Unusual Pioneers is a platform for corporate leaders and social intrapreneurs turning business into a force for good. Established by Yunus Social Business, The World Economic Forum’s sister organisation, Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, and Porticus – this program accelerates the work of social intrapreneurs through mentoring, peer-to-peer support, and involvement of executives across industries.
We launched the platform last week with a stellar panel, featuring
- Aaron Hurst, Founder of Taproot Foundation and Imperative and Author of “The Purpose Economy”
- Åsa Skogström Feldt, Manager, IKEA Social Entrepreneurship BV
- Corinne Bazina, General Manager of Danone Communities
- Jayanth Bhuvaraghan, former-Chief Mission Officer for Essilor Luxottica and Essilor International. Senior Advisor & Coach, Essilor Luxoticca.
2020 has shown us there can be no more business as usual. We need businesses to move away from the sole focus on shareholders to include all stakeholders. "The pandemic represents a rare but narrow window of opportunity to reflect, reimagine, and reset our world" - Professor Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman, World Economic Forum. This is where the Unusual Pioneers step in: Intrapreneurial employees using the force of their corporate powerhouses to solve tangible social and environmental problems. The Business As Unusual event showcases corporate social intrapreneurs and executives who are working on transforming corporations for the better.
Find out more on the Unusual Pioneers website.
We spoke to Molly Burke co-founder of Cycle Connect, our latest investment in our Ugandan Fund. Cycle Connect provides rural smallholder farmers with the necessary tools to propel them out of poverty.
This year, we turn 10 years old! We are taking this opportunity to highlight and celebrate the inspiring partners in our community, reflect on the valuable lessons we've learned along the way and look forward to designing the next decade.
Stories from the two female founders in our Fight for Access Accelerator Nigeria mirror the reality of the burden of young girls without proper access to WASH, but also shine a light on the impact that empowered women in the sector can create.