Entrepreneurs for Social Change - United Nations Partnerships for SDGs platform

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Entrepreneurs for Social Change

Description
SDGs & Targets
Deliverables & timeline
Resources mobilized

Description/achievement of initiative

Entrepreneurs for Social Change foresees the empowerment of young entrepreneurs at the regional level in a comprehensive manner, for these to be able to induce positive social change in their communities through entrepreneurship and innovative business ideas. By providing viable and innovative solutions to economic and social issues at the local, national and regional levels and by showcasing the benefits and value of social entrepreneurship to policymakers and other relevant stakeholders, the ecosystem will be strengthened, and young social entrepreneurs will be able to trigger social transformation in their communities, and thereby contribute to sustainable development in the region.

Implementation methodologies

The project builds on the successful pilot phase from 2013-2016, and will bring together a total of 375 young social entrepreneurs, aged 18 to 35, initially 25 per year for three years, from the Euro-Med region and then about 125 per year from different regions of the world, provided sufficient funds are secured. The aim is to support the development of their social enterprise through training, mentoring, legal support, and facilitate access to innovative financing schemes. This will be complemented by the development of a global media campaign that will make use of local, regional and international media channels, including social media, newspapers, and UN media channels, to strengthen the knowledge and increase the awareness about the value and importance of promoting social entrepreneurship. The long-term vision of the project is to explore the opportunities to replicate the project as implemented in the Euro-Mediterranean region and expand it to other regions of the world, e.g. in Southeast Asia, in Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America. Furthermore, the objective is to develop a social entrepreneurship Centre of Excellence that will serve as a hub for agents of change to get in touch with their peers, to facilitate knowledge sharing and exchange, and to provide a platform to nurture and foster innovative business ideas and thereby support the development of an environment conducive to social entrepreneurship.

Arrangements for Capacity-Building and Technology Transfer

Coordination mechanisms/governance structure

Partner(s)

United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO); Fondazione CRT

Progress reports

Goal 1

1.4 - By 2030, ensure that all men and women, in particular the poor and the vulnerable, have equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to basic services, ownership and control over land and other forms of property, inheritance, natural resources, appropriate new technology and financial services, including microfinance

Goal 8

8.3 - Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and encourage the formalization and growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises, including through access to financial services

8.5 - By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value

Goal 9

9.3 - Increase the access of small-scale industrial and other enterprises, in particular in developing countries, to financial services, including affordable credit, and their integration into value chains and markets