{{Short description|Swiss not-for-profit organization}} {{Multiple issues| {{primary sources|date=January 2010}} {{Advert|date=January 2021}} }} The '''Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship''' is a Swiss not-for-profit organization founded in 1998 that provides platforms at regional, national, and global levels to promote social entrepreneurship.<ref name = Schwab-about>Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship [http://www.schwabfound.org/content/about-us "About us."] Retrieved: 2013-08-06.</ref> The foundation is under the legal supervision of the Swiss Federal Government. Its headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland. Each year, it selects 20–25 social entrepreneurs through a global "Social Entrepreneur of the Year" competition.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Social Innovators |url=https://www.pioneerspost.com/news-views/20220118/schwab-foundation-announces-its-2022-social-innovators-of-the-year}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Schwab Foundation for Entrepreneurship {{!}} Ashoka {{!}} Everyone a Changemaker |url=https://www.ashoka.org/en/partner/schwab-foundation-entrepreneurship |access-date=2023-08-02 |website=www.ashoka.org |language=en-sg}}</ref>

== History == thumb|Hilde Schwab at the WEF Social Entrepreneurs Wrap-up in 2018 In 1998, Klaus Schwab and his wife Hilde decided to create the independent not-for-profit Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship.<ref name="ElkingtonHartigan2008">{{cite book|author1=John Elkington|author2=Pamela Hartigan|title=The Power of Unreasonable People: How Social Entrepreneurs Create Markets That Change the World|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2kWbh9BEicMC|date=5 February 2008|publisher=Harvard Business Press|isbn=978-1-4221-6354-2}}</ref> Its mission was to promote social innovation. This new foundation was complementary to the World Economic Forum,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://europeansting.com/2019/07/26/this-is-what-is-still-holding-social-entrepreneurs-back/|title=This is what is still holding social entrepreneurs back|last=Forum|first=World Economic|date=2019-07-26|website=The European Sting - Critical News & Insights on European Politics, Economy, Foreign Affairs, Business & Technology - europeansting.com|language=en|access-date=2019-08-02}}</ref> founded by Klaus Schwab in 1971.<ref name="ElkingtonHartigan2008"/>

Pamela Hartigan, who joined in October 2000, was its first managing director. The Foundation is financed from the initial endowment provided by the Schwabs plus grants and fees for services provided to individuals, foundations or companies.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship {{!}} Devex |url=https://www.devex.com/organizations/schwab-foundation-for-social-entrepreneurship-45968 |access-date=2023-08-02 |website=www.devex.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship |url=https://www.library.hbs.edu/citations/schwab-foundation-for-social-entrepreneurship/schwab-foundation-for-social-entrepreneurship |access-date=2023-08-02 |website=www.library.hbs.edu}}</ref>

==Activities== The Foundation identifies rising social entrepreneurs under the age of 40 through its Forum of Young Global Leaders and encourages the activists it recognizes to work together as a team. In this collaboration, ideas are shared and possible funding is attracted from companies, universities, or INSEAD. The activists can also win support from corporations and political and academic leaders.<ref>{{Cite web |last=mike |date=2013-05-27 |title=S is for The Schwab Foundation For Social Entrepreneurship |url=https://www.thepositiveencourager.global/the-schwab-foundation-for-social-entrepreneurship/ |access-date=2023-08-02 |website=The Positive Encourager |language=en-US}}</ref> The activists (260 people in 2013) serve on the Forum's Global Agenda Councils.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Schwab-foundations-social-entrepreneur-of-the-year |url=https://www.opportunitiesforafricans.com/2016-schwab-foundations-social-entrepreneur-of-the-year-award-apply-now/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Announcing the Social Innovators of the Year 2023 – Motsepe Foundation |url=https://www.motsepefoundation.org/announcing-the-social-innovators-of-the-year-2023/ |access-date=2023-08-02 |language=en-US}}</ref> Case studies on specific social entrepreneurs are provided to leading academic institutions to incorporate into undergraduate and graduate-level courses.<ref name = Schwab-about/> Each year the Foundation selects 20-25 Social Entrepreneurs through a global “'''Social Entrepreneur of the Year'''” competition.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Forum |first=World Economic |title=2023 Social Innovation Awards: The Power Of Collective Change |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/worldeconomicforum/2023/01/17/2023-social-innovation-awards-the-power-of-collective-change/ |access-date=2023-08-02 |website=Forbes |language=en}}</ref> Winners include Mikaela Jade, for innovation in indigenous edu-tech.<ref>{{Citation |last=Waters Robichau |first=Robbie |title=Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship |date=2010 |url=https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-93996-4_766 |work=International Encyclopedia of Civil Society |pages=1352–1353 |editor-last=Anheier |editor-first=Helmut K. |access-date=2023-08-02 |place=New York, NY |publisher=Springer US |language=en |doi=10.1007/978-0-387-93996-4_766 |isbn=978-0-387-93996-4 |editor2-last=Toepler |editor2-first=Stefan|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship {{!}} UIA Yearbook Profile {{!}} Union of International Associations |url=https://uia.org/s/or/en/1100061360 |access-date=2023-08-02 |website=uia.org}}</ref>

== Allegations of employer misconduct and harassment at WEF == On June 29, 2024, The Wall Street Journal published an article, authored by staff reporters Shalini Ramachandran and Khadeeja Safdar, stating that WEF Founder Klaus Schwab is accused by former WEF employees of having engaged in two instances of sexual harassment. The Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship is a wholly separate organization from WEF and is neither mentioned or the subject of the published Wall Street Journal article.

== Board of directors== {{As of|September 2024}}, the organization's Board of Directors consisted of:<ref>{{cite web |title=Our people |url=https://www.schwabfound.org/people/ |website=Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship |access-date=22 September 2024}}</ref> *Hilde Schwab (Chairperson, Co-founder) *Pascale Bruderer, Founder, Chairwoman, Swiss Stablecoin AG *Mirai Chatterjee, Chairperson, SEWA Cooperative Federation, Self-Employed Women's Association *Ernest Darkoh, Founding Partner, BroadReach Group *Charly Kleissner, Co-founder, Toniic *Johanna Mair, Professor of Organization, Strategy and Leadership, Hertie School *Queen Mathilde of Belgium *Subi Rangan, The Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Court Endowed Chair in Societal Progress, INSEAD *Nicole Schwab, Co-Head, Nature Positive Pillar; Member of the Executive Committee, World Economic Forum Geneva *Helle Thorning-Schmidt, Director, Thorning Schmidt Global Ltd

== References == {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{Official website|http://www.schwabfound.org}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Entrepreneurship organizations Category:Social entrepreneurship Category:1998 establishments in Switzerland Category:Organizations established in 1998 Category:Foundations based in Switzerland Category:Organisations based in Geneva