From India to Morocco, the United States to Ecuador, the 16 organizations awarded by the Schwab Foundation today are leading the way in advancing equitable access to healthcare, education, finance and law, while empowering women and young people and countering the effects of climate change. In a world where trust in societal institutions is in decline due to rising geopolitical tensions, economic uncertainty, violent conflicts and mounting climate fears, the organizations are part of a global community that offers proven methods for building a more inclusive, equitable and sustainable society.
“The Social Innovators of the Year 2024 represent a diverse group of entrepreneurs and innovators who are driving the change we need to create a more sustainable, inclusive future,” said Hilde Schwab, Co-Founder and Chairperson of the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship. “The collective potential of this community offers a beacon of hope for acting with purpose and collaboration during uncertain times.”
The 16 award-winners join an existing community of extraordinary organizations whose collective work has improved the lives of more than 890 million people in over 190 countries since 1998. Social innovation has grown significantly over the years, reaching at least 10 million social enterprises worldwide, according to a new study by the Schwab Foundation using globally available data. For over a quarter of a century, the Schwab Foundation has been providing a global platform for social innovators. The 64 organizations awarded by the Schwab Foundation in the past three years alone have created over $900 million of economic value for their communities.
This year’s awardees include organizations empowering Indigenous peoples’ stewardship of Amazon forests; promoting youth development through sport in Morocco; instilling leadership, innovation and agency in youth to build a culture of peace in Colombia; and using technology to bring legal services to a million citizens of Uganda to access their rights. The list of winners also includes pioneering corporate initiatives demonstrating a more impactful approach to business, and public sector leaders championing the social economy.
“Increasingly, the world is recognizing the contribution of the social and solidarity economy towards sustainable development, with the United Nations calling on governments to implement policies supporting social enterprise and other social economy actors,” said François Bonnici, Director of the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship. “There is a pressing need for the kind of deep change this year’s innovators provide to meet the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.”