Schwab Foundation honours 2024 Social Innovators of the Year
16 organisations promote equity and sustainability
The Geneva, Switzerland-based Schwab Foundation has recognised 16 trailblazing organisations worldwide for their outstanding contributions to advancing equitable access to healthcare, education, finance, and law and improving the lives of millions.
These organisations stand out as beacons of hope in a world grappling with declining trust in societal institutions due to geopolitical tensions, economic uncertainty, violent conflicts, and environmental concerns.
Global community
The prestigious awards were presented recently in a ceremony held in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland. The awarded organisations form a global community offering proven methods for building a more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable society.
The Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, a sister organisation of the World Economic Forum, is a leading global platform that accelerates outstanding social innovation models.
Hilde Schwab, Co-Founder and Chairperson of the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship emphasised the importance of the Social Innovators of the Year 2024, stating: “The collective potential of this community offers a beacon of hope for acting with purpose and collaboration during uncertain times.”
The 16 award-winners, joining an existing community that has improved the lives of over 890 million people in more than 190 countries since 1998, span a diverse range of initiatives.
They include empowering Indigenous peoples in the Amazon, promoting youth development through sports in Morocco, instilling leadership skills in Colombian youth for a culture of peace, and using technology to provide legal services in Uganda.
François Bonnici, Director of the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, highlighted the pressing need for the transformative change this year’s innovators brought about to meet the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations.
The 2024 awardees, spread across four categories, reflect the Foundation’s commitment to recognising diverse efforts:
Social Entrepreneurs
- Ajaita Shah, Frontier Markets (India)
- (Mohamed) Amine Zariat, Tibu Africa (Morocco)
- Catalina Cock Duque, Fundación Mi Sangre (Colombia)
- Gerald Abila, BarefootLaw (Uganda)
- Rudayna Abdo, Thaki (Lebanon)
- Shuchin Bajaj, Ujala Cygnus Hospitals (India)
- Temie Giwa-Tubosun, LifeBank Group (Nigeria, Kenya, Ethiopia)
- Xia Li, Shenzhen Power-Solution (China)
Public Social Innovators
9. Chantal Line Carpentier, UNCTAD (Switzerland)
- Ibu Vivi Yulaswati, Ministry of National Development Planning (Indonesia)
- Juan Martinez Louvier, National Institute for Social Economy (Mexico)
Corporate Social Innovators
12. Saugata Banerjee, EssilorLuxottica (Singapore)
- Ruchika Singhal, Medtronic LABS (USA)
Collective Social Innovators
14. Financing Alliance for Health (Kenya)
- Amazon Sacred Headwaters Alliance (Ecuador/Peru)
- StriveTogether (United States)
Each awardee is recognised for their innovative approaches, addressing critical social issues directly and contributing to positive systemic change.
The Schwab Foundation’s commitment to social entrepreneurship is evident in its recognition of over 64 organisations in the past three years, creating over $900 million in economic value for their communities.
Featured image: Some of the 2024 Social Innovators of the Year awardees. Image: Schwab Foundation
