Social Enterprises

We work with people who use entrepreneurship as a way to create social change. Together, we aim to enable a more equal and inclusive society, where everyone has the opportunity and capability to provide for themselves and their families.

What is a social enterprise?

A social enterprise uses business as a way to solve social challenges, such as reducing poverty and empowering women. He or she has an objective to make a social impact rather than just to make a profit, and operate by providing goods and services in an entrepreneurial and innovative fashion. They businesses are visionaries that work at all levels – from creating change in local communities to influence the way social issues are addressed globally.

Running programmes

Completed programmes

- Fundacion Empreender Futuro
  Allison increases the ability for vulnerable people to improve their social status by democratizing access to business information and services.
- Anou
  Dan has created Anou, a community of artisans working together to reshape Morocco's artisan economy so that it works for them rather than against them.
- More Than Shelters
  Daniel prototypes dignified living concepts for refugees, bridging crucial stages of their journeys.
- Programa Vivenda
  Fernando develops affordable renovation kits that fix the issues that most impact health in the favelas in Brazil.
- Grassroot Tea Corporation
  John is creating a new model for small tea growers to organize themselves, manufacture and sell tea to markets directly while influencing policy.
- Ignitia
  Liisa provides farmers in Ghana with climate data sets that allow them to increase their yield and efficiency by timing planting, cultivating, and harvesting.
- PEKKA
  Nani is reversing the pattern of discrimination against women in Indonesia by educating and enabling them to provide for their families.
- Center for Aquatic Livelihood -Jaljeevika
  By helping farmers see the economic opportunity in cooperating, Neelkanth has reached 50 000 farmers and successfully integrated in-land fisheries in six states' livelihood programs.
- Fair Employment Agency
  Scott shifts domestic worker agency models to one that erases fees to workers and re-aligns incentives at each link along the recruitment chain in Hong Kong and the Philippines.
- Phulki
  Suraiya has developed self-sustaining models for workplace-based care centers at factories and offices, enabling economic emancipation for women in Bangladesh.
- Sea Ranger Service
  Wietse combines empowerment of unemployed youths and re-integration of navy veterans to provide a solution to the monitoring of marine protected areas.
In partnership with Ashoka

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In partnership with Ashoka

Access Bangladesh Foundation
Working to ensure that persons with disabilities in Bangladesh are included in all aspects of development planning in the country.

Futuro Forestal
Reforestation projects to build permanent, biodiverse, and profitable forests and motivating other land users to plant forests.

Hecho X Nosotros
Fostering a sustainable fashion movement in Argentina.

Impact Transformation Fund
Pioneering ethical manufacturing in Africa.

Rede Asta
Reduction of Brazilian social inequality through the empowerment of women artisans.

Mitt Liv
Working with diversity and inclusion within the Swedish the labour-market to make sure everyone gets the chance they deserve.

Next Step
Making manufactured housing a practical, sustainable solution in the US.

NIDAN
Giving India's urban poor access to financial services, technology and solicit business.

NUUP
Improving the livelihoods of smallholder producers in Mexico.

SIMPLON.CO
Developing new mechanisms of social inclusion and full citizenship for at-risk populations in France.

Upwardly Global
Working to eliminate employment barriers for skilled immigrants and refugees in the US.

Women Farmers Advancement Network
Improving and promoting the economic, social and political empowerment of rural women and youth in Nigeria, specifically in the agricultural sector.

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In partnership with Ashoka

Fondation Mozaïk
Fondation Mozaïk accelerates economic inclusion by reducing employment discrimination.

Green Savers
Green Savers provide support in establishing and promoting different types of gardening in Dhaka city.

Motion Light Lab
Motion Light Lab creates learning experiences for deaf children and all visual learners.

SDI Academy
SDI Academy offers literacy training to migrants and refugees and promotes upward socio-economic mobility.

Smart Green Industry
Smart Green Industry strives to transform the textile value chain to be fair and more sustainable.

The Social Gastronomy Movement
A global network of grassroots organizations, chefs, academics, entrepreneurs, farmers, and companies that uses the power of food for social change.

Uwaga Smiecairka Jedzi
A social enterprise that promotes circularity and provides an open community where second-hand items can be exchanged and upcycling and recycling is encouraged.

SPEAK
SPEAK promotes the organic emergence of inclusive communities where locals, migrants, and refugees meet to share their culture and develop meaningful bonds.

The Horus Institute for Environmental Conservation and Development
Develops alternatives for environmental conservation and integrates these into economic and social development processes.

TRRAIN
TRRAIN is a non-profit organization that provides training and upskilling to marginalized groups in India with little to no access to the job market.

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In partnership with New Ventures

Café Local
Café Local eliminates the intermediary organisation between small coffee farmers and their potential buyers allowing them to obtain fairer prices and improve the living and working conditions.

ÉCHALE
ÉCHALE is an affordable housing social enterprise that helps people living in poverty to become owners of their own homes.

Hipocampus Centros de Aprendizaje
Hipocampus work with companies to offer on-site day-care where the children of the organisation's employees can receive a quality education.

Homely
Homely wants to give domestic workers a safe, steady, and fair job by connecting them with clients and backing them up to ensure good working conditions.

Iluméxico
Iluméxico's goal is to provide affordable electrical services to marginalised communities using solar energy.

INTRARE
INTRARE facilitate the integration of migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers in Mexico’s capital city.

Isla Urbana
Isla Urbana’s rainwater harvesting solution is an environmentally, social, and economic sustainable system that collects and cleans rainwater for households, schools and health clinics.

Pixza
Pixza is a social empowerment platform and helps to fight homelessness in Mexico City through their blue corn pizza restaurants.

Sistema.bio
Sistema.Bio links technology and financial opportunities so farmers can improve infrastructure and capacity with their biodigesters to transform waste into renewable energy and natural fertilizers.

TEKITI
TEKITI links artisans and large corporations interested in working together. They also design and craft tailor-made products that honour their traditional techniques.

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In partnership with New Ventures

Abeja Reyna
Preserves bees and takes care of people through consumer products based on organic honey

BanQu
BanQu uses blockchain technology to promote the financial empowerment of local producers in global supply chains

Básicos de Mexico
Timeless textiles that guarantees decent conditions for garment producers and low environmental impact

Bios Comunidad Sustentable
Purchases coffee from smallholder farmers across Mexico, paying decent prices for their product

Griyum
Griyum supports local cricket farmers by commercializing sustainable protein for foods of the future

Kip Tik
Kip Tik innovates in traditional craftmanship to create better daily lives for Mexico’s indigenous communities

Recicla Electrónicos México (REMSA)
Provides management system for electronic waste making sure these products get a second life

SmartFish
SmartFish offers sustainable marine products to consumers while providing better daily lives for fishermen

Tierra de Monte
Tierra de Monte creates eco-friendly solutions to increase crop productivity while promoting sustainable agriculture among smallholder farmers

Toroto
Toroto fights poverty among rural communities by helping companies become carbon-neutral

Xilinat
Creating income and a cleaner environment for smallholder farmers by transforming waste into a healthy sweetener

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Alive and Kicking
Produces soccer balls in Kenya providing employment, improved health and behavior to marginalized groups.

Aqua Clara Kenya
Leveraging networks to increase awareness of WASH practices and adoption of water filters.

Asante Mama
Links farmers to markets through aggregation and contract farming.

BeMistre
Home decor and furniture products from recycled and organic raw materials led by women and youth.

Enlight Institute
Recruitment, training and coaching for the youth to access employment in the solar industry.

ENZI
High-end shoe production & sales supporting workforce development and employee livelihood in Ethiopia.

Felek Notebooks
Produces and sells notebooks, donating supplies to rural schools and supporting education in Ethiopia.

Green Face Trading
Traced organic honey and beeswax producer.

Imani Collective
Home accessories made using natural raw materials and traditional techniques.

Industree Ethiopia
Enables fabrics and apparel sourcing from Ethiopian producer-owned enterprises.

Kidame Mart
Creates opportunities for rural women to earn income by selling fast-moving goods in their communities.

Nuru Social Enterprises
Produces and sells Nuru Yogurt, supporting Kenyan smallholder farmers to enhance milk production.

RefuSHE Artisan Collective
Leverages consumer preferences to provide a source of income for young refugee women.

Resonate
Provides leadership training to women and youth, enabling them to achieve their potential.

Tibeb Leather Works
Leather products that empower single mothers in Ethiopia.

TruLuv Granola
Artisanal, on-the-go, natural granola snacks.

Upcycle Africa
Improving livelihoods and tackling the plastic waste crisis in Uganda by building homes and changing mindsets.

UZURI K&Y
African inspired shoe brand and manufacturer in Rwanda.

Vijana Corps
Creating tools, platforms, and opportunities for the most marginalized youth in Uganda.

In partnership with Acumen

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Agro Supply
A mobile layaway platform that enables farmers to save for agricultural inputs seeds, fertilizer, and training using their mobile phones.

Ecobora
A clean, affordable solar cookstove that is used by rural schools and reduces indoor pollution while conserving forests.

era92 Creative
Works with businesses worldwide on digital and media development projects of which the profits are used to upskill youth in Uganda with digital skills.

GreenPot Enterprises
Bamboo business with interests in large scale nurseries, plantations, and an out-grower programme with small scale farmers.

Hidota Farmer's
A farmers' organization owned by smallholder farmers with as its main goal to improve the economic and social status of farmers.

Jaguza Tech
Ag-tech company that aims to transform the livestock farming sector by solving major problems plaguing this sector.

Mukuru Clean Stoves
Mukuru Clean Stoves designs manufacture and distributes improved efficient and reliable cookstoves.

PayWay Ethiopia
PayWay Ethiopia is an e-payment service to provide banking and payment services to rural, unbanked populations.

Smart Foods
Smart Foods invests in new nutritious and healthy products from soybeans, coconuts and other cereals and legumes.

Solerchill Technologies
Solar-powered cold chain technologies to help farmers, vendors and restaurant owners safely preserve their unsold food.

TAI, The Accessibility Institute
Producer of low cost, high-quality Assistive Technology devices, changing the lives of low-income mobility-impaired people in Kenya and Africa.

Vava Coffee
A social enterprise that has a network of coffee producers in different regions of East Africa. Vava Coffee exports, roasts and consults on coffee value chains.

WimRob
Working with smallholder farmers that provide the raw materials to process and sell certified honey.

ZIMA
ZIMA creates horticultural products from the pumpkin fruit that offer both nutritional and medicinal value in Rwanda and neighbouring countries.

In partnership with Acumen

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Fernando Assad and housing project

Social ENTERPRISE stories

Improving families’ living conditions in Brazil

One of the social enterprises we collaborate with Programa Vivenda. This organisation provides affordable and easy-to-install home improvement kits to mitigate the unsafe housing situation in Brazil’s favelas. Around 40 million people in Brazil live in houses that pose health risks.

Read the full story

Business Partners

Learn more about how we collaborate with business partners on developing products and collections.

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