This year, in addition to 4 global winners, there are 26 winners in 7 pilot countries in Africa which are the focus of a joint project between SEED and UNEP’s Green Economy Initiative (GEI), funded largely by the EU . You can find details of the result at www.seedinit.org, including introductions to the individual initiatives and the International Jury.
The SEED Initiative
The SEED Initiative is a global partnership for action on sustainable development and the green economy.
Founded by UNEP, UNDP and IUCN at the 2002 Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, SEED supports innovative small-scale and locally driven entrepreneurships around the globe which integrate social and environmental benefits into their business model.
The goal of SEED is to support the ability of such entrepreneurs to scale up or replicate their activities and enable them to make a contribution to their local economies and communities while promoting the sustainable management of natural resources and ecosystems, and reducing poverty, marginalisation and exclusion.
The SEED Programme
SEED Awards: Through an annual, global awards scheme SEED finds and reveals a wealth of novel ways of doing business. An international jury of experts selects and
recognises the most promising and innovative start-ups.
Supporting SEED Winners: Based on their needs, Award Winners receive an individually-tailored support package which includes:
• networking to interested organisations
• profiling their initiatives nationally and internationally
• skills development such as partnership management, finance and technical expertise
• business planning.
Identifying best practices and developing tools: SEED continuously studies the progress of the SEED Awardees to increase the understanding of how innovative start-ups grow, the obstacles they face and their economic, social and environmental impacts. This is used to develop tools useful for all entrepreneurs.
Influencing policy: The evidence and insights are translated into policy messages to stimulate a more enabling framework for social and environmental entrepreneurs.
SEED presents these messages to international forums and policy platforms as well as through its website, publications and learning tools.
Contact
Mike Shanahan
Press officer
International Institute for Environment and Development
3 Endsleigh Street
London WC1H 0DD
Tel: 44 (0) 207 388 2117
Fax: 44 (0) 207 388 2826
Email: mike.shanahan@iied.org
www.iied.org
Notes to editors
The International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) is an independent, non-profit research institute. Set up in 1971 and based in London, IIED provides expertise and leadership in researching and achieving sustainable development (see: www.iied.org).