Schwab Foundation — Social Innovator Awards

Supports

Advancing social entrepreneurship and innovation worldwide Empowering social entrepreneurs and innovators. Connecting global networks. Amplifying impact. 21 leaders from 17 organisations honoured with the 2026 Schwab Foundation Awards, join our community of 510 social entrepreneurs and innovators that have collectively improved the lives of over 950 million people across 190 countries. From strengthening emergency medical services in Ethiopia, to establishing circular textile economies in Lebanon and tackling the shortage of STEM teachers in North America, this year’s awardees were selected for their transformative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing social challenges. Read the press release. In partnership with the World Economic Forum, we're accelerating the world's transition to a stakeholder economy. Our 2026 Awardees and Impact Report celebrates the values and achievements of our community, spotlighting how they transform societies, policies and practices. We convene private, public and civic organisations, institutions and leaders from around the world dedicated to advancing social innovation. Social innovators are addressing the world’s most complex social and environmental challenges. This landmark report maps the scale, structure and impact of Africa’s social enterprises — revealing 2.18 million enterprises generating $96 billion in annual revenue and creating 12 million jobs. With more than half led by women and one in three led by youth, the sector is driving a new model of growth that is both inclusive and sustainable. Today’s most pressing challenges – rising inequality, environmental crises and social fragmentation – are too complex for any single organisation to solve alone. Collective social innovation offers a new way forward, bringing together diverse stakeholders to create systemic change. Traditional funding models are falling short in addressing today’s social and environmental challenges. This new white paper introduces a bold alternative: tradeable impact. By transforming verified social outcomes into economic value, tradeable impact creates new financial incentives for social enterprises, businesses, investors and governments. The world is ready to transition towards a stakeholder economy, a system designed to create equitable benefits for people and the planet. However, many companies and governments are struggling with this transformation. We provide a platform to recognise, promote and advance proven social innovation solutions and accelerate the world’s transition to the more inclusive and sustainable economy. We are driven by their vision of the world that puts people and planet first. Since its inception in 1998, the Schwab Foundation has amplified entrepreneurs and innovators reimagining social and economic systems to be more inclusive of people and more sustainable for the planet. Their models put purpose before profit and have proven to be effective and economically viable where market or development approaches have failed. We seek to honour social change leaders, across a diversity of social innovation models in society. Social Entrepreneurs Employ innovative, market-based approaches to directly address social issues. Corporate Social Innovators Leaders within multinational or regional companies who drive the development of new products, services, initiatives, or business models that address societal and environmental challenges. Public Social Innovators Leaders in the public sector in government or in international organisations who harness the power of social innovation to create public good through policy, regulation, or public initiatives. Collective Social Innovators Bringing together organisations to solve complex problems that cannot be tackled by individual actors. Social Innovation Thought Leaders Recognised experts and champions who are shaping and contributing to the evolution of the field of social innovation.