Global Agenda Council on Social Innovation 2011

As environmental threats, resource crises and poverty pose ever greater challenges, social innovation has become the dominant response, highlighting the desire for collaboration between stakeholders. New social innovation models – social enterprise, corporate social responsibility, philanthropy, social investment – have proliferated in the past decade. 

Social innovation focuses on finding efficient and sustainable solutions that create value for society in general, rather than individuals and private companies. The notion comprises various forms of social innovation, entrepreneurship and socially responsible investing, as well as its legal and institutional framework in both developed and emerging markets.

Social innovation presents a chain of factors required to achieve social change. It provides a unique opportunity to step back from one-track thinking around social enterprises, business engagement and philanthropy and recognize the interconnectedness of various factors and stakeholders.