Deadline: November 13, 2022
Applications are open for the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship Corporate Changemakers Challenge 2023. This challenge aims to champion innovative solutions from corporate intrapreneurs who demonstrate that companies can contribute to advancing social and environmental equity, while also increasing value for the business.
Corporate Social Intrapreneurs are a breed of bold changemakers working from within businesses to unlock innovative solutions for the most pressing social and environmental challenges. Their work is increasingly recognised as a powerful source of inspiration and innovation to renew corporate purpose as well as a to drive more inclusive and sustainable businesses. The support from top leadership in their organizations along with partnerships with strategic stakeholders allows them to flourish as they develop new products, services and operating models that achieve social impact combined with core business value.
This challenge is looking for those changemakers and their solutions from the private sector working with business models, products, services, workforce, procurement, etc. that drive inclusive growth while creating value at the core of their businesses, communities and natural ecosystems.
Focus Areas
- Inclusive and Sustainable Value Chains: Solutions that help companies build inclusive and sustainable supply chains, use resources more efficiently and become more competitive while ensuring social and environmental sustainability. Examples: responsible sourcing; integration of small producers in the value chain; tools developed to enable it for other organizations.
- Inclusive Access: Solutions that promote inclusive and sustainable models, products, and services to guarantee that everyone’s dignity and rights are supported. Examples: diversity solutions; equal opportunity programmes; infrastructure access solutions; products and services addressed to traditionally excluded populations.
- Inclusive Finance and Income Generation: Solutions that successfully support income generation and social mobility in lower-income populations. Examples: economic growth programmes; solutions to close income gaps in disadvantaged populations; employability frameworks; financial inclusion tools.
- In the event your solution works to advance social equality from a different perspective not listed in the three focus areas defined previously, select this fourth option. They welcome and would be keen to review solutions that advance social change across all SDGs.
Benefits
The best submissions will be invited to the UpLink Innovation Network, facilitated by the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, Salesforce, and the supporting partners. This 6-months programme will include:
- Visibility: public exposure via the World Economic Forum and Schwab Foundation’s digital media channels.
- Access: opportunity to participate in selected World Economic Forum and Salesforce events, projects and communities.
- Connections: introduction to selected organizations within the World Economic Forum and Schwab Foundation’s ecosystem.
- Mentorship opportunities: guidance on your impact journey through the experienced support of other corporate social intrapreneurs and supporting partners.
Eligibility
They are looking for the following types of innovations:
- Stage: Impact-oriented initiatives that are in growth or scale-up phases with some demonstrated impact in social and business terms. Solutions at “idea” or “pilot” phases will not be considered.
- Business Value: The challenge seeks initiatives that on top of creating social impact they also drive business value leveraging the assets of the company and fully aligned with its core business*
- Scale: The solutions need to have potential to scale, particularly for communities most impacted, alongside a vision for achieving long-term financial viability and sustainability.
Selection Criteria
Submissions will be assessed against the following criteria:
- Breakthrough innovation: Solutions with a fresh, clear innovative angle.
- Impact mission: With clearly stated impact goals to advance SDG and aiming to monitor and evaluate the impact achieved.
- Sustainable: That supports the sustainable agendas over the long-term, aiming to provide impact that outlasts the length of the challenge.
- Business value: Solutions embedded in a core part of the business that can deliver benefits along the social impact, either generating financial returns or broader business value in other aspects.
- Partnerships: Solutions that encompass collaborative approaches with stakeholders and that demonstrate ‘win-win’ benefits for multiple agendas, particularly society, environment, non-profit and education.
- Governance & operating model: Solutions delivered with the support of an internal business sponsor (mid or senior business leadership) and with a team with the right capacity and skillset to deliver on the solution’s goals.
Application
You can save your submission in draft and get back to it later but ensure to submit your application before the challenge deadline of Sunday, November 13, 2022 (midnight CET).
For more information, visit Corporate Changemakers Challenge.
