When he set up a nonprofit organization 35 years ago to sell organic vegetables, Kazuyoshi Fujita never expected his pursuit would grow into a big business.

Advocating environmentally friendly foods, his NPO, Daichi wo Mamoru Kai (the Association to Preserve the Earth), is now a company with annual sales of ¥16 billion and 200 employees.

Fujita's business is one of the growing number of "social enterprises" — financially independent civic activities with social aims.