enterprise, social business is meant to be measured by how many people have been helped – not how much money you have made,” says Thompson.

“Instead of going to shareholders all our profits go to help others.”

Roughly along the lines of Pret a Manger, the shop sells sandwiches, pies, porridge, hot meals, salads and take-away coffee. Customers who come into the shop are given a loyalty card which explains the way the business works.

Once the staff have been paid, any profits generated by the business go to four charities – Grameem Danone – which gives nutritionally-enriched yoghurts that combat malnourishment, Microfinance Malawi, which gives small business loans, Shelter Scotland and Grameem Eyecare – which supports cataract surgery.

Thomson and Littlejohn –who sold their Stockbridge flat and their events business company to start Social Bite, have not yet taken wages themselves. Eventually, they will pay themselves a salary comparable to the manager of a similar business.

The plan is that Social Bite in Rose Street will be the first of a chain. But however big the business grows, the founders plan to follow the principle that the person at the top should never earn more than seven times the person who is paid the least.

Before founding Social Bite Thompson and Littlejohn’s events management company had clients that included the Scottish Business Awards. But Littlejohn, who studied economics in Edinburgh, was always interested in using alternative business models.

It was through the Scottish Business Awards the couple came into contact with Muhammed Yunus, who invited them to tour his projects in Bangladesh.

Yunus, an academic and activist, built his theory of social business after making small loans to 42 village women – all of whom used the money and managed to turn it into profit. He founded the Grameem (village) bank – which brings about social change by encouraging small businesses and providing loans.

Touring the projects in Bangladesh was an eye opener.

Thompson says: “We were so amazed by what we saw. Whole areas had been transformed by these ideas – with electricity, running water.”

When they came back to Scotland the pair decided raising money for charity wasn’t enough – they wanted to create a social business of their own. The couple ploughed everything into setting up Social Bite.

Creating a food-related business was a natural choice for Littlejohn, whose father Simon Littlejohn owns a chain of restaurants including The Doll’s House in St Andrew’s and The River House in Stirling.

Buying your lunch in Social Bite every day is supposed to be a feel good experience – and knowing your money is helping others is all part of the deal.

By the time a customer has filled up their loyalty card £30 has been donated to the four charities supported by the company. The loyalty card carries details about how the money raised by the business will transform people’s lives. The spirit of the business was the selling point that attracted Michael Thomas, a chef who previously had his own Caribbean restaurant based in Kirkcaldy.

Thomas helped create the menu – which today includes a range of gourmet pies and a Thai chicken curry. He said: “I never thought I would be working in a sandwich shop – but what brought me in to join them was the idea behind it.”

Thomas, whose father is from Barbados and whose mother comes from Africa, has designed a menu based as much as possible on fresh and locally sourced produce. Chicken and bacon for the sandwiches is cooked fresh on the premises every day.

Although Social Bite is still their main focus the pair continue to organise events for the Scottish Business Awards.

And last year they arranged to have Bob Geldof as a speaker, while next year, the keynote speaker is Bill Clinton. Their involvement with the SBA also keeps them in touch with businessman and philanthropist Tom Hunter – who has also been an inspiration.

Thompson said: “He said being rich is fun until you have bought your fourth Ferrari –after that it means nothing.”

Eventually the plan is to roll out a chain of Social Bite enterprises – which will sell the same range of food and share the same philosophy – while also creating opportunities for employment, particularly people who have been homeless, is also part of the long-term plan.

The business has already created a job for Pete Hart, a former Big Issue seller and offender who came in to do odd jobs and ended up being taken on as a kitchen porter.

Hart, who grew up in children’s homes in Glasgow, studied catering during a spell in prison, but found it hard to find a job. He was taken on at Social Bite after he was offered a couple of hours work a day, but kept turning up for eight-hour shifts.

Pete, who is 22, is no longer homeless and is planning to spend this Christmas for the first time ever with his mum and dad – after his auntie traced him through Facebook.

After fearing he would never be able to find a job he says working at Social Bite has made him “more relaxed”.

He explained: “There weren’t a lot of jobs out there and there still aren’t.

“The best thing is this is not just a job that pays your wages, but you are helping other people as well.”