A new breed of social entrepreneurs hold the key to solving some of the world’s most challenging social and economic issues, claims a new report.
The research examined the challenges of social entrepreneurs around the world and looked at their barriers to progress.
The new report entitled ‘Growing Opportunity: Entrepreneurial Solutions to Insoluble Problems’ was launched by Sustainability, an independent think-tank specialising in the business risks and market opportunities of corporate responsibility and sustainable development.
It found that access to capital was the number one barrier, with 72% citing it as an issue, followed by promotion and marketing (41%).
However, the report also found that the majority of social entrepreneurs were keen to work together with business to achieve their goals.
John Elkington, founder of Sustainability, said that ‘social entrepreneurs question the ways things have always been done’.
“By reconsidering how market needs are best met and who the consumers are — and might be, and by being transparent and accountable while rebooting the process of value creation, these people are set to have a profound impact on the world’s most complex societal and environmental challenges.
“Their impact may be limited by their current scale, but could be limitless with the right business partners. We see this as the next wave of change.”
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