Driving the transition to a new economy that puts people and planet first
Social Enterprise World Forum (SEWF) is more than an event. We connect and collaborate with changemakers, social enterprises, networks and intermediaries, policymakers, purpose-led organisations and supporters to catalyse collaboration, learning and systemic change. At our core, we are a network of networks, connecting globally with those leading locally and regionally. Together, we are a global community working towards a new economy that puts people and planet first.
The current extractive economy is broken – increasing inequality, destroying lives and accelerating the climate emergency – and it cannot be sustained. Social enterprise is at the heart of a global movement changing this narrative and building a better alternative.
SEWF’s goal is to strengthen that movement and accelerate the transition to a new economy that puts people and planet first. Our Impact Model visualises how each one of our three activity areas creates ripples of positive outcomes that together contribute to the transition to a new economy. The global social enterprise community is at the centre of the ripple effect: as a practitioner-led movement, all our activities and decisions are by and for the purpose-led enterprises that form the global movement.
Explore the community
The three pillars are:
The social enterprise movement is vast but often underestimated. Shared identity and verified values bring it into focus for policymakers, for consumers, for the world. SEWF takes a network of network approach to stewarding the social enterprise movement’s collective visibility and identity through People and Planet First.
As the social enterprise movement gains greater visibility, our collective identity offers an anchor point for our community building.
Social enterprises exist in every corner of the world, but too often they operate in isolation – connected nationally but disconnected globally. SEWF bridges that gap, providing a platform for the global movement through collective action, shared learning and meaningful connection.
As the voice of the global community reaches deeper and further, its impact feeds our influencing efforts.
The social enterprise movement will only reach its full potential if the systems around it change too. SEWF advocates for progressive policy globally – ensuring the movement has a seat at the table where it matters most.
By influencing the wider system, the global social enterprise movement contributes to the transition to a new economy that enables all people to thrive within the means of our living planet.
A participatory verification and global collective, People and Planet First recognises all enterprises that put people and planet over profit – regardless of their legal structure or sector. SEWF is one of three founding stewards of the verification, implemented through a global network of over 75 partners worldwide.
SEWF events are more than conferences – they are dynamic platforms for learning, collaboration and action that create long-lasting change. Over almost two decades, our events have brought together over 30,000 participants from over 130 countries. Our event programme includes the flagship Social Enterprise World Forum, the SEWF Policy Forum and the newly launched Ecosystem Leadership Exchange – offering spaces for social enterprise leaders, policymakers and purpose-led organisations to connect, learn and act.
The global SEWF ecosystem features over 100 organisations that SEWF has worked with in recent years. The ecosystem includes People and Planet First verification partners, Rural Social Enterprise Network members, SEWF Network Partners and others who form part of the wider ecosystem SEWF has been building through partnership and collective action.
SEWF is a global network of networks, connecting with partners leading locally and regionally, sharing knowledge, opportunities and collaborating for greater collective impact. Our Network Partners are the national and regional networks leading in their own ecosystems.
The Rural Social Enterprise Network is a peer-led community that supports rural social enterprises and the people who power them. Created in response to the Rural Social Enterprise Manifesto, the network exists to address systemic challenges and opportunities in rural communities and embed the Rural Manifesto’s principles in practice and policy around the world.
A free-to-access and ever expanding collection of social enterprise resources from around the world, designed to empower social enterprises and drive the new economy forward.
Supportive government policies and robust local ecosystems are essential for social enterprises to thrive. Year-round, SEWF works with governments, networks, development agencies and social enterprises globally to shape the conditions that make that possible. Our policy and research programme spans advocacy, practical tools and evidence-building, working across local, national and global levels to drive the systemic change the movement needs.
